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Monday, December 30 Updated: January 6, 5:25 PM ET  Comments on Winston Cup drivers ESPN.com We spotlighted Winston Cup drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon and Jeff Green. Here are your thoughts on their '02 campaigns and prospects for next season:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Matt Ericksen Wethersfield, Conn.
He is still at least two years away from becoming a championship contender. He still needs to run up front and finish in the front on a consistent basis. Although very talented he still lacks the killer instinct that is known in the name Earnhardt. Craig Soss Stony Point, N.Y.
Dale Jr. will win the Daytona 500 as well as the Winston Cup championship this year. John Brown Fresno, Calif.
Junior has the same determination that his father had. Look how long it took Dale Sr. to win the 500. Little E will have a number of Cups by that time in his career. John Barber Avon, N.Y.
Although his points position didn't show it in 2002, the Bud team improved in every category from 2001 (besides wins) and Jr. scored his best statistical year to date. The big thing to notice is how the Bud team was EN FUEGO at a lot of the short tracks this year (i.e. Bristol, Phoenix, Martinsville). I think this team has finally found the right setups for these tracks and with Jr.'s dominance at superspeedways, they will definitely be title contenders for 2003. Let's just hope he stays away from those walls in Cali doing 130 mph! Jake Engelman Iron River, Wisc.
I think that Jr. can bounce back from his 2002 season. He learned some things the hard way in 2002 and that will help in the years to come. I feel that not only the accident at California hurt but his pit crew was in need of some major changes. During this off-season I have seen improvements made to help his pit crew be the team they are capable of being. I look for him to be a strong contender in 2003. Sue Kellogg Ft. Collins, Colo.
Bill Elliott
John R. Branscombe Penacook, N.H.
Bill had a great year. He needs to take advantage of all those good starting spots! He will be in the top 10 in the points. Go get 'em, Awesome Bill (Most Popular Driver again in 2003!). Mark Didonato N. Cape May, N.J.
I think that Bill will continue to improve his standings as long as his team can keep a competitive car under him. I don't believe that his time has passed him by, he just needs to have a car that will run with the others and a little luck in avoiding wrecks. Aaron Black Brentwood, Tenn.
I hate to say I told ya so, but ... During last year's spotlight I mentioned that all Bill needed was good equipment. He now has it, and he won at Indy! Let's hope these last years of his career can mirror the early years. Tim Burleson Lexington, S.C.
I have been a long time Bill Elliott fan and I have really seen the highs and lows! Last season, the team really started to come together, and if it were not for some mechanical failures, I really believe that Bill Elliott would have been right up there challenging Tony and Mark for the title. I predict that the team will continue to get better this season and I think you will all be surprised to see that bright red No. 9 Dodge up front a lot and just maybe, lifting that Winston Cup trophy up over his head one final time. Dennis Richard Galloway, N.J.
For Bill to be have a better year, I feel that he will need a stronger motor program. Also needed is a better effort with setting the car up for the tracks before and during the race. A crew chief change or additional personnel may be the answer to this situation. Dennis J. Mura Allison Park, Pa.
Jeff Gordon
Todd Blackburn Jonesboro, Ind.
Jeff is not only an excellent driver, he's extremely competitive. He had many distractions in 2002, but I think the worst is over. He really seemed to be on a roll at the end of the year. He wants to win in 2003 and wants to prove himself all over again. I think he can and will win the championship. June Vogel Green Bay, Wisc.
I think Jeff Gordon's problems can be summed in two ideas: 1. He doesn't seem at peace with himself. 2. He needs some stability in a Hendrick Motorsports running mate. I don't think Nadeau or Nemecheck did much to help out the team. He may need more teammate support at this point in his career. Mike McAlvey Carson City, Mich.
Amazing how Gordon was able to finish fourth after the miserable season he had. The two guns in WC racing for a few years to come will be Gordon and Stewart, and NASCAR couldn't be in a better place. The rookie phenoms of 2002 had a great run, but the "old" veterans will rise to the top. Keep in mind who the top five finishers were this year. Jim Coyne Hudson, Ohio
Yes, Jeff Gordon had a bad year. But, let's not pin it down to his off-the-track problems. There is a lot of talent entering NASCAR. Owners are now hiring young and aggressive drivers, this is making Winston Cup highly competitive. I would like to applaud Jeff Gordon's efforts in 2002. Not only did he perform well over the last month of the season, he did it while dealing with the "off-the-track" distractions and the best competition NASCAR has seen in quite awhile. Landon C. McCan Chesapeake, Va.
The 24 team seems to struggle with rule changes. A new Monte Carlo body may lead to early troubles. I see 2003 as being a carbon copy of 2003 for Gordon, with mechanical reliability either making or breaking his season again. Think of where he could have finished without motor/gear problems in 2002. Steven R. Walters Kansas City, Mo.
Robby Gordon
Charles Thomas Walgamuth Lafayaette, Ind.
He should be dropped from the WC ranks as should all the other 'open-wheel racers' who have just come over here to take advantage of a great program built in the South and which will now become as boring as other racing series because that's the type of competitors now being featured more and more. Stick with the Southerners and you'll have a more appealing program in the long run. Dance with who brung ya! Gordon Overbaugh Langton, Ont.
Unless he stops trying to run everyone off the track he isn't going to do anything. Some of the things he did in 2002 -- he should have been kicked off the track. Marilyne Cormican Bemidji, Minn.
Robby Gordon is definitely deserving of a Cup ride, and is as good as any driver in Cup. However, he is his own worst enemy, he has yet to show he knows what battles to pick. He has not earned respect from the other 42 drivers. Therefore, I really do not foresee him cracking the top ten. Rosen Rennie Ponca City, Okla.
Apparently a talented driver outside of NASCAR but woefully short of skill here. He needs to get out of NASCAR. I predict he will lose his ride before the end of the year, as Richard Childress will grow weary of his bad finishes, destruction of equipment and conflicts with other drivers. Gary Kohl Atlanta
Robby has gotten a lot better since signing with RCR, not only as a driver, but as a person. Having met Robby twice in the past couple of years at the NASCAR show held in Winston Salem every January, I have failed to see the "bad guy" every one talks about. He was very accommodating to all his fans, taking time to sign more autographs at a Cingular booth after spending the previous two hours signing autographs, even taking time to talk to a person with physical and mental disabilities, also signing a Frisbee and posing for a picture with him. Whether he was doing this for positive PR or out of the goodness of his heart, he's a winner in my book. Sure he has raced aggressively on the track, but that s what NASCAR is all about. It's no longer a sport of nice guys finishing first. To win, you have to be aggressive now and then, although keeping in mind to stop after the checkered flag flies. Robby has potential, there's no question in that. He has won in every series he has participated in on a regular basis, and there?s no reason he can't win this year in Cup, especially on the road courses. With a full year with the same pit crew, a top 15 is almost a gimme, and top 10 isn't out of the question. Ian Dyne Jacksonville, N.C.
Jeff Green
Todd Blackburn Jonesboro, Ill.
Jeff Green had quite a good season. I believe his first win is coming really soon, possibly the 2003 season. He had some spectacular runs in that No. 30 AOL Chevy. Expect Jeff Green, with a new crew chief in '03, to bring in another top-20 points finish. Ed Lee New Jersey
He will win two if not three races this year. The new crew chief will make the difference. He is underrated and has proved he can win. Winning the Busch title means a lot. Robert Goode Buena Vista, Colo.
Watch for Jeff to become a force as the new dominant RCR driver. With Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon as stablemates, Jeff will be the cream of the crop. This class act will continue to do well on the circuit, along with getting his first win, if not a couple more. Tony Walsh Lakeville, Minn.
Jeff Gordon: great driver, great team. Will win a least one more championship, not necessarily in 2003. Robby Gordon: great talent, still needs work on his head, but has made progress in that regard. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: potential great talent, great team and genes. Needs to shake off stardom and hunker down, could use a bit more intensity like Stewart.
Jeff Green: lots of experience, not as much a natural talent as others. The youngsters will roll past him quickly.
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