Sometimes you just wish the season could go on forever. We’ve about run out of season, and that’s a bummer because some brand new story lines have cropped up. Think about it- how many of you really believed 5 months ago that Kyle Busch would NOT be a serious Cup contender at season’s end? How many of you thought Jeff Gordon would still be 0 for 2008? Where did Jamie Mc Murray come from? And is that Kurt Busch in the top five?
The season has been full of story lines, even if the racing has been a little uneven at times. Enjoy Homestead folks because we’re all going to be in serious withdrawals.
I guess that’s why God invented football.
#5- Denny Hamlin- Hard to believe that it wasn’t more than a month ago, Denny Hamlin hit the wall so hard at Talladega he got a concussion. D.H. is another driver driving well, just not quite good enough to win.
#4- Kevin Harvick- Happy is stuck on 7- finishing 7th three times out of his last five races. His win total (or lack of it) doesn’t reflect Harvick’s ability to take a bad car as far as it will go without wrecking it. It goes to show how tough it is to win in NASCAR. I’d put Harvick up against any driver on the circuit and yet 22 of 35 races in 2008 have been won by three guys.
#3- Jamie Mc Murray- This dude’s been a stallion as of late, and it couldn’t come at a better time. Jack Roush has to cut a team at the end of 2009, and you know Carl Edwards isn’y going anywhere, David Ragan’s potential will likely keep him around, Greg Biffle is coming off a darn good 2008, so that leaves veteran Matt Kenseth and Mc Murray as the potential odd men out. Jamie Mac has had 4 top 10s in his last 5 races- which should provide a nice springboard for 2009.
#2- Carl Edwards- Don’t fault the driver. Edwards’ car wasn’t right, but the “99″ threw everything thing he had at a Phoenix win. All you can say is Edwards is ready, willing and able if the unthinkable happens to Jimmie Johnson.
#1- Jimmie Johnson- The formula is real simple with Johnson: if he’s good off the truck, he ain’t giving it up. The opposition is giving Jimmie all he can handle and yet Johnson’s efforts, combined with the wizardy of Chad Knaus, the performance of his pit crew and the financial support of Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon, keeps the field at bay. Better sharpen that pencil for your acceptance speech there Jimmie!
Just a turn away: Kyle Busch is finishing much better as of late. It won’t erase the memory of a dreadful start to the Chase, but he’s reminding us he hasn’t completely lost it. RCR racers Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer are consistent contenders but are getting passed at the end. Dale Earnhardt Jr. can be good one race, mediocre the next. Oh well, better to have “Lil E’s” problems than Jeff Gordon’s.
Fading fast: Jeff Gordon gave it all he had, but the poor guy didn’t have anything with his engine problems. Brian Vickers can be really up, then he’ll turn around and be really down. After some good recent races, David Reutimann took a big step back at Phoenix.
