Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and 8 Drivers in Prime Condition to Win Their First Cup

As we get closer to the start of the season, the predictions are popping up about who will win the title this year. While Jimmie Johnson is a shoo-in when it comes to this talk, there are also some drivers out there that are looking to hunt down their first title.

Some have stepped into rides that give them a better chance at the Sprint Cup title, and others have been lurking around the Chase, hunting down the trophy for a few years.

Who are 10 drivers in line for their first title? Let’s take a look.

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin had a bad year in 2011, finishing ninth in the standings with only one win and five top-five finishes.

But in 2009 and 2010, Hamlin made a strong case to take home the title with four and eight wins, respectively.

He has half of the championship duo from last year on his team, with Darian Grubb taking over crew-chiefing duties in 2012.

Hamlin was frustrated with his season last year, so it will be no surprise if the No. 11 wins the trophy this year.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

This pick may be a little out there, but Dale Jr. seems to be slowly working his way out of his slump.

The major knock here (and yes, it is a big one) is that he has no points wins to his name since 2008, but he did make the Chase last year and finished seventh.

The crew-chief change made last year seemed to make some positive headway, and after a full season of working together, Junior and Steve Letarte should be even more of a threat this year.

Rick Hendrick is expecting to bring the championship back to HMS this year, and it would make an even bigger impact if Junior was the one to do it.

Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski was a huge shock last year, winning three races near the end of the season to end 2011 with 14 top-10 finishes and fifth in points—just 84 points behind Tony Stewart.

While 2011 could have been a major fluke for the young driver, if he can capitalize on how he did in the latter half of the season, Keselowski could frustrate a lot of non-champion drivers by grabbing the title in only his third full year of Cup competition.

Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick’s bad 2009 season seemed to light a fire under the driver, as he’s been a major threat for the championship over the last few years.

In 2010, Harvick led the points for most of the regular season before losing the championship by 41 points, finishing third behind Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin.

In 2011, Harvick again finished third in the standings, 58 points behind Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart. He ended the season with four wins and 19 top-10 finishes.

If the last few seasons are any indication, Harvick will once again be a major threat for the title.

Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne is a wild card on this list, but he did pull off a win and 15 top-10 finishes last season with Red Bull.

Kahne moves over to his Hendrick Motorsports ride this year, and Hendrick expects him to do a lot with the equipment.

Kahne has proved time and time again over the last few years that he can be successful in the right vehicle, even grabbing a Chase spot in 2009.

With Hendrick behind him, Kahne should finally be able to really show the talent that he’s matured into over the last few years.

Greg Biffle

Greg Biffle is one of those drivers that had an off year last year, finishing 16th with just three top-five finishes and 10 top-10 finishes.

Biffle has been strong in the Chase in the past, finishing third in 2008. He has been a strong presence since he missed it in 2007 (other than last year).

It will definitely be a disappointment if Biffle has another year like 2011 while his teammates both grab top Chase spots (Matt Kenseth finished fourth, 73 points behind teammate Carl Edwards).

Ryan Newman

Stewart-Haas is coming off of a championship year with team owner Tony Stewart winning his third title. It’s now time for teammate Ryan Newman to bring a title to the shop.

Newman had one win and 17 top-10 finishes in 2011, and honestly, he has been one of those drivers that is good enough to float around the top spots in the circuit, but not hit the top.

But, with Stewart-Haas tasting the championship, it’s even more of a bet that they will work harder to get Newman to the top spot.

Consistency is a weakness for Newman, but if that clicks, he should be a threat.

A. J. Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger is the biggest wild card in this article, but like Kasey Kahne, he’s shown a lot of potential without a lot of equipment under him.

Now, he has some of the best equipment on the circuit and has already been given a show of faith by taking over the seat of one of the biggest drivers in the series.

Last year, Allmendinger managed a 15th-place finish in the points with only one top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.

This driver has a lot of upside moving into a top-of-the-line ride. However, the potentially major downfall is how he will handle not only the car, but also the pressure that comes along with his new ride.

Carl Edwards

If the end of the year points tie would have gone the other way, Carl Edwards wouldn’t be in this slideshow. Unfortunately for him, tying for the points lead at the end of the season doesn’t get you the trophy, and he still isn’t known as a champion.

Edwards is his generation’s Mark Martin—always coming close to a Cup title, but never actually winning it.

He can usually be found near the top of the standings, and in 2008, he had another close call, finishing 69 points behind Jimmie Johnson in second.

Edwards has a double-sided coin in his life, as he has already proved that he can win the championship, even if he didn’t take home the trophy. But now, he has to fight the regression that sometimes comes with a championship year.

Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch was slated to win the championship years ago, yet he seems to have quieted down over the last few years.

The dangerous thing about Busch is that even when he is quiet, he is still more talented than most drivers out there.

He’s been a threat since he finished 20th his rookie season (winning two races along the way), but his biggest downfall is the actual Chase. 

We’ve watched the driver mature over the past few seasons, and this could be the year that that maturity rewards him with a title.