We've wrapped the season, and so it's time to wrap up our look back. In a feature shamelessly ripped from Puck Daddy's Death Watch and Big League Stew's Walk Toward The Light, we're looking back on all the drivers. In the interest of making sure that this feature doesn't last until April, we're stepping up the pace and covering teams. And yes, I know there aren't taillights on Sprint cars. It's a metaphor. Roll with it.
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Drivers: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Record: 13 wins, 14 poles, 48 top-5s, 75 top-10s.
Season summary: Hendrick dominated. I mean, absolutely dominated. Taking-the-top-three-spots dominated. Between Gordon, Martin and Johnson, Hendrick won a full third of the races this year. (More, if you include Tony Stewart ... but let's leave him out for now.) So, in short -- a perfect year for Hendrick Motorsports. Oh, wait ...
Where it went right: Everywhere. Hendrick cars ran well at almost every single track. In fact, Hendrick cars were in the top 10 at every single race save three -- the rain-shortened Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, and Watkins Glen. That's pretty much a flawless season there, folks.
Where it went wrong: It's picking nits to say anything went wrong with Jimmie Johnson -- or, for that matter, with Jeff Gordon or Mark Martin. Both those latter two were up against a hundred-year flood, and in most other years, they'd have skated to the title. But the fourth member of the Hendrick quartet, Mr. Junior -- well, he did indeed have a period when it went wrong. It was called "2009." From untimely wrecks to crew chief changes to plain old bad luck, Junior just couldn't ever get going in 2009, and he's happier than anybody this side of Tiger Woods that the year is done.
Prospects for 2010: Perhaps slightly dimmed. How much will Johnson's focus be affected by having a baby on board? (Well, not on board, but en route.) Will Gordon and Martin be able to maintain their outstanding runs from 2009? Can Junior get his act together? Odds are, the answers to all three questions are "yes," but Hendrick's not as sure a bet as before.
Related Hendrick posts from 2009:
Quit crying about Jimmie Johnson and appreciate history
Jeff Gordon would like a word with you, Mister President
Mark Martin flows with ... Gucci Mane?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. unloads on NASCAR, Car of Tomorrow
Next up: The 2010 season!
No comments:
Post a Comment