NASCAR Pre-Chase Driver Ranks

            Every year before The Chase we rank who we feel has the most likely shot at hoisting the Sprint Cup. Keep in mind that this list doesn’t represent how we feel the final points will shake out, or who will be included in the Final 4 at Homestead. The new format makes it even harder to predict, as the winner take all finale will be one of the most ridiculous races in NASCAR history, but we’ve reviewed each round of the Chase, and the tracks that represent each driver’s best chances of advancing. Without further ado, our countdown to our pick to win the championship.

Complete and Utter Afterthoughts

16. A.J. Allmendinger

15. Aric Almirola

            Both earned well-deserved first career victories this year (with Allmendinger’s drive at Watkins Glen being the most dramatic finish of the season so far), but they have virtually no chance at winning the title. Almirola did run well at both Loudon and Dover earlier in the season (which are both in the first playoff segment), so there is the minute possibility he could sneak into the round of 12.

Happy to Be Here

14. Greg Biffle

13. Carl Edwards

            The demise of Roush-Fenway Racing has been well documented, and there’s no reason to expect a sudden revival during The Chase. Edwards is a lame duck driver, and Biffle has less Top-5s this season than Paul Menard. 

12. Ryan Newman

            Newman’s season has been just as uninspiring as Biffle’s, but at least he has been more competitive during the summer months. He does have three career wins at Loudon and Dover, which gives him a reasonable chance of making it to the round of 12. 

11. Kasey Kahne

            The greatest enigma of the entire NASCAR season has been Kahne’s inability to be consistently competitive this season. He needed a miraculous run at Atlanta just to be included in The Chase. If he can survive the first segment, Charlotte represents his best chance at cracking the Elite 8.

10. Denny Hamlin

            Hamlin has been more competent than you would think this season, as even with missing a race he would’ve made the playoffs without his win at Talladega. One can’t help but think he’s third on the Gibbs totem pole though.

Unpopular Dark Horses

9. Kyle Busch

8. Kurt Busch

            The Busch boys have only one win, both have occasionally had speed, and both have had an abundance of mechanical issues and crashes. We rank Kurt ahead of Kyle simply because the Hendrick powered Chevrolets have been stronger than the Gibbs Toyotas. 

Fatally Flawed

7. Matt Kenseth

            Kenseth is an honoree for hardest working driver of the year, as he’s tied for second in top-10s and tied for third in top-5s while piloting an underpowered Toyota Camry all year. Martinsville is the only track in the playoffs he has never won at, so it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him go on a run. Ultimately though, the lack of top end horsepower will do him in.

6. Kevin Harvick

            Happy Harvick has had fast cars all season long, but is saddled with the worst pit crew of any driver in the playoffs. His first year of the win was at Phoenix, so if he can repeat that feat he’ll be ticketed for the Final 4 at Homestead.

5. Jimmie Johnson

            With the exception of a stretch where he won three out of four just before the official start of summer, Six-Time has been riddled with tire issues all season. That could be the result of some experimenting by evil warlord crew chief Chad Knaus, but it just doesn’t feel like a championship season for Jimmie Johnson.

Stout Contenders

4. Joey Logano

            We’ve said it at least twice earlier this year, but it’s worth repeating…there really isn’t enough praise for a kid that’s only 24 years old being a legitimate championship contender. Logano has led laps in 18 of the 26 events this season, and has had speed everywhere. Other than his teammate, no one has more momentum than him going into the playoffs with Top-10 finishes in six of his last seven races.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

            Junior’s performance this year has been a huge shot in the arm for the sport, and it’s safe to assume that he should be a force throughout the playoffs. He’s tied for the most Top-5s with Brad Keselowski, and there isn’t a track on the schedule that he shouldn’t have speed at. The only reason we don’t have him in the top tier is the fact that we haven’t seen him post a competitive Chase showing since the first one in 2004.

The Favorites

2. Brad Keselowski

            Keselowski has been a little boom or bust this season, but some of that can be attributed to risk taking after securing a Chase spot early in the season. Penske Racing has had the most consistent qualifying program on a weekly basis, giving Keselowski premium track position right from the get go. The only reason we have some reservations about Keselowski winning is the third slate of elimination races. He’ll be fast at Texas, but Phoenix and Martinsville aren’t his strongest tracks on the circuit. 

1. Jeff Gordon

            Gordon has driven like a man possessed this year, posting more Top-10s than any other driver, and for the first time in many years looking like a guy hungry to win a title. He’s had success at every track in The Chase, and most importantly, has a win at Homestead under his belt. There’s a chance that he’ll be the only driver in the Final 4 that can say that. We’re signing off on Gordon as our predicted winner of the 2014 Sprint Cup.

2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup Predictions

            It’s bee one of the weirdest seasons in NASCAR history (punctuated by Michael Waltrip Racing’s dishonorable manipulation of the regular season finale. Good luck with no sponsors next year asshole), which has led to one of the more eclectic Chase fields in recent memory. We break down the 12-car field, plus discuss three bonus drivers who woulda-shoulda-coulda been in The Chase. 
 

He’d Be In The Chase, But He Broke His Leg

15. Tony Stewart - #14 Mobil/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet – Stewart Haas Racing

            The 3-time champion (and the only man to win under the old and new points system) wasn’t a shoe-in for The Chase, but likely would’ve ended up with the second wildcard spot if it wasn’t for breaking his leg in a sprint car accident. He wouldn’t have been a favorite to win the title, but everyone (including Tony Stewart) was saying the same thing before his improbable 2011 run.
 

The Real Victim

14. Jeff Gordon - #24 – Hendrick Motorsports

            Lost in all the discussion about Ryan Newman replacing Martin Truex Jr. in The Chase is Jeff Gordon, who at the time of caution Saturday night was tenth in points, which would’ve secured a spot in The Chase. Don’t be surprised if we get a repeat of last November’s race at Phoenix multiple times during The Chase.

 

It Wasn’t His Fault

13. Martin Truex Jr. - #56 Napa Toyota – Michael Waltrip Racing

            Maybe Truex knew there was a plan before the race to help get him in. Maybe he didn’t. Regardless, he drove his ass off to keep Jeff Gordon behind him in the closing laps, and didn’t appear to have any knowledge of why the caution came out. His team deserved the penalty, but it sucks for the driver who had nothing to do with bringing out the caution.
   

Karma is a Bitch

12. Clint Bowyer - #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota – Michael Waltrip Racing

Tied for 8^th in Chase Seeding With 0 Wins
            The only person happy with Clint Bowyer is Kyle Busch, and that’s because there’s finally someone that NASCAR fans will boo louder than him during pre-race introductions.

Happy to Be Here

11. Greg Biffle - #16 3M Ford – Roush Fenway Racing

Tied for 6^th in Chase Seeding With 1 Win
            Roush is going to put all of its eggs in the Carl Edwards basket.

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - #88 AMP Energy Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports

Tied for 8^th in Chase Seeding With 0 Wins
            Not since the inaugural Chase has Dale Earnhardt Jr. been relevant in it. We don’t forecast anything different this year.

9. Kurt Busch - #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet – Furniture Row Racing

Tied for 8^th in Chase Seeding With 0 Wins
            Kurt making it in with Furniture Row Racing will be the second most impressive thing accomplished in NASCAR this season, only topped by whoever wins the title.
 

Punchers Chance at Making Noise

8. Kasey Kahne - #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports

Tied For 8^th in Chase Seeding With Wildcard Entry
            Flopping from one of the fastest cars onto the track to hovering around mid-pack from week to week is not a formula for success. It’s not impossible for Kahne to string together ten solid races in a weakened Chase field, but we won’t bet on it.

7. Kevin Harvick - #29 Budweiser Chevrolet – Richard Childress Racing
Tied For 4^th in Chase Seeding With 2 Wins
            We’ll stand behind our theory we applied last season to Matt Kenseth about a lame duck driver not having a chance in The Chase.

6. Ryan Newman - #39 Quicken Loans/Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet – Stewart Haas Racing

Tied For 8^th in Chase Seeding With Wildcard Entry
            He’s riding a solid wave of one part momentum and one part good will, but he won’t be able to avoid the lame duck stink in the end.

5. Joey Logano - #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford – Penske Racing
Tied For 6^th in Chase Seeding With 1 Win
            Throw out his middling performance at Richmond (which thankfully, is a type of track he won’t see in The Chase) and Logano was the hottest driver during the month of August. He’ll have speed at the 1.5 milers, but you should expect some inexperience to bite him in the end.
 

The Favorites

4. Matt Kenseth - #20 Home Depot Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing

1^st in Chase Seeding With 5 Wins
            Throw out his Bristol win, and it’s been a fairly ordinary summer for Kenseth. He’ll be in the mix, but needs to recapture his early season form to win the championship.

3. Jimmie Johnson - #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports

Tied For 2^nd in Chase Seeding With 4 Wins
            Jimmie Johnson’s last four finishes of 28th or worse are not fooling me. Johnson will be in the mix until Homestead.

2. Carl Edwards - #99 Subway/Fastenal/UPS/Kellogg’s Ford – Roush Fenway Racing

Tied For 4^th in Chase Seeding With 2 Wins
            Quietly, Edwards was the point’s leader at the end of the NASCAR regular season. In a diminished Chase field, a consistent ten races might be enough for Cousin Carl to win his first championship.

 

The Favorite  

1. Kyle Busch - #18 M&Ms Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing

Tied For 2^nd in Chase Seeding With 4 Wins
            I get it. Busch has never done anything in The Chase. In fact, it’s been mostly embarrassing. However, he has too much talent, and among the favorites, the most momentum after a solid summer. There’s no Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, or Brad Keselowski to deal with. If he out performs the three drivers we just mentioned, it’s his championship. He normally flames out early in The Chase, so it won’t take long to see if our prediction is correct.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (3/30-4/1)

10. LOGO Plays “Showgirls” All Day Sunday
            My wife tripped over this one (I swear). The movie is apart of LOGO’s “great American cinema” series. Apparently, LOGO has a much different idea of great filmmaking than the majority of the American public.

9. Red Sox Announce Daniel Bard Will Start Year in Rotation

            Because anytime you can screw up your bullpen on the fleeting chance that a guy who hasn’t started a game in 5 years might be decent at the back end of your rotation, you have to do it.

8. Johan Santana Named Mets Opening Day Starter

            It’s really easy to forget that Santana was once the most dominant pitcher in baseball. Even with him, the Mets will struggle to stay out of the NL East basement, but good for him for returning after missing the entire 2011 season.

7. Ubaldo Jimenez Gets Revenge on Troy Tulowitzki With Fastball to the Elbow

            Aside from the fact that Tulowitzki is on one of my 4 fantasy teams (sadly, I couldn’t tell you which one), I love every part of this story. I like that Ubaldo was pissed off about not getting a contract extension when he was still with the Rockies while Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez did. I love that Tulowitzki basically said that Ubaldo needs to shut the hell up and move on with his career. I love that Rockies manager Jim Tracy went on the record after the incident and said that he has lost all respect for Jimenez. It’s a damn shame that the Rockies and Indians won’t play again this season.

6. Notre Dame Knocks Off Lady Huskies in Overtime

            I didn’t watch a second of this game, but I’m 99% sure that this score results in no Geno Auriemma for several months.

5. Kobe Bryant Goes 3-21 in Lakers Victory Over Hornets

            Thankfully, Kobe’s career worst shooting performance wasn’t enough from preventing the Lakers advancing No Credentials in the Sportsbook $20,000 survivor pool.

4. Celtics Thump Heat

            If every Celtics game were played on Sunday afternoon on ABC, Rajon Rondo would be the greatest point guard in NBA history. 

3. David Reutimann Takes Win 200 Away From Hendrick Motorsports

            It’s not fair to be so hard on Reutimann, who was shooting for the best possible finish to keep his car in the top 35 in owner points, so let’s play it safe and blame NASCAR. Let’s say only the top 25 in points were guaranteed a starting spot every week (there’s really only 20 cars that have a realistic shot to win every race). This would prevent an also ran team like Reutimanns from keeping an ailing car on the race track one lap too long and completely altering the complexion of a race in the final laps. While Sunday’s finish was certainly memorable (Ryan Newman won by the way), we were robbed off a classic 4-lap sprint to the finish between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. I’ll leave it to you to decide if that outcome would be better than the one we got Sunday.   

2. Anthony Davis and His Uni-Brow Take Over Against Louisville

            If I were a fan of the Bobcats, Wizards, Hornets, Raptors, Cavaliers, or Kings, I’d be cheering for my team to lose every game to get some more ping balls for the draft lottery this May. Anthony Davis is that good.

1. Down Big, Kansas Storms Back to Top Ohio St.

            Jared Sullinger didn’t strike me as the sort of player that could shoot his team out of a victory, but that’s what happened Saturday night. Kansas will be heavy underdogs against Kentucky, but they do have the necessary depth in the frontcourt to give the Wildcats problems.

                                                                                                         

2011 Chase Preview

            Here’s how No Credentials ranks the twelve contenders for the Sprint Cup as we embark on the 10-race playoff. It looks like a year that will see a top four that is significantly better than everyone else, but stranger things have happened.

Fortunate to Be Here

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr., #88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 18)

            After a fast start, Junior backed into the playoffs with a string of top-20 finishes, a maneuver patented by Jeremy Mayfield during the 2004 and 2005 seasons. The 88 bunch has done nothing to demonstrate they are capable of running in the top-5 consistently, and it doesn’t do him any favors to be third in the Hendrick Motorsports food chain. Perhaps this year just getting in will be enough for Dale, and next season he can build up to more of a championship caliber level. Junior has roughly the same chance of winning the title as a great-grandmother would have of appearing in Playboy.

11. Ryan Newman, #39 Army Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 24)

10. Tony Stewart, #14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 6)
            These two guys should probably share the driver of the year award, as the fact that they were able to pilot their mediocre race teams into the Chase is remarkable. With the exception of the second Chase race at Loudon (where Newman and Stewart finished 1-2), expect both drivers to struggle for top-15s.

Needs a Hug

9. Denny Hamlin, #11 Fed-Ex Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 7)

            No Credentials predicted that Hamlin wouldn’t have smooth sailing in 2011, but never thought it would be so bad that he would need a wildcard to get into the Chase. Maybe the relief of getting back into the playoffs (remember that Hamlin was so paranoid in the final month of the regular season he had his team switch from Gibbs engines to Toyota factory power) will turn the light bulb on for him, but I’ll predict that it will be until at least next season before Hamlin is a serious championship threat.
 
The Jackass
 
8. Kurt Busch, #22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge, Penske Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 10)
            I’ll be honest…I like Kurt Busch. I’ve cheered for the guy ever since he drove in the Craftsmen Truck Series (although he was partially to blame for this Geoff Bodine crash that is the worst accident I have ever seen live). I was one of roughly 600 people in the United States that was pulling for him to win the inaugural Chase in 2004. However, at some point, the guy just needs to let go of his “feud” with Jimmie Johnson and just drive his damn car. Saying that Johnson needs to learn how to drive (insinuating that the #48 was so fast the last five years that Johnson didn’t need any skill) is ridiculous. The last time I checked, Johnson had won five titles, and Kurt has one.  

Fringe Contenders

7. Matt Kenseth, #17 Crown Royal Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 9)

            It would be really nice to see the man who won the final Winston Cup (and effectively caused the suits running NASCAR to panic and throw together the Chase format) become the second driver to have won a title in both formats. His championship chances increase exponentially if Carl Edwards struggles, leaving Kenseth as the lead Roush driver.

6. Kevin Harvick, #29 Budweiser Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 5)

            Harvick had been in a funk ever since benefiting from Dale Jr. running out of gas at Charlotte. Perhaps stealing a win from Jeff Gordon at Richmond will break Harvick out of his funk.

The Wildcard

5. Brad Keselowski, #2 Miller Lite Dodge, Penske Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 25)
            If you told Brad Keselowski how well he would drive after he broke his ankle, he probably would’ve broken one back in January. It’s hard to think of any other driver in the last twenty years who has gone on a run like this. To put it in perspective, Keselowski wasn’t even in the top 20 after winning his first race of the year at Kansas. I find it hard to believe that Keselowski can keep it up for an entire championship run, but right now he has the best chance of hanging with the top four.

Top Non-Hendrick Threats

4. Kyle Busch, #18 M&Ms Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 4)

            The 125 mph speeding ticket makes me question the whole “Kyle Busch has matured” storyline that has been floated out by numerous writers, but nevertheless Busch appears poised to have his best showing in the Chase.

3. Carl Edwards, #99 Aflac Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 3)

            Edwards hasn’t been as strong ever since rumors of him joining Joe Gibbs Racing were floated around. I probably should drop him to fourth, but I’ll drink the Kool-Aid and believe Edwards when he says that the #99 has been trying new set ups leading up to the Chase. He’s had success at almost every Chase venue (with the exception of Loudon and Martinsville). If he’s within four points of the lead going into Homestead, book Edwards for a championship celebration.

The Favorites

2. Jimmie Johnson, #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 1)
1. Jeff Gordon, #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports (Preseason No Credentials Rank = 2)
            Dropping Johnson behind Gordon isn’t a knock on Jimmie, but more of a testament to how well Jeff has run over the past month and a half. I expect both of these drivers to be neck in neck the whole way, with Talladega representing the biggest chance of a huge point swing between the two. It’s kind of insane to pick against Jimmie Johnson, but I’ll bank on Gordon equaling JJ with a fifth title this season.

The Ultimate NASCAR Starting Grid, Part 1

            After reading Ed Hinton’s 12-part series on who would make the field of the ultimate Indianapolis 500 (if you like open-wheel racing check it out here), I was inspired to construct a similar list for NASCAR. This is part one of a four part series that will list who would make the ultimate 43-car starting grid.

            To spice it up a little bit, I tried to look at individual seasons as opposed to overall careers. For example, instead of simply plugging in Richard Petty, I am taking Petty from the year that I thought was his best. A driver could only qualify once for the list (this prevents five years of Jimmie Johnson from clogging up the ranks). In order to make it, a driver had to accomplish at least one of four things.

1. Win the Winston/Nextel/Sprint Cup
2. Win a bunch of races
3. Have some form of cultural impact (in other words, does anyone remember them?)
4. Have been the main character in a motion picture (this category will make sense eventually) 

Without further ado, here are the first 11 drivers to make the cut.

43. Dick Trickle, 1989, #84 Miller High Life Buick

            Trickle is famous for two things. One, it is estimated that Trickle has won roughly 1,200 short track races in the United States. Secondly, his name is Dick Trickle.

            Back before the world knew he was the liberal answer to Bill O’Reilly, Keith Olbermann was arguably one of the five greatest “Sportscenter” anchors of all time. Keith had a sick fascination with Trickle’s name (can’t say that I blame him, one of my fantasy football teams is named “Dick Trickle”), and made it a point to mention his finishing position during that Sunday’s race during every Sunday night show (it was usually somewhere between 26^th and 43^rd during his Winston Cup career). To get an idea of the difficulty Dick had piloting a Winston Cup car watch this clip of him trying to get on pit road during a caution.

42. Jeff Burton, 1999, #99 Exide Batteries Ford

            Burton has been referred to as the mayor of NASCAR for the past decade, thanks for his well thought out opinions on various topics. 1999 wasn’t Burton’s most consistent season, but he was able to win a series leading six races, including two crown jewel events (the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and the Southern 500 at Darlington). His win at Darlington was memorable thanks to a thunderstorm that disrupted the finish.

41. Kevin Harvick, 2011, #29 Budweiser Chevrolet

           

          Harvick looks like one of two drivers that could potentially deny Jimmie Johnson of a 6^th straight championship. Harvick has won three races already this season in dramatic fashion, two of them at the expense of fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr.

40. Ricky Rudd, 1991, #5 Tide Chevrolet

            He was usually not a championship contender, but Rudd was remarkably consistent. He had a 16-year streak where he won at least one race, which is even more amazing when you consider that he only won more than one race during four of those seasons. 1991 was a year that he only won a single race, but was consistent enough to finish 2^nd in the points to Dale Earnhardt. It would’ve been two victories if not for a penalty inflicted by NASCAR after this finish at Sonoma.

39. Ryan Newman, 2003, #12 Alltel Dodge

            This was one of the classic “checkers or wreckers” seasons in NASCAR history. Newman won a series leading 8 races, and also collected a record 11 poles. However, Newman had numerous mishaps that destroyed his championship chances. He started 2003 with this flip at Daytona.

            Later in the year at Michigan, Newman was going so fast that his car literally turned into a 200 mph fireball.

38. Harry Gant, 1984, #33 Skoal Bandit Pontiac

            One of the most humble drivers in NASCAR history, Gant was known as “Handsome Harry” during his Winston Cup career, and was notorious for rim-riding along the outside wall at every track. No Credentials could’ve chosen Gant’s 1991 season to place on this list (the year that Gant won four straight races in the month of September that year), but we’ll take the season that he won three races and ended up 2^nd in the points to Terry Labonte.  

37. Carl Edwards, 2011, #99 Aflac Ford

           

            Edwards looks like the other driver with the best chance to knock Jimmie Johnson off the championship throne. The current points leader looks to be the most consistent driver on the mile and a half ovals, which typically translates to success during the NASCAR playoffs.

36. Neil Bonnett, 1985, #12 Budweiser Chevrolet      

            One of the most tragic stories in the history of NASCAR, Bonnett first lost his health, and then eventually his life, during his career. One of the pioneers of "The Alabama Gang", he rarely drove for a competitive team, and did well to earn 18 victories during his Winston Cup career. His best season was 1985, when he collected two wins and finished 4^th in the season standings driving for Junior Johnson. Bonnett suffered a near fatal accident at the 1990 spring race at Darlington, which forced him into a temporary retirement. After two years of broadcasting, Bonnett was urged back into driving by his best friend Dale Earnhardt. He was fortunate to escape a horrific crash during a one-race stint with Richard Childress at Talladega in 1993. The crash didn’t cure Bonnett’s itch to race, as he signed a six-race deal to race for James Finch in 1994. Sadly, during the first practice session for the Daytona 500, Bonnett blew a right front tire and careened head on into the turn four wall. He was dead on impact at the age of 47.

35. Denny Hamlin, 2010, #11 Fed-Ex Toyota

           

             His choke job in the final race of the year didn’t completely diminish Hamlin’s accomplishments (he did win a series leading eight races), but it did move him about 20 spots down this list.

34. Stroker Ace, 1983, #7 The Chicken Pit Ford

            “Stroker Ace” may very well have been one of the 20 worst movies of all-time, but since Stroker was played by Burt Reynolds, he earns a spot as one of the fictional drivers that will make this list. Here are some fun facts for you for those that are interested in acquiring useless information.

1. “Stroker Ace” earned five Golden Raspberry nominations. The categories were Worst Picture, Worst Director, Worst Actress, Worst New Star, and Worst Supporting Actor. Jim Nabors, who played Stroker’s crew chief Lugs Harvey, won the Worst Supporting Actor role.
2. Burt Reynolds was offered the lead male role in “Terms of Endearment”, but was unable to because he was already under contract to play Stroker Ace. Endearment won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Jack Nicholson, who played the part of the character originally offered to Reynolds, won the Best Supporting Actor award. “Terms of Endearment” grossed $108 million at the box office, while “Stroker Ace” only managed to make $13 million.
3. Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, and seven other drivers that are on this list were in the movie.

              Just incase you don’t believe the hard facts that show this movie was terrible, here’s the “climatic” final ten minutes of the film.