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Petty Enterprises hasn't won a race since 1999, and owner Richard Petty had to do something dramatic to turn things around. So in the off-season he moved the operation from his tiny family shop in Level Cross, N.C., to a sprawling complex in Mooresville, N.C., the hub of the sport. Petty hopes the new digs will help him recruit top talent, and it's already working out that way: He lured Jeff Meendering, the former car chief for Jeff Gordon, to be crew chief for Bobby Labonte.... Another underfunded team that will struggle to finish in the top 20 in points this season is Robby Gordon Motorsports. Gordon is the only full-time independent owner-driver in the series, and while he had two top 10 runs last season, he also finished 30th or worse 13 times.... Red Bull Racing Team, on the other hand, is flush with cash and has the man, Brian Vickers, who led more laps (106) than any other Toyota driver in 2007. Still, because their outfits are inexperienced, Vickers and teammate AJ Allmendinger are at least two years away from competing for a spot in the Chase.
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DRIVERS |
AGE |
CUP SEASON |
'07 POINTS STANDING |
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ROBBY GORDON |
39 |
10th |
26th |
| A hard charger every time he takes the green flag, this road-course expert is always a threat to win at Watkins Glen and Infineon Raceway. |
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JOE NEMECHEK |
44 |
15th |
37th |
| Front Row Joe is back with a full-time ride, and with his team, Furniture Row Racing, running Hendrick engines, he could occasionally contend.
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BRIAN VICKERS |
24 |
5th |
38th |
| A year after finishing 15th in points, he was hobbled by Toyota's growing pains and failed to qualify for 13 races in '07. Look for him to rebound.
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AJ ALLMENDINGER |
26 |
2nd |
43rd |
| Despite running poorly in qualifying, he pulled out three finishes of 18th or better. As he matures, his finishes should improve.
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KYLE PETTY |
47 |
29th |
35th |
| Winless in his last 391 starts, the son of the King will run a limited (30 or 31 races) schedule as part of his transition to the broadcast booth.
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BOBBY LABONTE |
43 |
16th |
18th |
| The '00 points champion had only three top 10s last year, his fewest since '94, but remains a resourceful racer who can rise to the occasion.
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| ENEMY LINES |
An insider on an opposing team sizes up the best of the rest
"I think Red Bull has a lot of good people in place, and they could surprise this season. I especially like AJ Allmendinger. He's a lot better than he showed last year.... Petty felt they had to move to be able to compete, but they just don't have the talent to consistently run well.... You've got to admire Robby Gordon's tenacity. It's impossible to be competitive as a single-car team, but he's out there doing his thing, and every once in a while he'll surprise you and run well." |
| BY THE NUMBERS |
| 11 CONSECUTIVE races for which Waltrip failed to qualify last year, after running 30th in the Daytona 500.
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-- Lars Anderson
