The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 6

Today’s posting of The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 will finally get us into the top 5 of the countdown. This installation will bring us to drivers #5, #4 and #3. None of the three drivers have ever won a Sprint Cup Championship but, will make a very steady run at it this season. Let’s get to the good stuff.

#5 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was born October 10, 1974 in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Earnhardt,Jr. began racing at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park in the Street Stock division at the age of 17. After two seasons, he moved into the Late Model Stock Car division, racing with his half-brother Kerry and sister, Kelley.

Junior (as he is affectionately called) ran nine Busch Series races between 1996 and 1997 for his father’s Dale Earnhardt Inc. Junior ran the full season in 1998, winning the series title. He then repeated the feat by winning the title again in 1999. In 2000, Junior competed full-time in the then-Winston Cup Series.

In 2008, Earnhardt, Jr. had 36 starts, 1 pole, 1 win, 10 Top 5s, 16 Top 10s, an average start of 10.0, an average finish of 14.0, and he finished the season twelfth in points with 6,127.

I expect to see Earnhardt, Jr. to have a much better 2009 season. He should have four to five victories and have much improved performance during the Chase. There might be some added pressure on him and his crew chief in the upcoming season, but they will be in contention all year.

Earnhardt, Jr. will be back at Hendrick Motorsports, driving the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Drink Chevrolet Impala. Tony Eury, Jr will continue filling the crew chief role for the team.

 

#4 Jeff Burton

Jeff Burton was born June 29, 1967 in South Boston, Virginia. Burton began racing go-karts at the age of eight. At the age of 17 he began racing in the Pure Stock class at South Boston Speedway. Two years later, Burton had won six Late Model Stock Car races. By the time he was 21, Burton won seven Late Model races out of 21 and voted Most Popular Driver at South Boston Speedway.

Burton won his first Busch Series race in 1990, and won five races in that series out of only 13 starts in 2002. Burton made his Winston Cup debut in 1993 at New Hampshire. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1994.

In 2008, Burton had 36 starts, 0 poles, 2 wins, 7 Top 5s, 18 Top 10s, an average start of 21.0, an average finish of 12.0, finished sixth in points with 6,335.

Burton is known for being a steady, solid driver and 2009 will be no exception. Expect to see Burton near the front of the points all year because of his consistency. He will get the usual one or two wins in 2009, but he will improve his top 5s and top 10s numbers.

Burton will have a new sponsor in 2009. He will continue to drive the Richard Childress Racing #31 Chevrolet Impala sponsored by Caterpillar. Scott Miller will continue to be the crew chief.

 

#3 Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick was born December 8, 1975 in Bakersfield, California. Harvick began racing go-karts when he was five years old. After becoming highly successful in karts, he moved up to the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series, driving part-time while finishing school in 1992. He garnered Rookie of the Year honors in 1995 as a full-time driver.

Harvick gained national attention during the 1997/1998 NASCAR Winter Heat Series covered by ESPN2. In 2000, Harvick was signed by Richard Childress Racing to drive the #2 AC Delco Chevrolet in the Busch Series. He would win three races that year, finish third in the final points and win Rookie of the Year. Harvick moved up to the Sprint Cup Series in 2001 after the untimely death of Dale Earnhardt.

In 2008, Harvick had 36 starts, 0 poles, 0 wins, 7 Top 5s, 19 Top 10s, an average start of 18.0, an average finish of 12.0, and finished fourth in points with 6,408.

Harvick is continuing to improve his consistency each year. 2009 will be no different, as Harvick should find Victory Lane three or four times. He will be a regular in the top 5 of points most of the season and will go down to the wire for the championship.

Harvick will be back in the #29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing in 2009. Todd Berrier will continue with crew chief duties.

 

We are getting closer to that number one spot each and every day! Check back tomorrow to find out who I think will finish second in the 2009 Sprint Cup standings. I will have the post for the Champion spot on February 7th.

In case you missed the previous posts for numbers 20 through 6, here they are:

The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 1

The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 2

The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 3

The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 4

The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 5

The Top 20 Drivers of 2009 Part 5

The fifth installment of this series will bring a veteran that is either loved or hated, an exciting, talented, yet booed young driver, and a driver that is close to bringing home a coveted Sprint Cup Trophy.

#8 Greg Biffle

Greg Biffle was born December 23, 1969 in Vancouver, Washington. Biffle was first noticed by legendary NASCAR Champion and TV broadcaster, Benny Parsons, when he raced in the NASCAR Winter Heat Series covered by ESPN2 in 1995-1996. Parsons told NASCAR Sprint Cup team owner, Jack Roush, that he should hire Biffle before someone else did.

Roush ended up hiring Biffle to race in the Craftsman (now called Camping World) Truck Series, where he won Rookie of the Year honors in 1998. Two years later, Biffle won the championship for that series. He moved up to the Busch (now called Nationwide) Series, winning the title for that series in 2001.

Biffle started competing full time in the Sprint Cup Series in 2003.

In 2008, Biffle had 36 starts, 2 poles, 2 wins, 12 Top 5s, 17 Top 10s, an average start of 14.0, an average finish of 13.0, finishing third in the points with 6,467.

Biffle will be back in the #16 3M/Dish Network Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in 2009. The crew chief will be Greg Erwin.

I expect Biffle to have a very solid year overall, but will have some trouble in the Chase. This will be the reason he finishes eighth this season.

#7 Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch was born May 2, 1985 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is the younger brother of former Sprint Cup Champion Kurt Busch. Busch’s driving career started with go-karts and Legends cars when he was 13 years old. Between 1999 and 2001 he gathered over 65 wins and two track championships at Las Vega Motor Speedway’s Bullring.

Busch moved into a Craftsman Truck race in 2001, but was booted from the garage area because of a rule disallowing anyone under 18 to compete.

He quickly gained recognition as a very talented driver and eventually was hired by Rich Hendrick to drive in the Nationwide Series and select races in the ARCA/REMAX Series after turning 18. Busch was then slated to take over the #5 Kellogg’s machine after Terry Labonte announced his retirement.

Busch has been lauded as an immensely talented driver, but lacks patience. He is notorious for being too aggressive at times, thus not creating too many allies in the garage.

Busch had a breakout year in 2008, starting 36 races, 2 poles, 8 wins, 17 Top 5s, 21 Top 10s, an average start and finish of 12.0, finishing tenth in points with 6,186 points. Busch led the points for most of the season, until having terrible luck during the Chase.

Busch will again be driving the #18 Interstate Batteries/M&Ms Toyota Camry in 2009 for Joe Gibbs Racing. Steve Addington will continue the crew chief responsibilities. 

#6 Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon was born August 4, 1971 in Vallejo, California. Gordon began racing at the age of five in quarter midgets. By age six, he had won over 35 races and five track records. At age 13, he became interested in Sprint cars. His family eventually moved to Pittsboro, Indiana so that there could be more opportunities for Gordon to race. In 1990, Gordon won the USAC Midget Crown, then captured the USAC Silver Crown a year later.

In 1991, Gordon began racing in the Busch Series for Bill Davis Racing, winning the Rookie of the Year. In 1992, he set a NASCAR record by grabbing eleven poles in one season.

Gordon began his Sprint Cup career in 1992, driving for Hendrick Motorsports. His very first Sprint Cup start was Richard Petty’s very last at the season finale in Atlanta.

Gordon has gone on to win three Daytona 500’s, and four Sprint Cup Championships. He is the driver that everyone either loves, hates or loves to hate.

During the 2008 campaign, Gordon posted 36 starts, 4 poles, 0 wins, 13 Top 5s, 19 Top 10s, an average start of 11.0, an average finish of 15.0, and ending the season seventh in points with 6,316.

I believe Gordon will end his winless streak in 2009, nabbing 2 wins. He will be in contention for a championship, but will eventually fall short during the Chase.

For the seventeenth year in a row, Gordon will again be piloting the famous #24 DuPont/Pepsi/U.S. National Guard Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports. Steve Letarte will again be the crew chief.

That is the scoop for drivers eight through six in this series. Tomorrow’s installment will crack the top five, so I know you don’t want to miss that! Until then have a good one!