Thursday, September 24, 2009

Taillights fade: Looking back at 2009's one-race drivers

We're getting within sight of the end of the season, and so it's time to begin our look back. In a feature shamelessly ripped from Puck Daddy's Death Watch and Big League Stew's Walk Toward The Light, we'll be counting down each and every car that fell short of the Sprint Cup this year. And yes, I know there aren't taillights on Sprint cars. It's a metaphor. Roll with it.

So did you know that 65 different drivers ran in Sprint Cup races this year, to this point? It's true. And it's down only slightly from 2008, when 71 drivers ran. Today, we say farewell to the one-race cameos, the guys who were only with us long enough to get their name called once. So long, gentlemen.

Name(s): Andy Lally, Scott Wimmer, Dexter Bean, Brandon Ash, Tony Ave.

Records: Not a single top-10 among the lot of 'em, though Lally, Wimmer and Dex at least finished the races in which they ran.

Where it went wrong: Hmmm. Can't ever say it went right for these guys, except in the sense that they did get to run at the highest level of motorsports.

Prospects for 2010: I can't even begin to guess. But if they even start two races, they'll be ahead of this year.

Can't say we knew any of you very well -- with the exception of the immortal Dexter Bean, whom we welcomed onto a podcast -- but congrats to each one of you. These guys all earned at least $62,000 this year, not bad for a few hours' work.

Next up: The two-timers!

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