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2017 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Recap: Playoff Drivers
By Steve Luvender | Published: December 5, 2017 17
Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
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The 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season was a thrilling one. Here's NASCAR.com's Steve Luvender's recap for each of the 16 playoff drivers.
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16th: Ryan Newman
Thumbs Up:
-- Whatever he’s done with his hair this season is working.
Thumbs Down:
-- Riveting banter with teammate Paul Menard will be no more with Menard going to a new team.
2018 Prediction:
-- Newman’s sponsor Caterpillar will continue to reject his proposal to change the No. 31 car to a bulldozer in 2018.
Thumbs Up:
-- Whatever he’s done with his hair this season is working.
Thumbs Down:
-- Riveting banter with teammate Paul Menard will be no more with Menard going to a new team.
2018 Prediction:
-- Newman’s sponsor Caterpillar will continue to reject his proposal to change the No. 31 car to a bulldozer in 2018.
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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
15th: Kasey Kahne
Thumbs Up:
-- Still dreamy as ever.
Thumbs Down:
-- As the driver of the No. 95 car next year, he’ll have to fend off requests from rabid 'Cars' fans looking for Lightning McQueen’s autograph.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kasey Kahne leaves Hendrick Motorsports and joins Leavine Family Racing for 2018, where he’ll probably fare better than some of the team’s previous drivers, Scott Speed and Reed Sorenson.
Thumbs Up:
-- Still dreamy as ever.
Thumbs Down:
-- As the driver of the No. 95 car next year, he’ll have to fend off requests from rabid 'Cars' fans looking for Lightning McQueen’s autograph.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kasey Kahne leaves Hendrick Motorsports and joins Leavine Family Racing for 2018, where he’ll probably fare better than some of the team’s previous drivers, Scott Speed and Reed Sorenson.
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14th: Kurt Busch
Thumbs Up:
-- Uhh, he won the Daytona 500. That’s good.
Thumbs Down:
-- Thanksgiving probably awkward since brother Kyle continues to make the Championship 4.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kurt Busch will probably sign a contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing for 2018 before the end of the 2018 racing season.
Thumbs Up:
-- Uhh, he won the Daytona 500. That’s good.
Thumbs Down:
-- Thanksgiving probably awkward since brother Kyle continues to make the Championship 4.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kurt Busch will probably sign a contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing for 2018 before the end of the 2018 racing season.
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13th: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won’t ever get sick because of all the vitamin C in SunnyD.
Thumbs Down:
-- His dad totally embarrassed him trying to reach Victory Lane at Talladega.
2018 Prediction:
-- Patriotic Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will offer to sing the national anthem in at least one race.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won’t ever get sick because of all the vitamin C in SunnyD.
Thumbs Down:
-- His dad totally embarrassed him trying to reach Victory Lane at Talladega.
2018 Prediction:
-- Patriotic Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will offer to sing the national anthem in at least one race.
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12th: Jamie McMurray
Thumbs Up:
-- Kind of neat that the McDonald’s car has a driver named McMurray and a crew chief named McCall.
Thumbs Down:
-- Outshone a bit by teammate Kyle Larson, but maybe McMurray did that on purpose to avoid being injured by an overexcited Chip Ganassi.
2018 Prediction:
-- McDonald’s gives out free medium fries with their app when McMurray scores a top-10 finish, so let’s hope he continues his trend of good finishes.
Thumbs Up:
-- Kind of neat that the McDonald’s car has a driver named McMurray and a crew chief named McCall.
Thumbs Down:
-- Outshone a bit by teammate Kyle Larson, but maybe McMurray did that on purpose to avoid being injured by an overexcited Chip Ganassi.
2018 Prediction:
-- McDonald’s gives out free medium fries with their app when McMurray scores a top-10 finish, so let’s hope he continues his trend of good finishes.
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Photo by Mike Comer/Getty Images
11th: Austin Dillon
Thumbs Up:
-- Made the ‘yoffs for the second consecutive year.
Thumbs Down:
-- Only won one more race than his brother.
2018 Prediction:
-- Austin Dill from Lewisville has a season on par with his past few -- or better, if he’s lucky.
Thumbs Up:
-- Made the ‘yoffs for the second consecutive year.
Thumbs Down:
-- Only won one more race than his brother.
2018 Prediction:
-- Austin Dill from Lewisville has a season on par with his past few -- or better, if he’s lucky.
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Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
10th: Jimmie Johnson
Thumbs Up:
-- He’s Jimmie Johnson.
Thumbs Down:
-- Didn’t become “Eight-Time” … yet.
2018 Prediction:
-- Jimmie Johnson will be back to his Jimmie Johnson ways in 2018. Boom, confetti.
Thumbs Up:
-- He’s Jimmie Johnson.
Thumbs Down:
-- Didn’t become “Eight-Time” … yet.
2018 Prediction:
-- Jimmie Johnson will be back to his Jimmie Johnson ways in 2018. Boom, confetti.
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9th: Ryan Blaney
Thumbs Up:
-- Won his first career race, breaking a longstanding tie with father, Dave Blaney.
Thumbs Down:
-- Angered Dale Jr. fans at Phoenix in the spring.
2018 Prediction:
-- Ryan Blaney moves to a new No. 12 Team Penske Ford in 2018. Everybody will refer to Paul Menard, the new No. 21 driver, as Blaney until at least May.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won his first career race, breaking a longstanding tie with father, Dave Blaney.
Thumbs Down:
-- Angered Dale Jr. fans at Phoenix in the spring.
2018 Prediction:
-- Ryan Blaney moves to a new No. 12 Team Penske Ford in 2018. Everybody will refer to Paul Menard, the new No. 21 driver, as Blaney until at least May.
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Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images
8th: Kyle Larson
Thumbs Up:
-- Won four races in a breakout season.
Thumbs Down:
-- Got beat up by an excited team owner after a big win at Michigan.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kyle Larson again contends for a championship with new primary sponsor Credit One Bank. He also hits the outside wall by running too close to it at least once — mark it down.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won four races in a breakout season.
Thumbs Down:
-- Got beat up by an excited team owner after a big win at Michigan.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kyle Larson again contends for a championship with new primary sponsor Credit One Bank. He also hits the outside wall by running too close to it at least once — mark it down.
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Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images
7th: Matt Kenseth
Thumbs Up:
-- Rode off into the sunset with an impressive win at Phoenix.
Thumbs Down:
-- Kenseth’s retirement means a huge reduction in total dad jokes from post-race interviews.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kenseth performs no worse than Dale Earnhardt Jr. next year.
Thumbs Up:
-- Rode off into the sunset with an impressive win at Phoenix.
Thumbs Down:
-- Kenseth’s retirement means a huge reduction in total dad jokes from post-race interviews.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kenseth performs no worse than Dale Earnhardt Jr. next year.
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6th: Denny Hamlin
Thumbs Up:
-- Only 75 days until the Daytona 500 -- right, Denny?
Thumbs Down:
-- Managed to upset the entire town of Dawsonville, Georgia in one corner of one race.
2018 Prediction:
-- Denny Hamlin seems confident he’ll contend for the 2018 title, and the numbers seem to indicate the FedEx-sponsored driver can deliver (sorry).
Thumbs Up:
-- Only 75 days until the Daytona 500 -- right, Denny?
Thumbs Down:
-- Managed to upset the entire town of Dawsonville, Georgia in one corner of one race.
2018 Prediction:
-- Denny Hamlin seems confident he’ll contend for the 2018 title, and the numbers seem to indicate the FedEx-sponsored driver can deliver (sorry).
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Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images
5th: Chase Elliott
Thumbs Up:
-- Made the Playoffs -- and nearly the Championship 4.
Thumbs Down:
-- Really hates it for his guys that Denny Hamlin drove over his car at Martinsville.
2018 Prediction:
-- Moving to the No. 9 car in 2018 -- a change in number only -- Elliott will pick up on his solid 2017 and finally score that first win.
Thumbs Up:
-- Made the Playoffs -- and nearly the Championship 4.
Thumbs Down:
-- Really hates it for his guys that Denny Hamlin drove over his car at Martinsville.
2018 Prediction:
-- Moving to the No. 9 car in 2018 -- a change in number only -- Elliott will pick up on his solid 2017 and finally score that first win.
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Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
4th: Brad Keselowski
Thumbs Up:
-- Won three races -- and didn’t cut his hand on a champagne bottle in Victory Lane.
Thumbs Down:
-- Kyle Busch doesn’t like him
-- Kyle Busch really doesn’t like him.
2018 Prediction:
-- Brad Keselowski has a solid 2018 and eclipses the 100 top fives mark.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won three races -- and didn’t cut his hand on a champagne bottle in Victory Lane.
Thumbs Down:
-- Kyle Busch doesn’t like him
-- Kyle Busch really doesn’t like him.
2018 Prediction:
-- Brad Keselowski has a solid 2018 and eclipses the 100 top fives mark.
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Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
3rd: Kevin Harvick
Thumbs Up:
-- Made the Championship 4 with a downright clutch victory at Texas.
Thumbs Down:
-- Didn’t earn his fans a Bloomin’ Onion in 13 races.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kevin Harvick will again compete for a championship and lead the way for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2018.
Thumbs Up:
-- Made the Championship 4 with a downright clutch victory at Texas.
Thumbs Down:
-- Didn’t earn his fans a Bloomin’ Onion in 13 races.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kevin Harvick will again compete for a championship and lead the way for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2018.
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2nd: Kyle Busch
Thumbs Up:
-- Won pretty much all the stages Martin Truex Jr. decided not to win.
Thumbs Down:
-- Had a slight disagreement with Joey Logano after the race in Las Vegas.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kyle Busch is an obvious perennial contender for the championship, it’s only fitting for the No. 18 to go for it in ‘18.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won pretty much all the stages Martin Truex Jr. decided not to win.
Thumbs Down:
-- Had a slight disagreement with Joey Logano after the race in Las Vegas.
2018 Prediction:
-- Kyle Busch is an obvious perennial contender for the championship, it’s only fitting for the No. 18 to go for it in ‘18.
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1st: Martin Truex Jr.
Thumbs Up:
-- Won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, which is probably something Truex and team were hoping to get around to doing at some point.
Thumbs Down:
-- Probably still washing the slime out of his fire suit from winning at Chicagoland.
2018 Prediction:
-- Martin Truex Jr. will win at least one stage in 2018. (Setting the bar ridiculously low so I can be right.)
Thumbs Up:
-- Won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, which is probably something Truex and team were hoping to get around to doing at some point.
Thumbs Down:
-- Probably still washing the slime out of his fire suit from winning at Chicagoland.
2018 Prediction:
-- Martin Truex Jr. will win at least one stage in 2018. (Setting the bar ridiculously low so I can be right.)