They Were The Worst (Or Most Unfortunate) Drivers Of 2006
By Ron Thornton/Speedway Media
It did not take much to make this list. In fact, many are here because they found themselves sitting in, well, not much of a car. Others found themselves with parts smoking or broken a few too many times. A trio of dead last finishes would have done it, and even a guy like Dale Earnhardt, Jr, with two, could have gained entry in the end. Thankfully, he did not. Jeff Green and Elliott Sadler came close, but just were not bad enough.
This is the story of those for whom, when they dropped the green flag each race week, we came to know that their chances of victory were not much better than our own.
10 - KENNY WALLACE - in 17 races, 4 Bottom Fives, 9 Bottom Tens
While he only made 17 races, it was always nice to see Kenny all decked out in his fire suit while performing his television duties before and after an event. Mind you, he kind of reminded me of the kid sitting on the end of the bench, all dressed up in his ball uniform, just one of the guys, though one destined never to set foot on the field. While Wallace would join the rest on the track, we knew that Barney Visser's Furniture Row Racing Chevy was not capable of producing positive results for the chatty one. A crash and a couple of blown engines did not help the cause. Here is hoping that when they go full-time next season, they have the resources for the horses.
9- STERLING MARLIN - 36 races, 5 Bottom Fives, 11 Bottom Tens
Going in to the last year of his contract, the talk is that the man with the big drawl needs some results to keep this ride. Five crashes and a couple of smoking engines helped put our Tennessee lad in this position, needing to get back across the state line at Bristol for the fifth race of the season to even crack the Top Thirty. With only a single Top Ten to his credit, Nelson Bowers' team fell out of the Top 35 and will need to qualify to even be on the track to open 2007. 49 is not too old is you are winning, but could get you a rocking chair if you are not.
8 - JAMIE MCMURRAY - in 36 races, 5 Bottom Fives, 11 Bottom Tens
Maybe this should help explain where McMurray disappeared to in 2006. Ole Dimples took the former ride of Kurt Busch and just disappeared from sight. While the season had gone south long before we reached the Chase, three crashes and two engine malfunctions over the course of those ten events did not exactly leave the #26 Ford crew on a high at the end. This 30-year old seems to have the talent and his team certainly has the resources, yet Jamie has not won since 2002 and still seeks his first Top Ten season finish. He has the looks and the personality to be a major star on the circuit. All he needs now is the results.
7 - BOBBY LABONTE - in 36 races, 1 Last Place, 5 Bottom Fives, 7 Bottom Tens
When the 2000 Cup champ moved to Petty Enterprises, there was hope that maybe this was the year the famous #43 would once again thrill us. At times it did. Labonte was a Top Ten contender in the Daytona 500, until he got caught up in a wreck. He led at Atlanta, until the engine gave up the ghost early. In fact, this year was the best for this entry since 1999, and if it weren't for their five crashes and three engine failures they wouldn't have even been eligible for inclusion here. But they did, and they are. Now, with a little good fortune for a change, maybe 2007 will finally bring that breakthrough Petty fans have been waiting for so long.
6 - MICHAEL WALTRIP - in 33 races, 1 Last Place, 5 Bottom Fives, 14 Bottom Tens
We are no longer at DEI, Toto. You know, in good equipment I'm pretty sure Mikey can still dangle with the best of them. However, 2006 seemed to indicate that the boys needed a few more NAPA parts to keep the Dodge on the road. Three missed races, a fourth they basically bought their way in, and four races they got on the track yet finished in the bottom three, can't make a big time sponsor terribly happy. Still, maybe the new Camry will do the trick. If nothing else, as a car owner, Waltrip has some job security, though I think it is safe to say that 2007 will be a critical one for his racing future.
5 - KEVIN LEPAGE - in 22 races, 2 Last Places, 5 Bottom Fives, 13 Bottom Tens
Remember Kevin's 9th place finish in the 2005 Daytona 500 driving for John Carter? We thought maybe big things were about to come his way. So, why did he end up making runs in the #34 Chevy of Bob Jenkins, the #61 of Jeff Stec, or the #49 of Beth Ann Morgenthau in 2006? Forget about Top Tens. A handful of runs in the Top Thirty marked the high point of yet another abbreviated season. As for 2007, we don't know where he might wind up. Lepage got a taste of what it is like to have a quality car, driving for Jack Roush in the late 1990's. I'm not sure he'll get that same opportunity again.
4 - KEN SCHRADER - in 36 races, 9 Bottom Fives, 11 Bottom Tens
Seven finishes in the Bottom Three, thanks to six crashes, a bad engine, and some overheating problems. That is what ensured Schrader's inclusion here, along with a fifth straight season ranked 30th or worse in the season standings. Too bad, as for the 17 previous campaigns he had never finished outside the Top Twenty. The 51-year old is set to share seat time with Jon Wood next season, though I'm not convinced the 25-year old will have much success either in his family's sedan. With 50 full-time teams next season, being secure in the first five events of 2007 and hopefully beyond could prove to be crucial for the Wood Brothers' racing future.
3 - HERMIE SADLER - in 7 races, 3 Last Places, 6 Bottom Fives, 7 Bottom Tens
Seven races, seven times finishing no higher than 35th. Be it a Chevy or a Ford, this edition of the #00 truly was nothing to speak of. While David Reutimann gets the keys to the car next year, a Waltrip Toyota, the future for the 37-year old Sadler is unclear. With a best finish of 18th at Richmond in 2002 and without having even an NBS Top Ten finish since 2000, I'm not sure how much of Elliott's brother we will be seeing in 2007 or beyond.
2 - ROBBY GORDON - in 36 races, 2 Last Places, 8 Bottom Fives, 13 Bottom Tens
This pains me. There isn't much I don't like about Robby, even if he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, or possibly holding on to a piece of foam bound for out his car window. He is a true independent. He loves to race on any surface, including the sands of Baja or Dakar. He speaks his mind. Okay, as long as it does not involve a chunk of foam being whipped out on to the track. However, facts are facts. Of the thirteen races he finished 35th or worse, he crashed four times, suffered three engine failures, along with a transmission problem and a rear gear issue. Gordon is, if nothing else, dedicated to achieving success. He is switching from Chevy to Ford in the hopes of getting some decent factory support in 2007. Here's hoping.
1 - DERRIKE COPE - in 9 races, 6 Last Places, 7 Bottom Fives, 9 Bottom Tens
How do you know you are driving junk? Well, qualifying for just nine races and doing absolutely nothing when you do might provide some illumination. The best finish for a Raynard McGlynn entry in 21 starts since 2004 is 32nd, accomplished twice. 15 times they finished 40th or worse, finishing dead last eight times. Do you remember that ride Michael Waltrip bought to put on the NAPA colours after he failed to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600? That was the car Derrike qualified 43rd. Mikey managed to finish 41st when the brakes on the junker finally gave up. It could have been worse, I guess, but sixteen times this entry failed to even qualify. Supposedly Cope and McGlynn will attempt to run the entire 2007 season. I know. I don't know why either.
By Ron Thornton/Speedway Media
It did not take much to make this list. In fact, many are here because they found themselves sitting in, well, not much of a car. Others found themselves with parts smoking or broken a few too many times. A trio of dead last finishes would have done it, and even a guy like Dale Earnhardt, Jr, with two, could have gained entry in the end. Thankfully, he did not. Jeff Green and Elliott Sadler came close, but just were not bad enough.
This is the story of those for whom, when they dropped the green flag each race week, we came to know that their chances of victory were not much better than our own.
10 - KENNY WALLACE - in 17 races, 4 Bottom Fives, 9 Bottom Tens
While he only made 17 races, it was always nice to see Kenny all decked out in his fire suit while performing his television duties before and after an event. Mind you, he kind of reminded me of the kid sitting on the end of the bench, all dressed up in his ball uniform, just one of the guys, though one destined never to set foot on the field. While Wallace would join the rest on the track, we knew that Barney Visser's Furniture Row Racing Chevy was not capable of producing positive results for the chatty one. A crash and a couple of blown engines did not help the cause. Here is hoping that when they go full-time next season, they have the resources for the horses.
9- STERLING MARLIN - 36 races, 5 Bottom Fives, 11 Bottom Tens
Going in to the last year of his contract, the talk is that the man with the big drawl needs some results to keep this ride. Five crashes and a couple of smoking engines helped put our Tennessee lad in this position, needing to get back across the state line at Bristol for the fifth race of the season to even crack the Top Thirty. With only a single Top Ten to his credit, Nelson Bowers' team fell out of the Top 35 and will need to qualify to even be on the track to open 2007. 49 is not too old is you are winning, but could get you a rocking chair if you are not.
8 - JAMIE MCMURRAY - in 36 races, 5 Bottom Fives, 11 Bottom Tens
Maybe this should help explain where McMurray disappeared to in 2006. Ole Dimples took the former ride of Kurt Busch and just disappeared from sight. While the season had gone south long before we reached the Chase, three crashes and two engine malfunctions over the course of those ten events did not exactly leave the #26 Ford crew on a high at the end. This 30-year old seems to have the talent and his team certainly has the resources, yet Jamie has not won since 2002 and still seeks his first Top Ten season finish. He has the looks and the personality to be a major star on the circuit. All he needs now is the results.
7 - BOBBY LABONTE - in 36 races, 1 Last Place, 5 Bottom Fives, 7 Bottom Tens
When the 2000 Cup champ moved to Petty Enterprises, there was hope that maybe this was the year the famous #43 would once again thrill us. At times it did. Labonte was a Top Ten contender in the Daytona 500, until he got caught up in a wreck. He led at Atlanta, until the engine gave up the ghost early. In fact, this year was the best for this entry since 1999, and if it weren't for their five crashes and three engine failures they wouldn't have even been eligible for inclusion here. But they did, and they are. Now, with a little good fortune for a change, maybe 2007 will finally bring that breakthrough Petty fans have been waiting for so long.
6 - MICHAEL WALTRIP - in 33 races, 1 Last Place, 5 Bottom Fives, 14 Bottom Tens
We are no longer at DEI, Toto. You know, in good equipment I'm pretty sure Mikey can still dangle with the best of them. However, 2006 seemed to indicate that the boys needed a few more NAPA parts to keep the Dodge on the road. Three missed races, a fourth they basically bought their way in, and four races they got on the track yet finished in the bottom three, can't make a big time sponsor terribly happy. Still, maybe the new Camry will do the trick. If nothing else, as a car owner, Waltrip has some job security, though I think it is safe to say that 2007 will be a critical one for his racing future.
5 - KEVIN LEPAGE - in 22 races, 2 Last Places, 5 Bottom Fives, 13 Bottom Tens
Remember Kevin's 9th place finish in the 2005 Daytona 500 driving for John Carter? We thought maybe big things were about to come his way. So, why did he end up making runs in the #34 Chevy of Bob Jenkins, the #61 of Jeff Stec, or the #49 of Beth Ann Morgenthau in 2006? Forget about Top Tens. A handful of runs in the Top Thirty marked the high point of yet another abbreviated season. As for 2007, we don't know where he might wind up. Lepage got a taste of what it is like to have a quality car, driving for Jack Roush in the late 1990's. I'm not sure he'll get that same opportunity again.
4 - KEN SCHRADER - in 36 races, 9 Bottom Fives, 11 Bottom Tens
Seven finishes in the Bottom Three, thanks to six crashes, a bad engine, and some overheating problems. That is what ensured Schrader's inclusion here, along with a fifth straight season ranked 30th or worse in the season standings. Too bad, as for the 17 previous campaigns he had never finished outside the Top Twenty. The 51-year old is set to share seat time with Jon Wood next season, though I'm not convinced the 25-year old will have much success either in his family's sedan. With 50 full-time teams next season, being secure in the first five events of 2007 and hopefully beyond could prove to be crucial for the Wood Brothers' racing future.
3 - HERMIE SADLER - in 7 races, 3 Last Places, 6 Bottom Fives, 7 Bottom Tens
Seven races, seven times finishing no higher than 35th. Be it a Chevy or a Ford, this edition of the #00 truly was nothing to speak of. While David Reutimann gets the keys to the car next year, a Waltrip Toyota, the future for the 37-year old Sadler is unclear. With a best finish of 18th at Richmond in 2002 and without having even an NBS Top Ten finish since 2000, I'm not sure how much of Elliott's brother we will be seeing in 2007 or beyond.
2 - ROBBY GORDON - in 36 races, 2 Last Places, 8 Bottom Fives, 13 Bottom Tens
This pains me. There isn't much I don't like about Robby, even if he got caught with his hand in the cookie jar, or possibly holding on to a piece of foam bound for out his car window. He is a true independent. He loves to race on any surface, including the sands of Baja or Dakar. He speaks his mind. Okay, as long as it does not involve a chunk of foam being whipped out on to the track. However, facts are facts. Of the thirteen races he finished 35th or worse, he crashed four times, suffered three engine failures, along with a transmission problem and a rear gear issue. Gordon is, if nothing else, dedicated to achieving success. He is switching from Chevy to Ford in the hopes of getting some decent factory support in 2007. Here's hoping.
1 - DERRIKE COPE - in 9 races, 6 Last Places, 7 Bottom Fives, 9 Bottom Tens
How do you know you are driving junk? Well, qualifying for just nine races and doing absolutely nothing when you do might provide some illumination. The best finish for a Raynard McGlynn entry in 21 starts since 2004 is 32nd, accomplished twice. 15 times they finished 40th or worse, finishing dead last eight times. Do you remember that ride Michael Waltrip bought to put on the NAPA colours after he failed to qualify for the Coca-Cola 600? That was the car Derrike qualified 43rd. Mikey managed to finish 41st when the brakes on the junker finally gave up. It could have been worse, I guess, but sixteen times this entry failed to even qualify. Supposedly Cope and McGlynn will attempt to run the entire 2007 season. I know. I don't know why either.
