NASCAR » NASCAR Driver of the Year vote: Full results

Take a look at the final votes for the all 20 of our 2012 selected NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers - and find out what happened to those who didn't make the cut and languished further down.
NASCAR Driver of the Year vote: Full results
So we already know that Brad Keselowski came out on top - but now here's your chance to review the 2012 NASCAR Driver of the Year vote in full, with the final averaged ratings out of ten:

The top ten (link through to individual reports):
1. Brad Keselowski (Penske Racing) - rated 8.24
2. Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports) - rated 7.37
3. Clint Bowyer (Michael Waltrip Racing) - rated 7.15
4. Kasey Kahne (Hendrick Motorsports) - rated 6.78
5. Mark Martin (Michael Waltrip Racing) - rated 6.67
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Hendrick Motorsports) - rated 6.61
7. Marcos Ambrose (Richard Petty Motorsports) - rated 6.50
8. Martin Truex Jr. (Michael Waltrip Racing) - rated 6.14
9. Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports) - rated 5.98
10. Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing) - rated 5.94

The rest of the field:
11. Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway Racing) - rated 5.86
12. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) - rated 5.85
13. Tony Stewart (Stewart-Haas Racing) - rated 5.71
14. Kyle Busch (Joe Gibbs Racing) - rated 5.28
15. Aric Almirola (Richard Petty Motorsports) - rated 5.22
16. Ryan Newman (Stewart-Haas Racing) - rated 4.87
17. Kevin Harvick (Richard Childress Racing) - rated 4.78
18. Carl Edwards (Roush Fenway Racing) - rated 4.47
19. Joey Logano (Joe Gibbs Racing) - rated 4.44
20. Juan Montoya (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing) - rated 3.79

Many thanks for impressive number of ballots cast - we were really delighted by the level of response demonstrating just how much interest and enthusiasm the Crash.net community really has for NASCAR racing!

We've already summed up the top ten drivers, but it's worth pointing out the huge margin by which our winner, Brad Keselowski, topped the vote in the end - a mammoth gap over Jimmie Johnson, who himself had a pretty tidy margin over Clint Bowyer.

The other thing that stands out is just how far the 2011 mighty have fallen. Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards topped the vote last year, but this time around they can't even make it into the top ten. And we can't argue with the voters decision: after his fabulous Chase run at the end of last season, Stewart really did have a rather anonymous year as reigning Sprint Cup champion even if he did make it into the Chase. And as for Carl Edwards - his dismal season only adds more weight to the legend of the "curse of the Sprint Cup runner-up"!

It's clear that the Joe Gibbs Racing team continues to be not well thought of by Crash.net voters. All three JGR drivers fail to make the top ten, with Denny Hamlin only 12th despite getting into the Chase and finishing a perfectly creditable sixth in the standings. It's slightly surprising to see one of the bad boys of NASCAR, Kyle Busch, do as well as 14th in the circumstances after a season which he himself admitted had been "a huge disappointment," adding: "I can't seem to put it all together when it matters." You placed him down in 22nd place in 2011, but maybe you're giving him credit for better behaviour if not improved performance?

In any case, Kyle beat his nemesis Kevin Harvick, who despite making the Chase in 2012 had a pretty unhappy time of it this year. You voted Harvick into fifth place last year, but this time around he's down in 17th place which rather says it all. No wonder he's reportedly flirting with the idea of a move to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 when his current contract at Richard Childress Racing expires.

And as for Juan Montoya, not even his fans from his days of Grand Prix racing, nor his spectacular start to the season impacting the back of a jet dryer during the Daytona 500 last February, can save him from the ignominy of the wooden spoon. Surely things have to pick up for the Colombian in 2013 - or will he soon be calling it a day?


Tagged as:



Related Pictures

Clint Bowyer  driver of the #15 5-hour Energy Toyota, talks with crew chief Brian Pattie on pit road after an incident with Jeff Gordon driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on November 11, 2012 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo Credit: Tyler Barrick/Getty Images)
Jimmie Johnson, left, driver of the #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, talks with Clint Bowyer, driver of the #15 5-hour Energy Toyota, during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on Nov. 10, 2012, in Avondale, Ariz. (Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet speaks with members of the media during the NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 15, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet speaks with members of the media during the NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 15, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Brad Keselowski driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge and Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet speak with members of the media during the NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 15, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Brad Keselowski driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge speaks with members of the media during the NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 15, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Brad Keselowski driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge speaks with members of the media during the NASCAR Championship Contenders Press Conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 15, 2012 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images for NASCAR)
(Right to left) Ryan Newman leads AJ Allmendinger and the rest of the field to the final restart during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody`s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday in Martinsville, Va. (Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe`s Dover White Chevrolet, and Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, spin in front of Jeff Gordon (#24) after an on track incident during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway on April 27, 2013 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 The Home Depot/Husky Toyota, and Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Aflac Ford, lead the field into turn one after passing the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on April 21, 2013 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 The Home Depot/Husky Toyota, and Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Aflac Ford, lead the field to the green flag to start the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on April 21, 2013 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Geoff Burke/NASCAR via Getty Images)
Tony Stewart, driver of the #33 Oreo/Ritz Chevrolet, poses with the trophy after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series DRIVE4COPD 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 23, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo Credit: Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Regan Smith, driver of the #51 Guy Roofing Chevrolet, Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Fastenal Ford, and Trevor Bayne, driver of the #21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford, spin out after an incident during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Budweiser Duel 1 at Daytona International Speedway on February 21, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 Budweiser Chevrolet, and Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway on February 16, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/NASCAR via Getty Images)  (Photo Credit: John Harrelson/NASCAR via Getty Images)
Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick of Stewart Haas Racing on January 21, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo Credit: Jamey Price/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Carl Edwards drives the #99 Ford during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway on January 12, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Start the conversation - Add your comment

Please do not post any personal abuse or attacks.

  • (this will never be displayed, but is required for email notification of follow-up comments)

    Email me when this topic is updated.

Note: Your comment may take a few minutes to appear

Although the administrators and moderators of this website will attempt to keep all objectionable comments off these pages, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the poster, and neither Crash Media Group nor Crash.Net will be held responsible for the content of any message. We do not vouch for or warrant the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message, and are not responsible for the contents of any message. If you find a message objectionable, please contact us and inform us of the problem or use the [report] function next to the offending post. Any message that does not conform with the policy of this service can be edited or removed with immediate effect.