The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup review

Tony Stewart labelled himself as the underdog entering the title-deciding NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup. He'd stumbled during the initial 26 races, and even did so during the 10-race play-off, but he fought back every time. Carl Edwards' consistency through the year - which was ramped up even further during the last 10 weeks - just wasn't enough to stop Stewart.

There was little indication that 40-year-old Stewart, the last driver to win a title before Jimmie Johnson's five-year reign started, could be so emphatic in the Chase. After all, he had failed to win a single race in 2011 before the 10-round finale started. His Stewart Haas team wasn't in an ideal situation either from an organisational standpoint, and a few weeks before the play-off he had gone on record saying his team wasn't worthy of a place in the title battle.

Early on at the Homestead finale, Edwards (r) was still leading the Chase © LAT

But then he started off with a bang, winning the first Chase event at Chicagoland, then winning a second one a week later at New Hampshire. For the next three weeks his results went from terrible to solid, until he scored back-to-back wins again, categorically beating reigning champion Johnson at arguably his best track with a rare overtaking move around the outside at Martinsville.

Texas portrayed the head-to-head battle that would unfold from then on with Edwards, as they rose above the field not only in points, but also in terms of on-track performance.

The Homestead finale seemed scripted to thrill. It was a classic; a race that will go down as one of the most exciting in sports history as the best two drivers of the season fought for victory and the title. There could have been many scenarios unfolding, but it came down to winner takes all. Edwards led the most laps, just as he led the championship for most of the year, but in the end Stewart had the right combination of speed and strategy to win. He wound up level on points with Edwards and ultimately beat the Roush Fenway Ford driver by virtue of winning half of the Chase races.

A key element in the title fight coming down to such an impossibly close finish was the new points system, which was on the edge of failing to deliver what NASCAR expected and instead came out looking as the ultimate ingredient to spice up the show. Had Edwards scored a single point more during the Chase, he would've beaten a driver whose win tally was undeniably worthy of a title. The stars clearly lined up at Homestead on that last Sunday of the season to provide what Americans call a 'game seven' moment - just the way you want to see a champion get his trophy.

The top 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in focus

1. Tony Stewart (Stewart Haas Chevrolet)
Points: 2403
Wins: 5
Other top fives: 4
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 4

Last January, Stewart was making headlines after getting into a physical altercation with a track owner in Australia, where he was competing in a sprintcar event. A few weeks later at Daytona, the talk was of a slimmer-looking Stewart, who revealed he had changed some of his eating habits in order to feel healthier. On the track he did enough to jump up to the points lead, coincidentally after Edwards claimed his only victory of the season at Las Vegas.

Through the summer his team parted ways with its competition director Bobby Hutchens, but it managed to keep the ball rolling to enter the Chase for the third year in a row. In the middle of the play-off Stewart's crew chief, Darian Grubb - instrumental in his success - was told he wouldn't return to his position next year. It was amazing therefore that they went on to win three more races and the title together. Only a few days after the season was done, Stewart recruited a new crew chief to defend his title next year, hiring former Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske man Steve Addington.

The move would seem cynical, but you can't argue against his decisions when faced with the facts. A lot has happened in the past 11 months for Stewart but his vision of success, both as a driver and a team owner, has always been on focus. His third title is one that the sport as a whole celebrates.

2. Carl Edwards (Roush Fenway Ford)
Points: 2403
Wins: 1
Other top fives: 18
Poles: 3
Fastest laps: 2

'Cousin Carl' for his part did almost everything he could to make the most of his best shot at the Sprint Cup, but in these play-off days you need more than consistency alone to become champion. In past years when he was a contender, Edwards had the exact opposite: plenty of wins - nine in 2008 - but not quite the same consistency as Johnson. No other driver finished second more times than he did this season (seven), starting with the Daytona 500 and finishing at the Homestead finale. That, sadly for him, sums it up. Just one of his trademark celebratory backflips during the Chase, or even one more during the regular season, would have given him the title.

Edwards' contract talks, which in the end came down to a wealthy, solid agreement to remain at Roush, may have been a distraction. But, if anything, Stewart had to hit a few more curved balls than he did.

His time will come, but this year it wasn't to be.

3. Kevin Harvick (Richard Childress Chevrolet)
Points: 2345
Wins: 4
Other top fives: 5
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 1

Different to Edwards, and queuing up behind him in points, the driver nicknamed 'The Closer,' for his ability to snatch victories from under his rivals' noses, showed plenty of potential during the regular season to be a true contender for the title for the second year in a row. Harvick scored four wins before the play-offs and then became the only driver other than Edwards and Stewart to lead the Chase.

His title bid then lost momentum at the Talladega roulette and his team didn't seem to be firing on all cylinders come crunch time either. As a consequence, some post-season changes have been made to his Richard Childress Racing crew at the driver's request for 2012.

4. Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway Ford)
Points: 2330
Wins: 3
Other top fives: 9
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 2

If it wasn't for his clashes at Martinsville and Phoenix with a reckless Brian Vickers, Kenseth would probably have been a third - albeit distant - title contender come Homestead. Save for a slow start at Chicagoland, where he was one of many running dry in the Chase opener's fuel-economy contest, the Roush Fenway man delivered his trademark consistency and added to that a victory a Charlotte in the heat of the title battle. Although Edwards was the team's title card, Kenseth won the most races of anyone within the Ford fold, making it three times to Victory Lane in 2011.

5. Brad Keselowski (Penske Dodge)
Points: 2319
Wins: 3
Other top fives: 7
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 0

Keselowski, like Kenseth, scored three victories. Although all of them came during the regular season, he was this year's revelation. Keselowski turned out to be Penske's man during most of the Chase, following his impressive surge in the weeks leading up to the play-off. He rose as high as third in points, and his fifth place in the championship in only his second full season in Cup is a remarkable accomplishment. Given the recent developments at Roger Penske's squad with the ousting of his 2011 team-mate Kurt Busch, Keselowski takes up the mantle of de facto team leader in 'The Captain's' boat in 2012.

6. Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Chevrolet)
Points: 2304
Wins: 2
Other top fives: 12
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 3

Down in sixth place in his worst Chase to date is outgoing champion Johnson. The Californian seemed to be gaining his usual momentum in the play-offs after a dominant win at Kansas, but only a week later he lost control of his title bid when he crashed at Charlotte. That was a rare occurrence for him, but one that somehow showed that his Hendrick crew just wasn't as rock solid as in previous seasons. He'll be back for more.

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr (Hendrick Chevrolet)
Points: 2290
Wins: 0
Top fives: 4
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 1

While much was obviously expected from Johnson, there weren't initially as high hopes for his team-mate Dale Earnhardt Jr, who just made it inside the top 10 in the points before the Chase began, meaning he would not be vulnerable to being eliminated from title contention due to his lack of victories. His seventh place in the standings is his best since joining Hendrick Motorsports and his partnership with Steve Letarte continues to move in the right direction. There were some sporadic flashes of brilliance, but his winless streak (now stretching back to June 15, 2008 at Michigan) continues to drag on. Among the Chase contenders he was the one leading the least laps during the playoffs; just a couple of turns at his beloved Talladega.

8. Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Chevrolet)
Points: 2287
Wins: 3
Other top fives: 12
Poles: 1
Fastest laps: 2

As usual, Hendrick Motorsports had most of its roster in title contention and in Jeff Gordon, the leading Cup organisation had another high card besides Johnson. The four-time champion had coupled great consistency with the ability to win races during the regular season, but unfortunately there was little of either in the Chase. It was a rather disappointing outcome after such a promising run earlier on, and thus for one more year winning the title under the Chase format continues to be impossible for Gordon.

9. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Toyota)
Points: 2284
Wins: 1
Other top fives: 4
Poles: 0
Fastest laps: 1

While Gordon and his crew chief Alan Gustafson, new for this year, seemed to hit if off well from a start, the pairing of Denny Hamlin and Mike Ford, which had a prolific 2010, wasn't as polished this season while trying to be legitimate title contenders once again. The fact that Ford won't be returning with Hamlin in 2012 all but confirms that they were not enjoying a smooth ride. Their choice to ditch Gibbs engines in favour of the TRD units before the play-off probably helped them get a head-start on 2012, but may well have backfired into their '11 prospects.

10. Ryan Newman (Stewart Haas Chevrolet)
Points: 2284
Wins: 1
Other top fives: 8
Poles: 3
Fastest laps: 3

Closing the top 10 in the rankings was the champion's team-mate, Ryan Newman. Many times during the year, Stewart had to rely on information and set-ups from him, adapting accordingly as their driving styles are not a footprint of each other (although neither are they complete opposites).

Stewart could hardly have a better team-mate, as they get on well both on a professional and personal level, helping bring stability to the swinging boat that Stewart Haas was at some points during the year. He won the team's only race in the regular season, which was in fact the first one-two finish for Stewart Haas Racing.

Any other business...

Sadly, two of NASCAR's most talented drivers ended up making the headlines for the wrong reasons a number of times during the year, most notably in the last few weeks. After Talladega Kyle Busch wasn't really a contender, and then it all went horribly wrong when he failed to manage his temper in a Truck Series race at Texas, where he blatantly put Ron Hornaday in the wall and felt he was right in doing so.

Not Kyle Busch's finest hour; wrecking with Hornaday (33) in Texas truck race © LAT

That was the final drop in a cup already full from previous outbursts, just when it seemed a 'new' Kyle had emerged. He didn't lose his drive at Joe Gibbs Racing, but that possibility was certainly open to the squad after NASCAR did its part in parking him for the rest of the weekend. His main sponsor in the Cup wasn't happy and duly removed its backing for the final two races. It was an episode from which he claimed he expects to emerge a 'better person', but only time will tell if he can channel his emotions in a more productive way.

Similar remarks were made by his older brother Kurt just this week after Penske announced he would not be returning to the team next year. The 2004 Cup champion seemed to be gaining momentum through the summer months, then won the third race of the Chase at Dover. But when things didn't go his way, he probably didn't find the right way to motivate his team and keep morale up. Instead, his ranting over the radio at crew chief Steve Addington became a frequent topic, and his behaviour with some media did little for his reputation.

At Homestead, he blew it completely when he was caught by his in-car camera making an obscene hand gesture, and then when a fan recorded his abusing of a well-respected TV reporter who was trying to get his impression following an early transmission failure in the season finale. Those actions were enough to trigger a break-up that was presented as 'mutual', but can hardly be seen as such. Kurt Busch has all but placed his Cup career in jeopardy, and the fact that he and his brother ranked at the bottom of the Chase standings is no coincidence.

Montoya (42) started strongly at Daytona, but faded as the year went on © LAT

Besides what happens with them in 2012, it remains to be seen how the series of driver/crew chief changes will affect the established order next season. Since the final race of the year there have been at least six announcements from top teams, starting with the Stewart Haas recruitment of Addington to pair with Stewart. At JGR there's change for Hamlin, at RCR there will be new crew chiefs for two of the three drivers - Harvick and Jeff Burton - while their outgoing team-mate Clint Bowyer will get Brian Pattie at Michael Waltrip Racing.

Pattie's previous driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, also gets a new crew chief coming from Hendrick Motorsports, with his Earnhardt Ganassi team in the middle of its biggest personnel reshuffle in recent years following a disappointing season (although he started well).

From a technical standpoint all eyes will be on the new fuel-injection system, which may eventually become a topic if teams find the 'grey areas' on that front, while fans expect to see a different style of racing next February at Daytona. The usual tandem racing of this year continues to be reviewed by NASCAR, which is hoping to find a way of breaking them up and making them less effective.

As usual, while another season is in the books, a new one is already being written.