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Driver
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Credentials
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RPM 2Night Says ...
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1. Dale Jarrett
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Winston Cup Champion;
4 wins, 24 top-fives.
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It was a tough choice, but D.J.'s consistency over the season won out at the end. And yes, we did leave him out of the rankings the first few weeks. But we're big enough to admit we were wrong back in April.
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2. Juan Montoya
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CART FedEx Champion;
7 wins as a rookie.
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Call "The Great Juan" No. 1a -- it was that close. No rookie has ever done what Montoya did in a Champ Car this season. We can't wait to see what he does for an encore in 2000.
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3. John Force
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NHRA Funny Car Champion -- his ninth.
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Not always a popular choice among race fans who prefer their drivers to turn the car, but Force is exactly that in the world of auto racing. Wins our "Mr. Congeniality Award." A nice guy with a lead foot and cat-quick reflexes.
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4. Mika Hakkinen
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F1 World Champion;
5 wins, 12 poles.
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No other champion had as much trouble along the way as Mika endured. But despite his teammate running into him, his own mistakes on the track and controversy off the track, Hakkinen proved once again he can produce under pressure.
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5. Tony Stewart
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Set Winston Cup rookie record with three wins.
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A champion in waiting, Stewart lived up to the hype not once, not twice, but three times in a rookie season unlike any in Winston Cup. The sky is the limit for the "Rushville Rocket."
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6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Busch Series Champion;
6 wins on way to title.
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Petty ... Jarrett ... Earnhardt? It took 35 years for another son to follow his father's championship footsteps. We don't think it'll take nearly as long for Little E to follow his father's lead.
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7. Greg Ray
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Indy Racing League Champ; Three wins.
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Usually the fastest man on the track finally won the championship in 1999. Ray should have fun defending his title against the likes of Little Al next season.
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8. Greg Biffle
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Nine wins in Craftsman Trucks Series
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Rarely does the runner-up rank higher than the champion. But Biffle's season just seemed better than Sprague's for some reason. Besides, what a ranking without controversy?
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9. Dario Franchitti
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CART Series runner-up
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If not for that darn rookie, Dario would be on top of the CART world. By the way, he finished tied in FedEx championship points with Montoya and lost the tie-breaker based on wins.
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10. Jeremy McGrath
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SuperCross champion
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We couldn't leave out our favorite two-wheel driver, could we? The SuperCross season is just around the corner and Jeremy should be right out front again and a fixture in our early 2000 rankings
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11. Tony Schumacher
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NHRA Top Fuel champion
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A lot of fans wondered if this Schumacher was related to that German dude who drives a Ferrari. Well, he isn't. Tony drives 320 mph for a living and does it quite well. The NHRA's rising star. Could do for NHRA in 21st Century what Gordon did for Winston Cup in 90's.
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12. Bobby Labonte
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Winston Cup runner-up
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The brother of a Winston Cup champion could join Terry very shortly if he continues to rack up wins at the rate he has over the past few years. 1999 served as a wake-up call for his competitors.
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13. Eddie Irvine
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Second in F1 points
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The world was not enough for Eddie, who proved he could drive with the best. We're interested to see how he does next season without Ferrari behind him and Michael against him.
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14. Michael Schumacher
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Two F1 wins despite missing half the season with injury.
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He could have called the 2000 season a wash after breaking his leg in July, but came back to help Ferrari claim the manufacturers title with two marvelous runs to close out the season. He'll be back challenging for the world title in 2000 and should finish much higher than here next season.
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15. Jeff Gordon
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Led Winston Cup with seven wins '99.
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An end of an era? Or just the beginning of a new reign? Wait and see with the rest of us.
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16. Heinz-Harald Frentzen
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Breakthrough season with two F1 wins in '99.
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The challenger nobody expected to the world title will be back in 2000 with more fanfare and pressure.
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17. Mark Martin
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Third in Winston Cup points; two wins in '99.
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Drove with more guts than anyone else in Winston Cup. Was painful at times just watching him get into the No. 6 car.
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18. Jack Sprague
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Craftsman Trucks Series champion; 3 wins in '99.
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His winning move in California to win the race and the title will go down as one of the best in Craftsman Trucks Series history.
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19. Kenny Brack
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Indy 500 winner; 2nd in IRL points.
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Won the race everyone wants to win and nearly stole the crown at the end. Not a bad season, we'd say.
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20. Matt Kenseth
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Four Busch Series wins.
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Could be the darkhorse next season for Rookie of the Year honors in Winston Cup. Earnhardt, Kenseth, Stewart, Gordon, Labonte. A "Fab Five" for the millennium.
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