With apologies to singer-songwriter Paul Simon, when it comes to some of the drivers who've uncharacteristically struggled thus far this season in Winston Cup, "What's all the fuss, Gus?"

I mean, really, this season has already had more twists and turns -- and resulting questions about what's happened to this driver or that driver -- than I can ever recall. How many fans and reporters have spread nothing about gloom and doom about guys who've had little to cheer about for much of the first-third of the season, saying they're everything from all wet to totally washed up?

When Ryan Newman dropped to 27th-place after the race at Richmond, Va., early last month, he went from last year's Rookie of the Year to this year's Sophomore Jinx to some even calling him nothing more than a flash in the pan who might not even be in Winston Cup next season.

That's utter nonsense.

And then there's Tony Stewart, the defending Winston Cup champion who was ranked as high as second in the standings almost three months ago, following Darlington, only to freefall down to 20th-place after the Coca-Cola 600 just a little over two weeks ago. How many critics said Terrible Tony was toast, that his 2003 season was over and that he probably should throw in the towel and concede right now?

Again, totally ridiculous.

Just when the moaning and complaining hit a crescendo over Newman and Stewart, those two broke through their slump and won in the last two races.

What's more, they actually began to rally a few weeks back, so Newman's win at Dover and Stewart's triumph this past Sunday at Pocono should not be considered mere happenstance. Rather, the more observant could see both were headed in the right direction.

Newman has climbed 11 places in the Winston Cup standings in the last three races, courtesy of his win and two fifth-place finishes. Heading into Michigan this weekend in 16th-place, the driver of the No. 12 Dodge is suddenly looking like the same fresh-faced young gun that dazzled during last year's run for the top rookie title.

As for Stewart, his dramatic drop in the standings began after Darlington. He was cruising along in second-place in the rankings, only to find himself in 20th-place seven races later -- after perhaps the most brutal stretch of his young career, when he finished 40th or lower in three straight races leading up to and including Charlotte.

But a fourth-place finish at Dover and Sunday's win in the Pennsylvania mountains has vaulted Stewart and his No. 20 Chevrolet into 13th-place, easily within range of the top-10 club as he's just 48 points behind Sterling Marlin, currently 10th.

Stewart's and Newman's so-called demises were much ado about nothing. They were written off far too fast and with far too little reason. Sure, they were in slumps, but what NASCAR driver doesn't have a significant slippage in performance from time to time? Both Newman and Stewart repeatedly said their poor showings had more to do with happenstance and mechanical malfunction, rather than simply forgetting how to drive a Winston Cup car.

And now that we have Tony and Ryan back on track, who's next to go from struggling to strutting as Winston Cup's comeback kid in the coming weeks?

In no particular order, my money's on Jeff Burton and Dale Jarrett as the next occupants of Victory Lane.

Burton hasn't won a race in the No. 99 Ford since the 2001 season. He's had just one top-five and two other top-10 finishes thus far this season. And, for the past three weeks, he's been mired in 14th-place in the standings, failing to move in either direction. With Michigan International Speedway being one of Burton's favorite tracks (including winning the pole there in 1996), don't be surprised if you see him take the checkered flag Sunday.

	Jeff Burton has struggled but he still sits a respectable 14th in points.

And then there's Jarrett. Even though he's already won once this year (second race of the season at Rockingham, N.C.), that hasn't kept D.J. from dropping to 27th-place heading to Michigan, where he was triumphant the last time he attacked its two-mile superspeedway-class layout. Consider this: Jarrett was No. 2 in the standings after winning at Rockingham, and was still as high as No. 12 after Talladega. But in the six races since 'Dega, Jarrett and the Big Brown Truck have failed to deliver.

Given Jarrett's incredible record at Michigan -- besides last fall, he's won three other times there, earned one pole, and was runner-up in this race last June -- you can't help but sense that the No. 88 is going to snap out of his lethargy in a big way this Sunday.

Here's a few more guys to keep your eyes on this week and next: