Continuing our rundown of the top stories of 2009, today featuring surprises both good and bad.
6. My name is Juan Pablo Montoya. Mark Martin had more success, but that was to some extent, expected -- he'd already run well in Sprint Cup. Juan Pablo Montoya was the most pleasant surprise of the season from a driver perspective, running well all the way throughout the year and posing a legitimate threat to Jimmie Johnson early in the Chase. A dubious speeding penalty cost him a win in Indianapolis, but the way that he runs, he'll be swapping champagne with the Sprint Cup girls soon enough. Montoya also big-timed a TV reporter and, in a move that proves he's now legit NASCAR material, got into a dustup with Tony Stewart.
5. Where have you gone, Richard Childress Racing? There are about 18 Chase-quality drivers in NASCAR but only 12 Chase spots, which means somebody's got to go. And in 2009, many of those somebodies belonged to Richard Childress Racing. Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton, all Chasers in 2008, failed to make the dance in 2009. Only Bowyer even had a shot going into the final races of the Race for the Chase. But on the plus side, all three drivers, particularly Burton, ran well in the Chase with the pressure off. Both Burton and Childress told us in podcasts that they felt the testing ban harmed RCR, so hopefully things will turn around for them in 2010.
4. Detroit's financial woes hammer NASCAR. No segment of NASCAR was immune to the economic downturn, but predictions that the sport would fold were overly pessimistic. Still, the lack of funds from major auto manufacturers led to widespread layoffs, belt-tightening and mergers, even among well-known teams like Richard Petty Motorsports. The worst is surely not yet over, but for now, NASCAR appears on stable footing in regard to the auto manufacturers; even President Obama, whom few NASCAR fans would pick as an ally of the sport, has come out on the record in favor of continued growth of the sport.
Next up: we close out the year with the biggest stories of 2009! Any guesses?
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