Jeff Burton wants better results in 2011. (Photo: Getty Images)

Jeff Burton

Like Gordon, Jeff Burton had a solid season and was happy to make the Chase, particularly after missing it in 2009.

Burton, however, spent the latter part of the season lamenting what might have been and what went wrong.

He saw numerous opportunities to win slip away early in the season, but was still in championship contention at midseason. He was third in points just four races from the cutoff for the Chase.

With teammate Kevin Harvick leading the standings much of the year, Burton liked his chances entering the Chase. But the wheels quickly came off.

Burton had just two top-10 finishes in the Chase and had a terrible finish to the season, including an embarrassing fight with Gordon at Texas after accidentally wrecking him under caution.

In his last four races, Burton had finishes of 41st, 36th, 19th and 31st. He wound up finishing last in the Chase, even falling behind teammate Clint Bowyer, who suffered a 150-point penalty.

Burton’s late struggles were magnified by the fact that Harvick challenged for the championship and he and Bowyer combined to win five races.

Few drivers were more frustrated at the end of the year than Burton.

“It’s been a real frustrating Chase,” Burton said. “We have to be better in several areas.”

Kasey Kahne will drive for Red Bull next season. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Kasey Kahne

Despite his worst points finish since 2005, Kasey Kahne wasn’t ready for the 2010 season to end. That’s because he had already left struggling Richard Petty Motorsports for Red Bull Racing.

After winning two races each of the past two seasons and making the Chase in 2009, Kahne suffered through the worst season of his career in 2010.

He had seven top-five and 10 top-10 finishes, but went winless and had 13 finishes of 26th or worse.

He was able to bear the struggles, however, with the knowledge that he was leaving RPM after the season and joining powerful Hendrick Motorsports in 2012. He will drive for Red Bull next season before taking over Martin’s No. 5 car the following year.