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Sprint Cup
CUP: 12 Drivers That Need More In 2012
These drivers must step up, have something to prove in 2012...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase in 2011 but still seeks a win after 129 races. (Photo: Getty Images)
Two of the sport’s most respected drivers are riding three-year winless streaks.
A former champion is trying to resurrect his career after losing a lucrative ride with a winning team.
A former championship contender is trying to shake off the doldrums that sunk him last year after coming up short in 2010.
And one of the sport’s youngest drivers is fighting to save his ride after another disappointing season.
They are among more than a dozen drivers with something to prove this year. Here’s a look at some top drivers that need to step it up in 2012 in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series:
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt Jr. accomplished one major goal in 2011, returning to the Chase for the first time since 2008 after two miserable seasons at Hendrick Motorsports.
But Earnhardt Jr. still has a major goal to accomplish – returning to victory lane.
Earnhardt Jr. hasn’t won a race since June of 2008 – a span of 129 races.
Even if he makes the Chase again, this season will be considered a disappointment if Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t snap that winless streak and return to victory lane.
2. Denny Hamlin
Hamlin had a shocking season in 2011 – shocking for all the wrong reasons.
After winning a career-high eight races and carrying the points lead into the final race in 2010, Hamlin won just one race and barely made the Chase last year. He and his Joe Gibbs Racing team seemed to be suffering from a major hangover from the 2010 letdown and were never able to right the ship in 2011.
As a result, crew chief Mike Ford was released and replaced by Darian Grubb, who led Tony Stewart on his incredible march to the 2011 title.
So which is the real Hamlin – the one who nearly won the championship in 2010 or the one who stumbled through 2011 and barely even made the Chase?
3. Kurt Busch
Rarely has such an accomplished driver suffered such a startling fall from grace as Busch, who was banished from Penske Racing after a series of emotional outbursts and after imploding during the season finale at Homestead.
The loss of his Penske ride left Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, scrambling to find a ride for 2012. He landed with Phoenix Racing, an underfunded, mid-pack team that finished 30th in the standings last year.
Busch faces two major challenges in 2012: Proving he is good enough to lift a mediocre team and win without a top-flight operation; and proving he can control his emotions, clean up his act and repair his damaged image and reputation.
4. Kyle Busch
There is no question about Kyle Busch’s talent. He continues to win races at an impressive clip – four Cup wins in 2011 and a total of 18 in NASCAR’s top three series.
But Busch still has plenty to prove when it comes to contending for a Cup championship, controlling his emotions and maturing on and off the track.
Busch was nabbed for speeding at 128 mph in a residential area early last season, damaging his reputation and getting him in hot water with his teams and sponsors.
He engaged in long-running feuds with Kevin Harvick and his teams as well as Richard Childress Racing.
The feud featured a heated confrontation with Harvick at Darlington, a punch from team owner Richard Childress and culminated with Busch being suspended from a Cup and Nationwide race for intentionally wrecking Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Ron Hornaday at Texas.
If that wasn’t enough, Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing team struggled again in the Chase, falling to last in the Chase points after his suspension. The ultra-talented Busch has now finished eighth or worse in the standings each of the past four years.
He must not only prove he can control himself on and off the track, but remain focused long enough to be a serious contender in the Chase.
5. Joey Logano
The 21-year-old Logano seemed poised for a breakout campaign after a strong finish to 2010, but struggled in 2011 and finished 24th in points, his worst in three seasons.
He has a new crew chief in Jason Ratcliff and will be under pressure to step up in 2012. He is near the end of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing and how he performs in 2012 could determine whether he remains with the organization.
A former champion is trying to resurrect his career after losing a lucrative ride with a winning team.
A former championship contender is trying to shake off the doldrums that sunk him last year after coming up short in 2010.
And one of the sport’s youngest drivers is fighting to save his ride after another disappointing season.
They are among more than a dozen drivers with something to prove this year. Here’s a look at some top drivers that need to step it up in 2012 in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series:
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earnhardt Jr. accomplished one major goal in 2011, returning to the Chase for the first time since 2008 after two miserable seasons at Hendrick Motorsports.
But Earnhardt Jr. still has a major goal to accomplish – returning to victory lane.
Earnhardt Jr. hasn’t won a race since June of 2008 – a span of 129 races.
Even if he makes the Chase again, this season will be considered a disappointment if Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t snap that winless streak and return to victory lane.
2. Denny Hamlin
Hamlin had a shocking season in 2011 – shocking for all the wrong reasons.
After winning a career-high eight races and carrying the points lead into the final race in 2010, Hamlin won just one race and barely made the Chase last year. He and his Joe Gibbs Racing team seemed to be suffering from a major hangover from the 2010 letdown and were never able to right the ship in 2011.
As a result, crew chief Mike Ford was released and replaced by Darian Grubb, who led Tony Stewart on his incredible march to the 2011 title.
So which is the real Hamlin – the one who nearly won the championship in 2010 or the one who stumbled through 2011 and barely even made the Chase?
3. Kurt Busch
Rarely has such an accomplished driver suffered such a startling fall from grace as Busch, who was banished from Penske Racing after a series of emotional outbursts and after imploding during the season finale at Homestead.
The loss of his Penske ride left Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, scrambling to find a ride for 2012. He landed with Phoenix Racing, an underfunded, mid-pack team that finished 30th in the standings last year.
Busch faces two major challenges in 2012: Proving he is good enough to lift a mediocre team and win without a top-flight operation; and proving he can control his emotions, clean up his act and repair his damaged image and reputation.
4. Kyle Busch
There is no question about Kyle Busch’s talent. He continues to win races at an impressive clip – four Cup wins in 2011 and a total of 18 in NASCAR’s top three series.
But Busch still has plenty to prove when it comes to contending for a Cup championship, controlling his emotions and maturing on and off the track.
Busch was nabbed for speeding at 128 mph in a residential area early last season, damaging his reputation and getting him in hot water with his teams and sponsors.
He engaged in long-running feuds with Kevin Harvick and his teams as well as Richard Childress Racing.
The feud featured a heated confrontation with Harvick at Darlington, a punch from team owner Richard Childress and culminated with Busch being suspended from a Cup and Nationwide race for intentionally wrecking Kevin Harvick Inc. driver Ron Hornaday at Texas.
If that wasn’t enough, Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing team struggled again in the Chase, falling to last in the Chase points after his suspension. The ultra-talented Busch has now finished eighth or worse in the standings each of the past four years.
He must not only prove he can control himself on and off the track, but remain focused long enough to be a serious contender in the Chase.
5. Joey Logano
The 21-year-old Logano seemed poised for a breakout campaign after a strong finish to 2010, but struggled in 2011 and finished 24th in points, his worst in three seasons.
He has a new crew chief in Jason Ratcliff and will be under pressure to step up in 2012. He is near the end of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing and how he performs in 2012 could determine whether he remains with the organization.
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