Happy New Year: NASCAR Addition

Well the new year is upon us and in the NASCAR world a few drivers are thinking "about time!" NASCAR Behind the Wall is going to take a fast look at some drivers that want to forget about 2013 and move on in the new year and season.

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin entered 2013 like any other season, ready to make the Chase and try to finally bring home a Championship. After Vegas, fans got to see an all out boxing match with Joey Logano and DH that festered into Fontana, and that is where Hamlin's season pretty much ended. DH never quite made it back to 100% all season, but he did happen to finish the season as the last winner in 2013, and for that reason he is looking forward to 2014 and getting back to the Chase.



Brad Keselowski

Coming into 2013 BK was NASCAR's defending Champion and showed why when he started the season hot. Then came some suspicious rear end housings and NASCAR penalties including losing Paul Wolfe for a few races. Once they were reunited the #2 team went through everything from in race penalties, to parts of there car ripping off, to just plain bad luck. BK never really bounced back but he did steal a Chase win away from contenders and for that reason he is looking forward to 2014 and getting back to Championship form.

Carl Edwards

Carl started 2013 by winning race number two at Phoenix and breaking his win less streak (he didn't win at all in 2012). Carl then won the last race before the Chase (Richmond) to get back into the Chase after missing it for the first time in his career. Everything sounds great right? Why would Carl want to forget 2013 and get the new year started? Well, the Chase happened. Carl started the season on a good note but after finishing the Chase in last place (our first ever 13th place finisher in the Chase) Carl wants to forget 2013 and for that reason move onto 2014 and try putting it together for a full season.

Tony Stewart

What didn't happen to Smoke in 2013? Stewart started the season off slow which has become a staple of his, and then it seemed he was starting to heat up. Everyone started talking about him and that maybe Smoke is ready to get into his "summer hot" stretch. After a few sprint car incidents came up Smoke finally ran out of luck in a crash and ended up with a broken leg that ended his season. Stewart had to sit out (and possibly stop eating so many soda cookies) and for the reason he is looking forward to 2014 and his new SHR teammates making a splash.

Honorary Mention: Martin Truex Jr, Kasey Kahne, and Paul Menard.

Happy New Year to the NASCAR World. We are that much closer to the 2014 season beginning. Let the count down to Daytona continue!