The Top 16 - Driver Review and Rating 1st Edition

Kyle Busch

Kyle Busch completed the ultimate comeback by winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship last weekend in Homestead. Kyle had missed the first 11 races due to an injury that happened when Kyle's #54 Toyota Camry went in at a fast pace at the inside wall that was unprotected from safer barriers. Kyle had a goal set in front of him after being granted eligible for the chase as long as he made it into the Top 30 points. He won 4 races and that landed him into the chase. Kyle then proceeded to have consistent finishes throughout the whole chase to land him in the Championship Four. Kyle Busch worked very hard for this championship and looking to 2016 with the new rule package he could back up that with his second championship in a row

Season Rating - B+
Chase Rating - A

Kevin Harvick

After a championship win in 2014 Kevin Harvick never missed a beat in 2015. Kevin did everything he did in 2014 with the exception of winning a championship. Kevin had 23 Top 5's, which was up from 2014, 28 Top 10's, and 3 wins which was down from 2014. In the chase Kevin very well dodged bullet after bullet with winning at Dover and Starting a wreck that ended up taking out the field at Talladega en route to the second to final round in the chase. At Homestead Kevin did what he needed to do and If it had not been because of Kyle Busch Kevin would be the champion!

Season Rating - A

Chase Rating - B-

Jeff Gordon

In his final season of his NASCAR career Jeff had moderate showing after moderate showing. He didn't win races and would be involved in last lap wrecks in others. Jeff just got in the chase by points but when it got to chase time that #24 team had it rolling. They would almost win a few races and once they got to Martinsville they did what they had to to make it to Homestead. After Matt Kenseth wrecked Joey Logano, Jeff would be next in line to win the race and that was what happened. Though Jeff would not ride off into the sunset with the championship he was happy. 

Season Rating - C+

Chase Rating - A

Martin Truex Jr.

The little team that could was just what Martin Truex Jr and his team was. This year one of the teams goals were to lead more than one lap. They led a total of 567. Truex also delivered the team their first win since Darlington in 2011 with Regan Smith. Martin had a very consistent year starting at Daytona and ending At Homestead. Martin continued to impress drivers one by one and expect to see him impress next season in a new Toyota Camry. With that new rule package I can see Toyota vs. Ford.

Season Rating - A

Chase Rating - B+

Carl Edwards

Carl moved from Roush Yates Racing to join former Teammate Matt Kenseth and well that move was a good win. Winning 2 races in his first year at Joe Gibbs Racing. Carl just missed the Final Four because of Mother Nature. Carl had a very successful year he really impressed many and I think he helped make many drivers decision to move on to another team a little easier. Look for Carl to continue his great runs. Carl was one of the few drivers who won in the package they raced at Darlington which is also the 2016 package.

Season Rating - B+

Chase Rating - B

Joey Logano

This was the one guy many were happy to see eliminated and personally I don't blame them. If Joey had won Martinsville then no one could have touched him at Homestead I mean look how he did at Homestead with being out of the Chase. Many viewed Joey as the Most Hated Driver of 2015 and that was really all because he defeated a certain popular driver at Talladega. Joey had a very successful season with 6 wins and will look to continue 2 years of momentum into a championship in 2016!

Season Rating - A+

Chase Rating - A

Brad Keselowski

Other than winning a race at Auto Club Speedway, His girlfriend having a baby, and some very neat retro paint schemes Brad didn't have an as eventful year as in 2014. Brad only won one race at Auto Club but other than that all of the wins went to teammate Joey Logano. Brad ran some very neat paint schemes which included the Famous Midnight Miller Genuine Draft Paint scheme made famous by Rusty Wallace. Brad's Girlfriend Also had a Baby Girl named Scarlett which was a real eye opener for Brad and probably had him have a new out look on life.

Season Rating - B
Chase Rating - B

Kurt Busch

After a season opening suspension Kurt still managed to salvage a great season with 2 wins, one at Richmond and the other in a rain shortened race at Michigan. How ironic is that one rain shortened race Kurt won and in another that was what eliminated him from the chase. Kurt continued to show consistency week in and week out along with a much needed clean rest of the season. Kurt also got married this season which had to be a positive for him and kept his morale up! Kurt could certainly have another successful season in 2016 and as it is looking at the moment Kurt will get to race in the Daytona 500 next season with a new associate sponsor Monster Energy Drinks.

Season Rating - B

Chase Rating - C+

Denny Hamlin

The driver who began the chase with a victory had his chase hopes come undone at Talladega. After having roof flap problems at Talladega Denny did not advance onto the Eliminator Round. Denny had many quotable quotes in 2015 that will certainly continue to be talked about going into the 2016 season. Denny is another one of those Toyota's that I feel will do very well come next season with the new rule package. 

Season Rating - B+

Chase Rating - B

Jimmie Johnson

In the past 2 years now Jimmie Johnson has had something go wrong that would eliminate him from the chase. Come Dover in the chase this year that same thing happened. A 5$ part failed and that ultimately caused Jimmie to be eliminated. Jimmie proceeded to show some heat on competing chasers including teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon. He put the fire on Brad Keselowski at Texas where Jimmie won once again! Hendrick Motorsports are in question with many on how they will do with the new rules package.

Season Rating - B

Chase Rating - B-

Ryan Newman

No second year Cinderella here just Ryan Newman. After finishing 2nd in the points in 2014 Ryan Newman would look to do it again. That would not happen come after Talladega. Ryan would have some more consistent finishes but It would not land him in victory lane for the 2nd straight year. With the Possible addition of Ty Dillon in 2016 look for RCR to be a new power house in the future. Let the cream rise to the top.

Season Rating - C+

Chase Rating - C

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Despite winning 3 Races in 2015 Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed moving on after Talladega. The question begins to be asked will Dale Earnhardt Jr ever win a Championship? Well that's a very good question with a kind of foggy answer. Lets just say in this new format Dale Earnhardt Jr will need to get better at tracks like Chicago, Kansas, and even Homestead because winning just restrictor plate tracks is not going to win a championship and honestly in my own opinion, I would like to see him win a Championship but I don't see it happening. Honestly Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a Average Driver in a Good Car which can be improved with work. 

Season Rating - B-

Chase Rating - B

Jamie McMurray

In his first chase appearance of his career Jamie did not disappoint. Though he was in only one round he surely gave Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans a reason to be nervous. Jamie is one of those dark horse type drivers who always seems to be in contention at the end of the season. Along with his Teammate Kyle Larson next season should be a very interesting season for the Chip Ganassi Racing team. 

Season Rating - C+

Chase Rating - C-

Paul Menard

Along with Jamie McMurray Paul Menard made his first appearance in the chase in his career. Paul had a very consistent 2015 in both series he raced in. Paul won at Road America in the Xfinity Series which has to help his morale in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. I mean look at how many times Kyle Busch win's in the Xfinity Series and hes the champion! Maybe if Paul won more he would smile occasionally.

Season Rating - C

Chase Rating - D+

Matt Kenseth

A dominating thrown in the trash at Martinsville. Matt was having a very good season until Charlotte came. Tire issues landed Matt in a hole that would be dug deeper the following weekend at Kansas when Matt and Joey were racing and Joey spun Matt for the win. Not many people remember Charlotte was what landed Matt in that hole and not Kansas. At Martinsville he took out Joey Logano and that landed Matt an early 2 week vacation. 

Season Rating - B-

Chase Rating - D-

Clint Bowyer

The Story that was left unwrote is what Clint Bowyer's season can be called.  Clint worked his tail off the final weeks of the regular season and he managed to make the chase but penalties would land the team in a must win situation come the first week of the chase. Clint would not be able to overcome the hump of those points lost and would finish last in the Chase. Clint has a light at the end of the Tunnel though with the HScott Motorsports deal next season and with Clint's return to Chevrolet 16' could look very positive. 

Season Rating - C+

Chase Rating - D-