Remember '08 season for the (good, bad) moments (cont'd)

Most ridiculous moment
It's not even close. After the season-opening Daytona 500, it could be argued that the July race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is considered stock-car racing's next greatest showcase event (although admittedly more for the spectacle of it all rather than the actual substance of the racing there). Instead, tire issues turned the latest Sprint Cup run at the Brickyard into an absolute joke (read more | watch video). The greatest irony of it all was when NASCAR, after waving a competition caution flag every 10 laps all afternoon in front of a disappointed and at times enraged crowd, had the audacity afterward to circulate a press release bragging about how many green-flag passes there were during the event. This race needs to be fixed by next year, and it will require some extensive testing by someone to ensure that it is. That opens up another can of controversy that no doubt will spilleth over at a later date.

Runner-up: Kyle Busch being indignant that Edwards gave him a little tap to make the pass for the win during the night race at Bristol (watch video), and then seemingly failing to grasp that his post-race bump on the cool-down lap didn't deserve retaliation by Edwards (watch video). Adding to the ridiculousness of the incident was NASCAR's decision to punish both drivers equally. Busch was the one out of line with his actions.

The collapse of the No. 18 in the Chase was nothing short of shocking.

Whatever happened to ...
Busch, of course. He won eight of the first 22 races, when he and crew chief Steve Addington had the No. 18 Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing looking invincible. But while Busch continued to have it dialed in as a driver in the Nationwide Series and the Craftsman Truck Series the rest of the way, he struggled mightily on the Cup side down the stretch. The collapse of the No. 18 in the Chase was nothing short of shocking. It will be interesting to see if he builds on the success he had overall on the Cup side in '09, or if he blows up at the first hint of adversity or failure. Only then will the world know if the kid really has matured.

Runner-up: Earnhardt. He began the season by winning the Bud Shootout and his 150-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 -- two non-points events -- and was in the top 10 in points for 34 of the 36 weeks that make up the season. But after getting as high as second and staying there for a one-month stretch, his slow slide backward began not long after he won at Michigan. He finished the season a disappointing 12th in points.

Biggest surprise
For the first time in 15 years, Jeff Gordon failed to get his No. 24 Chevy to Victory Lane (read more). There were days when it seemed it was inevitable because, after all, he is Jeff Gordon. And he ended up finishing a respectable seventh in points. But one year after winning six races and being Johnson's closest Cup competitor, he and crew chief Steve Letarte didn't seem to fully grasp how to most effectively steer NASCAR's new car. Heading into 2009, some of the most nagging questions in the sport will be dogging them: Will they catch up and was that all it was? Or is Gordon, at age 37, beginning to lose more than a little of his once-awesome driver magic? My bet is on the former rather than the latter.

Runner-up: For the first time in seven years, Matt Kenseth failed to win a race in his No. 17 Ford. While Roush Fenway teammates Edwards and Greg Biffle won multiple times (OK, it was only twice for Biffle), he shockingly got shut out.

Most improved
David Ragan once was called "a dart without feathers" by Tony Stewart because of the reckless manner in which Ragan often piloted his No. 6 Ford for Roush Fenway. That changed this year, when Ragan was one of the most consistent drivers of all during the second half of the season. He finished 13th in points -- just outside of the Chase -- and will be in it next season if he takes the next logical step and begins winning some races.

Runner-up: A.J. Allmendinger deserved a better fate than the one dealt him by Red Bull Racing. The guy sat patiently -- watching and learning -- when he was replaced by Mike Skinner for five races early in the season, then put that new-found knowledge to work. Releasing him when he appeared to be on the upswing for an intriguing but as yet unproven talent such as Scott Speed was a mistake. (Continued)