Team Evernham Motorsports Car/Make No. 19/Dodge Sponsor Dodge Dealers/Mountain Dew Crew Chief Kenny Francis
STATS	2003	CAREER
Rank	19	7*
Wins	0	3
Top 5	4	39
Top 10	12	74
DNFs	6	52
Top Finish	2	1
*Indicates best career points finish

2003 recap
The good: After three seasons of struggling in the standings (24th in 2000, 35th in 2001 and 26th in 2002), Mayfield found his way back into the top-20 in 2003, finishing 19th. The best part of the season, without question, was the final third when the No. 19 team definitely came into its own. In the last 13 races, Mayfield earned four top-fives, four other top-10 and two additional top-12 finishes.

The bad: Mayfield could arguably have finished in the top-15 and maybe even made a run at the top-10 had it not been for the horrendous first third of the 2003 season. With the exception of an eighth-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500 and sitting on the pole at Texas (where he wound up 18th), Mayfield had 10 other finishes of 21st or lower, including three finishes of 40th or worse and two other showings of 30th or worse.

Key stat: It's never easy to make an 11-place jump in the standings in the second half of a season, but Mayfield managed to successfully do that in 2003. He was as low as 30th in the standings after the Brickyard 400 in early August, but worked his way up to a final finish of 19th by season's end.

2004 outlook
What needs to be done: 2004 could become the most significant season of Mayfield's Cup career. With Bill Elliott stepping down to semi-retired status, Mayfield becomes the lead driver for Evernham Motorsports, which will also run a car for rookie Kasey Kahne. Given such a high-profile status, this could be a make-or-break season for Mayfield's career. With the strong team base around him, if he steps up to the plate and does well, Mayfield has the potential for a top-10 season in 2004.

Key change: Mayfield's elevation to No. 1 full-time driver on Evernham Motorsports. How he handles the transition to having most of the fan and media focus on him rather than Bill Elliott will go a long way toward determining how well the No. 19 team does in 2004.

Guarantee: With Evernham Motorsports entering its fourth full season, expect a breakout season from the Statesville, N.C.-based team. With Bill Elliott stepping aside but still maintaining an advisory presence, and promising rookie Kasey Kahne in the fold, this could become the surprise team of 2004 if luck and good fortune -- and a few well-timed breaks -- come its way.

Prediction: There is no reason why Mayfield cannot finish in the top-15 this season, if not the top-10. Given the strong rally his team made in the final third of 2003, if Mayfield can carry the momentum on in 2004, he could be one of the biggest surprises of the season.

Did you know: If you hear music coming from Mayfield's trailer, it's usually of the harder-edge variety. The Owensboro, Ky., native's favorite groups are Metallica, Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit.

Your take
Could this be Mayfield's year to get back toward the top-10? Can Mayfield recapture some of the success he had during his tenure with Penske-Kranefuss Racing in the late 1990s? How well will Mayfield assume the No. 1 driver spot on the team, and how much of a leader will he be to rookie Kasey Kahne? Share your thoughts on Mayfield's prospects for 2004.