Castrol® And AUTOSPORT Launch "Castrol EDGE® USA Driver Rankings": Ranks American Racing's Best Drivers And Releases First-Ever Results

WAYNE, N.J., May 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Castrol® and AUTOSPORT have teamed up to release the first official Castrol EDGE® USA Driver Rankings, a proprietary technology that objectively ranks the performance of American racing's best drivers.  Hot on the heels of the Castrol EDGE Rankings, which ranks the top drivers around the world, the Castrol EDGE USA Driver Rankings focuses solely on drivers from 14 series across the United States – from Indy Lights and NASCAR Nationwide to Grand-Am and the Porsche IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge. This innovative tool looks beyond race wins, taking into account every move made on the track such as overtaking moves, fastest laps and qualifying performances.  Whether it is IndyCar, NASCAR or ALMS, motorsport fans and analysts around the globe can now compare their favorite drivers against each other on a weekly basis and ultimately answer the question, "Who is the best driver in American racing?"

The first Castrol EDGE USA Driver Rankings results reflect data compiled and points accumulated from the past 12 months through today, with Will Power of the IndyCar series emerging as the top ranked driver this week. Runner-up for the past two IndyCar seasons, the Australian has made a superlative start to his 2012 campaign, delivering two pole positions and three wins in the opening four races. That, combined with his excellent form over the past 12 months, makes him the highest ranked driver in all of American racing.

Power's nearest challenger comes from the NASCAR Sprint Cup, with Carl Edwards – like Power a runner-up in the 2011 championship – close behind in second. The 32-year-old Roush Fenway Racing man has made a solid start to 2012, and currently lies 10th in the Sprint Cup drivers' standings.

The battle between IndyCar and the NASCAR Sprint Cup continues throughout the top five Castrol EDGE USA Driver Rankings, with IndyCar's Ganassi duo Scott Dixon (3) and 2011 champion Dario Franchitti (5) separated by Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch (4).

Sprint Cup drivers lock out the rest of the top 10, however, with reigning champion Tony Stewart (6) heading Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.

2011 FIA GT1 champion Lucas Luhr is the highest-ranked driver outside the two chief US series; the 32-year-old German coming in at 15th as a result of his performances for Starworks Motorsport in Grand-Am and for Muscle Milk in the ALMS.

"Castrol has a long-standing relationship with auto racing throughout the world and we are extremely excited to bring this technology to American racing," said Carolyn Eckert, Director of Promotions, Sponsorship and Creative Services. "The Castrol EDGE Rankings build on our more than 100 years of technology leadership. Castrol is focused on creating the best products and innovative experiences for our consumers." 

To view the full Castrol EDGE USA Driver Rankings, please visit facebook.com/castrolusa.  The Castrol EDGE USA Driver Rankings will be updated on a weekly basis.

For over 100 years, Castrol has been the technology leader in motor oil with advanced proprietary formulas that exceed the world's toughest industry-agreed standards. 

About Castrol
BP Lubricants USA Inc. markets premium lubricants and business–building programs directly to independent lube operators, service providers, new car dealers and leading retailers. Our leadership brands include Castrol® GTX® — a premium conventional motor oil; Castrol® GTX® High–Mileage™ — a synthetic blend designed for vehicles with over 75,000 miles; the Castrol® EDGE line of advanced full-synthetic super premium motor oils that offer unsurpassed strength and performance; as well as our range of commercial transport lubricants. To find out more about Castrol products and programs, please call 1–888–CASTROL or log on to www.castrol.com/us.

Contact Information:
Tara Mullins 
Ogilvy PR 
212.880.5243
[email protected] 

SOURCE Castrol