Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, and Kasey Kahne, driver of the #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2013
Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Several of NASCAR’s top drivers in the Sprint Cup Series have found themselves behind in the point standings after two races in the 2013 season.
2012 Chasers, with disappointing results this season include, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, and Martin Truex Jr, along with Kyle Busch, although not a Chaser last year, did have a strong finish to his season. All four of these drivers currently sit 30th or worse in the point standings and will be chasing a good finish in the Kobalt Tools 400 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend.
No one is in panic mode after just two races, but all are anxious to reverse their current trend in their next race on Sunday. All of these drivers have had something out of their control put them behind their goals for the season.
After a stellar performance in Speedweek non-point races, the Sprint Unlimited and the Budweiser Duel, it appeared Kevin Harvick had the bull by its proverbial horns with two wins. But in the season opener Daytona 500, Harvick, wrecked early and finished 42nd, matching his career-worst finish. Kahne was involved in that same wreck and finished 36th.
At Phoenix, Truex suffered mechanical problems landing him in 36th place. Kyle Busch has pushed through many of the same issues that plagued his 2012 – namely, an engine issue at Daytona and a spin at Phoenix that took him out of contention.
A native of Las Vegas, Kyle Busch hopes to relive some of his past glory at his hometown track. Although his last three finishes have been subpar: 15th, 38th and 23rd; prior to that, Busch had four top-tens in five races – including a win in 2009.
Harvick has an average Vegas finish of 13.0; Kahne has a track-record three Coors Light poles at Vegas; and Truex has one Vegas top-ten, a sixth in 2011.
Looking toward the Kobalt Tools 400 to be a game changer for this quartet of Sprint Cup drivers, it will be interesting to see if any of them hit the jackpot at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
