Top driver today!

Law of averages today.

Good win for Junior. Just like Joey last week the best car won. He has a lot of momentum. Long season but is looking like the makings of a run at the championship. Long, long way to go.

Top driver today!

Now we can have a serious discussion as to whether Jr is a top driver or not. This year he is definitely making a case.

Loved the Dark Night Batman car.

Jr hasn't been the same since this wreck at Sonoma in 2004 running a Grand Am event with Boris Said. Hasn't been the same since.

 

Saw an interview where Jr. said he felt as if someone got him out of the car that day. Said he didn't pull himself out of the car. Was asking the rescue workers where the guy was who pulled him out and they were asking what guy?

 

 

Pretty wild stuff. But I do agree that wreck had a major impact on Jr.

Jr is still in 2nd having an awesome season!

Jr is still in 2nd having an awesome season!

 

He has done very well this year. :thumb:

He's definitely an above average driver. That should have been an option in the poll. If forced to pick between the two, I think he's closer to a top driver than an average driver.

 

I suppose everybody has their own definition of top driver, so it is subjective. Plus, there are so many variables that determine success in NASCAR - pit crew, equipment, luck - that are separate from just the ability to drive.

 

I think Tony Stewart is the best driver in the series and I've felt they way since his first title in '05. Yet I doubt many agreed when he finished no better than 6th in the standings for the 5 years after that.

 

For whatever reason, the transition to Hendrick wasn't as smooth and successful as many expected. But, based on last year and this year, it seems that they have ironed out the problems and are running consistent. Last year wasn't great, only 12 top 10 finishes, but it was their consistency that got them in the chase and that is the key to winning races. Put yourself in position to win on a weekly basis and they'll come. It looks like they have figured that part out. He knows how to win. He won 15 races from 2000-04.

 

He's definitely a contender for the title in 2012. He just needs to avoid bad luck. A couple of bad races will likely derail anyone's chances and that type of thing can sometimes be completely out of the drivers control - blown engines, getting caught in wrecks, etc. I think luck plays a bigger role in NASCAR than any other sport.

What makes one a top driver?

 

Was Terry Labonte a top driver? He's still racing part-time, but he had 26 full schedule seasons. In those 26 years, he won 22 races, 2 Winston Cups, finished in the top ten 14 times, and finished in the top five 7 times. He won two races in each of his two championship seasons. In '96, out of 31 races, he posted 21 top five finishes, finished outside of the top 20 six times and only once was he below 30th.

 

What about his brother Bobby Labonte? From 1995 to 2003, he won 21 races, finished in the top 10 in all but two seasons, including one Winston Cup championship in 2000. In 1999, out of 34 races, he posted 5 wins, 23 top fives, and 26 top tens...good enough for second place in the standings. A great season by any standard, yet not good enough for a championship. He is still racing a full schedule, but hasn't finished in the top 10 in points, nor won a race since 2003.

 

Kurt Busch? In the ten seasons prior to this year, he won at least one race every season with a total of 24 wins. He has one Cup championship. But, he finished outside of the top 10 six times during that span.

 

Jamie McMurray has won 6 races in his career, but has never finished better than 14th in the standings.

 

Jeff Burton won 15 races from '97-00 and finished in the top 5 in points every season. Since then, he's won 6 races (21 total) and has finished in the top 10 for the season 4 times.

 

I don't think anyone doubts Jeff Gordon's greatness. But his last championship was 2001. He's won 4 races since 2007, including two winless seasons (and he's winless this season to date).

 

Ryan Newman? In his first four full seasons, he finished in the top 10 every year and won 13 races. He won 8 races in his second full season (2003) and only finished 6th in points (tied for his best). Since then, he's won 4 races and has two top 10 finishes.

 

Kyle Busch? He won 8 races in 2008 and finished 10th in points. His first full season was 2005. Since then, he's won a race in every season with 24 total. He's finished the season in the top 10 4 times with a career best of 5th in 2007. Ironically, he won only one race that year.

 

Kasey Kahne? Fourteen career wins, two top 10 finishes (career best 8th).

 

Carl Edwards? First full season in 2005. He won 16 races in his first four seasons, and that includes a winless second season. He won 9 races in 2008 and finished second in points. He has 4 top five finishes in points, including runner-up twice. Including this year, he's won only 3 races since those first four years, yet he was 4th and 2nd in points the previous two seasons. He's currently winless and ranked 11th this season.

 

Brad Keselowski is just getting started. This is his third full season. He's won six races. Three wins last year when he finished 5th in points. He has 3 wins this year to date and is currently 10th in points.

 

Clint Bowyer has won 6 career races. He finished in the top 5 in points twice (2007, 2008) with a top 10 finish in 2010. He's currently 9th in the standings with one win in 2012.

 

Kevin Harvick has won 18 career races and has finished the season 5th or better five times (career best is 3rd). He's currently 6th and winless in 2012. But, he won 7 races over the previous two seasons and won five times in 2006. Twelve of his wins came in three season, meaning he won 6 times in the other eight years.

 

Denny Hamlin has 19 wins since his first full season in 2006, including 8 in 2010 when he finished runner-up in points. He's won a race in every full season of his career, including two this year where he's currently 5th in the standings. His worst finish for a season is 12th in 2007. He's finished 9th or higher every other year.

 

Jimmie Johnson? No debate, but his career has been so amazing I had to note his accomplishments. His first full season was 2002 when he won 3 races and finished 4th in points. He has won at least two races in every season, including this year. His career worst finish for a season is 6th place, which happened last year. He has 57 career wins and everyone is aware of the 5 championships. He has at least 20 top 10 finishes in every season (and is on pace to continue that streak this year). He's finished in the top 5 in over 40% of his starts, top 10 in over 60%. Pretty amazing.

 

Greg Biffle? Since 2003, he's won 17 times with 5 top 10 finishes in points, including runner-up in '05 and two third place finishes. Six of his wins came in the 2005 runner-up season.

 

Matt Kenseth? 2003 champion who started full-time in the 2000 season. Also has one runner-up finish. He's won 22 races and has finished in the top 10 eight times. He's won once in 2012 and currently leads the standings.

 

Tony Stewart? Again, no doubt, but worth mentioning. Began full-time in 1999 and has finished 9th or better in the standings every season except one (11th in 2006). He's won at least two races in every season except one (2008, one win). Three-time, and defending, champion with one runner-up finish. 47 career wins, including three this season where he's currently 7th in the standings.

 

Jr.? As previously noted, he won 15 times from 2000-04, his first 5 full seasons. He finished in the top 10 three times, including a career best third in 2003. Since then, he's won 4 times and has two top 10 finishes. For his career, he's won 19 times, he's finished in the top 10 five times (top 5 three times), and he's currently second in the standings in 2012 with one win this year.

 

 

Who are the top drivers?

Jr. now on top of the standings.

^ Nice!

Jr. now on top of the standings.

 

Not anymore, the JR I have been accustomed to is dropping. I'm a JR fan but IMO he can't drive a car like it takes to win a championship.

His teammate Jeff Gordon was not real happy with him after Sunday's race.

His teammate Jeff Gordon was not real happy with him after Sunday's race.

 

I think Gordon is more upset with the year he's having then he is with Jr.