NASCAR: 10 Observations After 1/4 Of The Season

Amber Searls-USA TODAY Sports

Is 2015 The Year For Surprise Drivers?

Nine races into the season and there are a handful of drivers that have already exceeded the expectations of many analysts. Some of those drivers include Danica Patrick, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, Aric Almirola, Paul Menard and Clint Bowyer.

All of the above mentioned drivers are currently in the top-16 in points with Truex Jr., Kahne and McMurray in the top-10.

Truex Jr. is easily the biggest surprise of the group having finished inside of the top-10 in eight of the first nine races and he is sitting third in the point standings. The other drivers have shown consistency and/or have had some surprisingly strong finishes in 2015.

This isn’t to say that all of these drivers are going to make the chase or contend to win a title. However, it’s nice to see some different faces running inside of the top-10 and having success. Moving forward who knows, one of these drivers might make a run and turn even more heads as the season presses on.