Lee Montgomery: Who will step into championship contention next?
By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor
Monday, March 31, 2008
SceneDaily Illustration / Getty Images: Chris Grayten (Hamlin), Chris McGrath (Gordon), Rusty Jarrett (Burton), Rusty Jarrett (Johnson)
COMMENTARY
The 2008 Sprint Cup season is shaping up to be something special.
Each week, it seems, we’ve had a new storyline, and the possibility for more good stories clearly exists.
Denny Hamlin goes to victory lane at Martinsville Speedway to break a decent-size losing streak, and suddenly he looks like a title contender, moving up seven spots in the point standings. Does he have what it takes to challenge for the championship?
Jeff Burton runs well, chastises a rookie with as much venom as the classy Burton can muster – and then leaves Martinsville with the points lead. Burton criticized rookie Michael McDowell for not moving over while he was pursuing Hamlin late in the race and then had the correct hindsight to say his team still has strides to make before becoming a title contender.
Greg Biffle is third in the points and has clearly rebounded from a subpar season. He hasn’t won this year, but a victory seems around the corner. Can he keep up the strong performance?
Then there’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. Obviously, his move to Hendrick Motorsports has paid dividends, as no one has more top-five or top-10 finishes through the first six races. Sooner or later, he has to win, right?
Kyle Busch stumbled at Martinsville, but was that a one-race aberration, or are there holes in his armor?
Tony Stewart hasn’t won yet in 2008, either, but he’s grabbed plenty of headlines with his pursuit of Goodyear. You know he’ll win this year, but when?
Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have displayed some of their dominance from 2007 but not as consistently as they did last year. Johnson, especially, has struggled more than anyone ever figured in ’08. Has Johnson finally run out of luck? When will see Ella Sofia Gordon in victory lane?
Ryan Newman scored a triumphant victory in the Daytona 500 but hasn’t done much else. Maybe there’s something to the 500 hex. What did Kevin Harvick do last year after he won the 500? Not much.
And that’s just the top 11. We haven’t even mentioned the guy who’s won more races this year than anyone, Carl Edwards. Of course, we all know a little too much about oil tank reservoir covers because of Edwards.
And there are plenty of other drivers who have what it takes to run well, win races and challenge for the title. Clint Bowyer? Martin Truex Jr.? Kurt Busch?
The top-35 rule continues to be a story as rookie and veterans alike fight to reach that sacred territory. That will be fun to watch as drivers and teams squirm on Friday afternoons, trying to get in the race.
We wonder why television ratings are up? Stories, lots of stories. And to toot our own horn, we’ll be here to cover them all.
It should be fun.
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