Thursday, April 28, 2011

Driver Chassis Selections for Crown Royal 400 at Richmond

Please note: Not every team publishes their chassis selections in their press releases.

Edwards using a new car this week at Richmond (Getty)
1. Carl Edwards: Won the pole and led 95 laps en route to a 10th-place finish last September; Finish was fifth top 10 in 13 starts; 16.2 average finish and 112 laps led in the eight races with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 756) in the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400.

2. Jimmie Johnson: Three-time winner in the eight races with the COT; Last win came in the 2008 September race; Eighth-best average finish (11.6) with the COT; 10th-best driver rating in the last 12 races; Finished 10th in this event last year; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 590) that he finished third with at Phoenix International Raceway in February.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 22.2 average finish in six starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Led 90 laps and finished fourth in the 2008 September race with HMS; Scored three wins and nine top 10s in previous 17 starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 542) that he finished 10th with at Phoenix International Raceway in February.

4. Kevin Harvick: Coming off 13th top 10 in 20 starts; Won the 2006 September race; Sixth-best average finish (10.5) in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 332) that he last went to Victory Lane with at Martinsville Speedway earlier this month.

5. Kurt Busch: Finished 18th in both events last year; Four top 10s in 10 starts with Penske Racing; Finished second in the 2009 September race for sixth top 10 in 20 overall starts; Won the 2005 summer race with Roush Racing; 14.5 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 749) in the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400.

Busch is using third-place Martinsville car this week (Getty)
6. Kyle Busch: Recorded second win in 12 starts in this event last year after leading 226 laps; Leads all drivers with a 6.0 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Second-place finish last September was fourth consecutive top five; Will return in the same car that he led 151 laps and finished third with at Martinsville Speedway earlier this month.

7. Ryan Newman: 8.3 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Has finished in the top 10 in the last seven spring races; Seventh-best average finish (11.1) in the eight races with the COT; Eighth-best driver rating in the past 12 races.

8. Matt Kenseth: Nine top-10 finishes in 22 starts; Has finished outside the top 10 in his last seven starts; 20.8 average finish in the eight races with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 751) in the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400.

9. Juan Pablo Montoya: Finished in the top 10 in both races in 2010; Sixth-place finish in this event is best in eight starts; 21.4 average finish; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1109) that he finished 19th with at Phoenix International Raceway in February.

10. Clint Bowyer: Coming off fifth top 10 in 10 starts; Won this event in 2008 from the 31st starting position; Fifth-best average finish (9.5) in the eight races with the COT; Will return in the same car that he led 91 laps and finished ninth with at Martinsville Speedway earlier this month.

11. Paul Menard: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in eight starts; 27.2 average finish; Best finish came in this event in 2007 in 16th; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 342) in the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400; This car was tested at Walt Disney World Speedway in January.

Stewart using Phoenix chassis that led 4 times for 59 laps
12. Tony Stewart: 14.5 average finish in four starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; 14 top 10s, including three wins in previous 20 starts with Joe Gibbs Racing; Fourth-best average finish (9.2) in the eight races with the COT; Fifth-best driver rating in past 12 races.

13. Jeff Gordon: 12th-place finish last September snapped streak of seven consecutive top 10s; Second in average finish (6.2) and laps led (648) in the eight races with the COT; Last of two wins came in the 2000 September race.

14. Mark Martin: 13.5 average finish in four starts with Hendrick Motorsports; One win and a 12.2 average finish in 50 starts; 10th-best average finish (12.5) in the eight races with the COT; Ninth-best driver rating in the past 12 races; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 663) in the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400.

15. AJ Allmendinger: Coming off first top 10 in eight starts; 25.8 average finish; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 736) that he finished 19th with at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.

16. Greg Biffle: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in the eight races with the COT; 16.9 average finish in 17 starts; Last of five top 10s (sixth) came in the September race in 2006; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 708) that he finished fifth with last fall at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Hamlin has won the last two fall Richmond races (Getty)
17. Denny Hamlin: Coming off second win in 10 starts; Third in average finish (7.9) and first in laps led (1,112) in the eight races with the COT; Leads all drivers in the driver rating category; Finished 11th in this event last year.

18. Kasey Kahne: 19.0 average finish in 14 starts; Won this event in 2005 with Evernham Motorsports; Making first track start with Team Red Bull.

19. Martin Truex Jr: Finished seventh in this event last year in track debut with Michael Waltrip Racing; 23.5 average finish in 10 starts.

20. David Ragan: 21.9 average finish in eight starts; Only top 10 (third) came in the 2007 September race; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 755) in the Crown Royal Presents The Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400.

- compiled by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorRacingNetwork.com

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