He scored his first top-10 finish this season in the Coca-Cola 600, and his first Nationwide Series win at Memphis late last year.
After finishing second in Nationwide points in 2007, Reutimann inherited the UPS sponsorship from the retiring Jarrett and has kept the car steadily within the top 35 in owners' points.
6. Scott Speed, Team Red Bull
Ranked sixth, if only for his Formula One experience, Speed has shown flashes of brilliance in trucks and ARCA, winning his sixth career truck race at Dover for Bill Davis Racing's No. 22 team.
He currently sits second in ARCA points, driving the No. 2 Toyota for Eddie Sharp Racing.
Besides his obvious talent, Speed brings a little European flair to a racing series desperate to gain footing globally.
5. Aric Almirola, Dale Earnhardt Inc.
Currently splitting the No. 8 US Army Chevrolet with Martin in the Sprint Cup Series, Almirola is regarded highly by many teams in the garage, and has been promised a full-time ride by DEI in 2009.
He finished eighth in his season debut at Bristol this year.
In 2007, he scored the pole in the first race of the season at Daytona, and was awarded the win at Milwaukee despite being replaced in his car mid-race by Denny Hamlin, thus leading to his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing.
Max Siegel immediately snapped up the young driver to replace Regan Smith in the no. 01 car with Martin.
4. Marcos Ambrose, JTG Racing
The two-time Australian V8 Supercar champion is scheduled to run a total of 12 Sprint Cup races this season for JTG Racing and the Wood Brothers.
In his rookie season in the Nationwide Series last year, he finished eighth in points, the highest driver not also competing in Sprint Cup, and finished second in Rookie of the Year points to David Ragan.
This year, in the Nationwide race at Mexico City, the affable Australian finished second to Kyle Busch, his best career finish in any major NASCAR series.
3. Brad Keselowski, Hendrick Motorsports
Currently ranked second in Nationwide Series points for JR Motorsports, Keselowski is rumored to partner with Martin in the No. 5 Sprint Cup car for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009.
In 17 Nationwide starts so far this season with JRM, Hendrick's de facto development team, he has scored nine top-10s and a victory at Nashville.
Since being hired to drive the No. 88 US Navy Chevrolet last season, Keselowski has only suffered four DNFs in 31 starts.
2. Joey Logano, Joe Gibbs Racing
Winning in his third Nationwide Series start was just the first of many triumphs expected from the Connecticut phenom.
Potentially Tony Stewart's replacement in the No. 20 in Sprint Cup next year, Logano has been lauded since Mark Martin first brought him to NASCAR's attention three years ago.
Already the 18-year-old appears ready to contend for race wins and Chase positioning, and he has the best team in the Nationwide Series behind him.
Logano has handled the pressure placed upon him magnificently thus far and has shown no reason for anyone to expect anything less.
1. David Ragan, Roush Fenway Racing
People will call me crazy for ranking Ragan over Logano, but Ragan has consistently overachieved in Sprint Cup since being installed into the No. 6 Ford.
Roush Fenway has always regarded Ragan as their fifth driver, but it hasn't stopped him from contending for the Chase this season (he's currently ranked 14th) or consistently improving in the Nationwide Series.
Ragan's four top-five's so far this year matches last season's total, and his 10 top-10s are one more than he had all of last year.
Only Juan Pablo Montoya prevented him from winning Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year in 2007.
When Roush Fenway drops one team in 2010, expect Ragan to have won his first race, and perhaps made his first Chase. As he steadily improves, the No. 6 may yet again be one of the top two or three teams in NASCAR.
Honorable Mentions:
Colin Braun, Roush Fenway Racing; Brad Coleman, Hall of Fame Racing; Erik Darnell, Roush Fenway Racing; Chad McCumbee, Petty Enterprises; Michael McDowell, Michael Waltrip Racing
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