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Sprint Cup
CUP: ‘Dirty Dozen’ Left To Wonder
While the 12 drivers in Chase position are happy, the next 12 are left to wonder what they could have done differently...
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on the cusp of missing the Chase a second straight year with Hendrick Motorsports. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
With the Chase for the Sprint Cup field all but set, barring a Clint Bowyer collapse over the next two weeks, a host of drivers will start the end-of-season “playoff” run wondering what might have been.
Call them the Dirty Dozen – drivers in positions 13-24, drivers who, given a few more good finishes or given relief from a couple of early-race accidents, might be wearing Chase colors come the New Hampshire playoff kickoff.
• Jamie McMurray (13th, 100 points out of the Chase) – Despite probably missing the Chase, McMurray is not crying about his season. He won the year’s two biggest races – the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 – and, to date, has won more money than all 12 drivers ahead of him in points.
• Mark Martin (14th, 101 points out) – Martin has had perhaps the toughest season of contending drivers. After finishing second in points last year, he was expected to wrestle for that elusive first championship again this season, but he has gone winless and, more importantly, has failed to finish three races because of accidents.
• Ryan Newman (15th, 118 points out) – Flyin’ Ryan came down to earth this season after making the Chase in Stewart-Haas Racing’s first year in 2009. He never fully recovered from poor finishes in the season’s opening races at Daytona Beach and Fontana, Calif.
• Kasey Kahne (16th, 136 points out) – Considering the circumstances, including the fact that he wanted to be elsewhere, Kahne has had a respectable season at Richard Petty Motorsports. Unfortunately, it’s been mostly feast or famine – seven top-fives and three DNFs.
• David Reutimann (17th, 155 points out) – Although Kyle Busch apparently thinks Reutimann needs some driving lessons, The Franchise got a win this year and has four other top fives. His point performance was killed by a string of 10 straight double-digit finishes in the season’s opening months.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (18th, 170 points out) – The sport’s most popular driver is going nowhere, and he’s getting there fast. He misses the Chase for the second straight year despite vigorous technical input from new faces at Hendrick Motorsports.
• Juan Pablo Montoya (19th, 192 points out) – Montoya has had good cars most of the season, but he hasn’t gotten consistently strong finishes. He has been a magnet for accidents, failing to finish races five times because of wrecks.
• Martin Truex Jr. (20th, 260 points out) – The season looked relatively promising for Truex early, but a 10-race string of double-digit finishes in the spring and summer dropped him from Chase contention. He appears to be better than his equipment.
• Joey Logano (21st, 284 points out) – This wasn’t the season expected of Logano in his second full year in Cup. He’s likely to finish at about the same standings spot – 20th – as last season. Still, he’s barely shaving. There’s time.
• AJ Allmendinger (22nd, 351 points out) – In yet another readjustment year for Richard Petty Motorsports, the Dinger has struggled to reach consistently positive performances. A single top five? As Petty admitted recently, this team needs some work.
• Paul Menard (23rd, 421 points out) – Menard is sort of the Invisible Man on the track, but he has shown sparks of promise this season. His move to Richard Childress Racing next year will provide more answers to questions about his ability.
• David Ragan (24th, 570 points out) – Ragan is likely to be the only Roush Fenway Racing driver to miss the Chase, and that’s not a pleasant footing for the fourth-year driver, who almost qualified for the Chase in 2008. He needs to step up performance levels considerably next season.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 28 years. He has written several books on NASCAR, including "NASCAR: The Definitive History of America's Sport" and "Then Tony Said To Junior: The Best NASCAR Stories Ever Told". He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
Call them the Dirty Dozen – drivers in positions 13-24, drivers who, given a few more good finishes or given relief from a couple of early-race accidents, might be wearing Chase colors come the New Hampshire playoff kickoff.
• Jamie McMurray (13th, 100 points out of the Chase) – Despite probably missing the Chase, McMurray is not crying about his season. He won the year’s two biggest races – the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard 400 – and, to date, has won more money than all 12 drivers ahead of him in points.
• Mark Martin (14th, 101 points out) – Martin has had perhaps the toughest season of contending drivers. After finishing second in points last year, he was expected to wrestle for that elusive first championship again this season, but he has gone winless and, more importantly, has failed to finish three races because of accidents.
• Ryan Newman (15th, 118 points out) – Flyin’ Ryan came down to earth this season after making the Chase in Stewart-Haas Racing’s first year in 2009. He never fully recovered from poor finishes in the season’s opening races at Daytona Beach and Fontana, Calif.
• Kasey Kahne (16th, 136 points out) – Considering the circumstances, including the fact that he wanted to be elsewhere, Kahne has had a respectable season at Richard Petty Motorsports. Unfortunately, it’s been mostly feast or famine – seven top-fives and three DNFs.
• David Reutimann (17th, 155 points out) – Although Kyle Busch apparently thinks Reutimann needs some driving lessons, The Franchise got a win this year and has four other top fives. His point performance was killed by a string of 10 straight double-digit finishes in the season’s opening months.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (18th, 170 points out) – The sport’s most popular driver is going nowhere, and he’s getting there fast. He misses the Chase for the second straight year despite vigorous technical input from new faces at Hendrick Motorsports.
• Juan Pablo Montoya (19th, 192 points out) – Montoya has had good cars most of the season, but he hasn’t gotten consistently strong finishes. He has been a magnet for accidents, failing to finish races five times because of wrecks.
• Martin Truex Jr. (20th, 260 points out) – The season looked relatively promising for Truex early, but a 10-race string of double-digit finishes in the spring and summer dropped him from Chase contention. He appears to be better than his equipment.
• Joey Logano (21st, 284 points out) – This wasn’t the season expected of Logano in his second full year in Cup. He’s likely to finish at about the same standings spot – 20th – as last season. Still, he’s barely shaving. There’s time.
• AJ Allmendinger (22nd, 351 points out) – In yet another readjustment year for Richard Petty Motorsports, the Dinger has struggled to reach consistently positive performances. A single top five? As Petty admitted recently, this team needs some work.
• Paul Menard (23rd, 421 points out) – Menard is sort of the Invisible Man on the track, but he has shown sparks of promise this season. His move to Richard Childress Racing next year will provide more answers to questions about his ability.
• David Ragan (24th, 570 points out) – Ragan is likely to be the only Roush Fenway Racing driver to miss the Chase, and that’s not a pleasant footing for the fourth-year driver, who almost qualified for the Chase in 2008. He needs to step up performance levels considerably next season.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 28 years. He has written several books on NASCAR, including "NASCAR: The Definitive History of America's Sport" and "Then Tony Said To Junior: The Best NASCAR Stories Ever Told". He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
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