Losing Streaks? 97-09-09

Here's something we did a couple months back showing how long it's been since your favorite driver has seen Victory Lane, finished in the Top-5, or nabbed at Top-10.

The following are the drivers in the Top-30, and the stats are current through the Exide NASCAR Select 400 at Richmond, Race #24:

Driver Name (Point Position)  Last Win  Last Top-5  Last Top-10
----------------------------  --------  ----------  -----------
Dale Jarrett (3)                 0         0            0   
Jeff Gordon (1)                  1         0            0
Mark Martin (2)                  3         2            1
Ricky Rudd (10)                  5         1            1
Jeff Burton (4)                  7         0            0

John Andretti (23)               8         8            8
Ernie Irvan (16)                10         3            3
Rusty Wallace (14)              21         0            0
Bobby Labonte (7)               24         5            1
Bobby Hamilton (20)             25        16           16

Terry Labonte (5)               27         8            1
Geoff Bodine (26)               33         0            0
Mike Skinner (29)               39*       39**          5
Sterling Marlin (22)            40         8            2
Dale Earnhardt (6)              51         7            3

Ward Burton (25)                53        51            0
Johnny Benson (12)              54*       38            5
Kyle Petty (19)                 70        12            6
Ricky Craven (21)               85*       20            9
Bill Elliott (8)                87         1            1

Jimmy Spencer (16)              95         9            6
Steve Grissom (24)              95*        2            2
Jeremy Mayfield (11)           102*        5            0
Darrell Waltrip (18)           155        15           11
Ken Schrader (13)              194        32            1

Ted Musgrave (9)               208*        3            1
Derrike Cope (28)              218        53           10
Brett Bodine (27)              225        97           15
Rick Mast (30)                 238*       27           26
Michael Waltrip (15)           354*       46            1

* - Career Non-Winner ** - No Career Top-5's

These stats are only for races run...if a driver was a DNQ or missed a start due to injury, those races are not included.

Some numbers to consider.....Wanna know why Bobby Hamilton is falling in the points? No Top-10's in 16 starts! Michael Waltrip hasn't had a Top-5 in 46 races....but he's had 13 Top-10's since that race, that'll keep you up in the points. Rick Mast's new connections obviously haven't clicked, their best finish this season is a 12th....and it's been 8 races since they've finished as high as 18th.

Is it any surprise that the Top-4 in the points are in the Top-5 in this chart?

With only 14 different drivers able to reach the Winners Circle in '96-'97, some of these numbers are staggering. When you consider some of the drivers with losing streaks longer than 20 (23 of the 30), it proves once again how precious wins are at the highest level of our sport.

Henry Dubret (henry@nascarfans.com) NASCAR Fans _______________________________________ NASCAR Fans Website http://www.nascarfans.com

_______________________________________ To subscribe/unsubscribe to the E-mail List send mail to nascarfans-request@netcrafters.com subject line: subscribe or subject line: unsubscribe ________________________________________