Casey Atwood found out the hard way that being a Winston Cup driver isn't as easy as it looks.

After an unspectacular rookie season in 2001, Atwood experienced NASCAR's version of being sent to Siberia: after finishing 26th in the standings, he was unceremoniously dropped by Evernham Motorsports.

	Last season, Casey Atwood, right, teamed with Bill Elliott, left, for Ray Evernham's Dodge team.

Atwood's still-warm seat in the No. 19 Dodge was taken by veteran Jeremy Mayfield, while Atwood was left to fend for scraps by joining Jim Smith's underfinanced Ultra Motorsports in a unique hybrid program with Atwood's former boss, Ray Evernham.

Atwood, 20, initially took the demotion hard. To his credit, he showed a professionalism and maturity beyond his years, saying that perhaps he did, indeed, need more seasoning in a less-competitive program before stepping back into the upper echelon.

But privately, it was no secret Atwood felt as if he had been sent back to the minor leagues when Evernham told him he was out and Mayfield was in for 2002.

Entering Sunday's Sirius Satellite Radio 400 at Michigan International Speedway, it would appear Atwood is starting to turn his demotion into a positive. He enters Sunday's race fresh off an 11th-place finish last Sunday at Pocono, Pa., his best of the season, and one that gives him added momentum for the season's 22 remaining races.

What's more, Atwood's finish at Pocono in the No. 7 Dodge helped him jump four spots in the standings, from 33rd to 29th, giving him high expectations in the coming weeks.

Sunday's race holds quite a bit of added significance for Atwood, as his car's primary sponsor is also the race's sponsor. What better time for the young driver to show the corporate honchos he still has all the skills that initially attracted Evernham.

"We're putting a lot of effort into this race," Atwood said. "It's going to be big. It would really mean a lot if we could win up there. We took our Charlotte car to test at Michigan and our California car to test at Michigan. We had one in race trim and one in qualifying trim. The cars we tested ran pretty good, so we're excited about it."

Atwood admittedly struggled in last June's race at Michigan, finishing 30th. However, less than two months later, in the circuit's return to the two-mile oval, Atwood had outstanding success, finishing 10th, one of his three top-10 finishes in 2001.

"I've never really liked Michigan that much until the last time we went," Atwood said. "Bill (Elliott, teammate) qualified second and, I think, I was fifth or sixth. We ran in the top-five all day, and we had a late caution and we got back to 10th, and then it rained us out.

"I had a strong car, and that gave me a new outlook on Michigan. I'm excited to go back this time."

Last Sunday's strong finish shouldn't be a complete surprise. Atwood has been steadily improving in the last five races, going from 28th at California to 22nd to 17th to 14th and finally to his 11th-place outing. Atwood attributes most of that success to veteran crew chief Tony Furr.

"Tony has meant a lot," Atwood said. "He's brought a lot of leadership to this team and a lot of experience. He knows what to do to these cars to make them run, and he's shown that the past three races. We've had a top-10 car each week, but we haven't had top-10 finishes because we've had little problems that we've got to get sorted out. The cars have been driving awesome. I really like the way he sets them up, and I'm looking forward to being with him the rest of the year."

But mechanical things aren't Furr's only strong point. He also works on improving Atwood's frame of mind on the track, particularly in the longer races.

"Tony keeps me pumped up on the radio during the race," Atwood said. "You get a little too comfortable and you need somebody to talk to you and keep you pumped up and tell you're going to catch that guy in front of you. The races are so long, and you've just got to get relaxed sometimes. You need somebody to keep you on the edge of your seat."

Atwood's recent success overshadows the horrible start he had this season, when he recorded finishes of 35th, 39th, 41st and 32nd in his first four outings.

"At the beginning of the season we were struggling so bad I couldn't learn much," Atwood said. "I'm definitely a better Winston Cup driver than I was, but I've still got to get a little better."

Evernham took some criticism last season for what many perceived as chucking Atwood to the curb. But when Evernham bought into Smith's team as a minority owner, it reaffirmed Evernham's belief that Atwood was still on-track to become a star in the future.

And just like Atwood, Evernham is optimistic about where the team can go from here.

"You're going to see a lot of improvement in this team over the next four or five races," Evernham said. "We've run in the top-10 the last two races and proved that our performance is headed in the right direction. When you switch car makes (the No. 7 was a Ford last season), driver, crew chief and everything else from one season to the next, there are going to be some wrinkles. I think we're getting those wrinkles ironed out."

That kind of talk buoys Atwood, reinvigorates him and restores the faith he had in Evernham. Given how strong Dodge have been this year, particularly Marlin, Atwood wouldn't be surprised to leave Michigan with the checkered flag Sunday.

"I'm ready to win," he said. "The last race I won was a Busch race at Dover in 1999. It's been too long, but I've been through a lot of changes. I had an opportunity to win twice at the end of last season (earned the pole at Phoenix and finished a third at Miami) and that's built my confidence up a lot.

"It's coming. I see it coming once we get some new cars built and Tony gets everything where he wants it. It's nowhere near where he wants it to be yet, and when he gets it there, we'll be in contention. When you put yourself in contention to win, it'll come."

Jerry Bonkowski covers NASCAR for ESPN.com.