43
Name: John Andretti
Age: 37
Home: Indianapolis
Car: Cheerios Dodge
Crew chief: Greg Steadman
Comment: 227 Winston Cup starts, 2 career victories. Has regressed in standings for three straight years, from 11th to 17th to 23rd. Just two top-10 finishes last year. Switches to Dodge but keeps the Petty Enterprises No. 43, once worn by the King himself. Nephew of the great Mario, who won the Daytona 500 in 1967, and cousin of Michael.
Projection: Outside chance at top 20.
19
Name: Casey Atwood
Age: 20
Home: Antioch, Tenn.
Car: Evernham Motorsports Dodge
Crew chief: Patrick Donogue
Comment: Rookie with a sparkling future. Tabbed by Ray Evernham himself to be one of his two drivers: what more do you need to know? Circuit’s youngest driver; he won two Busch Series race at age 18.
Projection: Rookie of the year.
10
Name: Johnny Benson
Age: 37
Home: Grand Rapids, Mich.
Car: Valvoline Pontiac
Crew chief: James Ince
Comment: 161 starts, 0 victories. Looked just about finished after the ’99 season but got a last-minute ride in last year’s Daytona 500 that changed everything. He led in the final laps, and even though he got shuffled back to 12th, he was on his way to a solid year.
Projection: Consistent enough for shot at top 10.
93
Name: Dave Blaney
Age: 38
Home: Sharon, Pa.
Car: Amoco Ultimate Dodge
Crew chief: Doug Randolph
Comment: 38 starts, 0 victories. Answer to a trivia question: Who finished third in the 2000 rookie of the year voting behind marquee names Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Two top-10 finishes.
Projection: A year of progress, maybe top 20.
11
Name: Brett Bodine
Age: 42
Home: Chemung, N.Y.
Car: Ralphs Ford
Crew chief: Mike Hillman
Comment: 406 starts, 1 victory. He’s a Winstop Cup rarity, the owner of the car he drives. Leasing engines from powerhouse Robert Yates Racing might help this year.
Projection: A year of struggles.
66 (the car number as published has been corrected in this text)
Name: Todd Bodine
Age: 36
Home: Chemung, N.Y.
Car: Kmart Ford
Crew chief: Larry Carter
Comment: 110 starts, 0 victories. Youngest of the three Bodine brothers (veteran Geoffrey doesn’t have a regular ride this year). Finished fourth in the Busch Series last year but can’t stay away from the big time.
Projection: Back of the pack.
99
Name: Jeff Burton
Age: 33
Home: South Boston, Va.
Car: Citgo Ford
Crew chief: Frank Stoddard
Comment: 223 starts, 15 victories. One of a dozen or so drivers who’s a solid threat to win every time the gentlemen start their engines. Won two fewer races (four) last year than in 1999 but finished a career-best third in the points. Became interested in race cars at age 5 while watching older brother Ward drive.
Projection: Introducing your 2001 Winston Cup Series champion.
22
Name: Ward Burton
Age: 39
Home: South Boston, Va.
Car: Caterpillar Dodge
Crew chief: Tom Baldwin
Comment: 214 starts, 2 victories. Doesn’t win much but he’s consistent: 57 career top-10 finishes. Ran second to brother Jeff three times in ’99. The kind of smart, patient driver Dodge needs while it works out the bugs.
Projection: No victories but a top 20 in points.
97
Name: Kurt Busch
Age: 23
Home: Las Vegas
Car: Roush Racing Ford
Crew chief: Matt Chambers
Comment: 7 starts, 0 victories. Promising youngster spent most of last season in NASCAR’s Craftsman Truck Series before a late-season call-up by the heavyweight Roush team. Showed promise with top finishes of 13th, 18th and 19th.
Projection: Maybe a victory in first full year.
92
Name: Stacy Compton
Age: 33
Home: Hurt, Va.
Car: Kodiak Dodge
Crew chief: Chad Knaus
Comment: 32 starts, 0 victories. Zero top-10s, in fact, for this former trucker. In the new Dodge, expectations are not high.
Projection: May want to go back to truck series.
32
Name: Ricky Craven
Age: 34
Home: Newburgh, Maine
Car: Tide Ford
Crew chief: Mike Beam
Comment: 144 starts, 0 victories. Took over Tide ride from Scott Pruett in an abrupt off-season switch. Lack of funds limited him to 16 starts last year. Former rookie of the year (’95). Missed most of ’98 season recovering from post-concussion syndrome resulting from ’97 injuries.
Projection: His best year, but still not a top 20 finish.
37
Name: Wally Dallenbach
Age: 37
Home: Basalt, Colo.
Car: Galaxy Ford
Crew chief: Jim Long
Comment: 225 starts, 0 victories. Trying to go beyond reputation as merely a capable fill-in driver. Slipped last year after a career year in ’99 in which he had six top-10 finishes. Father recently retired after longtime career as CART’s chief steward.
Projection: More struggles down the road.
3
Name: Dale Earnhardt
Age: 49
Home: Kannapolis, N.C.
Car: Goodwrench Chevy
Crew chief: Kevin Hamlin
Comment: 675 starts, 76 victories. The seven-time Winston Cup champ, tying him with Richard Petty, will turn 50 in April, but if he’s lost anything it’s not apparent. Petty’s 200 victories and David Pearson’s 105 are out of reach, but the Intimidator should pass Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84 each), and Cale Yarborough (83) to take third place.
Projection: Will be in title race until the end.
8
Name: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Age: 26
Home: Kannapolis, N.C.
Car: Budweiser Chevy
Crew chief: Tony Eury Sr.
Comment: 39 starts, 2 victories. Hard to fault a two-victory rookie season, but Junior was inconsistent, with just five top-10s. Still, many NASCAR observers say he’s better than his dad at the same stage.
Projection: Top 10 for sure, maybe top 5.
9
Name: Bill Elliott
Age: 45
Home: Dawsonville, Ga.
Car: Evernham Motorsports Dodge
Crew chief: Mike Ford
Comment: 623 starts, 40 victories. He’s on the downside of a stellar career that included the 1988 series title. Evernham pairs the veteran with talented rookie Casey Atwood. Voted NASCAR’s most popular driver for the last 10 years, which may be the real reason Dodge wanted him.
Projection: Will win more friends, not races.
24
Name: Jeff Gordon
Age: 29
Home: Pittsboro, Ind.
Car: DuPont Chevy
Crew chief: Robbie Loomis
Comment: 257 starts, 52 victories. A crossroads year for the three-time champ who was once thought to have a shot at Petty’s career victory record. He misses Evernham, who departed as his crew chief during the 1999 season. After his 13-victory, 26-top-five 1998 season, he’s won seven and three races in the last two years.
Projection: In title hunt but will fall short.
4
Name: Robby Gordon
Age: 32
Home: Cerritos, Calif.
Car: Kodiak Chevy
Crew chief: David Ifft
Comment: 45 starts, 0 victories. A reputation for being talented and hard to get along with. Parted ways with Felix Sabates after running 20 races in 1997. Made another Winston Cup stab last season, running 17 races. Switch to yet another team, and from a Ford to a Chevy, should help.
Projection: Top 10 finish will quiet critics.
55
Name: Bobby Hamilton
Age: 43
Home: Nashville
Car: Square D Chevy
Crew chief: Jimmy Elledge
Comment: 301 starts, 3 victories. A solid 57 career top-10s, but only two last year. His race team is just two years old.
Projection: Moves back into top 20.
14
Name: Ron Hornaday
Age: 42
Home: Palmdale, Calif.
Car: Conseco Pontiac
Crew chief: Phillipe Lopez
Comment: 9 starts, 0 victories. Two-time truck Series champ won two Busch races last years. A respectable 15th in his only 2000 Winston Cup start (Watkins Glen). Car owned by A.J. Foyt, the open-wheel legend who also won the Daytona 500 in 1972.
Projection: Good shot to win a race.
96
Name: Andy Houston
Age: 30
Home: Hickory, N.C.
Car: McDonald’s Ford
Crew chief: Joe Garone
Comment: 5 starts, 0 victories. Two wins in the truck series last year. Made good first impression by taking his car up to 6th place at Michigan before fading.
Projection: Back in the pack, but a bright future.
88
Name: Dale Jarrett
Age: 44
Home: Newton, N.C.
Car: UPS Ford
Crew chief: Todd Parrott
Comment: 423 starts, 24 victories. The ’99 series champ is Mr. Consistency, as his 24 top 10s last year shows. Still he won just twice in 2000, fewest victories for him since ’95. Father Ned won 50 races and is now a broadcaster.
Projection: Consistency wins titles, but he’ll fall a bit short.
44
Name: Buckshot Jones
Age: 30
Home: Monticello, Ga.
Car: 44 Georgia-Pacific Dodge
Crew chief: Mark Tutor
Comment: 17 starts, 0 victories. Arguably the best name on the circuit; his grandfather once exclaimed that he was “tougher than Buckshot.” Driving for Petty Enterprises, which has to help.
Projection: Back of the pack.
17
Name: Matt Kenseth
Age: 28
Home: Cambridge, Wis.
Car: DeWalt Ford
Crew chief: Robbie Reiser
Comment: 40 starts, 1 victory. Some recent rookies of the year have faded quickly: Ken Bouchard, Rob Moroso, Jimmy Hensley. Others, like Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton and Tony Stewart, have not. With Roush team backing, it’s likelier that he’s on his way to a very rewarding career.
Projection: A place among the elite; top 10 at least.
18
Name: Bobby Labonte
Age: 36
Home: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: Interstate Pontiac
Crew chief: Jimmy Makar
Comment: 258 starts, 16 victories. Series championship last year part of a steady climb from 11th place in ’96 to seventh, sixth, second and first. Team owner Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls, and with Labonte and Tony Stewart has a chance to win at least as many Winston Cup titles.
Projection: He’ll discover it’s tough to repeat.
5
Name: Terry Labonte
Age: 44
Home: Corpus Christi, Texas
Car: Kellogg’s Chevy
Crew chief: Gary DeHart
Comment: 673 starts, 21 victories. After a record 655 straight starts, a concussion sidelined him for two races last year. Won the second of his two series championships in ’96 but since than has faded to sixth place, ninth, 12th and 17th last year.
Projection: Still a factor, but on the downside.
01
Name: Jason Leffler
Age: 25
Home: Long Beach, Calif.
Car: Cingular Dodge
Crew chief: Kevin Cram
Comment: A rookie to watch, since he’s driving for the savvy Chip Ganassi, who’s ruled the CART series recently.
Projection: He’ll struggle this year, but future sparkles.
40
Name: Sterling Marlin
Age: 43
Home: Columbia, Tenn.
Car: Coors Light Dodge
Crew chief: Lee McCall
Comment: 503 starts, 6 victories. Journeyman has back-to-back Daytona 500 wins (’94 and ’95) to his credit. Teams with Leffler on Ganassi team.
Projection: Lots and lots of mid-pack finishes.
6
Name: Mark Martin
Age: 42
Home: Batesville, Ark.
Car: Pfizer Ford
Crew chief: Jimmy Fennig
Comment: 458 starts, 32 victories. Has done everything but win the series championship. Finished second twice and third three times before slipping to eighth last year. Has 278 career top-10s. Still drives regularly on the Busch series, in which he’s the career victory leader (45).
Projection: A contender as usual, but no title.
12
Name: Jeremy Mayfield
Age: 31
Home: Owensboro, Ky.
Car: Mobil 1 Ford
Crew chief: Peter Sospenzo
Comment: 209 starts, 3 victories. A good yet frustrating 2000: two victories but two busts for rules violations. Car is owned by Roger Penske.
Projection: Looking for a long shot to win the title? Here he is.
25
Name: Jerry Nadeau
Age: 30
Home: Danbury, Conn.
Car: UAW Chevy
Crew chief: Tony Furr
Comment: 103 starts, 1 victory. The only driver heading into 2001 with a winning streak since he broke his maiden at Atlanta last November.
Projection: Will better last year’s No. 20 finish.
33
Name: Joe Nemechek
Age: 37
Home: Lakeland, Fla.
Car: Oakwood Chevy
Crew chief: Danny Gill
Comment: 222 starts, 1 victory. Used to be called “front row Joe,” somewhat derisively, since he had a knack for winning poles but not races. Finally broke through in ’99 but couldn’t get back to victory lane in 2000 despite nine top-10s. Owns a Busch series team.
Projection: Consistency pays off; sneaks into top 10.
1
Name: Steve Park
Age: 33
Home: East Northport, N.Y.
Car: Pennzoil Chevy
Crew chief: Paul Andrews
Comment: 90 starts, 1 victory. Eleventh-place series finish and 13 top-10s last year suggests he could be ready for stardom. Teammate of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in car owned by Dale Sr.
Projection: Top 10 not out of question.
44
Name: Kyle Petty
Age: 40
Home: Randleman, N.C.
Car: Sprint Dodge
Crew chief: Chris Hussey
Comment: 585 starts, 8 victories. Coming off a most difficult year in which son Adam was killed in a crash at New Hampshire. Grandfather Lee, patriarch of the family dynasty, also died last year. Hasn’t won since 1995.
Projection: A very tough year ahead.
77
Name: Robert Pressley
Age: 41
Home: Asheville, N.C.
Car: Jasper Engines Ford
Crew chief: Ryan Pemberton
Comment: 170 starts, 0 victories. Veteran still searching for a primary sponsor. Just one top-10 in a full season in 2000 but his 25-th-place series finish was his career best.
Projection: Back of the pack.
28
Name: Ricky Rudd
Age: 34
Home: Chesapeake, Va.
Car: Havoline Ford
Crew chief: Michael McSwain
Comment: 695 starts, 20 victories. When Tide pulled sponsorship from the team Rudd owned for a decade, he hastily joined Robert Yates’ team. The pairing worked. He finished fifth in points, his second best year in a 23-year career. His streak of 16 straight years with at least one win, a record, was snapped in ’99.
Projection: A few great runs, top 10 again likely.
21
Name: Elliott Sadler
Age: 25
Home: Emporia, Va.
Car: MotorCraft Ford
Crew chief: Pat Tryson
Comment: 69 starts, 0 victories. Best he’s done is two seventh-place finishes in two full years on the circuit. New crew chief should help.
Projection: Back of the pack.
36
Name: Ken Schrader
Age: 45
Home: Fenton, Mo.
Car: M&M’s Pontiac
Crew chief: Sammy Johns
Comment: 492 starts, 4 victories. Went from 10th place in ’97 to 12th, 15th and 18th last year. Hasn’t won since ’91.
Projection: The slide continues.
31
Name: Mike Skinner
Age: 43
Home: Susanville, Calif.
Car: Lowe’s Chevy
Crew chief: Royce McGee
Comment: 144 starts, 0 victories. Best driver on the circuit never to have won a race. Ten top-fives in four full seasons. Move of his savvy crew chief, Larry McReynolds, to the Fox TV booth won’t help.
Projection: A victory at last; top 10 finish possible.
26
Name: Jimmy Spencer
Age: 43
Home: Berwick, Pa.
Car: Kmart Ford
Crew chief: Donnie Wingo
Comment: 334 starts, 2 victories. Opinionated driver nicknamed “Mr. Excitement” for a wild driving style that has probably cost him a few more victories.
Projection: Low finishes are not exciting.
20
Name: Tony Stewart
Age: 29
Home: Rushville, Ind.
Car: Home Depot Pontiac
Crew chief: Greg Zipadelli
Comment: A matter of time before this superstar wins a series title. His six wins in 2000 led the series, but a few back-of-the-pack finishes caused him to finish sixth in the points. He even won at a track he said he didn’t like, Martinsville.
Projection: The champ–in 2002. Top five this year.
55
Name: Kenny Wallace
Age: 37
Home: St. Louis
Car: Eel River Pontiac
Crew chief: Brian Dodson
Comment: 219 starts, 0 victories. Has finished second twice and in the top 10 23 times.
Projection: A few good runs at most.
7
Name: Mike Wallace
Age: 41
Home: St. Louis
Car: Nations Rent Ford
Crew chief: Tim Brewer
Comment: 78 starts 0 victories. Finished third in the Craftsman Truck series last year. Has raced Winston Cup sporadically since 1991.
Projection: Back of the pack.
2
Name: Rusty Wallace
Age: 44
Home: St. Louis
Car: Miller Lite Ford
Crew chief: Robin Pemberton
Comment: The eldest and by far the best of the Wallace brothers (there are four brother acts on the circuit) had a solid, four-victory season in 2000 that suggested he’s still capable of repeating his series title of 1989. Qualified for the pole nine times last season and led 600 more miles than his nearest competitor. But five finishes of 30th or worse hurt. One of NASCAR’s most colorful drivers.
Projection: Top five but no title.
15
Name: Michael Waltrip
Age: 37
Home: Owensboro, Ky.
Car: NAPA Chevy
Crew chief: Scott Eggleston
Comment: 462 starts, 0 wins. A perennial bridesmaid with 77 top-10 finishes. Older brother Darrell will be the centerpiece of the Fox/NBC TV coverage this season after an 84-victory career.
Projection: No victories, many headaches.
