2002 Winston Cup Champion?

ryr8828 · January 4, 2002

I listed the top ten in WC points as that is the most options I could offer under the board system. If you have another choice just reply. I think you know how I'm gonna vote!

sincityZ71 · January 4, 2002

Well I gotta go for Bobby Labonte, he is my favorite driver. I think he is past last seasons early woes, and was on a role at the end of the season and will come back fighting this season. I think Tony Stewart has a pretty good chance too, as his 2nd place performance form last year showed.

1BADHD · January 4, 2002

Top 5 next year will go as follows:

1. Dale Jr.

2 Tony Stewart

3. Jeff Gordon

4. Bobby Labonte

5. Kevin Harvick.

General Lee 01 · January 4, 2002

That's a tuffie.

I say Harvick. As high up in the points he was for being 1 race in the hole against all the the top 10 guys, just think of what he could've done had he ran all of the races.

Who do I Hope will win the 02 champ?

tie between Mark Martin, Dale Jr, and Ricky Rudd.

ryr8828 · January 5, 2002

I think Harvick and Jr. are going to have to go around the block a few more times before they win a championship. They definitely have the talent though.

General Lee 01 · January 5, 2002

Well, I dunno about that ryr.

How many times did Jeff Gordon "Go around the block" before he became a champ?

Lotan Z · January 5, 2002

I think Jeff Gordon will win it all. Its gonna be hard to repeat though.

Who would I like to win the cup? Dale jr. or Kevin Harvick

That would be sweet.

1BADHD,

I like your list, No FXXX or Dodge in the top five.

Kevin

DigUout · January 5, 2002

Who do I hope will win? Dale Jr., beating Gordon at the finish line -

January 5, 2002

I think Harvick and Jr. are going to have to go around the block a few more times before they win a championship. They definitely have the talent though.

I agree. Although KH had an awesome rookie year, you have to remember that all the groundwork for that season was laid by DE. RCR also had Skinner on the team who has a lot of WC experience.

JG has had senior drivers in Hendrick cars from the start. That is a big help to up and comers.

This year he goes in with very little seasoned driving experience in the entire RCR enterprise. I don't believe that one good year teaches a driver what he needs to know. I do believe that if he doesn't calm his attitude down, a lot of drivers will see to it that he doesn't finish races.

There is no doubt in my mind that Jr. and KH are great WC drivers, I just don't think that they are Camp material yet.

MountaineerTom · January 5, 2002

I think it's too early to make a prediction. After a few weeks of racing, you'll get the "feel" for who's probably going to be there near the end of the season. I think Jeff Gordon though could be a contender just about any year.

Who do I hope for? Little E.

Kansas Kid · January 6, 2002

My vote went to the #8 team. I know the guy hasn't been in WC for all that long, but to be able to run in the top 10 in points after all that went on this season, I think he will be able to compete for the championship in the 2002 season. If he starts the year off like he ran towards the end of the year and improves, I see it being a great year for the #8 team. I know they have the equipment, personel, and talent to win the championship, it just if they have a complete season.

As for Harvick, I see him having a much tougher year unfortunately. Don't know why I'm saying that, just have a gut feeling.

I think that Tony Stewart, Bobby Labonte, Dale Jarrett, and Jeff Gordon will give Dale Jr. the most competition next year, with them coming home in 2nd-5th in that order. I'm hoping for a strong showing from my other guy at DEI as well, Steve Park....

General Lee 01 · January 6, 2002

RCR also had Skinner on the team who has a lot of WC experience.

Yeah Right.

Skinner probably took some pointers from Harvick this past season!

ryr8828 · January 6, 2002

I'll get blasted for this (bring it on) but I consider Richard Childress to be a pompous blowhard who got lucky enough to hook up with Dale Earnhardt. I'll watch with interest as to how he handles 3 loose cannons who obviously don't like each other. Childress couldn't make it as a driver, yet he calls the drivers who don't want to run restricted at Daytona and Talladega, 3 inches apart, crybabies. 190 miles an hour for 500 miles in a large crapshoot. Earnhardt himself repeatedly complained about this style of "racing". Without Dale to tell Childress what needs to be done, I don't see much success for his teams this year. I do see wrecks, hard feelings, and possibly one driver getting fired before the season is over.

antig24 · January 6, 2002

ummmmmmmm, richard is one of the best car owners out there.

January 6, 2002

ummmmmmmm, richard is one of the best car owners out there.

By "best" do you mean successful? He has been very successful, but a having a driver like Earnhardt was a major part of it.

I am really questioning his judgement on R.Gordon and Green. Gordon has been fired from every team he's worked for after a few runs. Green got run out of WC a few years ago because he couldn't cut it. In his defense, David Green has come a long way since then with a BGN Championship and quite a few wins.

Harvick is definitely a keeper. He has a great deal of talent, he's young, well spoken, and looks good on camera. As I said before, he lacks WC experience. Although he had a great rookie year, the lack of an experienced driver in the RCR stables is gonna hurt him. Skinner may not have won, but he did have a few decent runs and he has about five or six years experience running with the WC crowd.

I hope it works out well for RCR. I like him and he has paid his dues in racing. But Sabattus can tell you that throwing money at race cars won't make wins. All it does is make you poor.

While I'm on this, what about Rousch? I know they have all the money they need, great drivers, but they were all dissapointing last year. IMHO, there is a leadership problem over there. You have to be a leader, not a manager to make something like this work. Joe Gibbs figured it out and has two great teams. Maybe Jack needs a new "Team Leader".