Jared Turner: Grading the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers

COMMENTARY

With the NASCAR Sprint Cup season having now reached its official halfway point, it seems like a good time to assess the drivers who have been the biggest success stories and disappointments of 2009.

So here are the midseason report cards for 20 drivers who were expected to have an impact on the 36-race campaign.

A+

Tony Stewart: Stewart has this category all to himself. The two-time Cup champion has done more than exceed expectations with his Stewart-Haas Racing team. He has set this year’s standard for how a championship team should perform. With two points wins and a 180-point cushion over second place in the standings, Stewart could easily have run away with the title under the old point system.

A

Jimmie Johnson: If Johnson doesn’t win a record-breaking fourth straight championship this season, it probably won’t be because his Chad Knaus team has lost any speed from last season. In fact, Johnson has been stronger in the first half of 2009 than the first half of 2008. Sitting third in points with two wins under his belt, the Hendrick Motorsports driver will probably be the prognosticators’ favorite pick to hoist the champion’s trophy once the Chase For The Sprint Cup field is set.

Jeff Gordon: Gordon gets this grade for being second in the standings and leading the points for several straight weeks earlier in the season. The four-time champ hasn’t been as strong of late, however, as the first seven races when he claimed his lone triumph and finished lower than sixth only once. Even though Gordon receives the same grade as his Hendrick teammate, his season hasn’t been quite on par with Johnson’s up to this point.

A-

Kyle Busch: Despite being eighth in the standings, Busch has still been one of the strongest drivers of 2009, as evidenced by his three wins. Busch’s inconsistency keeps him from getting an even higher grade.

B+

Kurt Busch: The 2004 Cup champion has easily been the most improved driver of 2009 after never even making a serious bid for the Chase last season. Sitting fourth in points, Busch is a virtual lock for the Chase, but he’ll need to improve his short-track performance once the 10-race playoff commences.

B

Mark Martin: It has seemingly been feast or famine for the 50-year-old in his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. When Martin hasn’t encountered major problems, he has usually won or run well. But his three victories have been somewhat negated by several poor outcomes, which currently have him the first man outside the Chase group looking in.

Carl Edwards: Yes, Edwards. Disappointment or not, the Roush Fenway Racing driver is quietly piecing together a solid season as he is fifth in the standings with nine top 10s. Of course, notably missing from Edwards’ 2009 resume is a trip to victory lane – a place he visited a series-leading nine times in 2008.

Matt Kenseth: The 2003 champ opened the season with back-to-back wins but hasn’t done a whole lot since. His outstanding start and Chase-eligible points position are still good enough to earn Kenseth this grade.

B-

Denny Hamlin: Hamlin, as has happened so many times in his short career, has seen a couple of likely wins go by the wayside in the closing laps. With a little luck on his side, Hamlin would be worthy of at least the next highest grade.

Ryan Newman: If Kurt Busch is the most improved driver from last season, Newman is a close second. Like his former Penske Racing teammate, Newman missed the Chase last year but appears poised to make it this time. Take a rough first month to the season out of the equation and Newman and his Stewart-Haas team deserve higher marks.

Kasey Kahne: Kahne has, in typical fashion, been plagued by inconsistency this season, but his streaky performances could make him a championship dark horse if he makes the Chase. His lone win – which came on the road course at Infineon Raceway – seemingly came out of the blue.

Juan Pablo Montoya: One of the pleasant surprises of 2009, Montoya has been making a living off top 10s of late and appears well on his way to a Chase berth. Still, he hasn’t shown enough muscle to be considered a legitimate championship contender.

C+

Greg Biffle: Biffle has yet to recapture the magic he found in last season’s Chase but once again is in position to make the field for the final 10-race battle to determine the champion. He won’t be a factor in the title race, however, without a little more speed at a lot of tracks.

David Reutimann: Yes, Reutimann wouldn’t have won the Coca-Cola 600 without a little help from Mother Nature, but that doesn’t make his improvements over last year any less significant. Even so, he’s still probably at least a year away from being a potential factor in the championship race.

C

Brian Vickers: The good news is Vickers has a series-leading four poles to go along with a solid seven top-10s. The bad news is three crash-related DNFs have Vickers 17th in points and in real danger of missing the Chase.

D

Jeff Burton: A recent stretch of poor outings has Burton in jeopardy of missing the Chase for the first time in four seasons.

Joey Logano: Yes, the Joe Gibbs Racing youngster won on pit strategy at New Hampshire. That’s been about the only cause for celebration in an otherwise rough rookie campaign.

Clint Bowyer: Bowyer, who has made the Chase the last two seasons, hasn’t been as strong with RCR’s new fourth team. Still an OK year, all things considered.

F

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Despite being with arguably NASCAR’s best organization, Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt Jr. has been downright horrendous this year. It’s time to go ahead and start building for 2010.

Casey Mears: Mears’ offseason move to RCR hasn’t produced the results he wanted or expected. At this rate, he’ll be looking for another ride sooner rather than later.