Guest Column By Cathy Elliott

OK, it’s the end of the year, and you know what that means: lists.

Some of them are forward-looking. There are lists of what we plan to gain — and in the case of those of us with hips, to lose — in 2010. There are lists of which credit card bills we can get away with making the minimum payments on, and lists of numbers to block from our cell phones.

But this is also traditionally a time to look back on another nearly completed year, and specifically in this case, to look back on the year in NASCAR.

I’ve spent some time checking out a few of my fellow motorsports writers’ opinions on the “top” stories of 2009, and for the most part they’re on the money. This year has been quite remarkable, and there are a lot of spectacular and historic things for which it will be remembered.

Continue reading “Taking Stock of a Most Valuable Year in NASCAR”

Top Drivers (in alphabetical order)

Jimmie Johnson – Made NASCAR history by becoming the first driver to win four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships … His team has truly reached the “dynasty” level … Won a series-high seven races, including four during “clutch time” in the Chase … Had a series-best Driver Rating of 112.2 … Posted 16 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes … Led a series-high 2,238 laps … Won three of the first five Chase races to put himself in position to claim an unprecedented fourth straight title.

Mark Martin – At the age of 50, turned in perhaps his finest overall season … Finished second in the point standings … Was the points leader for four weeks and led the standings heading into the Chase … Won five times on the year; second most in the series … Claimed a career-best seven poles, also tops in the series on the season … Posted 14 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes … His average starting position of 9.8 led the series while his Driver Rating (100.3) was second best in the series … Was sentimental favorite to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

Continue reading “Cup Series Top Performances of 2009”

Kyle Busch Motorsports Sets Up Camp in NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
NASCAR Star to Field Two Toyota Tundras Full-Time in 2010

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Dec. 11, 2009) – In a press conference held live on SPEED, Kyle Busch announced today that he will enter two Toyota Tundras full-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series beginning in 2010.

Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), which has fielded numerous Late Model stock cars for Busch and others since late 2007, will step up to the Camping World Truck Series with youth behind the wheel and experience on top of the pit box.

Busch will pilot the No. 18 Miccosukee Resort & Gaming Toyota Tundra whenever the Camping World Truck Series runs in companion with the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. For the non-companion races, the No. 18 Tundra will be driven by 24-year-old Brian Ickler. Running the full schedule for KBM will be 20-year-old Tayler Malsam in the No. 56 Toyota Tundra.

Continue reading “Kyle Busch to field two Trucks in 2010”

Amanda’s articles

By Amanda Vincent

The season that was NASCAR 2009 wasn’t only a historic one, it also provided a lot of surprises — both good and bad.

While Jimmie Johnson winning a Sprint Cup title is no surprise, he did claim a fourth-straight in 2009, something that has never been done.

While Johnson as Sprint Cup champion lost its shock value years ago, there were some surprises from the Hendrick Motorsports camp.

For one, the resurgence of veteran driver Mark Martin. It’s no secret that Mark Martin can drive a race car, but 2009 was his first full-time season in a few years, and he was racing with a new team, making the move the HMS from DEI following the 2008 campaign.

Continue reading “2009 a year of history making”

Top Drivers (in alphabetical order)

Brad Keselowski – In his second full year in the series, Brad Keselowski was expected to improve, but his results exceeded those expectations. After starting 2009 in a slump, he rebounded to win four times – arguably four of the most exciting races of the year – the most for a series-only regular since 2005 and fourth-best in the series in 2009. He won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in just his seventh event and challenged for second in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings until the season finale. His 105.9 Driver Rating is the highest for a series-only regular in a single season. He’ll keep alive this decade’s streak of at least one full-time series-only regular who finished in the top 10 in the standings moving up to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series the following season … and he’ll take his rivalry with Denny Hamlin along with him.

Kyle Busch – In capturing his first NASCAR national series title and the first series driver championship for Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch put together a dominating year making good on the media’s pre-season prediction for the 2009 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion. Yet, he didn’t run away with the crown, a testament to the overall strength of the series. But make no mistake: Busch was the best. His nine wins led the series and he finished second 11 other times. He led 2,698 of a possible 6,715 laps and posted four perfect 150.0 Driver Ratings. His 25 top-five finishes tied the series record, and in only 173 career starts he has 30 victories, now fourth all-time. He also became the first driver to win two national series races on the same day when he won the NASCAR Camping World Truck and NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 21.

Continue reading “Nationwide Series Top Performances Of 2009”