Cars run the track during the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Chris Graythen/Getty Images Photo) » More Photos

C: Matt Kenseth — Had a horrible start to the season, but likely will be a B or A by year-end.

Greg Biffle — Driver and team have made too many mistakes to rank higher.

Tony Stewart — Has been fast, but had horrible luck. Could still turn it around. This week’s race in Chicago will speak volumes about what Stewart does for the rest of the year.

Kevin Harvick — Harvick expected to be higher than 13th in points right now.

Martin Truex Jr. — Pending Daytona penalty likely will doom Truex’s Chase hopes and perhaps his relationship with Dale Earnhardt Inc.

Ryan Newman — Only one top five since stirring Daytona 500 victory in what may be Newman’s last season at Penske Racing.

Kurt Busch — Like teammate Newman, Busch’s season has disappointed, though he’s been first and fourth the last two weeks.

Bobby Labonte — No real improvement over past two seasons at Petty Enterprises, but no drop off, either.

Juan Pablo Montoya — Talent isn’t the issue; dysfunctional Ganassi team has held him back.

Paul Menard — Has improved from last season.

David Reutimann — Just like last year, is clearly the best of the three Michael Waltrip Racing entries.

Sam Hornish Jr. — After a slow start, Hornish is getting the hang of stock cars.

D: Michael Waltrip — Mikey still struggling in second year as owner/driver.

Dave Blaney — Low-dollar Bill Davis Racing squad soldiers on.

Regan Smith — Tough to succeed as a rookie with few sponsor dollars.

Joe Nemechek — As single-car teams go, Nemechek has done the best he could.

Patrick Carpentier — Popular and personable, Carpentier still has a steep learning curve ahead, but should get there.

Michael McDowell — See Regan Smith.

Elliott Sadler — Four DNFs have killed him in the points.

AJ Allmendinger — Getting benched briefly has helped Allmendinger, who could be a C by year end.

F: Scott Riggs — Haas-CNC Racing has struggled and Riggs likely will be gone next year.

Robby Gordon — Being owner/driver of a single-car team does not work, has not worked and will not work, no matter how hard Robby tries.

Reed Sorenson — Should be higher in points than he is, as Ganassi organization flounders.

Casey Mears — Great guy, but when your teammates are second, fifth and sixth in points and you’re 24th, well, that’s not good news.

Jamie McMurray — McMurray finished fifth of five Roush Fenway Racing drivers in points in 2006, fourth of five last year and is fifth again this year.

JJ Yeley — Expected to be a top-20 car with Hall of Fame’s switch to Toyota, Yeley has three DNQs and a 41st-place finish in his last five races.

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to