Number Ten: Kyle Busch
Busch has shown a lot of on
track maturity lately, as evidenced by his lack of skirmishes both on and off the track. However, this is not his year. In
fact, it may take him a few years to get there from here. But he is gaining on it!
Number Nine: Kasey Kahne
Kahne’s team has been
designed by car owner Ray Evernham to be a huge information swap between his teammates. However, Ray’s off track drama
has not helped the effort. Hopefully, in the future it will all shake out, and Ray will take steps to start with a clean slate.
Kasey, like the car, runs hot and cold, and while he is showing maturity in this area, his championship will have to wait
for another year.
Number Eight: Dale Earnhardt
Jr.:
“Fire up the email
Ethyl, this guy says Jr. is only coming in eighth!” Dale Jr. shows flashes of brilliance, but still is racing from pit
stop to pit stop, not week to week. He believes daddy helped him out of his burning Corvette, maybe he should check in once
in a while with that general area to find the confidence that is already within him. His time will come, but only after he
truly believes in himself.
Number Seven: Kevin Harvick
The Earnhardt’s and Richard
Childress racing go way back. Interestingly, Kevin drives a little like Dale Jr. He has been down, and now is on an upswing,
but he did not learn to be humble on the last round, instead asking what his team could do for him.
Harvick has earned the Busch
championship, Cup will have to wait for another year.
Number Six: Matt Kenseth
Mr. Kenseth has been the victim
of on track incidents, and in some cases, was not so much the victim. Matt is re-finding the good guy that he is under Chase
conditions. This year it will take racing without incident and the good fortune not to have trouble to win every week. Kenseth
has won this deal before, but this will not be his year.
Number Five: Jeff Gordon
Gordon is certainly hungry
for another championship, and he knows how to win them. But somewhere along the way he did what a lot of multiple champions—including
Dale Earnhardt Sr. - have been known to do, and that is to drive smart, instead of on the edge. Gordon will win another championship,
but first his life needs to settle, and then he can re-focus on racing.
Number Four: Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie certainly deserves to
win the thing, but somehow in the homestretch he always loses ground. Still, through adversity he is gaining maturity, and
will continue to do so. This year appears to be no different than previous years, but Jimmie has a championship (or three)
in him. Hang in there, Mr. Johnson.
2006 StockCar Review.
