Most underrated driver in any NASCAR series?

R

racingfan7

Start and Park
Contributor
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
8,763
Points
793
Location
Hell
Just was watching the Phoenix Xfinity race from a few weeks ago and thought that Daniel Hemric might be one of the most underrated drivers in NASCAR given the state of where RCR is at.
 
LJ7201 said:
I've always thought Ross Chastain outdrives his equipment, and I think AJ Allmendinger and Chris Buesher are good drivers for their rides
Click to expand...

Dinger and Buescher are going to get some help next year, they signed an alliance with Hendrick. Might be good next year.
 
Kasey Kahne is a far better driver then most people give him credit for. Also despite two championship people discount Matt Crafton.
 
Johnny Sauter, most truck wins of any driver in the Trucks since 2009 not including Kyle Busch. Also was pretty good in the Bush series and never really got a fair shake in Cup, only had the half a season or whatever in that 30 car for RCR that everyone seemed to struggle in. I don’t think he’s a world beater but could be a Clint Bowyer type in cup
 
StandOnIt said:
Dinger and Buescher are going to get some help next year, they signed an alliance with Hendrick. Might be good next year.
Click to expand...
Yeah next year JTG Daurghtey will have better cars than RCR (on paper, also depends on which engines they buy from ECR, assuming RCR gets the best stuff) but I doubt that'll translate to the track. Once they make good hires around the garage and maybe start buying engines from Hendrick they could find themselves as playoff regulars.
 
LJ7201 said:
Yeah next year JTG Daurghtey will have better cars than RCR (on paper, also depends on which engines they buy from ECR, assuming RCR gets the best stuff) but I doubt that'll translate to the track. Once they make good hires around the garage and maybe start buying engines from Hendrick they could find themselves as playoff regulars.
Click to expand...
Between JTG and now Petty, I wonder if RCR is biting off a bit more than can be easily masticated.
 
AJ Allmendinger is extremely talented. He has good runs on short tracks and road courses where his equipment can be compensated for some.
 
Aric Almirola and Chris Buescher are the most under-rated drivers in Cup. Aric is one to watch in the 10 car. Buescher needs a better ride to really show what he is capable of doing.

Once Hemric finally breaks through for his first NASCAR win, people will be more aware of his presence on the track. It is surprising to read that he has not won in any NASCAR series yet!

Nemechek is exciting to watch. With a good ride, he is a lock for the final four.
Ryan Truex, Justin Haley, and Stewart Friesen seemed to finally cook with peanut oil this year. Any of those three could be on the fast track to a first career win next year, and perhaps a second and third win at that.
 
Truex_rox said:
Aric Almirola and Chris Buescher are the most under-rated drivers in Cup. Aric is one to watch in the 10 car. Buescher needs a better ride to really show what he is capable of doing.

Once Hemric finally breaks through for his first NASCAR win, people will be more aware of his presence on the track. It is surprising to read that he has not won in any NASCAR series yet!

Nemechek is exciting to watch. With a good ride, he is a lock for the final four.
Ryan Truex, Justin Haley, and Stewart Friesen seemed to finally cook with peanut oil this year. Any of those three could be on the fast track to a first career win next year, and perhaps a second and third win at that.
Click to expand...
Almirola didn't set the world on fire in a Gibbs nxs car. Johnny saunter ain't that great either, just better than the rich kid ride buyers that mostly makeup the truck series
 
Revman said:
Kyle Damn Busch's teammate Daniel Freakin' Suarez.
Click to expand...
This thread is surprising out the widow is how people got into the sport. Suarez? The guy is essentially a ride buyer. Has nxs wins but in a Gibbs car that the hauler driver could run in the top 10. Guys seriously, when looking at talent first see how a driver got to the top, if it was in the best equipment with money brought to the table fogettaboutit. Remember how brad k once said there are no more jeff Gordon's. and without his break he never would have made it into the sport?
 
hidesert cowboy said:
This thread is surprising out the widow is how people got into the sport. Suarez? The guy is essentially a ride buyer. Has nxs wins but in a Gibbs car that the hauler driver could run in the top 10. Guys seriously, when looking at talent first see how a driver got to the top, if it was in the best equipment with money brought to the table fogettaboutit. Remember how brad k once said there are no more jeff Gordon's. and without his break he never would have made it into the sport?
Click to expand...

The thread isn't about how a driver got there, it's about what he did once he was there.
 
Just because you had money helping you doesn't mean you have an idea how to drive the car.
 
William Byron and Daniel Suarez changed my perspective on "rich kids" in racing. Sure they got there with money, but they back it up on track and get results. Just because someone's family has a fortune doesn't mean they always fit the mold of Michael Annett and Spencer Gallagher.
 
kkfan91 said:
Just because you had money helping you doesn't mean you have an idea how to drive the car.
Click to expand...

It also doesn't mean you DON'T know how to drive. Tim Richmond was a spoiled brat rich kid, but many consider him one of the most naturally gifted drivers of the generation. If NASCAR wants to bring the fans back, bring back cars that can be driven totally out of control on a road course like Richmond used to without killing the tires in two laps.
 
Hmmm good post for Xfinity I’d have to say Daniel Hemeric. For Cup...it’s a tie between Chris Buescher and Daniel Suarez with a shout out to (I’ll probably get crucified for this) Austin Dillon.
 
I'm seriously considering Suarez as my replacement for Matt Kenseth, but I dunno if he belongs in this conversation.

The guy improved his finish each time the series returned to a track the second time. He finished one position behind his more celebrated teammate Erik Jones (20th to 19th), had a better average finish (16.2 vs. 17.1), and did it coming into Cup a year ahead of schedule with almost no notice.

Anybody underrating him hasn't been paying attention.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
I'm seriously considering Suarez as my replacement for Matt Kenseth, but I dunno if he belongs in this conversation.

The guy improved his finish each time the series returned to a track the second time. He finished one position behind his more celebrated teammate Erik Jones (20th to 19th), had a better average finish (16.2 vs. 17.1), and did it coming into Cup a year ahead of schedule with almost no notice.

Anybody underrating him hasn't been paying attention.
Click to expand...

Daniel flat ass shocked me this season. Think about what he went through. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, you are going to get your shot....in a car you have never driven. Good speed, consistent, and can manage a car throughout a race. IMO if you liked Kenseth, you have your replacement. I am of the understanding that this is a humble and very nice guy. JGR's team is going to be fascinating to watch next year on several levels.
 
I'll probably have some tomatoes hurled at me for this suggestion, but I'm gonna go with Denny Hamlin for Cup. Yeah, he's kind of a tool, which is why he doesn't get much love around here, but his name rarely comes up when the great drivers of the sport are mentioned. His 31 Cup wins put him 4th among active drivers (behind only JJ, KyBu, and Harvick), and 25th on the all-time win list. He's also never had a winless season.
 
But Denny is a choker and has had 3 runs at the championship. Denny always gets in the way of Hamlin being anything more than what he already is.:p
 
Formerjackman said:
... If NASCAR wants to bring the fans back, bring back cars that can be driven totally out of control on a road course like Richmond used to without killing the tires in two laps.
Click to expand...
I'd like to get a look underneath such a car.
 
LJ7201 said:
William Byron and Daniel Suarez changed my perspective on "rich kids" in racing. Sure they got there with money, but they back it up on track and get results. Just because someone's family has a fortune doesn't mean they always fit the mold of Michael Annett and Spencer Gallagher.
Click to expand...
Except that Suarez had no money, no family fortune, no connections in racing. He got his sponsorship the old fashioned way... by earning it on the race track, starting in a friend's go kart. I don't know why so many people make up stuff about Suarez. I guess some folks really believe God made Nascar just for white Southern good ol' boys.
 
Michael McDowell is very underrated in Cup. I'm also surprised no one mentioned Cole Whitt because he was touted as the next big thing for Red Bull along side Kahne and Elliott. A lot of times, especially on short tracks that Whitt was really quick even and had some nice runs for Tri-Star Motorsports this year.

Ross Chastain has been outperforming his JD equipment since his rookie season, he kept Cassill honest that '15 season. Jeremy Clements proved how good he is and Blake Koch has always been a solid driver in half-assed equipment.

Austin Hill is so underrated in the truck series, its not even funny. That young man can freakin' wheel it, I wish Ford still supported the series because he really had some great runs with his family team.
 
aunty dive said:
I'd like to get a look underneath such a car.
Click to expand...

I don't know HOW they did it, but sometimes I go back and watch the old Youtube videos just to see again for myself. It was cool watching him haze those old bias ply tires.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom