A season or two of success -- or lack thereof -- often sets the bar as to how well a driver is expected to perform. For instance, after four seasons of top-six finishes including the 2002 Winston Cup championship, Tony Stewart is expected to compete for the championship in 2003. A finish outside the top 10 -- or even the top five -- would be surprising.

On the other hand, both success and funding have been hard to come by for driver-owner Brett Bodine over the past six or seven years as bigger teams have poured more money into their operations. With that, not many expect Bodine to suddenly challenge for an overall top-10 finish next year.

But, as Kenny Mayne likes to point out, that's why they play the games (and run the races) in your TV and not on paper. Anything can happen.

So, which Winston Cup drivers are most likely to give surprise performances next year? And which are likely to disappoint? Share your thoughts below, and we'll post some of the responses.

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