The Look Of A Champ

16 Ryan NEWMAN

2007 FINISH:
13th place; 0 wins; 15 top 10s
HIS FIVE poles were second only to Jeff Gordon's seven, but Flyin' Ryan never overcame a slow start that had him 24th in the points at the end of April. His five top 10s in the Chase could portend better things.

17 Jeff BURTON

2007 FINISH:
8th place; 1 win; 18 top 10s
THE unflappable Burton looked like a Cup contender through the first three months of '07. Now he and crew chief Scott Miller need to overcome the handling issues that hurt them for much of last season.

18 Sam HORNISH JR.

2007 FINISH:
Rookie
EXPECT the two-time IndyCar Series champ to struggle in his first year until he learns how to handle his car. There's no doubting his talent, though, and he should be the top rookie of '08.

19 Kasey KAHNE

2007 FINISH:
19th place; 0 wins; 8 top 10s
HE WAS compromised in '07 by faulty testing data and owner Ray Evernham's weak CoT program. But with a tough year of learning under his belt, the talented Kahne could produce another big season.

20 Dario FRANCHITTI

2007 FINISH:
Rookie
THIS IS one high-profile rookie: The reigning IndyCar champ and Indy 500 winner, Franchitti is married to Ashley Judd. He's also a road-course ace, who'll be a threat to win at Infineon and the Glen.