NASCAR: Five Drivers Looking Forward To 2016

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Stewart

Three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart will begin his farewell tour in 2016.

Stewart may not want all of the attention that Jeff Gordon received but he certainly deserves it. Stewart’s accomplishments in NASCAR more than speak for themselves despite the fact that he has been a non factor since 2013. For Stewart and the No. 14 team, 2016 will be about recapturing the magic that made Stewart great before he hangs up his helmet for good.

Injuries, the accident and inconsistencies have sidetracked Stewart of the last three seasons and the results have been brutal.

• 2013 – 1 win, 5 top-five’s and 8 top-10’s
• 2014 – 0 wins, 3 top-five’s and 7 top-10’s
• 2015 – 0 wins, o top-five’s and 3 top-10’s

In the last three seasons Stewart has compiled 1 win, 8 top-five’s and 18 top-10’s. In 2015 alone, nine drivers beat that stat line. Stewart and Smoke Nation need to hope that 2016 will mean a comeback for the No. 14 team and a return to victory lane. It’s hard to imagine Stewart having a worse 2016 than he did in 2015 but his numbers have steadily declined over the last three seasons which means that it’s more than possible.

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I think we will see the old Smoke again in 2016 but it’s hard to believe that until it actually happens.