NASCAR Sprint Cup: 10 Drivers On The Way Down In 2011
The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season came to a close with Jimmie Johnson winning an unprecedented fifth-straight championship.
Denny Hamlin entered the Chase's final race with the opportunity to win his first title but he could not hold onto his lead, ultimately finishing the season in second.
Hamlin is one of many drivers who moved up in the final standings this season, but some drivers did not meet expectations.
Even though Johnson has now dominated the sport for the last five years, the competition is tough and the results as close as ever.
Next season should be a great one as well, with many drivers moving up or down in the final standings. Here is a look at 10 drivers whose stock may decline in 2011.
Matt Kenseth
1 of 10
Kenseth finished the 2010 season in fifth place but next year could be a different story.
Kenseth did not win any races in 2010 and tied Jeff Burton for the fewest top 5's (6) and top 10's (15) of any of the Chase participants.
The No. 17 was able to finish the season fifth because he rarely had a poor finish. Kenseth finished outside the top 20 just just four times all season as he was a model of consistency.
Expect Kenseth to end up in the Chase once again next season, but with just four wins total in the last four seasons it will be tough for him to finish in the top five for a second year in a row.
David Reutimann
2 of 10
Reutimann finished 2010 in 18th place after a very up-and-down season that saw him finish fifth at Daytona and then fail to crack the top 10 in his next 10 races.
The No. 00's lone win came at Chicago and although he has shown the ability to race well Reutimann has failed to put it all together on a consistent basis.
It is unlikely Reutimann will move up much in the standings next season and the more likely scenario is that he will finish just outside the top 20.
Ryan Newman
3 of 10
Newman had a disappointing 2010 season as he finished 15th one year after making the Chase and finishing ninth.
Newman has now finished 15th or worse in three of the past five seasons and he could easily find himself on the outside looking in when it comes to the Chase next season.
The No. 39 did finish the 2010 season strong with two top 10's but I don't believe he will carry that momentum on to 2011.
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Jeff Burton
4 of 10
Burton had a rough finish to the 2010 season, finishing 30th or worse in three of the last four races.
Burton has been a consistent driver over the years but he has failed to win a race in the last two seasons and he has just 11 top 5's over the past two years.
The No. 31 should race well again next season but don't expect him to make the Chase for a second year in a row.
Kasey Kahne
5 of 10
Kahne had one of the most disappointing seasons of any Sprint Cup driver in 2010 as he finished the year in 20th place.
The No.9 failed to win a race for the first time in three seasons despite winning four poles, and he finished in the top 10 just 10 times.
Kahne won the pole at Homestead and finished the race in sixth place so he will need to carry that momentum into 2011 if he wants to improve his Cup standing.
Tony Stewart
6 of 10
Stewart has never finished outside the top 10 in his Sprint Cup career and he finished seventh this season, so to say he will finish worse next season is going out on a bit of a limb.
Stewart had two top five finishes including a win during the Chase but overall he fared poorly. With guys like Jamie McMurray and Joey Logano ready to move forward next season the No. 14 could take a step back.
Mark Martin
7 of 10
Martin managed to hang around during the 2010 season to finish in 13th place despite not having that great of a season.
The 51-year old finished 20th or worse in 12 races this season while making no trips to victory lane.
Martin finished the season with the best finish of any non-Chase participant but after the way he raced this season don't expect him to make the Chase next season either.
Greg Biffle
8 of 10
Biffle put together a solid 2010 Sprint Cup season as he finished the Chase in sixth place while visiting victory lane at Kansas and Pocono this year.
Biffle finished the season strong with three straight top ten finishes but he also had some rough days, finishing 32nd or worse on six occasions in 2010. The No. 16 will need to have fewer finishes like that next season if he hopes to move up the Sprint Cup standings.
Kurt Busch
9 of 10
Kurt Busch finished the 2010 season in 11th place, three spots back of his brother Kyle and second-worst of any Chase participant.
Busch had one of the better seasons of his career this year, winning two races and recording nine top five finishes. His finish to the season during the Chase was not his best effort though and it should raise some concerns going into next season.
Busch will have his work cut out for him in trying to make the Chase for a third-straight season.
Denny Hamlin
10 of 10
While the Sprint Cup champion has stayed the same for the past five seasons, the second place finisher has been ever-changing.
It's hard to say how Hamlin will perform next season after blowing his shot at a championship on the season's final day, but there is no doubt that the odds are stacked against him.
Hamlin should have little problem making the Chase once again as he has established himself as one of NASCAR's up-and-coming superstars, but it will be a lot to ask of him to finish in the top two once again next season.
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