Accelerated performance: who are the best drivers in Nextel Cup? We asked dozens of people in the garage to compile a top 10 list, and the result could surprise you

Sporting News, The, April 26, 2004 by Lee Spencer

What makes one driver better than another?

If all the racers drove identical equipment--as they do in the IROC series--whose raw talent would shine through? If the Nextel Cup field had 43 identical cars for each race, who would consistently finish in the top 10? If you take away the advantages resulting from the inequalities in engines, aero packages, crew chiefs and pit crews, whose ability would rise above the crowd?

Put simply, who are the top 10 drivers in Nextel Cup?

To get that answer, we canvassed dozens of people in the garage over the course of five weeks and tossed in our two cents as the final arbiter. Our top 10 isn't a popularity contest, though a driver's demeanor and his ability to play well with others certainly affected his rank--or took him out of the running altogether.

As recently as two years ago, the list would have looked completely different. Veterans Mark Martin, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott and Dale Jarrett would have been near the top. But times have changed. Today's Nextel Cup Series driver is young--the average age is 29--and he has nearly two decades of racing on his resume before entering Nextel Cup. His career started in go-karts, but he honed his skills in USAC or Late Models before graduating to NASCAR. He never has had to drive substandard Cup equipment, so he hasn't developed bad habits. He's remained loyal to his owner and has built a solid foundation for his team. Our top 10 list relects all that, so it has a more youthful appearance than you might expect.

1. Jeff Gordon, When it comes to pure ability, Gordon has the gift. Call it what you want, but his car control is second to none. "Sometimes it's instinct; sometimes it's just position, and sometimes it's just luck," Gordon says. "I don't really know how to describe it. I don't think there's really any special skill involved other than to not panic. When you see an accident happen in front of you, you do what you can not to lose control of the car and maneuver through it."

Gordon always has been a solid qualifier (47 career poles in 373 starts), but when he has to come from the back, he tenaciously picks off his opponents one at a time until he's put himself into position to win. His points racing aptitude has helped earn him four titles.

"He'll lead every lap and do whatever it takes to lead every lap at a road course or any other track he's at," Kurt Busch says.

Gordon's ability to adapt quickly to new tracks is evident in his domination of races at Kansas through its first three years. He also drove a strong race, finishing fifth, in the first race after the reconfiguration of Homestead. Gordon has 64 career wins, and he has scored wins on every track on the schedule except Texas, Chicago, Phoenix and Homestead.

"We show up at the racetrack every week with winning in mind--which is the way it's always been," Gordon says. "We have good weeks, we have bad weeks, and you're only as good as your last week."

Gordon says he learned a lot from Mark Martin during their Busch Series days with Bill Davis, but he credits his stepfather, John Bickford, with guiding his career. "He got me to this level," Gordon says. Late last month, he named Bickford vice president and general manager of JG Inc. Bickford's business acumen will enable Gordon to put his focus where it belongs--on the track.

"I'm just as focused as I've ever been, if not more," Gordon says. "Critics are critics; it doesn't matter if you are winning or losing. I don't care what the critics say. I care about how our team does and how we perform out there. We just haven't lived up to our flail potential. I've made mistakes, and things have happened to us that we can't always control."

With that attitude and his ability, it won't be long until Gordon, NASCAR's top driver, quiets those critics. Again.

2. Matt Kenseth. Ask other racers in the garage to name the top dog, and the defending champ's name comes up time and again. "Kenseth is a good guy," Ryan Newman says. "He keeps his nose clean. He's not beating and banging and unnecessarily flattening people's fenders." Kenseth's incredible knowledge of the chassis allows him to anticipate situations with the racecar and make calls that will improve the car's driveability late in the race. Despite lackluster qualifying, Kenseth knows how to get among the leaders by the end of the race.

3. Tony Stewart. Stewart has the strongest resume in NASCAR, proving he can win in open wheel or stock car, on dirt or asphalt. The Rushville Rocket was the first racer to sweep USAC's Triple Crown--Silver Crown, sprint and midgets--in the same season. Stewart is a contender at any track, if he sets his mind on winning. The biggest complaint from his crew is that Stewart doesn't always show up wearing his game face. In that case, the team knows the race is over before Stewart even straps into his car. But Stewart's innate ability to win titles as a driver or as an owner makes him invaluable. Says buddy Dale Earnhardt Jr.: "He's a great driver, no question. He wants to win so bad--and I can identify with that."