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07-20-2007
To Be the Champ, You'll Have to Beat Them First
 At the mid-point of the 2007 season, one thing is crystal-clear as far as the championship race is concerned. To become a champion, a competitor will have to beat a champion - here's why: Four former titleholders - Mike Skinner, Ron Hornaday Jr., Travis Kvapil (No. 6 K&N Engineering Ford) and Todd Bodine (No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota) occupy the first four spots in the point standings.
Two more champions aren't far behind: Jack Sprague (No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota) and Ted Musgrave (No. 9 Team ASE Toyota) rank seventh and eighth.
A seventh champion, Mike Bliss (No. 4 Open Joist Dodge), isn't running a full schedule but the Milwaukie, Ore., driver is running often enough - and well enough - to be a spoiler.
In sum, the septet counts 10 of the series' 12 championships. And their records in 2007 are formidable to say the least. They count 10 wins, 10 Bud Poles and 39 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes.
Led by Skinner's $479,300, the seven won $2,080,400 of the $8.1 million posted through the first 13 events of the 25-race schedule.
Only three non-champions have been able to win in 2007: Johnny Benson (No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota) at Milwaukee, Erik Darnell (No. 99 Northern Tool+Equipment Ford) at Kansas and Dennis Setzer (No. 75 Spears Manufacturing Chevrolet) at Mansfield.
Unsurprisingly, every race winner ranks among the top 10 in the championship points standings.
Twenty-six different drivers boasted winnings of at least $100,000 through the first 13 races. Thirty-two competitors posted at least one top-10 finish. (Photo Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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