February 12, 2009
By Ben Brumitt
Can Jeremy Mayfield bring more competition to this years talented field? Old with the new, bringing eras together for us to see. How many times questions are pondered whether Dale Earnhardt Sr. could have won an eighth Championship, or how good would Richard Petty, David Pearson or Cale Yarborough have been in another era. Well, I have wondered how much better Mayfield could have been, not ever seeing a Champion or repeat Champion in him, but as good as in 1998?
That was the best season ever for the wonder boy, Jeff Gordon, but Mayfield had much to say about it for nearly half the season. No one may have guessed though since he had only scored 5 top five finishes in 110 career starts coming into the season. But, now he would be piloting the #12 car with an accomplished Roger Penske organization.
By the tenth race of the year he had totaled five more top fives after a runner-up finish to Mark Martin at California. That catapulted him into first place in the standings, without even yet earning his first career victory. He lost the lead for two weeks, but came back with three more top fives and his first win in week 15 at Pocono, holding off Jeff Gordon by .34 seconds.
That would be the last week at number 1 for him, but he would total 13 consecutive weeks in the top two spots. Mayfield had a very respectable 8.1 average finish thru week 15, and he was also busy battling his teammate, the great Rusty Wallace, who held the top spot for a few weeks before Mayfield took it over. His 7th-place finish, 14.2 average, 12 top fives and 16 top tens were personal bests.
In 1999, he finished the year in eleventh, then he captured two more wins in 2000 while leading over 800 laps. His finest race may have been at Pocono during week 15, where he uprooted Dale Earnhardt Sr. out of the lead on the final lap in the final turn. In his interview, he borrowed one of the Intimidator’s famous sayings, “I just wanted to rattle his cage a little’”. Mayfield’s statement was even accompanied by the wry smirk that Earnhardt would display after such comments.
Mayfield lost the ride before the final two weeks of the season, despite finishing runner-up in 3 of his last 6 races. The next three seasons he finished 19th or worse by years end, but in 2004 and 2005 he made the Chase, totaling 2 wins and 9 top fives. Since then he has only had 47 starts, none resulting in top five finishes.
Mayfield was once a good talent, kind of reminded me of another hard nosed driver, Kevin Harvick, who isn‘t afraid to rub fenders with anyone. His success won’t rest alone on his shoulders, it will be determined by the equipment and the team behind it, as evidenced from his tenure with Penske in the #12.
Remember Bill Elliott ran so good in 2003 with the #9 Ray Evernham Dodge, but since then his equipment and teams have not produced results anywhere near the talent he displayed that season. Kasey Kahne went on to scorch the filed so early and so much in 2004, with that #9 car and team, while Elliott has since raced in the back of the pack.
Mayfield’s good years in 2004 and ’05 were with the Evernham stable, in the #19, a teammate to Kahne. He now needs a great Crew Chief like Evernham if he is to have any contending chance. Crew Chiefs like Evernham or Chad Knaus could make James Hylton run in the top ten. Personally, I’d like to see Evernham get back with Gordon for a few, but heck, Zeppelin isn’t smart enough to get together either. Just don’t be surprised if Mayfield is putting pressure on the leaders a race or two.
Fans want their drivers to stay forever, and thank you Mark Martin for letting us watch you again. If Hylton is 74 and trying to qualify for the Daytona 500, where is Rusty Wallace and maybe even, “JAWS”. Good luck Mayfield and maybe you can pique some more memories.
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