No more qualifying free rides

Following the Nos. 22, 83 and 44 Toyota Camrys is the No. 21 Ford of the Wood Brothers. The Stuart, Va.-based Woods are also at their hometown track this weekend with Ken Schrader behind the wheel. Schrader qualified 10th at Martinsville in the fall, but that was before the Car of Tomorrow. But in the first 21 car former Hendrick Motorsports chassis manager Eddie Dickerson built for the Woods, Schrader qualified 15th last week at Bristol. A little luck will turn this team around. Mike Bliss' Bam car is 41st in points, but again, with two starts and as a single-car team, it won't be easy. The next two cars, Nos. 15 and 10, shouldn't be in this position. Yes, Paul Menard is a rookie and the team is struggling while making the transition to Cup, but he's much better than what his 42nd-place in owner points shows. Sans a provisional starting spot, Menard has missed two races and dug a huge hole early. DEI is undergoing extensive testing with Menard. Scott Riggs' performance is nearly as curious as his Evernham teammate Kasey Kahne (who is hanging on at 34th in owner/driver points). Of all drivers with at least five starts, Riggs is currently 39th in driver points and his owner, James Rocco, is 43rd. Yes, Riggs experienced two DNFs, but the driver is much stronger than his numbers would indicate. The Bubble Boys: Living on the edge are Sterling Marlin, Kyle Petty, Ricky Rudd, Kahne and Johnny Sauter. If the points had been reset after Atlanta, Sauter would have been golden. Until Bristol, Sauter had qualified for every race on time and this team will only improve as the season goes on. Kahne, however, is the mindblower on this list. Last year he was a weekly contender. This year he can't find his rear spoiler. Like Riggs, this Evernham racer has had his share of bad luck, but this A-lister has no business among the NASCAR dregs. Rudd was on sabbatical last season and is still assisting with the Robert Yates revival. Marlin and Petty have made a home on the points perimeter. Both veterans are admittedly in the twilight of their careers but are still doing an admirable job of holding on. Lee Spencer is a senior NASCAR writer for FOXSports.com. Talk racing with Lee at her NASCAR blog.