Top 12 NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers
1. Jimmie Johnson (stats) #48 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 1
2006 FV: 1
2005 FV: 5
2004 FV: 2
2003 FV: 3
Jimmie won 10 races last year (including 4 in a row during the Chase)-- both unthinkable in this era of so many competitive drivers. We just can't bet against that type of success. We will wait to be proven wrong rather than pick anyone else. Johnson is starting to look like the Tiger Woods of NASCAR.
2. Matt Kenseth (career) #17 Ford
2007 FV: 4
2006 FV: 2
2005 FV: 7
2004 FV: 8
2003 FV: 1
The first half of the Chase last year (finishes: 7,35,35,26,34) was one factor that left a sour taste about last season's solid 4th place finish. That, and it would be nice if he would win more races (just 2 wins last year). But that never stopped him from stealing a Cup championship (2003, a 1 win season). Kenseth is one of NASCAR's most consistent drivers (6 Top 10 Cup finishes in the last 6 yrs). So we expect another solid year.
3. Tony Stewart (stats) #20 Toyota
2007 FV: 6
2006 FV: 11
2005 FV: 1
2004 FV: 7
2003 FV: 7
With Tony Stewart driving a Toyota- they will win races (those days are over). Tony remains one of NASCAR's most consistent drivers-- finishing in the Top 12 in overall points every year he's been driving (since 1999).
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr (stats) #88 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 16
2006 FV: 5
2005 FV: 19
2004 FV: 6
2003 FV: 2
The season is just starting off with the feel, that Jr's gonna run well. For all the naysaying, Jr has won 17 NASCAR Cup races. He has 121 Top 10 finishes in his career. And he has finished in the Top 5 overall in 3 of the last 5 seasons. But with just 2 wins in the last 3 years, Jr. needed a change-- and fortunately he would up in exactly the right place (Hendrick Motorsports, behind a Chevrolet). Now, can he meet everyone's elevated expectations?
5. Carl Edwards (stats) #99 Ford
2007 FV: 9
2006 FV: 12
2005 FV: 2
2004 FV: 36
2003 FV: -
Carl got another taste of what it takes to win a Cup championship. This year, he needs to increase his Top 10 finishes and get through all his races (3 engine problems and 1 accident last season).
6. Jeff Gordon (stats) #24 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 2
2006 FV: 6
2005 FV: 12
2004 FV: 3
2003 FV: 4
Any other situation, you have Gordon's season last year and you win a Cup championship. But Johnson was.. somehow.. better. Tough.
7. Kurt Busch (stats) #2 Dodge
2007 FV: 7
2006 FV: 14
2005 FV: 10
2004 FV: 1
2003 FV: 10
Topped all NASCAR drivers in miles led last year. Needs to work on the all-or-nothing race mentality (which unfortunately the Cup point system doesn't reward).
8. Kevin Harvick (stats) #29 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 10
2006 FV: 4
2005 FV: 14
2004 FV: 15
2003 FV: 5
Does a solid job of finishing in the Top 20 enogh to keep the points up. Last year, he won the Daytona 500 and then wasn't able to run big much after that.
9. Denny Hamlin (stats) #11 Toyota
2007 FV: 12
2006 FV: 3
2005 FV: 41
2004 FV: -
2003 FV: -
So much talent. Just needs to mature a little-- last year's Phoenix fuel episode was a classic mistake.
10. Jeff Burton (stats) #31 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 8
2006 FV: 7
2005 FV: 18
2004 FV: 17
2003 FV: 12
Started last season with 5 top fives in the first 7 races. And he finished the year with 5 Top 10's in the last 6 races. Maybe tough to repeat, but hard to bet against that type of success (plus, his sponsor carries the iPhone, see it).
11. Clint Bowyer (stats) #07 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 3
2006 FV: 17
2005 FV: 70
2004 FV: -
2003 FV: -
Great driver. Great 2007. Consistent, with few bad races. However, does tend to drive safe, and thus only won 1 race last year. Might just barely make the chase this season.
12. Casey Mears (stats) #5 Chevrolet
2007 FV: 15
2006 FV: 16
2005 FV: 23
2004 FV: 23
2003 FV: 34
Mears has the makings of a driver that is just slowly figuring things out. Won his first race last year (and it was big, the Coca-Cola 600). He also hit double digits in Top 10 finishes last year. The key will be getting off to a better start (he had just 1 Top 10 in the first 12 races last year).
Just missed the Top 12:
Kyle Busch (#18 Toyota) : 2008 is a prove it year for Kyle. It took him 4 years to get a Top-5 Cup finish. Not bad. But the real good ones make their mark right away. Was 2007 a near-term top for Kyle?
Juan Pablo Montoya (#42 Dodge) : Montoya is fine at the road races and short tracks (most similar to Formula 1) but needs to improve on straight-up speed on the super speedways. Has shown enough potential. And we believe he has 'paid his dues'-- could make the Chase.
Greg Biffle (#16 Ford) : Has slipped back since 2005, so maybe he's due for a bounce. Just as easily could make the chase.
Rookie Drivers
Aric Almirola (#8 Chevrolet): The 23-year old (24 in March) steps in to fill Jr's shoes at DEI.
Patrick Carpentier (#10 Dodge): Another open wheel driver.. this one from the Champ Car Series. Carpentier (notice the i) is from Quebec, Canada and will be vying to be the Steve Nash of NASCAR.
Dario Franchitti (#40 Dodge): Dario enters NASCAR with good connections, owner Chip Ganassi. And he's got the publicity-- with wife Ashley Judd (here).
Regan Smith (#01 Chevrolet): The upside here is he ran 7 races last year and finished each one..
Jacques Villeneuve (#27 Toyota): Villeneuve (official site here, profile) is an Indy 500 winner, CART champion, and Formula One champion. The great thing about a driver like this given NASCAR a go, is that it says that NASCAR is now a world-wide sport. Guys like Villeneuve feel they need to prove themselves here too. On the flip side maybe he's just too old for that stuff (it was 1997 when he last won Formula One).
Sam Hornish Jr (#77 Dodge): Another open-wheel convert. Will any of these guys make inroads?
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· Juan Pablo Montoya (#42 Dodge): Welcome to the big leagues. Isn't so easy winning in NASCAR. But the potential has been demonstrated.
· David Reutimann (#00 Toyota): Development has thus far been consistent with how some of the best progress.
· David Ragan (#6 Ford): 22-year old with a bright future.. starting now?
· Dario Franchitti (#49 Dodge): If an open-wheel driver will make noise, it could be this one.
· Michael Waltrip (#55 Toyota): How far will Daytona 500 Qualifiers take him this season?
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Question marks (mixed opinion)
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· Clint Bowyer (#07 Chevrolet): Could be tough to repeat last year's sensational running.
· Kyle Busch (#18 Toyota): Better than his brother? Maybe not so fast.
· Ryan Newman (#12 Dodge): Has proven ability to finish in the Top 10 (2002, 2003, 2005) but having trouble getting back there.
· Martin Truex Jr (#1 Chevrolet): Was one of the hottest drivers at the end of last season. But tough to get too excited.
· Casey Mears (#5 Chevrolet): Has been steadily improving every year.
· Jamie McMurray (#26 Ford): Was 4th in 2004 and has to always be considered a threat.
· Kasey Kahne (#9 Dodge): If commercial endorsements led to wins, Kahne would be champ.
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