Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Car/sponsor/make: No. 25 UAW-Delphi Chevrolet
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| | Nemechek |
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STATS
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Year
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Rank
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Wins
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Top 5
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Top 10
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Best finish
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2002
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34
|
0
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3
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3
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Second, twice
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|
Career
|
|
3
|
11
|
35
|
|
2002 recap
The good: It wasn't so much the start of the season as the end of 2002 that was good for Nemechek. After struggling due to sponsor problems at the start of the season, Nemechek moved to Hendrick Racing just before the Coca-Cola 600 in late May, replacing Jerry Nadeau, who was released. While he struggled further for the next 17 races, he finally began to put things together in the latter stages of the season.
Season highlight: Just when doubt began to surface whether he would return for 2003, Nemechek caught fire in the latter part of the season, with three top-four finishes in his last eight starts, including runner-up finishes at Atlanta and Homestead-Miami. The jubilation of success and the optimism that came with it should bode well for him this coming season. Also, during the final nine starts of the season, Nemechek qualified four times in the top 10 (plus a 12th).
The bad: Primary sponsor Kmart filed for bankruptcy prior to the season, leaving Nemechek, who had joined the Carter-Haas No. 26 team in the off-season, with a cloudy future. He drove for just the first six races before money ran out. Then, when he joined Hendrick Racing, he struggled horribly, finishing 16 of his first 17 starts with his new team 20th or worse.
Season lowlight: Although he struggled during his first 17 races under the Hendrick Motorsports banner, perhaps the most disappointing stretch came near the end of the season. After having his first top-five finish (fourth at Kansas City) of the season, Nemechek had three of his worst outings of the year, with consecutive finishes of 39th, 40th and 41st at Talladega, Ala., Charlotte and Martinsville, Va. On the plus side, he broke that slump with an outstanding runner-up finish in the next race at Atlanta.
Key stat: Nemechek finished runner-up twice in the season's last four races.
2003 outlook
What needs to be done: Nemechek must build upon the strong finishes he had in the closing stage of last season, needs to continue to qualify better, and most importantly, has to establish consistency that will help him achieve the kind of season he did in 2000, when he finished a career-best 15th in the Winston Cup standings.
Prediction: Losing Kmart last season had to have some type of impact on Nemechek's confidence. But with Hendrick Motorsports and UAW-Delphi backing him, there should be no holding back for "Front Row" Joe to showcase his considerable talent and put together strong top-10 finishes and equally strong qualifying runs. It is not out of the question for him to become a dark horse in 2003, with the backing, potential and talent to finish in the top-15.
Your take
Here are your thoughts on Nemechek's prospects for the 2003 season.
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