| Rank |
Name |
Age |
Reason |
| 1. |
Kasey Kahne |
26 |
With the blue eyes to sell Pumas to middle school girls and the lead foot to challenge for the Cup, Kahne is an owner's dream. With only one DNF so far this year, Kahne is proving he can become the consistent driver needed to win a championship. |
| 2. |
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
|
31
|
Ten thousand drunks in red at every track and Budweiser commercials on television every eight minutes can't be wrong¿Junior can move merchandise. He's not the championship threat of the other top five on this list, but as Michael Waltrip's career proves, winning is secondary to pleasing sponsors in today's NASCAR. |
| 3. |
Jimmie Johnson
|
30
|
His well-rounded driving skills make him a threat at every track. His engaging personality makes sponsors swoon. His eyebrows inspire thousands of hedge trimmer sales at Lowe's. |
| 4. |
Tony Stewart
|
34
|
It wouldn't surprise me if Tony won the next five championships¿he's that talented. It also wouldn't surprise me if he keeled over from a massive coronary on Thursday¿he's that bloated. |
| 5. |
Kyle Busch
|
20
|
As long as Kyle can avoid any more Taco Bell parking lot incidents, he won't pass his brother for the "Biggest Jerk on the Track" title. While his hard-headedness doesn't earn him many friends, his hard charging could earn him several titles. |
| 6. |
Jeff Gordon
|
35
|
Last year's slip from the top 10 was an anomaly, but Gordon is no longer the threat to win every weekend that he used to be. Whether he's lost some of his passion or his equipment no longer allows him to dominate, today's Jeff Gordon is clearly not the Jeff Gordon of '95¿'98. With nothing left to prove as a racer—and the chance to hang with Kelly Ripa every morning—you have to wonder if Jeff will still be racing when he's 45. |
| 7. |
Carl Edwards
|
26
|
A year ago, I'd have ranked Carl in the top three, but this year's inconsistency cast a bit of doubt on Mr. Victory Flip. Then again, my 1-for-5 prediction performance in Phoenix has cast a bit of doubt on my abilities to distinguish John Lovitz' anus from the Grand Canyon. |
| 8. |
Matt Kenseth
|
34
|
With the exception of the first half of 2005, Kenseth might be the best driver of the last four seasons. The media pays such little attention to Kenseth, however, that you would never hear his name on SportsCenter if not for Jeff Gordon's seventh-grade girl shove. |
| 9. |
Kurt Busch
|
27
|
Is Busch talented enough to win another title? Of course. Is he arrogant and angry enough to get chased away from another team with torches and pitchforks? You betcha. A team sponsored by Al Qaeda wouldn't get booed as loudly as Busch¿not exactly the response sponsors are looking for when they sign a million-dollar deal. |
| 10. |
Nicole Lunders a.k.a. Greg Biffle
|
36
|
Signing Nicole is actually a package deal. You get boyfriend Greg Biffle as your driver and Nicole as your pit row enforcer. It's like hiring Jimmy Spencer¿without the police blotter. |
