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.

Tony Stewart – In his first year as a driver-owner, turned in just an incredible season … Both of his teams – the No. 14 car he drove and the No. 39 car driven by Ryan Newman – made the Chase … Won four times on the season and also won the 25th running of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race .. Led the point standings for 13 weeks and became the first driver-owner to lead the points since 1992 (Alan Kulwicki) and became the first driver-owner since 1998 (Ricky Rudd) to win a race … Finished sixth in the final point standings … Posted 15 top-five and 23 top10-finishes.

Raybestos Rookie of the Year

Joey Logano – Became the youngest driver (19) to ever win a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race when he won the first New Hampshire race in June … Finished a solid 20th in the final point standings … Posted three top-five and seven top-10 finishes … Driving the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, he had some big shoes to fill, as two-time series champion Tony Stewart had piloted that car for 10 years – but the rookie did an admirable job.

Top Team Owner

Rick Hendrick – The leader of Hendrick Motorsports also stamped his name in the NASCAR history books in 2009, winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive NASCAR NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title, a record 12th national series championship and a record-tying ninth NASCAR Sprint Cup crown … His organization also made history by having the top-three finishers in the point standings – Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon …Recipient of the prestigious Bill France Award of Excellence at this year’s 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony … His teams’ recent dominance in the sport can be likened to the great dynasties of the New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers and Boston Celtics.

Top Breakthrough Performers (in alphabetical order)

Marcos Ambrose – In just his second season at the NASCAR Sprint Cup level and first full season of competition, the affable Australian finished 18th in the point standings driving the No. 40 Little Debbie/Kingsford/Clorox Toyota for JTG/Daugherty Racing … Posted four top-five and seven top-10 finishes … Finished second at Watkins Glen, third at Infineon, third at Bristol (2), and fourth at Talladega (1).

Juan Pablo Montoya – Competing in just his third full season of NASCAR racing, this former Indianapolis 500 winner emerged as one of the top stories of the 2009 season … Made the Chase and finished eighth in the final point standings … Was a model of consistency the first four races of the Chase, finishing third at New Hampshire, fourth at Dover, fourth at Kansas, and third at Auto Club Speedway … Was on target to win the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, leading 116 laps, before speeding penalty on pit road doomed his chances … As a demonstration of how far he’s progressed racing stock cars, he finished second at Pocono (2) and third at Martinsville (2) … Posted seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes with two poles.

David Reutimann – In just his third full season of Sprint Cup competition, he stepped up and finished a solid 16th in the final point standings … Was in contention to make the Chase up until the cut-off race at Richmond … Stayed in the top 12 for nine weeks … Won the rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600, marking his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory … Posted five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes and had two poles – Texas (1) and Dover (1).

Brian Vickers – Broke through to make the Chase field … Finished 12th in the final point standings … Reached Victory Lane at Michigan (2), marking the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win for Red Bull Racing … Went on a tear at midseason to get into the Chase, finishing 12th or better in the final nine races leading up to the Chase … Posted four top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, to go along with six poles – the second most in the series.

Comeback Driver of the Year

Kurt Busch – The 2004 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion bounced back from a lackluster 2008 season, when he finished 18th in the point standings, to finish fourth in the championship points race … Won twice on the season – at Atlanta (1) and at Texas (2) … Was consistently ranked in the top five in points all season long … Had 10 top-five and 21 top-10 performances … Finished the season strong by winning at Texas, finishing sixth at Phoenix and fourth at Homestead-Miami.