Five Sprint Cup drivers who could be big surprises in 2010
Sam Hornish Jr. could be a threat to win this season at Penske Racing. // Mark Hawkins, NASCAR Illustrated
David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose were two of the biggest surprises of 2009, Reutimann winning the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 for Michael Waltrip Racing and Ambrose finishing 18th in points in his first full season in the Sprint Cup Series.
Rookie Joey Logano was also a bit of a surprise, winning at New Hampshire at age 19 and finishing 20th in points for Joe Gibbs Racing.
All three are expected to show even more progress this year.
But who will become the biggest surprises of 2010? Which drivers will stun the field by winning a race they weren’t expected to win, or by making a surprise bid to make the Chase?
Here’s five who could surprise in 2010:
1. Martin Truex Jr.
Truex is with a new team, moving from Earnhardt Ganassi Racing to Michael Waltrip Racing. He is teamed with Reutimann and Ambrose and working with veteran crew chief Pat Tryson, who left Kurt Busch and Penske Racing to work with Truex.
Truex won a race and made the Chase in 2007 with Dale Earnhardt Inc., so he has proven he can win and contend. He has had just four top-five finishes the past two years, but has had numerous races when he has run at the front – he won three poles last year – only to have something go wrong.
MWR showed vast improvement last season and should be poised for another step forward. Truex and Tryson, who won five races with Busch over the past three seasons, should make a strong combination.
Truex has a good chance to return to victory lane, and should contend for another spot in the Chase.
2. Jamie McMurray
Though McMurray was a disappointment at Roush Fenway Racing, he did win two races in his four seasons with Roush, giving him three career victories.
Now he is reunited with car owner Chip Ganassi, who brought McMurray to the Sprint Cup Series and watched him nearly make the Chase in 2004 and 2005.
McMurray was under enormous pressure at Roush, where he often got overwhelmed trying to sift through information from four teammates and was not able to live up to the high expectations.
He says he feels much more comfortable at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, where the two-car setup is much more to his liking. The organization also made great strides last year, with Juan Pablo Montoya becoming a serious championship contender.
McMurray is a proven winner who has battled for a spot in the Chase before. Having more familiar surroundings and being under less pressure could help him return to Chase contention.
3. David Ragan
Ragan was one of the sport’s most disappointing drivers last season, slumping from 13th in points in 2008 to 27th last year.
He wasn’t alone, however. All of Roush Fenway Racing had an off year, with Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards going winless and Matt Kenseth failing to make the Chase.
Team owner Jack Roush vows to turn his program around this season, and Ragan could find his career back on the upswing.
He will be paired with veteran crew chief Donnie Wingo, who led McMurray to a victory at Talladega last year.
Ragan, who won two Nationwide Series races last year, will be under pressure to perform – his contract is up after this season and four winless seasons is probably more than Roush can stand.
If Roush Fenway returns to form, Ragan could once again be a contender to make the Chase.
4. Brad Keselowski
The young driver already has proven he can win, beating Carl Edwards on the final lap at Talladega last April to score a Sprint Cup victory for Phoenix Racing.
Keselowski also has six Nationwide wins with JR Motorsports.
He begins his full-time Cup career with Penske Racing, replacing David Stremme in the No. 12 Dodge.
Stremme struggled last year, but he hasn’t had the success of Keselowski, an aggressive young driver who is not afraid to mix it up and who appears to have a bright future.
Teammate Kurt Busch won two races and made the Chase last year. If Penske – the lone Dodge team – can continue to show improvement, Keselowski could be one of the season’s biggest surprises.
5. Sam Hornish Jr.
Hornish, a three-time Izod IndyCar Series champion, made progress in his transition to stock cars last season, scoring two top-five and seven top-10 finishes, a vast improvement over his dreadful rookie season in 2008.
But Hornish’s numbers could have been much better. He ran in the top 10 in several other races, only to see an impressive run derailed by wrecks or mechanical failures. His eight DNFs were the most among drivers who ran the full schedule.
His third year in the series is critical – another season of struggles could send him back to the IndyCar racing.
But Hornish showed enough last season to be a threat. If his team continues to improve, and he can stay out of trouble, he is capable of winning a race and having a shot at making the Chase.
