Won the most races, led the most laps, ran the most fastest laps, had the best average starting position ... Any wonder why he won the Sprint Cup title? Or why he's the odds-on-favorite to make it five-straight in 2010?

You know, if you take out Hamlin's three DNFs in the Chase, his average finish was a 5.14. Johnson should consider Hamlin's season-finale romp at Homestead a clear warning shot (as long as Hamlin can stay out of trouble when it counts).

Yes, Martin fans, your driver fell short of a title for a heartbreaking fifth time in his career, but consider that he joins an exclusive club with the likes of Richard Petty (six career runner-up finishes) and Bobby Allison (five) and you realize that second ain't so bad...

Yes, Martin fans, your driver fell short of a title for a heartbreaking fifth time in his career, but consider that he joins an exclusive club with the likes of Richard Petty (six career runner-up finishes) and Bobby Allison (five) and you realize that second ain't so bad after all.

OK, stick with me on this one. If you follow the Hamlin logic and eliminate Busch's three worst Chase results (DNF at Talladega, 17th at Martinsville and 11th at Kansas), Busch's average Chase finish is 5.71. If he and whoever serves as his crew chief can smooth out the three...

OK, stick with me on this one. If you follow the Hamlin logic and eliminate Busch's three worst Chase results (DNF at Talladega, 17th at Martinsville and 11th at Kansas), Busch's average Chase finish is 5.71. If he and whoever serves as his crew chief can smooth out the three little bumps, and avoid others, don't count him out of the title battle in 2010.

I would use the aforementioned Hamlin/Busch logic to prove Gordon can fight for the title in 2010, but unless the No. 24 team figure out how to finish races running strong like they do at the beginning, the only guy who has a realistic chance of finishing the Drive for Five...

I would use the aforementioned Hamlin/Busch logic to prove Gordon can fight for the title in 2010, but unless the No. 24 team figure out how to finish races running strong like they do at the beginning, the only guy who has a realistic chance of finishing the Drive for Five is the guy on top of the rankings.

I think Stewart got the script backwards when he moved to his own team in 2009. It was supposed to go like this: Struggle early, find somebody to play bumper cars with and then make an unexpected rise in the standings and not the other way around. Still, fans will remember...

I think Stewart got the script backwards when he moved to his own team in 2009. It was supposed to go like this: Struggle early, find somebody to play bumper cars with and then make an unexpected rise in the standings and not the other way around. Still, fans will remember '09 as a phenomenal season for Smoke, but they will also raise their expectations for 2010.

So glad to have the Montoya of old in NASCAR. Not only did he show he can race with the best of them (eighth in the standings), he also angered top champions like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, just like he did in Formula One with Michael Schumacher, Champ Car with Michael...

So glad to have the Montoya of old in NASCAR. Not only did he show he can race with the best of them (eighth in the standings), he also angered top champions like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, just like he did in Formula One with Michael Schumacher, Champ Car with Michael Andretti, etc. Next year will be fun watching him.

Anybody else notice that this guy managed to win 20 races and one championship in NASCAR in 2009? How much better do you think he'll be when he focuses less on the junior circuits and more on his day job in Cup? Qualifying for the Chase is the least to expect....

Anybody else notice that this guy managed to win 20 races and one championship in NASCAR in 2009? How much better do you think he'll be when he focuses less on the junior circuits and more on his day job in Cup? Qualifying for the Chase is the least to expect.

The leap of faith in joining his buddy Stewart in his new venture paid off with his first top-10 season finish in four years. Now the goal is to get back into Victory Lane in 2010.

Remember how I told you to hurry up and get your seats on the Bowyer bandwagon? After an 11th-place finish to end the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I'm standing by that because Richard Childress Racing has finally gotten things figured out....

Remember how I told you to hurry up and get your seats on the Bowyer bandwagon? After an 11th-place finish to end the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I'm standing by that because Richard Childress Racing has finally gotten things figured out.

Then again, with finishes of fifth, ninth, second and second to end the season, this RCR drivers' bandwagon is going to get full in a hurry too. Don't say you weren't warned next year.

First winless year since going full-time in Cup in 2003, a 14th-place finish at a track where he has three career wins, a total of six laps led in the final seven races ... there's certainly a lot of disappointments to choose from this year for Biffle and Co. Roush Fenway...

First winless year since going full-time in Cup in 2003, a 14th-place finish at a track where he has three career wins, a total of six laps led in the final seven races ... there's certainly a lot of disappointments to choose from this year for Biffle and Co. Roush Fenway Racing needs to change something, Biffle is too talented to have a season like this.

A winless year after taking nine checkered flags in 2008, a total of seven laps led in the final 15 races ... there's certainly a lot of disappointments to choose from this year for Edwards and company. Roush Fenway Racing needs to change something, Edwards is too talented...

A winless year after taking nine checkered flags in 2008, a total of seven laps led in the final 15 races ... there's certainly a lot of disappointments to choose from this year for Edwards and company. Roush Fenway Racing needs to change something, Edwards is too talented to have a season like this.

Oh what the heck, see Biffle and Edwards to get the gist of what I would write here.

OK, I swear I'm retiring this one after today. The Franchise still doesn't have the talent to be in the top five, but he sure had enough to finish 15th at Homestead and 16th in the championship standings. There's plenty of drivers, especially you know who, that wish they...

OK, I swear I'm retiring this one after today. The Franchise still doesn't have the talent to be in the top five, but he sure had enough to finish 15th at Homestead and 16th in the championship standings. There's plenty of drivers, especially you know who, that wish they had enough talent to do that in 2009.

What do you think Kasey is more happy about: finishing 10th in the standings or being one year closer to free agency? Read this and you'll realize why I think it's...

What do you think Kasey is more happy about: finishing 10th in the standings or being one year closer to free agency? Read this and you'll realize why I think it's option B.

Three weeks in a Petty old-school paint scheme Ford, three finishes of 13th or better. Here's a tip to all the folks over at RPM: DONT CHANGE A THING ON THAT PAINT SCHEME DURING THE OFFSEASON.

Took a hit at Homestead (35th), but raise your hand if you thought at the beginning of the year that Ambrose would have a better season than three Daytona 500 winners (Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Waltrip), one former Cup champion (Bobby Labonte) and the greatest...

Took a hit at Homestead (35th), but raise your hand if you thought at the beginning of the year that Ambrose would have a better season than three Daytona 500 winners (Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Michael Waltrip), one former Cup champion (Bobby Labonte) and the greatest thing since sliced bread (Joey Logano)? Yeah, my hand's not raised either.

If you look at the pattern, Harvick has one good year (fourth in 2006, fourth in 2008), followed by a bad one (10th in 2007, 19th in '09), so you have to expect a tremendous rebound in 2010. Of course, the fact that he's driving for a contract doesn't hurt either....

If you look at the pattern, Harvick has one good year (fourth in 2006, fourth in 2008), followed by a bad one (10th in 2007, 19th in '09), so you have to expect a tremendous rebound in 2010. Of course, the fact that he's driving for a contract doesn't hurt either.

Everybody likes to talk about how things would look if the old standings were in place, but they usually only talk about the top guy. Consider this: Under the season-long format, Vickers' stumble during the final 10 races would've put him 16th. Luckily for him, he made the...

Everybody likes to talk about how things would look if the old standings were in place, but they usually only talk about the top guy. Consider this: Under the season-long format, Vickers' stumble during the final 10 races would've put him 16th. Luckily for him, he made the Chase in '09 and finishes the year 12th.