S
stridsberry
Guest
Hi folks, sorry for not getting this up sooner, but I've been in a time crunch, because our exams are about to start. (Stupid trimester scheduling). The grades are being done in two parts, for the top-40 drivers in final point standings. Grades are based partly on actual performance, and partly on the "expectations" as based on their 2001 final points. They are going in alphabetical order; this set covers A-L, which is 22 drivers worth.
JOHN ANDRETTI Standing: 28th
Points Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Top 20
3161 36 0 0 1 12
Grade: 64.7% (D)
Comments: After a miserable 2001 season, John and the team stepped it up a little bit in 2002. While he never finished higher than 10th, he nearly doubled his top-20 output, and picked up three spots in the points. Still, it was well short of what the King likely expected, and John's limbo game in regards to his status for next season hasn't helped to make improvements.
2003 Status: Solid? Questionable? When's John going to tell us?
CASEY ATWOOD Standing: 35th
2621 35 0 0 0 6
Grade: 49.1% (F)
Comments: Casey got farmed out before the start of the season, and the results were what you can expect from a 2nd-rate team. Casey failed to crack the top-10 all season, and constantly ran at the back of the pack. Ray's short fuse burnt out with two races to go, and Casey was removed from the car. And I'd also be willing to bet that Ray blacklisted him from getting another ride for next season, knowing Ray.
2003 Status: Most likely will go back to the Busch Series.
JOHNNY BENSON Standing: 29th
3132 31 1 3 7 16
Grade: 61.7% (D-)
Comments: Johnny's season started with bad performances on the track. Than it went to not performing at all, the result of multiple rib injuries. And then just when the season seemed liked a total wash, he turned up the heat, culminating with his first career Cup win, and thus giving him a passing grade for the season. The team will be intact for the next two seasons, and with the new Pontiac design on tap, they look to be ready for another run at the top-10 in points.
2003 Status: Rock solid, and on the upswing.
DAVE BLANEY Standing: 19th
3670 36 0 0 5 20
Grade: 75.5% ©
Comments: Dave stepped into the Jasper Engines car in an attempt to spur his own career, and revive the team's fortunes. On both counts, he was moderately successful. He still hasn't managed to finish in the top-5, but the 19th place points finish was a career best for both himself and the team. And then, instead of jumping ship to Ganassi, Blaney made the choice to stay with this team, allowing there to be a solid base to build on for 2003. Look for him to finally get a few top-5s next season.
2003 Status: New crew chief, same team. They'll still be better.
BRETT BODINE Standing: 36th
2276 32 0 0 0 4
Grade: 42.9% (F)
Comments: Brett got the major sponsor he was looking for early in the season, but oddly enough, seemed to do worse after he had acquired it. Qualifying became a particular Achille's Heel, with four late DNQ's, as rain became his best friend. Brett's a real racer, or else he wouldn't be out there, but I can see the end of the line for the last true independent of the series.
2003 Status: He'll be out there every week, unless the money dries up. Maybe even if it does.
TODD BODINE Standing: 38th
1987 24 0 1 4 6
Grade: 40.3% (F)
Comments: Todd was one of the many victims of the K-Mart fiasco this season, and was closer to the short end of the stick than most. While he was able to return to Travis Carter after Discover Card sponsorship was acquired, he was constantly under fire for questionable actions, in both Winston Cup and the Busch Series. This culminated with receiving probation for "careless drivingEafter triggered a 10-car melee in the fall Charlotte event. And to top it all off, the sponsorship went away after the final race.
2003 Status: If Travis can find a sponsor, Todd will be in the car - if only because there's no one else for it.
JEFF BURTON Standing: 12th
4259 36 0 5 14 26
Grade: 83.7% (
Comments: While Jeff's season last year was the standard bearer for Roush Racing, this year's similar stats were at the bottom of the Roush barrel. The major difference, of course, was that he didn't when a race. And just when the team seemed to be gaining some momentum, crew chief Frankie Stoddard was let go, and they needed to start all over again. Top-5s in two of the last three races are a sign of hope, though - as long as Jeff doesn't get fed-up with being the worst driver on the team, stats-wise.
2003 Status: Signed for next year, but there are open rides after that (i.e. Ganassi) that he may have to consider.
WARD BURTON Standing: 25th
3362 36 2 3 8 18
Grade: 63.9% (D)
Comments: The first half of Ward's season started with a win at Daytona. And the 2nd half started with a win at NHIS. Otherwise, he had some of the worst luck I have ever seen in the Winston Cup series. There were countless races where he would contend for the win, or at least a top-10, only to have a motor give out or get caught in a wreck. And sometimes, he didn't have time to break a sweat before he was done for the day. A late reprieve from the horrors got him into the top-25, but his points position should have been at least half that (i.e., top-12).
2003 Status: Signed for two more years, and you can't have that much bad luck in consecutive years, can you?
KURT BUSCH Standing: 3rd
4641 36 4 12 20 26
Grade: 106.1% (Class Valedictorian)
Comments: I had seen some potential from Kurt in 2001, and I though he could maybe win a race and make the top-15 in points this year. Boy, that sure was a gross underestimate. 4 winsE dozen top-5sEhree wins in the final 5 racesEnd 3rd in the points? Hands down, it was one of the biggest season-to-season turnarounds of all time. IF Kurt ends up beating Mark to championship, I hope he doesn't mind.
2003 Status: Proof that the young guys can produce when given the chance. Are you taking notes, Ray Evernham?
RICKY CRAVEN Standing: 15th
3888 36 0 3 9 22
Grade: 80.7% (B-)
Comments: Ricky started the year on fire, with two poles and three top-5s in the first early races. At that point, I confidently guaranteed a win before the season was over. Gee, was I off base. One race after that prediction, Ricky started a streak of 13 straight races where his best finish was 14th. Four late top-10s perked him up, though, and gave him a career-best 15th in the final standings. The thing that concerns me, though, is that PPI is making far too many off-season changes. New make, in-house engine program, new crew chief - they're just about restarting from scratch.
2003 Status: Signed for another year, but may get off to a slow start with all these changes.
DALE EARNHARDT JR. Standing: 11th
4270 36 2 11 16 20
Grade: 84.8% (
Comments: This year was sandwich of sorts for Dale: great start and finish, horrible mid-season. Of course, we all know why he struggled in the middle of the year. More than anything else, his insistence on driving hurt probably cost him a spot on the stage, because as we all saw last year, you can miss a race (or two) and still finish in the top-10. When Dale is finally able to put together a full season, I might label him as a championship contender. Not a moment before.
2003 Status: His mother owns the team. How often does a mother fire her son?
BILL ELLIOTT Standing: 13th
4158 36 2 6 13 23
Grade: 85.6% (
Comments: It was going to be Bill's year to shine. He was consistent, won four poles, and then back-to-back wins at Pocono and Indianapolis vaulted him into championship contention. From there, though, the free-fall began. He posted just three top-10 finishes over the final 15 races of a season, and a horrible five race stretch after Kansas dropped him all the way down to 13th when the points were tallied. While it was an improvement over last season, one can only help but think what might have been.
2003 Status: Safe, but has to prove all over again that the first half wasn't a fluke.
JEFF GORDON Standing: 4th
4607 36 3 13 20 26
Grade: 89.1% (B+)
Comments: Last year, Jeff proved that he could win championships without Ray Evernham. This year, he proved that he is, in fact, human. For the first two thirds of the season, Jeff failed to win a race, but was consistent enough to remain in the hunt for the championship. Then, once he started winning races again, his consistency fell off a cliff, and took him out of the title chase. He even proved that he's a human qualifier, taking a provisional in the final race of the season. A 4th place result in points is nothing to sneeze at, though, and the Gordon fans will still be going strong come February.
Comments: Essentially signed for life, but the internet has a way of messing with those thingsE
ROBBY GORDON Standing: 20th
3632 36 0 1 5 20
Grade: 79% (C+)
Comments: Robby didn't exactly set the world on fire in his first full year at RCR, but he also wasn't the total bust that many critics thought he would be. The start and end to his season were so-so, and he posted all of his top-10s in a torrid 10-race stretch from Dover to Watkins Glen. And of course, he got into his fair share of controversy, particularly at Bristol. All in all, though, I was duly impressed with his performance, and he should be able to match it next year.
2003 Status: Has two years left on his contract, but think back to how long that deal with Morgan-McClure lastedE
JEFF GREEN Standing: 17th
3704 36 0 4 6 20
Grade: 76.5% ©
Comments: After finishing 1st and 2nd in the Busch Series points, big things were expected from Jeff as he came to RCR. While he continued to be dominating force in a limited Busch schedule, he didn't do anything spectacular in Winston Cup. But then, none of the RCR Cup teams did, and so Green paced the organization in the final points. If Childress can get the organization back together for next year, maybe we'll see more out of Green.
2003 Status: He'll get at least one more year to prove himself. If he still is mired in mediocrity, look for changes - major ones.
BOBBY HAMILTON Standing: 32nd
2832 31 0 0 3 10
Grade: 53.6% (F)
Comments: Ever since Bobby won at Talladega last year, to give Andy Petree his first car-owner victory, he has done almost nothing at the Winston Cup level. This year, he missed five races due to injuries from a Truck race, never finished better than 9th, and had the lowest final points finish for a full season in his career. We've known for a while that he won't be back with Petree, but it's still a mystery as to where he'll end up next year Ein Winston Cup, of the Truck Series.
2003 Status: Four career wins are worth a look. But Ganassi is his only real shot at a ride for next season.
KEVIN HARVICK Standing: 21st
3501 35 1 5 8 16
Grade: 66.5% (D)
Comments: After being expected to make a run at the championship, Kevin got hit by the sophomore slump in a big way. A horrible first half of the season included being "parked" at Martinsville, and the finish was pretty bad as well. The only thing that saved Kevin's season was a nine-race stretch from Infineon to Bristol, during which he finished in the top-14 in every race, with a win and six top-10s. That stretch, more than anything else, was why he got as high as he did in the points. Finishing the lowest among the RCR cars, Kevin has got to be hoping that the organization ca turn itself around.
2003 Status: Safe with Childress, now that he's essentially become the cornerstone of the operation.
DALE JARRETT Standing: 9th
4415 36 2 10 18 25
Grade: 86.6% (B+)
Comments: At the start of the season, Dale was doing nothing, and it looked like he would be in for a long season. Somewhere in early June, though, with Todd Parrott back in at crew chief, he put it all together and became his normal self. Two wins and 18 top-10 finishes helped his late charge, but the early slump resigned him to 9th in the standings (with a point penalty costing him 8th) at year's end Ehis first time out of the top-5 since 1995. The team remains intact for 2003, having survived the turmoil of their sister team, and Dale may just have enough left in him for one more run at the championship.
2003 Status: One of the small hand-full of drivers who is all but guaranteed his ride until he retires.
JIMMIE JOHNSON Standing: 5th
4600 36 3 6 21 28
Grade: 96.1% (A)
Comments: After a steady but unspectacular Busch Series career, Johnson took the Winston Cup world by storm in his first full season. His three wins equaled a series record, to go with four poles and 21 top-10 finishes. For much of the season, he was a legitimate contender for the championship, before a late fade dropped him to a still-impressive 5th. While he finished 2nd in the ROTY standings, Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus, and owners Hendrick and Gordon have plenty to be proud, and are undoubtedly looking forward to more of the same next year.
2003 Status: Definitely safe.
MATT KENSETH Standing: 8th
4432 36 5 11 19 25
Grade: 94.5% (A)
Comments: Matt was another Roush driver who showed potential at the conclusion of 2001 Eand like his fellow teammate, he busted out in a big way this year. He lead the circuit with 5 wins, all of them coming at different race tracks, and lapped his previous career top-5 total. However, the consistency was lacking, as 11 finishes outside the top-30 doomed any shot at the championship. If the team can get better at finishing races, they'll be up there again contending for the 2003 crown.
2003 Status: Where there were once rumors a-flyinE there is now a sense of security. You wouldn't fire the wins leader, would you?
BOBBY LABONTE Standing: 16th
3810 36 1 5 7 19
Grade: 70.5% (C-)
Comments: After years of flying high at the front of the pack, Bobby got a taste of life in the slow lane in 2002. Needless to say, he'll be doing all he can to get out of that lane. While he scored his first career short track win (at Martinsville), his seven top-10s, zero poles, and 16th-place points finish were, by far, his lowest totals since 1994 Ethe year before he joined Joe Gibbs. In a radical attempt to return Bobby to prominence, Gibbs has chosen to cast his lot with the Monte Carlo, disbanding the 2003 Pontiac that they were so vital in developing. Labonte fans can only hope that it was the right move.
2003 Status: After so many good seasons in a row, you can let a mediocre one slide. Bobby isn't going anywhere.
TERRY LABONTE Standing: 24th
3417 36 0 1 4 15
Grade: 69% (D+)
Comments: For a while this year, it looked like Terry was coming back around. He put together a solid first-half of the season, with consistent top-20 finishes and a 17th-place point ranking at the midway point. But then the wheels came of the war wagon. He posted just 3 top-20s in the entire 2nd half of the season, and year's end saw him having backslid to 24th in points - one spot lower than in 2001 (despite his point total being 137 higher). Terry may well be at the end of the line, and I sure don't want him to sink as low as Darrell did.
2003 Status: Here's my opinion: if Terry can't 1) win a race, or 2) finish in the top-20 in points, he should retire.
JOHN ANDRETTI Standing: 28th
Points Starts Wins Top 5 Top 10 Top 20
3161 36 0 0 1 12
Grade: 64.7% (D)
Comments: After a miserable 2001 season, John and the team stepped it up a little bit in 2002. While he never finished higher than 10th, he nearly doubled his top-20 output, and picked up three spots in the points. Still, it was well short of what the King likely expected, and John's limbo game in regards to his status for next season hasn't helped to make improvements.
2003 Status: Solid? Questionable? When's John going to tell us?
CASEY ATWOOD Standing: 35th
2621 35 0 0 0 6
Grade: 49.1% (F)
Comments: Casey got farmed out before the start of the season, and the results were what you can expect from a 2nd-rate team. Casey failed to crack the top-10 all season, and constantly ran at the back of the pack. Ray's short fuse burnt out with two races to go, and Casey was removed from the car. And I'd also be willing to bet that Ray blacklisted him from getting another ride for next season, knowing Ray.
2003 Status: Most likely will go back to the Busch Series.
JOHNNY BENSON Standing: 29th
3132 31 1 3 7 16
Grade: 61.7% (D-)
Comments: Johnny's season started with bad performances on the track. Than it went to not performing at all, the result of multiple rib injuries. And then just when the season seemed liked a total wash, he turned up the heat, culminating with his first career Cup win, and thus giving him a passing grade for the season. The team will be intact for the next two seasons, and with the new Pontiac design on tap, they look to be ready for another run at the top-10 in points.
2003 Status: Rock solid, and on the upswing.
DAVE BLANEY Standing: 19th
3670 36 0 0 5 20
Grade: 75.5% ©
Comments: Dave stepped into the Jasper Engines car in an attempt to spur his own career, and revive the team's fortunes. On both counts, he was moderately successful. He still hasn't managed to finish in the top-5, but the 19th place points finish was a career best for both himself and the team. And then, instead of jumping ship to Ganassi, Blaney made the choice to stay with this team, allowing there to be a solid base to build on for 2003. Look for him to finally get a few top-5s next season.
2003 Status: New crew chief, same team. They'll still be better.
BRETT BODINE Standing: 36th
2276 32 0 0 0 4
Grade: 42.9% (F)
Comments: Brett got the major sponsor he was looking for early in the season, but oddly enough, seemed to do worse after he had acquired it. Qualifying became a particular Achille's Heel, with four late DNQ's, as rain became his best friend. Brett's a real racer, or else he wouldn't be out there, but I can see the end of the line for the last true independent of the series.
2003 Status: He'll be out there every week, unless the money dries up. Maybe even if it does.
TODD BODINE Standing: 38th
1987 24 0 1 4 6
Grade: 40.3% (F)
Comments: Todd was one of the many victims of the K-Mart fiasco this season, and was closer to the short end of the stick than most. While he was able to return to Travis Carter after Discover Card sponsorship was acquired, he was constantly under fire for questionable actions, in both Winston Cup and the Busch Series. This culminated with receiving probation for "careless drivingEafter triggered a 10-car melee in the fall Charlotte event. And to top it all off, the sponsorship went away after the final race.
2003 Status: If Travis can find a sponsor, Todd will be in the car - if only because there's no one else for it.
JEFF BURTON Standing: 12th
4259 36 0 5 14 26
Grade: 83.7% (
Comments: While Jeff's season last year was the standard bearer for Roush Racing, this year's similar stats were at the bottom of the Roush barrel. The major difference, of course, was that he didn't when a race. And just when the team seemed to be gaining some momentum, crew chief Frankie Stoddard was let go, and they needed to start all over again. Top-5s in two of the last three races are a sign of hope, though - as long as Jeff doesn't get fed-up with being the worst driver on the team, stats-wise.
2003 Status: Signed for next year, but there are open rides after that (i.e. Ganassi) that he may have to consider.
WARD BURTON Standing: 25th
3362 36 2 3 8 18
Grade: 63.9% (D)
Comments: The first half of Ward's season started with a win at Daytona. And the 2nd half started with a win at NHIS. Otherwise, he had some of the worst luck I have ever seen in the Winston Cup series. There were countless races where he would contend for the win, or at least a top-10, only to have a motor give out or get caught in a wreck. And sometimes, he didn't have time to break a sweat before he was done for the day. A late reprieve from the horrors got him into the top-25, but his points position should have been at least half that (i.e., top-12).
2003 Status: Signed for two more years, and you can't have that much bad luck in consecutive years, can you?
KURT BUSCH Standing: 3rd
4641 36 4 12 20 26
Grade: 106.1% (Class Valedictorian)
Comments: I had seen some potential from Kurt in 2001, and I though he could maybe win a race and make the top-15 in points this year. Boy, that sure was a gross underestimate. 4 winsE dozen top-5sEhree wins in the final 5 racesEnd 3rd in the points? Hands down, it was one of the biggest season-to-season turnarounds of all time. IF Kurt ends up beating Mark to championship, I hope he doesn't mind.
2003 Status: Proof that the young guys can produce when given the chance. Are you taking notes, Ray Evernham?
RICKY CRAVEN Standing: 15th
3888 36 0 3 9 22
Grade: 80.7% (B-)
Comments: Ricky started the year on fire, with two poles and three top-5s in the first early races. At that point, I confidently guaranteed a win before the season was over. Gee, was I off base. One race after that prediction, Ricky started a streak of 13 straight races where his best finish was 14th. Four late top-10s perked him up, though, and gave him a career-best 15th in the final standings. The thing that concerns me, though, is that PPI is making far too many off-season changes. New make, in-house engine program, new crew chief - they're just about restarting from scratch.
2003 Status: Signed for another year, but may get off to a slow start with all these changes.
DALE EARNHARDT JR. Standing: 11th
4270 36 2 11 16 20
Grade: 84.8% (
Comments: This year was sandwich of sorts for Dale: great start and finish, horrible mid-season. Of course, we all know why he struggled in the middle of the year. More than anything else, his insistence on driving hurt probably cost him a spot on the stage, because as we all saw last year, you can miss a race (or two) and still finish in the top-10. When Dale is finally able to put together a full season, I might label him as a championship contender. Not a moment before.
2003 Status: His mother owns the team. How often does a mother fire her son?
BILL ELLIOTT Standing: 13th
4158 36 2 6 13 23
Grade: 85.6% (
Comments: It was going to be Bill's year to shine. He was consistent, won four poles, and then back-to-back wins at Pocono and Indianapolis vaulted him into championship contention. From there, though, the free-fall began. He posted just three top-10 finishes over the final 15 races of a season, and a horrible five race stretch after Kansas dropped him all the way down to 13th when the points were tallied. While it was an improvement over last season, one can only help but think what might have been.
2003 Status: Safe, but has to prove all over again that the first half wasn't a fluke.
JEFF GORDON Standing: 4th
4607 36 3 13 20 26
Grade: 89.1% (B+)
Comments: Last year, Jeff proved that he could win championships without Ray Evernham. This year, he proved that he is, in fact, human. For the first two thirds of the season, Jeff failed to win a race, but was consistent enough to remain in the hunt for the championship. Then, once he started winning races again, his consistency fell off a cliff, and took him out of the title chase. He even proved that he's a human qualifier, taking a provisional in the final race of the season. A 4th place result in points is nothing to sneeze at, though, and the Gordon fans will still be going strong come February.
Comments: Essentially signed for life, but the internet has a way of messing with those thingsE
ROBBY GORDON Standing: 20th
3632 36 0 1 5 20
Grade: 79% (C+)
Comments: Robby didn't exactly set the world on fire in his first full year at RCR, but he also wasn't the total bust that many critics thought he would be. The start and end to his season were so-so, and he posted all of his top-10s in a torrid 10-race stretch from Dover to Watkins Glen. And of course, he got into his fair share of controversy, particularly at Bristol. All in all, though, I was duly impressed with his performance, and he should be able to match it next year.
2003 Status: Has two years left on his contract, but think back to how long that deal with Morgan-McClure lastedE
JEFF GREEN Standing: 17th
3704 36 0 4 6 20
Grade: 76.5% ©
Comments: After finishing 1st and 2nd in the Busch Series points, big things were expected from Jeff as he came to RCR. While he continued to be dominating force in a limited Busch schedule, he didn't do anything spectacular in Winston Cup. But then, none of the RCR Cup teams did, and so Green paced the organization in the final points. If Childress can get the organization back together for next year, maybe we'll see more out of Green.
2003 Status: He'll get at least one more year to prove himself. If he still is mired in mediocrity, look for changes - major ones.
BOBBY HAMILTON Standing: 32nd
2832 31 0 0 3 10
Grade: 53.6% (F)
Comments: Ever since Bobby won at Talladega last year, to give Andy Petree his first car-owner victory, he has done almost nothing at the Winston Cup level. This year, he missed five races due to injuries from a Truck race, never finished better than 9th, and had the lowest final points finish for a full season in his career. We've known for a while that he won't be back with Petree, but it's still a mystery as to where he'll end up next year Ein Winston Cup, of the Truck Series.
2003 Status: Four career wins are worth a look. But Ganassi is his only real shot at a ride for next season.
KEVIN HARVICK Standing: 21st
3501 35 1 5 8 16
Grade: 66.5% (D)
Comments: After being expected to make a run at the championship, Kevin got hit by the sophomore slump in a big way. A horrible first half of the season included being "parked" at Martinsville, and the finish was pretty bad as well. The only thing that saved Kevin's season was a nine-race stretch from Infineon to Bristol, during which he finished in the top-14 in every race, with a win and six top-10s. That stretch, more than anything else, was why he got as high as he did in the points. Finishing the lowest among the RCR cars, Kevin has got to be hoping that the organization ca turn itself around.
2003 Status: Safe with Childress, now that he's essentially become the cornerstone of the operation.
DALE JARRETT Standing: 9th
4415 36 2 10 18 25
Grade: 86.6% (B+)
Comments: At the start of the season, Dale was doing nothing, and it looked like he would be in for a long season. Somewhere in early June, though, with Todd Parrott back in at crew chief, he put it all together and became his normal self. Two wins and 18 top-10 finishes helped his late charge, but the early slump resigned him to 9th in the standings (with a point penalty costing him 8th) at year's end Ehis first time out of the top-5 since 1995. The team remains intact for 2003, having survived the turmoil of their sister team, and Dale may just have enough left in him for one more run at the championship.
2003 Status: One of the small hand-full of drivers who is all but guaranteed his ride until he retires.
JIMMIE JOHNSON Standing: 5th
4600 36 3 6 21 28
Grade: 96.1% (A)
Comments: After a steady but unspectacular Busch Series career, Johnson took the Winston Cup world by storm in his first full season. His three wins equaled a series record, to go with four poles and 21 top-10 finishes. For much of the season, he was a legitimate contender for the championship, before a late fade dropped him to a still-impressive 5th. While he finished 2nd in the ROTY standings, Johnson, crew chief Chad Knaus, and owners Hendrick and Gordon have plenty to be proud, and are undoubtedly looking forward to more of the same next year.
2003 Status: Definitely safe.
MATT KENSETH Standing: 8th
4432 36 5 11 19 25
Grade: 94.5% (A)
Comments: Matt was another Roush driver who showed potential at the conclusion of 2001 Eand like his fellow teammate, he busted out in a big way this year. He lead the circuit with 5 wins, all of them coming at different race tracks, and lapped his previous career top-5 total. However, the consistency was lacking, as 11 finishes outside the top-30 doomed any shot at the championship. If the team can get better at finishing races, they'll be up there again contending for the 2003 crown.
2003 Status: Where there were once rumors a-flyinE there is now a sense of security. You wouldn't fire the wins leader, would you?
BOBBY LABONTE Standing: 16th
3810 36 1 5 7 19
Grade: 70.5% (C-)
Comments: After years of flying high at the front of the pack, Bobby got a taste of life in the slow lane in 2002. Needless to say, he'll be doing all he can to get out of that lane. While he scored his first career short track win (at Martinsville), his seven top-10s, zero poles, and 16th-place points finish were, by far, his lowest totals since 1994 Ethe year before he joined Joe Gibbs. In a radical attempt to return Bobby to prominence, Gibbs has chosen to cast his lot with the Monte Carlo, disbanding the 2003 Pontiac that they were so vital in developing. Labonte fans can only hope that it was the right move.
2003 Status: After so many good seasons in a row, you can let a mediocre one slide. Bobby isn't going anywhere.
TERRY LABONTE Standing: 24th
3417 36 0 1 4 15
Grade: 69% (D+)
Comments: For a while this year, it looked like Terry was coming back around. He put together a solid first-half of the season, with consistent top-20 finishes and a 17th-place point ranking at the midway point. But then the wheels came of the war wagon. He posted just 3 top-20s in the entire 2nd half of the season, and year's end saw him having backslid to 24th in points - one spot lower than in 2001 (despite his point total being 137 higher). Terry may well be at the end of the line, and I sure don't want him to sink as low as Darrell did.
2003 Status: Here's my opinion: if Terry can't 1) win a race, or 2) finish in the top-20 in points, he should retire.
