Sprint Cup 2009: What Have We Learned So Far?

Expected

Roush-Fenway Racing

Two wins, by Matt Kenseth at least, weren’t expected, but having three of the five team cars in the top-10 in points shouldn’t turn anybody’s head. Kenseth’s rebound this year can be credited to new crew chief Drew Blickensderfer. Greg Biffle is usually consistent and up front, and Carl Edwards is…Carl Edwards. What else would you expect?

Jamie McMurrary being in the mid-20s in points is no surprise. He’s got to get past bad luck and get up front with the rest of the team. His car obviously has the speed.

David Ragan, on the other hand, needs to get it together. Mind you he was a victim of engine failure that similarly ended Kenseth’s bid for three-in-a-row to start the year. But expectations are high on the young man who just missed the Chase last year.

Tony Stewart

Tony being strongly in the top-10 is no surprise to me. He’s running Hendrick engines and chassis, and these are some of the best on the track. It looks like he’s molding nicely into the ownership role, and enjoying racing a bowtie again. That in and of itself was a boost for the newly formed No.14 team. We’ll talk about his teammate later.

Joey Logano

For all the weight on this kid’s shoulders, I have to believe that’s what’s slowed him down a little. But he’s improving week on week, and that’s all one could ask for. He still needs as much seat time he can get, and honestly could have used another year to prepare for the Cup series. Yet once he walked through the door of opportunity he cannot look back.

A strong 13th place finish at Vegas was a real confidence-booster for Joey, and if he can follow that up with a good run at Atlanta it will cool critics, and help move him farther from that precarious 30-35 points position.

Richard Petty Motorsports

Here’s the big “if only” of the bunch. “If only” the race at Daytona had ended a lap earlier, Elliott Sadler would have won. Mind you, three cars in the top 10 was one thing, but all three were leading the pack just a few laps earlier.

Realistically I don’t expect much more from Kasey Kahne and Sadler. At times they have looked good individually, and other times they look like guys who run in the second-10 in points. I don’t have much in the way of expectations from either A.J. Allmendinger (but he sure looked good at Daytona) and Reed Sorenson, who has yet to live up to anyone’s expectations in the Cup series.

I do hope Allmendinger gets funding for the full schedule and I would like to think one of the four will make the Chase, but there are bigger and better names still climbing the ladder after a bad start to the year.

David Gilliland / The Racers Group

Shout out to these guys. Gilliland, who was given release from Yates Racing to pursue other opportunities, finds himself flirting with the top-35 in points after running two of the three events so far. Another good run or two, and some bad luck for others and he will find himself locked into the field each week.

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