Sorry for being late with this. Going to go right to the awards (this also includes season to date awardings):
Suprisingly Good Finish: David Gilliland. This guy has been posting several top 15s lately, including a 15th place finish at Phoenix. Honorable mentions: Sam Hornish (20th) & Paul Menard (21st).
Most Impressive Performance: Mark Martin. He gave the U.S. Army Chevy a great run....he had a top 5 car almost the entire race. Honorable mentions: Martin Truex Jr. & Greg Biffle.
Perserverance: Sam Hornish. He took a car that spent the majority of the race running outside the top 30, yet wound up with a nice 20th place finish. Honorable mentions: Casey Mears & Bobby Labonte.
Disappointing Finish: Matt Kenseth. Someone you expect to finish in the top 10, winds up in 38th, following an early race caution.
Deserved a Better Finish: Ryan Newman. The pole-sitter was headed for no worse than a top 15 finish. He led 37 laps, but motor problems relegated Newman to a 43rd place finish.
Should've Stayed in Bed: The aforementioned Kenseth. His run reminded me of Jeff Gordon's day at Texas last week. Got behind the 8-ball early on, and was never able to catch up.
Some Season To Date Awards:
Most Surprising Driver: This one hasn't changed from the last time. Greg Biffle is still my selection for most surprising. While he's slipped some in the last month, he's still sitting top 10 in points.
Overachieving Driver: I'm going in the direction of David Gilliland for this. I thought he'd have problems getting into the top 30 in driver points. Yet, 8 races into the season, he's just 17 points from being in the top 20.
Fortunate To Be Where He Is In Points: This one has shifted. No one really sticks out, but I had to pick a driver, it would be our points leader, Jeff Burton. Yes, he has the victory at Bristol, but even then, he fell into the victory. If a person went by from just watching each and every race, but didn't ever look at the point standings, not too many would guess that Burton was leading the points. In fact many would probably think he wasn't even in the top 5.
Most Disappointing Driver: I'm probably thinking out of the box on this, but I'm looking in the direction of J.J. Yeley. He should be solidly in the top 20 to 25 area in the points. But like our selection in this category a month ago (Jamie McMurray) found himself in, Yeley is sitting on the outside looking in in terms of the top 35.
Answer - Juan Pablo Montoya. 28 drivers have finished in the top-12 in 2008. Montoya is not among them. But by avoiding disastrous finishes (other than a 32nd, he's finished every race between 13th and 20th) he sits 17th in points.
Very good description of the drivers and where they raced and are in points! Hope you keep it up! OBTW I am a die hard Dale Jr fan so PLEASE dont write about him! As he is doing well and is in 3rd place in overall points, I am soooo happy for him and being consistant can get him in the Chase and a Championship too with just 1 win like it did Kennseth....pioneer
I AGREE J.J. YELEY HAS BEEN A DISAPOINTMENT THIS YEAR HE JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET IN THE GROVE. I AM HAPPY "THE BIFF" IS DOING BETTER THIS YEAR NOW IF HE CAN ONLY WIN ONE WOULD BE NICE. ITS TIME FOR SMOKE AND JR TO WIN ONE NOW. THE RACES HAVE BEEN GOOD UNTIL THE LAST ONE I WAS SO LOVING IT NOT SEEING A HENDRICK CAR IN VICTORY LANE. JIMMY'S ATTITUDE REALLY GETS ME AND GORDON HAS ENOUGH MONEY HE DON'T NEED TO WIN ANYMORE RACES. HE NEEDS TO STAY IN NEW YORK WITH HIS FANCY FRIENDS. I'M REALLY SORRY JR. WENT WITH HENDRICKS. BUT IT IS HELPING HIS NATIONWIDE CAR SO MORE POWER TO HIM IN THAT SERIES. I LIKE JEFF BURTON AND I THINK YOU ARE WRONG SAYING WHAT YOU DID ABOUT HIM. HE WOULD MAKE A GREAT CHAMPION. HE'S A GOOD DRIVE AND AN ALL AROUND NICE GUY. I'M A BIG NASCAR FAN WATCH THE TRUCK AND NATIONWIDE RACES AND REALLY LIKE WHEN KYLE IS DRIVING. HE'S FUN TO WATCH AND CAN'T SAY THAT FOR MANY OF THE DRIVERS. YA'LL HAVE A NICE DAY NOW HERE!!!!!!!!!!
