15. 31-Jeff Burton- AT&T Mobility Chevrolet Impala
Team- Richard Childress Racing
For most of the 2007 season, Jeff Burton and his Richard Childress Racing team were among the most consistent. He is a perceptive veteran who is as unflappable as they come. Burton is not afraid to speak his mind on sensitive matters regarding NASCAR, which is a breath of fresh air. However, very few teams have been able to qualify for the Chase for the Championship in three consecutive seasons. In fact, only Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Mark Martin have accomplished that feat. It is difficult for any driver to be that dependable for three consecutive seasons. Burton and this team will challenge for a spot in the Chase for the Championship. Last year, several drivers outside of the Chase for the Championship encountered some misfortune that they may not face again this year. Some drivers from last year’s top twelve may come up short and Burton could be one of those drivers. Jeff Burton and the ‘31’ team have been underestimated before. He ended the season with four consecutive top ten finishes.
2007 prediction- 15th
2007 result- 8th
14. 5-Casey Mears, Kellogg’s Chevrolet Impala
Team- Hendrick Motorsports
Casey Mears is the ‘invisible man’ at Hendrick Motorsports. With Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the same shop, it is no surprise that Mears flies so far under the radar. However, not only is Mears the least heralded driver on the team, he is also the least proven. He has only posted one win since he was a rookie in 2003, and that was due to fuel mileage at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last May. Mears was impressive on more than one occasion last season, and many feel as if he could have that breakout season that Martin Truex, Jr. and Clint Bowyer enjoyed in 2007. He has the team and the crew chief in Alan Gustafson to get the job done. Nevertheless, we already assume that Gordon, Johnson, and Earnhardt, Jr. are going to be contenders, so is it possible that Hendrick Motorsports can produce four contenders? Frankly, nothing they do surprises me anymore. Still, if one driver from the Hendrick camp misses the Chase for the Championship, it is going to be Mears.
2007 prediction- 16th
2007 result- 15th
13. 29-Kevin Harvick, Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala
Team- Richard Childress Racing
Following his rousing Daytona 500 win last February, I was riding high on my championship prediction, which was Kevin Harvick. However, he suffered through a major case of momentum-deficiency as the season progressed. His numbers fell off dramatically from his career season in 2006. In the old car, Harvick was a monster on the shorter flat tracks, but he did not seem to have the same prowess with the Car of Tomorrow. Like Jeff Burton, Harvick may be one of the drivers from last year’s Chase for the Championship that fades once a few other drivers begin to hit their stride. Nevertheless, Harvick is one of the few drivers that, when he is on his game, he can be a threat at any type of track. If he and crew chief Todd Berrier rediscover that magic they had in 2006, watch out!
2007 prediction- 1st
2007 result- 10th
12. 1-Martin Truex, Jr., Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet Impala
Team- Dale Earnhardt Incorporated
Martin Truex, Jr. and DEI made a bold statement with their dominating victory at Dover last June. They set out to prove to the NASCAR world that there will be life after Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and that they will be just fine. Although he is not the marketing machine that Earnhardt, Jr. is, Truex, Jr. has his own following and is one of the more popular young drivers in the series. He seemed to excel on the intermediate tracks as well as the restrictor plate venues. He showed some promise on the road courses as well. However, tracks such as Bristol and Martinsville seemed rather taxing for the 27-year old driver. Truex, Jr. and the ‘1’ team is definitely of top ten caliber, but can DEI rise above the multitude of engine woes they encountered in 2007? If not, they will be on the outside looking in once mid-September rolls around.
2007 prediction- 18th
2007 result- 11th
11. 18-Kyle Busch, M&M’s Toyota Camry
Team- Joe Gibbs Racing
Kyle Busch enters the 2008 season bordered by unfamiliarity. After three solid seasons driving Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets, the younger of the Busch brothers joins Joe Gibbs Racing’s fleet of Toyota Camry’s. He leaves the preppy class of NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon and joins a more ‘rough around the edges’ group, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Actually, Busch fits in better with latter. Despite being one of the most talented young drivers in NASCAR, Busch joins a team that has not been competitive since 2003. Furthermore, Joe Gibbs Racing is entering into the unknown with Toyota. The manufacturer struggled throughout the 2007 season. Kyle Busch’s season may begin a tad bit shaky, but if he can keep his emotions in check, he will gradually improve as the season progresses. Kyle’s older brother Kurt Busch left his former team at Roush Fenway Racing in 2006 to join Penske Racing. Kyle hopes to avoid the same struggles that Kurt encountered during his transitional season.
2007 prediction- 13th
2007 result- 5th
Driver Rankings (20th to 16th)
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Driver Rankings (43rd to 36th)
