ESPN Sprint Cup

ESPN.com preseason rank: No. 9

2009 Outlook

Hamlin and everyone around him at Joe Gibbs Racing claim he has matured, but that remains to be seen in the heat of green-flag racing. Besides, it may not be a matter of maturity, but inner confidence in his team, which chronically has let him down and let him be overshadowed.

Maturity may mean keeping his mouth shut tight about all the frustrations, from mechanical failures to pit crew miscues under pressure.

By the attrition of Tony Stewart, Hamlin becomes the senior driver at JGR. But he's sure to be overshadowed by both "Wild Thing" Kyle Busch's driving style and all the hoopla that will surround rookie Joey Logano.

Hamlin has yet to have a legitimate No. 1 role at JGR, and the more he gives off vibes of feeling slighted, the less smoothly he runs.

2008 Review

After a team blowup over a blown engine at Michigan in August, Hamlin's team worked out some internal differences and he went on to qualify for the Chase, though it finished eighth.

Hamlin's only win came at Martinsville in the spring. Other than Richmond in the spring and Atlanta in the fall, he didn't contend seriously for another victory.

He has a shot at the title if: Hamlin, not Busch, emerges as Gibbs' hottest driver out of the gate, and feels as though he is the team's senior driver in more than just longevity.

He won't win the title because: There's a hair trigger on relations between Hamlin and his branch of the team. Even though feelings are salved now, friction could arise again if they let him down on pit road or in the engine shop.

-- Ed Hinton