3. Danica Patrick

FoxSports.com: Top Sprint Cup Story Lines to Watch in 2013

Patrick is the most watched rookie contender in recent years and, perhaps, ever. Not only is she joining the elite Stewart-Haas Racing for her debut campaign, she’s well-known as an IndyCar driver, a female driver and a spokesmodel for sponsor GoDaddy.com. In addition, she’s confessed to dating fellow rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Each element simply adds another layer of scrutiny to a driver who has already earned more than her share. She’s not only battling Stenhouse for rookie of the year, she could offer a real challenge to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s hold on the sport’s most popular driver award. Patrick’s every pass, every reaction and every comment will be scrutinized not only by diehard NASCAR fans, but an audience she reaches that extends beyond the sport. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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Ready to Roll The beginning of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season is just days away. Teams have spent the offseason working diligently on the new Generation 6 car and trying to find an edge. At this point, every driver and every team is thinking about the potential for a championship. So which drivers and teams bear watching most closely? And what are the top stories that fans and competitors will be talking about in the weeks to come? We take a look. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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10. Juan Pablo M... The former Formula One driver was ushered into Sprint Cup racing with high expectations in 2007. Fast-forward to 2013 and he’s a driver who has won only two races and made one Chase appearance. In the past three seasons, Montoya has a top points finish of 17th. He’s been 21st and 22nd the last two seasons. How long can this go on? Montoya is a driver who needs the team and the technology to move among the sport’s top drivers, and soon. Can he make the leap back to previous form this year? (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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9. Michael Waltr... There’s no question this was the most improved and surprising team in 2012. Clint Bowyer finished second in points, Martin Truex Jr. joined him in the Chase and Michael Waltrip, Brian Vickers and Mark Martin all challenged from time to time while sharing the organization’s third car. This season will tell – was it a stunning move or a sign that this team is now among the sport’s elite? (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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8. Jeff Gordon Gordon enjoyed some stellar moments in 2012 – can he break through and finally snare his fifth title in 2013? Gordon ended the year on a high note, winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and he and crew chief Alan Gustafson fielded a better team in the Chase than they did much of the season. Is this a sign of a Gordon surge in his 40s? The driver seems thrilled with his potential in the new car – can the family man make one more grab at the title this year? (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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7. Back on Track Several NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers expected to be contenders faltered in 2012. Kyle Busch (pictured) and Carl Edwards missed the Chase, and favorite Denny Hamlin came apart within it. Tony Stewart also stumbled a year after winning five Chase races en route to the title. Can these drivers return to true contention this season? Each bears watching as he battles to not only get back into the Chase - some like Busch and Edwards after a year’s absence – and into the fight for the title. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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6. Matt Kenseth Boy, Kenseth (pictured, left) certainly has made some bold moves in recent years. From his witty approach to social media – which has altered fans’ perception of him dramatically – to deciding to walk away from Roush Fenway Racing after 13 years and join Joe Gibbs Racing, this is a driver intent on winning more titles. He seems to have developed a brotherly relationship with new teammates Kyle Busch (pictured, right) and Denny Hamlin. While Kenseth is the newcomer to the organization, he’s carrying the weight and expectations of helping the talented trio push for the title this season. Can he do it? (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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5. Roush Fenway ... This is an organization somewhat searching for an identity after losing former champion and longtime driver Matt Kenseth and finding Carl Edwards (pictured, left) outside of the Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2012. Edwards is now partnering with crew chief Jimmy Fennig which could, no offense to Bob Osborne, bring a discipline to that group and a renewed relationship with his team for Edwards. Perennial contender Greg Biffle is looking to recover from a Chase that turned a leading effort into a non-factor and once more pursuing a title that has proven elusive. And two-time Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (pictured, right) is a heralded rookie trying to keep Kenseth’s former team in the running as he learns the nuances of NASCAR’s elite series. This group could be the most improved in the sport – or find struggles from start to finish. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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4. Jimmie Johnso... It’s been two years since his five-title reign ended – and Johnson is hungry to get back on top. He was in the running until the finale last year, when a pair of setbacks left him out of contention. He and his team have worked to shore up the gaps that left them without a title last season and have a solid history of adjusting to changes in the sport. Watch out. Johnson’s on a tear and he and his Chad Knaus-led team are the odds-on favorite to storm to the front early and often. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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3. Danica Patric... Patrick is the most watched rookie contender in recent years and, perhaps, ever. Not only is she joining the elite Stewart-Haas Racing for her debut campaign, she’s well-known as an IndyCar driver, a female driver and a spokesmodel for sponsor GoDaddy.com. In addition, she’s confessed to dating fellow rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Each element simply adds another layer of scrutiny to a driver who has already earned more than her share. She’s not only battling Stenhouse for rookie of the year, she could offer a real challenge to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s hold on the sport’s most popular driver award. Patrick’s every pass, every reaction and every comment will be scrutinized not only by diehard NASCAR fans, but an audience she reaches that extends beyond the sport. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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2. Brad Keselows... OK, the party is officially over. Keselowski enters a new realm now. As defending champion he faces a brighter spotlight and more intense focus on each and every remark he makes. Outspoken and personable, he embraces the idea of being a new kind of champion and yearns for a leadership role in the sport. How will he mesh that with adjusting to a new car, new manufacturer and new teammate in 2013? Watch closely. (Alex Trautwig/Getty Images)
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1. Gen-6 Debut It is truly not an overstatement to say that this is the most anticipated NASCAR change in years. Drivers, manufacturers and fans have offered nothing but positive responses to NASCAR’s newest model. The car has been tested in group sessions at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway and individually at a host of other sites. Now it faces its first true test – racing on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway. Everyone – from drivers to officials – is excited to see just what kind of racing this puts on at Daytona – and beyond. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
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