The Daytona 500 Is 2 Weeks Away, Check Out Some Preseason Rankings!

The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season is fast approaching, with the Bud Shootout starting the racing action next Saturday night in Daytona.  It's never too early to look at who the top drivers are as we begin a brand new decade of NASCAR.  As the season is upon us, here's a look at the pre-season top 20, compliments of The Blitzburgh Pit Stop.  The puns will come later once the season gets going and the drivers start giving me stuff to work with.

20.David Reutimann: David came ohh so close to making the Chase in 2009, and had his best year in his short Sprint Cup career.  I'm thinking he might make the Chase, but he starts off just a little bit lower based on his slight tumble late in the year.

19.Jeff Burton: He and the rest of RCR fell off the face of the earth in 2009, but all started to improve late in the year.  I'll be honest, this is based on 2009 performance, but I look for Burton to make his way up the ladder pretty quick if the last dozen races are an indication of 2010.

18.Kevin Harvick: I have him low to begin, but like Jeff Burton, I fully expect Happy to move up through the rankings based on what we all saw from RCR.  By Richmond in September, he should be right around the Chase, if not already in it.

17.Brad keselowski: I'm excited to see what this kid can do with a full-time ride.  He certainly earned it based on his performance in 2009, including the win at Talladega.

16.Clint Bowyer: Like the other 2 RCR guys, I'm thinking Bowyer will make the Chase.  With a brand new team, he was great out of the gate, but struggled closer to the start of the Chase.  It's hard predicting the top 12 this year.  I think Clint can make it, but I also see there being a clusterf*** for the final Chase spot.

15.Kasey Kahne: Kahne is one guy I see missing the Chase who made it in 2009.  I don't think RPM will be as good as they were in the engine department, and I still don't understand the switch to Ford.  I know they merged, but Kasey was doing just fine in a Dodge...bottom line, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  They tried to fix it and IMHO they're gonna end up breaking it.

14.Greg Biffle: The Biff is another one I foresee missing the Chase after making it last year.  He has a habit of doing that, a good year followed by a narrow miss the next.  He nearly won the title in 2005, missed the Chase the next 2 years, was a true dark horse in 2008, and made the Chase last year but just sort of hovered right around the middle, and had his first winless season as a Cup driver.

13.Kurt Busch: He may have finished 4th in 2009, but make no mistake, that big stink with Pay Tryson WILL have an effect in 2010.  Kurt will win a race or two, but he'll just miss the Chase this year, thanks to having to rebuild with a new crew chief.

THE CHASERS

12.Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Yes, Junior will make the Chase in 2010, by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin.  What he'll do in the Chase is a different story, but 2010 will be a better year than 2009.

11.Matt Kenseth: He missed the Chase in 2009 for the very first time.  There's no way he misses out two years in a row though.  Matt will be back in the Chase in 2010, and I'd almost put money on that in Vegas, he's too consistent to miss for a second year.

Check page two for the top ten.