Top performances, races highlight '09 Cup season

 

There certainly were some outstanding performances -- both from a driving and racing standpoint -- that took place during the recently completed 2009 Cup Series season.

The following is a look back at some of those standout performers and memorable races, as selected from discussions with the national series directors, competition department and NASCAR PR managers:

Top Drivers (in alphabetical order)

No surprise

Jimmie Johnson led the series in wins, top-fives and laps led. Oh, and he won a record fourth consecutive Cup title. Who else could be named NASCAR.COM's Cup driver of the year?

  • • Jimmie Johnson -- Made NASCAR history by becoming the first driver to win four consecutive Cup Series championships ... His team has truly reached the "dynasty" level ... Won a series-high seven races, including four during "clutch time" in the Chase ... Had a series-best Driver Rating of 112.2 ... Posted 16 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes ... Led a series-high 2,238 laps ... Won three of the first five Chase races to put himself in position to claim an unprecedented fourth consecutive title.

    • →? Shop: Johnson championship gear!

    • Mark Martin -- At the age of 50, turned in perhaps his finest overall season ... Finished second in the point standings ... Was the points leader for four weeks and led the standings heading into the Chase ... Won five times on the year, second most in the series ... Claimed a career-best seven poles, also tops in the series on the season ... Posted 14 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes ... His average starting position of 9.8 led the series while his Driver Rating (100.3) was second best in the series ... Was sentimental favorite to win his first Cup championship.

    • Tony Stewart -- In his first year as a driver-owner, turned in just an incredible season ... Both of his teams -- the No. 14 car he drove and the No. 39 car driven by Ryan Newman -- made the Chase ... Won four times on the season and also won the 25th running of the Sprint All-Star Race .. Led the point standings for 13 weeks, became the first driver-owner to lead the points since 1992 (Alan Kulwicki) and became the first driver-owner since 1998 (Ricky Rudd) to win a race ... Finished sixth in the final point standings ... Posted 15 top-five and 23 top10-finishes.

    Raybestos Rookie of the Year

    • Joey Logano -- Became the youngest driver (19) to ever win a Cup Series race when he won the New Hampshire race in June ... Finished a solid 20th in the final point standings ... Posted three top-five and seven top-10 finishes ... Driving the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, he had some big shoes to fill, as two-time series champion Stewart had piloted that car for 10 years -- but the rookie did an admirable job.

    Team Owner of the Year

    • Rick Hendrick -- The leader of Hendrick Motorsports also stamped his name in the NASCAR history books in 2009, winning an unprecedented fourth consecutive Cup Series title, a record 12th national series championship and a record-tying ninth Cup crown ... His organization also made history by having the top-three finishers in the point standings -- Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon ...Recipient of the prestigious Bill France Award of Excellence at this year's Cup Series awards ceremony ... His teams' recent dominance in the sport can be likened to the great dynasties of the New York Yankees, Green Bay Packers and Boston Celtics. (

     

    [SpeedWeek] [Top News] [Latest News] [Spoiler news]