A Toyota in Top 35 in Owner Points

[Vez]

I was just looking at the driver standings for the Cup Series and noticed that...

...Dave Blaney has made it into the top 35 in owner points.

Well done to Dave :bounce:

Brian is the next Toyota in 39 and is 298 points behind Dave

http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2007/data/standings_official.html

[RaikkonenRules]

Blaney is only 35th in driver points. The #22 is still 36th in owners nearly 200 points behind the #70 in 35th

[Vez]

My bad :arrows: I just got a little too excited at the prospect of at least 1 Toyota being in the Top 35 (Owner Points).

They're almost there though :)

P.S Is there a slightly different scoring system or something between driver and owner points? Please explain.

Just worked out why/how the points are different.

[jeffconn]

I expect Dave Blaney to race his way into the owners top 35, probably before the Chase starts. He's doing a lot with so little.

[Erki]

It's probably because Kyle Petty is now out of top35 in driver points, but car #45 should still be in top35 in owners points.

[dwboogityfan]

I think that the Wood Brothers #21 team is the most likely to challenge the top 35 so long as Awesome Bill stays behind the wheel. He has had some really solid runs recently.
Blaney has been the most consistent Toyota all season and would be in the top 35 but for bad luck.
Besides supposedly the #13 team is struggling financially - wonder if that will open up a top 35 position if they close.

[BobbyC]

Here is how I see it.

The problems with Ginn Racing and the #13, and actually all sponsorship, have erupted because NASCAR is in the middle of the 12-race stretch where every Cup race is on cable (TNT or ESPN). When Ginn had their deals signed, they were for the first 13 races, where broadcast network television was very prominent.

Sponsors are looking at the detail that high-profile races once reserved for network television are now relegated to cable. That is not a good deal, especially for local dealers of the products they sell.

Some sponsors are "local" sponsors. One of those examples came on the #13 itself, when Chinese appliance manufacturer Haier was on the car for selected races. Haier America has offices and a plant in Camden, South Carolina, 35 miles west of Florence (Darlington Raceway).

Also, when a team does not qualify for a race, they do receive owner points (28 for 44th fastest speed, 25 for 45th, down to 1 point for 54th) for attempting to make the race. Drivers do not earn the points, but owners earn such owner points.

[blakebeatty]

Bill Davis racing is a CLASS organization.

If you are ever in Charlotte, or Raleigh, make the trip to their shop. Absolutely the friendliest place of all. When I was there in May, I was talking with one of the guys as he rebodied the truck that Skinner let his friend drive at LMS, and backed into the wall.

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v77/125/99/508142754/n508142754_135067_9840.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=135067&id=508142754)

[blakebeatty]

Bill Davis is a class organization. As far as the Toyotas go, Michael Waltrip uses TRD motors from Toyota, which are installed and tuned by TRD engineers, but Red Bull and Bill Davis use Bill Davis motors, and the difference has shown itself. When Dynoed after atlanta, the Bill Davis engine of Blaney was within 5 horsepower of the Hendrick engine of Jimmie Johnson. I hope that Dave gets into the top 35

[Mark in Oshawa]

Blake...he may have a class organization, but don't say that too loudly around anyone from Dodge. Bill was quite willing to sell information off to Toyota if I remember correctly....

[blakebeatty]

Yeah, that lawsuit was sticky... Actually, when I was at Bill Davis in May there were still #22 Catepillar Cars bodied as Chargers! (on the right)

http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v107/125/99/508142754/n508142754_137826_9491.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=135067&id=508142754)

[Cozzie]

I think Blaney has been more consistent and will senak into the top thirty-five but Vickers has been the best of the Toyotas when he actually qualifies for the races. Reutimann has also had some good runs.

[blakebeatty]

Yeah, Vickers is the fastest, Blaney the most consistent. Reutimann has potential, but the MWR cars are not up to snuff, especially in their engine package

[Sparky1329]

Dave has 178 owner's points between him and the 35th #70 team. That's a pretty tall order.

[blakebeatty]

Dave has 178 owner's points between him and the 35th #70 team. That's a pretty tall order.

And the HAAS Teams have been performing as of late. It is indeed a tall order

[Sparky1329]

Yep. Sauter has been doing pretty well for the most part. I haven't heard too many complaints about his driving style either.

[blakebeatty]

Hendrick chassis, hendrick engines, and Booty Barker. Plus I read somewhere that Rick gives the Haas crew cheifs access to all of his resources, and setups. That certainly SHOULD make for a successful team.