Little E, Kahne among drivers under pressure in 2007

	After racing to six wins last year, Kasey Kahne will be expected by many to contend for the Cup title this season. AP
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Which drivers have the most to prove during the coming 2007 Nextel Cup season? Who is under the most pressure? Here's a list of the 10 drivers who will be feeling the most heat in the next few months.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: In the last year of his contract, Earnhardt needs to answer Teresa Earnhardt's question: Does he want to be a NASCAR driver or a public personality? Dale Jr. drives for DEI, which is owned by his stepmother, Teresa. Because of his legacy and popularity, there's no doubt that Dale Jr. will sign a fat contract sometime soon. Will the contract be with a team that can help him win the Nextel Cup? Even more tantamount than Earnhardt's contract is his place in history. Will he ever win a Nextel Cup championship? Is he just good or can he be great?

Kasey Kahne: The Dodge driver takes over the role of the "popular, young driver who has shown great success but never won a championship." Until last November, Jimmie Johnson played the part, which he abandoned in winning his first title. Dale Jr. doesn't count because he's in a class all his own. Kahne was named to People magazine's list of top bachelors in '04, then led the Nextel Cup series with six victories in '06, but it won't matter what he does until he wins a title.

Michael Waltrip: The two-time Daytona 500 doesn't really have to excel behind the wheel, but that would make his life a lot easier. Waltrip is under pressure to perform as a team owner, since he goes out on his own this year as part of Toyota's initial foray into Nextel Cup. Michael Waltrip Racing is seen as Toyota's flagship team and will field Camrys for Waltrip, Dale Jarrett and rookie David Reutimann. Sponsors include NAPA, UPS, Burger King and Domino's Pizza -- and making them and Toyota happy will be job No. 1.

Juan Pablo Montoya: The easy-to-like Colombian is going down a path that no other driver has taken, making the jump from Formula One to Nextel Cup. Montoya's biggest successes came in CART, where his critics say that dominant cars carried him. Montoya was a moderate success in Formula One, winning races but never challenging for a season title. But with the worldwide popularity, many fans will expect a Formula One driver to be superior to NASCAR drivers, so even a moderately successful year could still doom Montoya around the world. But moderate success will probably make him a superhero in the United States, with his charming personality, aggressive driving style and popularity among Latino community.

Ward Burton: The veteran sat out all of '05 and made just three starts in '06. It wasn't that he didn't want to race, but he couldn't land a ride. He's got a full-time seat with Morgan-McClure Motorsports for this season, but it could be the last of his career if he doesn't perform.

Jamie McMurray: McMurray wiggled his way out of the last year of his contract with Chip Ganassi to race for Roush in '06. He bombed, finishing 25th in the points. That's a big disappointment to everyone, especially since he signed one of the biggest contracts in the sport with Roush. This season he must prove he's worth the money.

Kurt Busch: Busch is another driver who jumped ship, working his way out of the final year of a deal with Roush Racing. Less than a year after winning the '04 Nextel Cup title, Busch signed with Penske Racing to replace a retiring Rusty Wallace in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. Busch responded by finishing 16th in the points and winning just one race in '06. Busch has added to his problems by alienating most NASCAR drivers and most NASCAR fans with an immature attitude.

Jeremy Mayfield: He complained enough about how bad things were at Evernham Motorsports that he got released from his contract. In '07, Mayfield will drive a Toyota for Bill Davis Racing, and it is time to produce or shut up for Mayfield. If he gets off to a bad start, no matter what the real reasons, the NASCAR community will believe the ultimate problem lies with Mayfield.

The Rookies of 2006: Denny Hamlin was the biggest surprise and looks like the real deal. Clint Bowyer also produced, but Reed Sorenson, David Stremme and J.J. Yeley need to show some promise or they will be looking for new jobs. Martin Truex, Jr., the DEI driver and former Busch champion, was the biggest disappointment.

David Ragan: Ragan is at the vortex where two groups of drivers under the gun meet: Roush Racing drivers and the rookie Class of '07. Roush had all five of its drivers in the '05 Chase for the Championship, but just two in '06. And one of those, Mark Martin, will race for a new team in '07. Ragan will actually replace Martin in the No. 6 Ford. In the few races Ragan started in '06, he made enemies by banging off opponents like he was a pinball. NASCAR actually kept him off the 1.5-mile ovals at the end of the season because of his performance at Martinsville Speedway, where he wrecked several times.