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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
DILLNER: Bizarre Grades
With seven races checked off the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, it’s time to send home report cards for the first time this year...
Bob Dillner  |  Posted April 16, 2009   Charlotte, NC
Bob Dillner is a reporter for SPEED. (Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)

With seven races checked off the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, a respite for Easter weekend in the rearview mirror and the season’s first night race upon us this weekend, it’s time to send home Cup report cards for the first time this year.

But we’re not giving the conventional As, Bs and Cs. It’s been a somewhat bizarre year so let’s have a little fun and categorize these competitors’ grades as “awards,” sure to insult some (all in the name of fun, of course).

Top Dog Award
If Kyle Busch were a dog, he definitely would answer to “Killer.” He is the Alpha dog in the Sprint Cup Series this year because most of the time he is dominating, or killing, the competition. The team is still struggling a bit to find consistency and remain even-keeled but nobody is more impressive in a race car than he. Kyle has his haters, but I applaud every move the guy makes on and off the track because he is entertaining, a crucial trait in this sport during this economic downturn. With six wins – two in each series – and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series points lead, Kyle is the best driver in NASCAR bar none.

The Rihanna Award
Rihanna sang “Shut up and Drive,” a fitting award for the elder of the Busch brothers, Kurt, third in points after a fairly consistent start to the season. With an early victory, Kurt has enjoyed a big turnaround from last year’s struggles. However, despite being pleasant and chummy with his crew over the radio early in the season, the team radio conversation at Martinsville between Kurt and car owner Roger Penske painted a different and disturbing picture. Unfortunately, that tension began simmering the week before and traces back to when Kurt first took the No. 2 ride. He has yelled at everything and everyone on that team during the few years he has been with Penske. I say Kurt needs to “Shut Up and Drive” if he wants to be a championship contender.

Mr. Insignificant Award
In homage to fantasy baseball and the last player picked in the draft, Casey Mears is the “Mr. Insignificant” of the Cup Series this year. Sitting 23rd in points, Mears has goose eggs across the board – no poles, top-five or top-10 finishes. He’s now with his third team in his short Cup career. Mears needs to make a name for himself by running on par with his Richard Childress Racing teammates, and if he doesn’t, I’m afraid he might be called out of the Cup Series on his third strike.

Stale Bread Award
I think somebody left the loaf of bread out on the counter too long because “Sliced Bread” has become “Stale Bread.” While I love Joey Logano, I think people are tired of hearing how this young superstar will set the racing world on fire because he hasn’t done it and probably won’t. But to be fair to Logano, he is a terrific and talented kid who was rushed too quickly into the Cup Series. I hope he survives the fire. His Nationwide victory at Nashville last weekend really showed where he belongs right now and I encourage NASCAR to take a stand and keep some of these guys in the Nationwide Series to improve that division because it is in dire need of some intervention.


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