Race For a Win: Part Two

In part one I looked at the win less drivers in 2013 who have a good chance to make the Chase with or without a win. In part two I will look at a few more drivers who have not found a win in 2013. These drivers however will most likely need at least one win this season to make the Chase. So lets get on with it and dive right in.

**If you missed it, check out Race For a Win: Part One here**

Denny Hamlin

Well Denny Hamlin finds himself in this situation by chance, bad luck, or whatever you want to call it. His back injury left him sitting on the sidelines being a cheerleader for part of the early season and it left him falling farther and farther back. DH needs to get into the top 20, stay there, and get a few wins to try and nab an WC spot.

A Look Ahead: Lucky for Denny he has won a bunch of races over the past few seasons. He has been racing pretty well since coming back from his injury but that will mean nothing if he doesn't finish first a few times. Nascar has two trips to Loudon (NH) that will be on DH's radar (2 wins, 7 top 5's, 10 top 10's in 14 career races). In fact, Hamlin only has one bad finish, 29th in 2011, at Loudon. The other 3 finishes not in the top 10 were 14th, 15th, and 15th. Unfortunately only the first trip can help his bid at the Chase. Keep an eye on Kentucky as well, as I think it will be a wild card for every driver since it will only be the third time Nascar has raced there.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• As strong as JGR has been, and the fact that DH has been very good when he is in the drivers seat leaves me saying yes. He will be a favorite at Loudon which is within the next 5 races and has a chance in 3 races at Kentucky. If he gets one in the next 5 he has a great chance at the Chase with ATL, Bristol, and Richmond all races he could get another late season win (before the Chase).

Kurt Busch

Kurt is in a place where he can drive all out every week, and that is exactly the style he likes. He has to get wins and he knows it. Kurt has been consistent enough to stay in the top 20 as of late but he will be a guy going for one of two WC spots.

A Look Ahead: Well Kurt has won at Sonoma and even had a 3rd place finish with Phoenix Racing last year. Sonoma is the huge wild card race because guys like Ambrose and JPM come into play there. But also guys like Gordon and past winners have a chance to steal one. Kurt doesn't have to rely on a road course though when he has places like Bristol and ATL in the future.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• I would love to say yes, and there is a chance, but so many guys will be pushing for one it will be very tough. If he has a shot look at either Atlanta or a late season win at Bristol where he use to be a top contender.

Aric Almirola

Here is a tough guy to call for the 2013 season. Its only Almirola's second full season but he has shown in stretches he can be consistent this season. I am not sure it will be enough to crack the top 10 though with so many guys in the middle of the pact fighting to get in. Almirola still doesn't have his first career win either, so its a tough road ahead.

A Look Ahead: This season has looked like the year he could get his first win though. Richmond and Daytona were good finishes for him this year and are both tracks Nascar will get back to before the Chase starts. He has had a short career so it is tough to point out spots, but I think he could make a good run at one of the Michigan races, if not both. He seems to run well at 1.5's as well so he will have some chances down the stretch.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• I predicted he would get one when he was on his top 10 run this season and I will stick by that. I am not sure when his first career win will come but other then Richmond and Daytona I would say watch out for him at the fast Michigan. He is still a long shot to get one though and an even farther long shot to get the WC spot.

Joey Logano

More top 5's (4) and half as many top 10's (6) as in 2012 (in less then half the races). JoLo has looked more comfortable with his new team and new teammate in 2013.  Joey has had some stretches this season where he has looked just as fast as guys like Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson, but he also had some stretched where he has struggled. Up and downs like that are not how you make or even win the Chase but JoLo still has a chance to get a WC.

A Look Ahead: Like I mentioned, he has been up front and looked tough in a few early season races this year, so in the back half he may have a chance to steal a few. The tough part is figuring out where? He has also been up and down at most the tracks in his career while trying to figure each one out. The next time Nascar visits Pocono or Charlotte JoLo will need to strike.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• Well he has been so good in a few races to think he wont get a win. Pocono, Charlotte, or possibly Daytona could be the remedy. I think he could find a win somewhere but I don't think he can steal a WC spot.

Ryan Newman

This has been quite the season for Newman. Last week at Dover he made no friends when getting impatient with Gilliland and they weren't even fighting for a top 15 spot. He also could be looking for a ride next year and has been dealing with the drama of Danica and a slumping Smoke.

A Look Ahead: Well it looks like Stewart-Hass may have turned a corner. Smoke seems to be out of his slump which takes all the talk about whether he can handle a 3 car team with Danica on it out of the question. This past week 2 SHR cars made the top 5. The past three seasons Newman has stolen a win, but just one win each year. Loudon is the track that you have to watch for him to get one, he has 3 career wins there.

Will he get one in 2013?

• He could be the driver that needs it the most. On a struggling team and the possibility of not having a major ride next year puts him the front runner to show what he has left. He has only finished in the top 10 in the standing twice since 2006 so he should be hungry. Unfortunately I don't think he will get one, but may come close.

Martin Truex Jr

Martin Truex Jr has not won a race since 6/4/07 at Dover so why is he on this list? Well because he is due and also because just a few short weeks ago he was 9th in points. Then he had an engine blow and followed that up with a weekend struggle at Pocono. He now finds himself a ways out looking in. That means breaking his win less streak is all the more important.

A Look Ahead: I will start with a look back first: He has 22 top 5's (6 of those 2nd place finishes) since his last win and 64 top 10's.  A place like Bristol could be what he needs. He can beat and bang to find a way to win his 2nd career race (His last 4: 12th, 11th, 3rd, and 2nd). Unfortunately for Truex the place he got his only career Nascar win will fall during the Chase so if he gets one it would have been too late for the #56 team.

Will he get one in 2013?

• I was pulling for him every week he was close early this year, but I just am not sure he has enough strong tracks left before the Chase. He could steal one during the Chase which would be bittersweet if he makes a run back in the point.

**Update 6/25/13: Well I have to say I was wrong about him pulling one out before the Chase, but in any case I will happily be wrong when I was pulling for the guy to snap out of it. It took 218 races but he finally got to taste sweet victory (In the form of wine this time). Now the question since he makes it off this list, will he get another one and will he make the Chase? The win makes it more and more likely but the last 10 races before the Chase will be heated.**

Well that gets a majority of the guys who will have a shot at a win in 2013. As statistic's go there are not enough races for all these guys to get wins. The guys like BK, Gordon, and Hamlin may steal more then one leaving guys like Almirola and Newman, and Truex left waiting for next year. Plus, wild cards like JPM (Sonoma, Watkins Glenn, Indianapolis), Marcus Ambrose (Road Courses), and Paul Menard (Indianapolis) all have a shot at a win in 2013. So who will get one in 2013 and better yet who will get a few and steal a WC spot and have a shot to get hot in the Chase?