TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Fabrizio column: NASCAR's Top Prospects

ADVERTISEMENT

By TONY FABRIZIO The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 19, 2007

Three of the 12 drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup weren't racing in the Cup series when the first Chase was held three years ago.

Denny Hamlin was a little-known short-track driver in 2004. Kyle Busch was 19 years old and on his way to a second-place finish in the Busch Series standings. Clint Bowyer was in his first season with Richard Childress Racing, sharing a Busch ride with Kevin Harvick.

Turnover in NASCAR has historically come in waves, but it is starting to happen at a steadier pace.

Among the reasons: Team owners are under more pressure from their multi-million-dollar sponsors to find drivers who can produce. Talented youngsters are starting earlier and getting better training. More and more accomplished veterans from open-wheel racing and other disciplines are trying to get their foot in NASCAR.

Expect a lot of new names and faces during the next few years. Here are 12 drivers not currently racing full-time in Nextel Cup who could make an impact by 2010:

1. Joey Logano: The surest can't-miss prospect since Tony Stewart, Logano won the Busch East championship this year with six victories at age 17. He'll probably be in a Busch car the moment he turns 18 in May, and it would be no surprise to see him in a fourth Joe Gibbs Racing Cup car by 2010.

2. Aric Almirola: Already racing part-time in Cup for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Tampa's Almirola is the first success story to come from the diversity initiatives that sprung up around NASCAR early this decade. He is a natural, as his fourth-place finish in the Busch race at Charlotte last week showed.

3. Brad Coleman: Driving for Gibbs in the Busch Series this year, the 19-year-old has posted three top-fives and five top-10s and won a pole at Talladega. His average finish of 19.4 is the highest among Busch drivers without Cup experience. Coleman will drive a Ford full-time in Busch next year for Brewco Motorsports.

4. Bryan Clauson: Already an accomplished USAC sprint and midget racer at 18, Clauson is the star in Chip Ganassi Racing's driver development program. He won an ARCA race at St. Louis in August and won the ARCA pole at Talladega this month, completing a comeback from a broken neck.

5. Jacques Villeneuve: The 1995 Indianapolis 500 winner and 1997 Formula One world champion made his debut earlier this month at Talladega and has hopes of racing full-time in Cup next year. The biggest question is whether he will get a chance to compete in good equipment.

6. Dan Wheldon: The 2005 Indy 500 winner and Indy Racing League champion from St. Petersburg doesn't have any firm plans to move to NASCAR, but he has been hinting at his interest for two years. He is a talented, aggressive driver who would stand a good chance of making the transition with the right team.

7. Regan Smith: Like Almirola, Smith is already racing part-time in Nextel Cup. He'll get a full-time shot next year in DEI's No. 01 Chevy (which may get a new number for 2008).

8. Patrick Carpentier: A decent driver in Champ Car, Canada's Carpentier will join the parade of open-wheel drivers migrating to NASCAR. He'll drive in Cup next year for Gillett Evernham Motorsports, teaming with Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler.

9. Landon Cassill: Cassill's father started him racing when he was 3 in quads - a form of motocross four-wheel racing - and he has won hundreds of races since. The kid still looks about 14, although he is 18, and he has made four Busch starts with Hendrick Motorsports.

10. Sam Hornish Jr.: The three-time IRL champion was 0-for-4 in Nextel Cup qualifying attempts through last weekend, and his Busch results have been dismal. But he has abundant talent and could eventually 'get it' in stock cars. If he does, he'll have good equipment with Roger Penske.

11. Josh Wise: A candidate to move into Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 00 Toyota next year when Zephyrhills' David Reutimann takes over Dale Jarrett's car, the 24-year-old Wise was last year's USAC sprint car champion.

12. Dario Franchitti: The 2007 Indy 500 winner and IRL champion will drive full-time in Cup for Ganassi next year. Some question whether he has enough talent and desire to be successful.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT