Paulie Harraka No. 1 in Hunter Index

The drivers in my top 15 for the Hunter Index moved around quite a bit since the first time they were ranked. For one, Paulie Harraka jumped from fifth to first in my poll. His win in the season opener for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West at All American Speedway in Roseville was not only impressive, it was his third in the past four West Series races.
Cole Whitt jumped into my top 15 at No. 4 after a pair of runner-up finishes in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. Whitt has the lead in the East Series standings with those two second-place finishes.
Sergio Pena, who surprised everyone with his performance in the NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale in January, was knocked down to fifth in my poll after a disastrous season opener in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Here’s a look at my top 15:

NASCAR Hunter Index top 15 for April

1. Paulie Harraka: He’s off to a great start, winning the season opener in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Maybe some of the Duke basketball magic will rub off on the Harraka, a Blue Devil undergraduate. Previous rank: 5

2. Nick Joanides: He won the NASCAR Super Late Model season opener at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale and is still the only driver to win the Super Late Model and Late Model championship at the track in the same year. Previous rank: 4

3. Philip Morris: He won the season opener at the Motor Mile on April 3, but ran into some bad luck at South Boston Speedway in Virginia. He is third in points in the Late Model division at the track after a third-place finish on opening night, followed by an eighth-place finish in the second race of the season. Previous rank: 2

4. Cole Whitt: He has a pair of runner-up finishes in the first two races of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and the lead in the East Series standings. Previous rank: Unranked

5. Sergio Pena: He has not lived up to the hype in the first two races of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He finished 27th in the East Series season opener at Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina and 14th in the race at South Boston Speedway. After nearly winning the NASCAR All-Star Showdown, Pena is 20th in the East Series standings. Previous rank: 1

6. Ryan Truex: He has to be the hard-luck driver of the year so far. He led the most laps in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener at Greenville Pickens Raceway only to end up in 14th place after a crash during the green-white-checker flag finish. Somehow the reigning East Series champion has managed to stay in the top five in the 2010 East Series standings. Previous rank: 3

7. Keith Rocco: He has won the first two races of the SK Modifieds season at Waterford Speedbowl in Connecticut and leads the standings at the track. Previous rank: 14

8. Rafael Martinez: He won the NASCAR Mexico Series season opening Pennzoil 240 at Nuevo Autodrome de Aguacalientes. Previous rank: Unranked

9. Darrell Wallace Jr.: He became the youngest driver to win a NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race. He won the East Series season opener at Greenville Pickens Raceway in South Carolina and followed that up with a 20th place finish at South Boston Speedway. Previous rank: Unranked

10. Josh Combs: He inherited a second-place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season opener at All American Speedway in Roseville. He was third on a green-white-checker finish, but Jonathan Gomez’s car did not pass post-race inspection and was knocked from second to last place as a result. Previous rank: Unranked

11. James Civali: He won the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour race at South Boston and has three top 10s in the first three races of the season. He leads the Whelen Southern Modified Tour standings. Previous rank: Unranked

12. Greg Pursley: He was looking at a third-place finish in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season opener at All American Speedway in Roseville when he was spun out on the white-flag lap. Josh Combs jumped up to third place in the race and ended up in second with Joanathan Gomez was disqualified. Previous rank: 7

13. Jody Lavender: He was second in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season opener at Greenville Pickens Raceway and 11th in the East Series race at South Boston Speedway. That puts him third in the East Series standings after two races. Previous rank: Unranked

14. David Mayhew: He survived a wild finish to the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season opener at All American Speedway in Roseville and came away with a fourth-place finish. Previous rank: 8

15. Max Gresham: He won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at South Boston Speedway and is seventh in the East Series standings. Previous rank: Unranked

Photo: Paulie Harraka displays the winning trophy for the NASCAR K&N Pro Series season opener at All American Speedway. (Brian Bahr/Getty Images for NASCAR)