1. (1) Tony Stewart (car No. 20)

If he blows a 146-point lead in the past three races, there's your anger management.

2. (4) Mark Martin (car No. 6)

Does the veteran have one big late-season push toward a title left in him this season?

3. tie (2) Jimmie Johnson (car No. 48) and (3) Ryan Newman (car No. 12)

Get used to seeing these guys tied – that may be how rookie of the year turns out.

5. (7) Kurt Busch (car No. 97)

Atlanta win let him join Bill Elliott and Jeff Gordon as back-to-back race winners so far.

6. (6) Jamie McMurray/Sterling Marlin (car No. 40)

Sure, McMurray's had good luck. But it was really bad luck that has him in this car.

7. (5) Rusty Wallace (car No. 2)

Thanks for playing our game. Please pick up your lovely parting gifts on the way out.

8. (8) Jeff Gordon (car No. 24)

Was 342 points ahead of Busch after Darlington. Eight races later, he's four behind.

9. (9) Dale Earnhardt Jr. (car No. 8)

Tries to ride a late-season wave of momentum into a top-10 finish in the points race.

10. (10) Matt Kenseth (car No. 17)

Has half of Roush Racing's eight Cup wins this year, including one at Rockingham.

11. (12) Dale Jarrett (car No. 88)

12. (11) Ricky Rudd (car No. 28)

13. (14) Jeff Burton (car No. 99)

14. (13) Bill Elliott (car No. 9)

15. (15) Bobby Labonte (car No. 18)

16. (16) Michael Waltrip (car No. 15)

17. (17) Dave Blaney (car No. 77)

18. (18) Jeff Green (car No. 30)

19. (22) Ward Burton (car No. 22)

20. (19) Ricky Craven (car No. 32)

21. (20) Robby Gordon (car No. 31)

22. (24) Steve Park (car No. 1)

23. (25) Kyle Petty (car No. 45)

24. (21) Kevin Harvick (car No. 29)

25. (23) Johnny Benson (car No. 10)

26. (27) Terry Labonte (car No. 5)

27. (35) Joe Nemechek (car No. 25)

28. (28) Jeremy Mayfield (car No. 19)

29. (26) John Andretti (car No. 43)

30. (29) Kenny Wallace (car No. 23)

31. (36) Elliott Sadler (car No. 21)

32. (31) Jimmy Spencer (car No. 41)

33. (38) Mike Skinner (car No. 4)

34. (30) Ken Schrader (car No. 36)

35. (32) Mike Wallace (car No. 14)

36. (33) Casey Atwood (car No. 7)

37. (39) Ted Musgrave/Jerry Nadeau (car No. 44)

38. (34) Bobby Hamilton (car No. 55)

39. (37) Todd Bodine (car No. 26)

40. (40) Brett Bodine (car No. 11)