It's been too long.

For all of you out there, looking for something fresh to read - I certainly appreciate it, and apologize that this site has gone so long without an update. Tonight though, I will do a brief season recap and a preview of this weekend's race at Watkins Glen, N.Y. Hopefully by the time the Chase starts I will also have some podcasts up to supplement the website. Check back tomorrow for updates (to be sure they've posted and edited and stuff). Thanks again for your continued support.

Headin' to 'Dega

I've been in Virginia with the KSU Formula SAE Team, so I haven't had much time to give to my site. However, I'm really hoping to be home in time to watch the Talladega race. So, I'll cut to the chase and give you my picks!

1. #29 - It was released earlier this week, after this race Todd Berrier will be moved to RCR's 07 team of Casey Mears; I think Harvick and Berrier will be able to visit Victory lane once more before ending a rather long run together.
2. #14 - Tony Stewart has been fast, and he's good at restrictor plate tracks; if he can stay out of other's messes, He should pose a strong challenge for the lead.
3. #24 - He's dominated this track before, several times, and there is a good possibilty he can extend his points lead this weekend.
4. #88 - It's been a while. I have a hunch he'll be back up front
5. #18 - Last year's winner anyone?
6. #48 - All Hendrick and Roush powered cars should be strong, so the Reigning Champ should be up there by the end of the day.
7. #42 - If he can control himself and show patience he should be a contender throughout the day.
8. #33 - The Cheerios team has started to stumble, Talladega could be where they regain some solid ground.
9. #99 - LIke I said, Roush-Yates power.
10. #96 - He's good, he's Bobby Labonte.

Dark Horses

• #16 Greg Biffle
• #98 Paul Menard
• #07 Casey Mears

Lap Leader: Tony Stewart
Pole: Mark Martin

Notes: Harvick with a pass for the lead in the final 3 laps.

Headin' to 'Dega

Phoenix Preview

Sorry everyone for skipping Texas, which happens to be my favorite track. I was able to watch the race, but I haven't had any time to devote to this blog. Regardless, I'll give a quick run-down of who I think will be the top contenders for tonight's race in Phoenix!

1. #33 - Clint Bowyer: Phoenix was the track at which Bowyer made his Sprint Cup Series Debut. Although he's never won here, he has been strong the last few visits, and with the season that team has had so far, look out!
2. #24 - Jeff Gordon: He has one win here and after winning 2 weeks ago, Gordon may just be back on a roll.
   
3. #48 Jimmie Johnson - he's won the last 3 races here, but tonight, may not be his night, he'll be in contention though.
   
4. #29 Kevin Harvick - Harvick has had success here in the path. Can he snap his losing streak tonight?
   
5. #16 Greg Biffle - He's done well here, although he's never been in victory lane, the 16 Ford Fusion could definitely be a factor.
   
6. #31 Jeff Burton
7. #5 Mark Martin
8. #18 Kyle Busch
9. #14 Tony Stewart
10. #16 Greg Biffle

Dark Horses

• #42 Juan Pablo Montoya
• #26 Jamie McMurray
• #07 Casey Mears

Pole: __Mark Martin__(not prediction, actual)
Lap Leader: Jimmie Johnson

This was done hurriedly, but after next week I should have a bit more time to elaborate and really get in the swing of things. Also, podcasts are looking more realistic. I most likely will have a weekly podcast by Chase time.
Thanks for your understanding and for reading!
-DT

In The Rearview: M'Ville

Martinsville is such a unique race track, however, I think it can tell us a lot about the season to come. First off, Jimmie Johnson won, he's been dubbed "Mr. Martinsville". On the contrary, Kyle Busch has never really done a great job at the small track in the hills of Virginia, and that continued as well. My point being, is that with a few exceptions, the guys that did well in years past, should continue to do well at the tracks they run well at.
I am by no means saying Johnson will win a 4th consecutive Cup. I am not saying Carl Edwards will end the season with the most wins. What I am saying is the teams that ran well last season will be your winners this year. With notable exceptions. I expect David Ragan to break into a win, I also wouldn't be surprised to see Marcos Ambrose and/or Scott Speed collecting wins.

Ok, I'm still trying to figure out a format for everything, so let's review how I did in my predictions

1. #24 - Jeff Gordon - Actually finished 4th. A difference of 3
   
2. #48 - Jimmie Johnson - Won the event a difference of 1
   
3. #33 - Clint Bowyer - Pulled off another top 5, off by 1
   
4. 18 - Kyle Busch - Don't want to talk about it and neither does Busch, I took a risk on Kyle who finished 24th a difference of 20
   
5. #29 - Kevin Harvick - had a decent day and finished 11th, off by 6
   
6. #11 - Denny Hamlin - Finished second after a late bump from Johnson, off by 4
   
7. #88 - Dale Earnhardt Jr - Jr likes the number 8, off by 1
   
8. #14 - Tony Stewart - had a great day and reminded everyone not to count out SHR, finishing 3rd, off by 5
   
9. #42 - Juan Montoya - originally I took him as a dark horse, but tooka risk, finished 12th, off by 3
   
10. #1 - Martin Truex Jr - had some problems early, I don't expect him to be with that team this time next season, he finished 29th, 19 off
    

Dark Horses

• #16 - Greg Biffle - 28th
  
• # 6 - David Ragan - 27th
  
• #31 - Jeff Burton - 15th
  

So, overall, you could say I was off by 63 total positions, but, if you think about it, this is why, in general, you don't want to bet on races. Not including Truex and Busch, I was off only by 24 among what then would be 8 drivers. Or 3 positions per driver.
I'll have my Texas predictions up later tonight.
As always,
Thanks for Reading!
-DT

Preview: Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500

Readers, this is the first race that has the top-35 locked in. It became even more evident why everyone was trying so hard to lock in last week, when this week's qualifying was rained out. Unfortunately, I didn't get this posted as soon as I would have liked, but had Jimmie Johnson on the pole, but that doesn't matter. I am going to post my finish results by this afternoon. I have them already written down, so I will go ahead and post a rough order, but please check this after 2 PM CDT today if you want an updated version. I will also put a note in above the order I have chosen.

1. #24 - Jeff Gordon
2. #48 - Jimmie Johnson
3. #33 - Clint Bowyer
4. 18 - Kyle Busch
5. #29 - Kevin Harvick
6. #11 - Denny Hamlin
   
7. #88 - Dale Earnhardt Jr
8. #14 - Tony Stewart
9. #42 - Juan Montoya
   
10. #1 - Martin Truex Jr

Dark Horses

• #16 - Greg Biffle
• # 6 - David Ragan
• #31 - Jeff Burton
  

Pole:----- Lap Leader: Jeff Gordon

thanks for reading.
-DT

Clint Bowyer got in some donuts this week

His actual finish in California was 19th, and 1 lap down, but he was able to get some donuts in anyway.

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Preview: Food City 500

Here we are, time again to return to Thunder Valley. Bristol Motor Speedway, the world's fastest half-mile. This eastern Tenn. track that always gets the fans riled up and ready to go. The next off week won't be for some time, but regardless, this is where the season really gets revved up. This year's Food City 500 brings to us many unusual situations, mainly I'm referencing the top 35, people being in danger: Mark Martin and Ryan Newman to name just two. However, this is NASCAR and I want to focus on the [potential] winners, here are my predictions for this weekend's race.

1. #2 - Kurt Busch : After winning 2 weeks ago in Atlanta, there is no reason for him to not try that backwards victory lap again. Kurt has had great success at Bristol with 5 wins. Keep an eye on the blue deuce this Sunday.
2. #29 - Kevin Harvick : Statistically Harvick may not be the lock-in choice for the 2nd spot, but with RCR's performance in this race last year coupled with the way the 29 Shell/Pennzoil team has been running, watch out for Harvick to be there at the end.
3. #33 - Clint Bowyer : It's the power of teammates again, Clint Bowyer should be on the heels of Harvick most of the weekend, the numbers in their Nationwide starts show them to be nearly equal. With the added power of Shane Wilson instead of Gil Martin, Bowyer should be a force at many more tracks this season.
4. #11 - Denny Hamlin : Hamlin has always been good at short tracks, honestly, he should of won this event last year, but due to a faulty oil pump, it left him wanting more with only a few laps left and a late-race restart.
5. #24 - Jeff Gordon : He's back, I wanted to pick him for the win, but I just don't think this is the track for Jeff to snap his losing streak. I'd really like to put him higher. Call it a hunch.
6. #1 - Martin Truex, Jr : He's the leading man at Earnhardt/Gannassi, he's been good here in the past, I just call into question the equipment. Regardless, I think Truex really has a chance to start turning the Bass Pro Shops team to the right direction.
7. #31 - Jeff Burton : He's not typically an aggressive guy that you would think of for Bristol, but the RCR stable has been great a short tracks lately and there is no reason for Burton to finish outside the top-10 (except that anything can happen at Bristol).
8. #18 - Kyle Busch : If he has any chance of winning the championship he should probably start doing that winning thing again, compared to last year, he's sort of behind. No, but seriously, The Brothers Busch are an excellent duo at Bristol. I think Kyle Should be strong, but others may be stronger.
9. #88 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. : This could be a good weekend for the 88 Amp crew. The thing that they need to concentrate on is working together, he doesn't need Tony Jr. getting riled up at him when tempers are already on edge at this half-mile speedway.
10. #5 - Mark Martin : Martin has always been a producer; he knows when it's time to go and if he doesn't go this weekend, he may be on the outside, looking in to the top 35. He's done great here before, he's also tried to go to victory lane a lap early here. Watch out, Mark just might be back.

Dark Horses

• #42 Juan Montoya - This track suits his style, if he can keep his temper under control , he just may be up there challenging by the end of the day.
• #6 David Ragan - This one is also pretty much a hunch. I really think he has a chance to do well here; the UPS Ford Team will end up in victory lane by season's end. Bristol could be that place.
• #14 Tony Stewart - Stewart can run well at Bristol, he too could have easily won this even last spring if it weren't for those meddling oil pumps. Stewart could very well challenge for at least a top-ten. This is an example of another team looking to turn it around.

Pole Qualifier: #24 Jeff Gordon
Lap Leader: #11 Denny Hamlin

Enjoy "racin' the way it oughtta' be". Next week, after the lock of the top 35, I will revamp my predictions for the final points standings. They shouldn't change much. Enjoy the races!
-DT

Recap: Shelby 427 and Kobalt tools 500

Well here I am again apologizing for missing a week. It's tough being in college and bogged down with all kinds of other priorities. Regardless, I was still at least able to watch the races.
The Shelby 427 let us know a few things about this season heading forward. Matt Kenseth is not immune to failure, he finished 43rd after losing an engine on lap 7. So that blew my predictions right there. However, Jeff Burton, who I had second, did finish 3rd behind a dark-horse pick of Clint Bowyer. Kyle Busch, though, was back at the top, and was able to incite the fire that lead him to so many victories last season. This was the first "standard" track of the year; yes, technically Autoclub speedway is "intermediate" but I don't like to consider the 2 mile tracks as intermidiate, they are all very different than the mile-and-a-half tracks.
I want to point out one thing. There were a lot of naysayers at the beginning of the season calling that Clint Bowyer will not make the chase. No, he hasn't won yet, but I think getting a crew chief other than Gil Martin was the best thing to happen to his career thus far. Las Vegas helped prove that. Martin probably would've called Bowyer in, he was never much of a gambler. However, Shane Wilson, #33 Crew Chief, did gamble and was able to keep Bowyer in second.

As far as Atlanta, I think there is more to come from the 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team. I didn't get predictions posted, but I had some preliminary ones on paper, and Atlanta was more kind to them. RCR is back, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton all had decent days at Atlanta. The exception would be the #07 Jack Daniel's team. If Casey Mears doesn't start producing, even top 10s I don't know how long he'll be in that team. Honestly, the first change I'd make would be putting Gil Martin back to the Nationwide series with the 29 Holiday Inn Monte Carlo and bringing up Dan Deeringhoff to coach the Jack Daniel's bunch.
It was a pretty interesting race, I don't understand why people don't believe Atlanta deserves two dates, I think they are entitled to both of them. That being said, I think it's time to give out the first "What in the world?" award of 2009 (I just made it an award instead of a feature): First recipient of the season, JIMMY WATTS. Although his name wasn't familiar before the race, the Gas-man for Marcos Ambrose's 47 Camry became a household name instantly. During the first round of green-flag pit-stops, a tire had gotten away from the crew. It didn't just get a little bit away, it was already a penalty for equipment leaving the box, that's not the award winning part. Mr. Watts, lacking judgement, decided to go after it, and when he couldn't catch it, he kept going and going, all the way to the infield while the cars were running at race-speed. NASCAR, with the safety of Mr. Watts being prime, threw the caution flag, thus trapping a majority of the cars off the lead lap. He was punished by NASCAR, suspended for the rest of the event and, announced Tuesday he will also be suspended until April 22nd. I don't know if he's the first Gasman to achieve suspension, but either way, Jimmy Watts, you are the "What in the World?" award winner for the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500!
However, honorable mention goes to Kurt Busch, who "after a few too many Miller Lites", along with some buddies, decided to do his victory lap in reverse. It appeared he would do the Polish victory lap, but instead put it in reverse and slowly drove around the track. I, for one, liked the inventive celebration, good job Kurt Busch.
Everyone enjoy the off-week (what an ironic statement) and be sure to come back next week as I'm going to revamp my championship predictions a little bit, now that we've been able to see who falls where after a few races.
Thanks for reading -
DT

Preview: Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

I'm sick, so I'm just going to give you predictions. This is what happens when a one-man show gets sick. Enjoy the races this weekend!

1. #17 - Matt Kenseth
2. #31 - Jeff Burton
3. #48 - Jimmie Johnson
4. #16 - Greg Biffle
5. #99 - Carl Edwards
6. #11 - Denny Hamlin
7. #14 - Tony Stewart
8. #24 - Jeff Gordon
9. #29 - Kevin Harvick
10. #2 - Kurt Busch

Lap Leader: #18 - Kyle Busch
Pole Sitter: #99 - Carl Edwards

Dark Horses

• #6 - David Ragan
• #33 - Clint Bowyer
• #26 - Jamie McMurray

if you're questioning my thinking go ahead and e-mail me and I'll give you reasons. Things should be back to normal next week.

In The Rearview: The Auto Club 500

I'd have to say this was a typical California race: BORING! I don't understand why "The Rock" lost it's date to Auto Club Speedway (I do, from a business standpoint, but regardless...). It is just annoying every year they come here twice when neither race is a sell-out. So. Cal needs one race. That is all they've showed they deserve, at most, is one race.
Matt Kenseth won this event, becoming just the fourth driver to win the opening 2 races of the season. If he can clinch the victory at Las Vegas this weekend, he'll become the first driver to win the first three.
Other Points of Note:

• Kevin Harvick blew a tire and engine (one caused the other), thus ending his [modern-era] record stretching of 81 consecutive races without a DNF. He know hands the torch over to his teammate, Clint Bowyer who has been running at the finish for 75 consecutive races.
• Harvick's crash was the only caution for a wreck.
• Hendrick Motorsports drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Mark Martin both failed out of the race due to engine problems. The other 2 HMS drivers and the Stewart-Haas teams' engines held up ok, even though those motors had the same faulty parts.
  

Boring races are always hard to comment on. So that's my take for this week, although it is brief.

Preview: Auto Club 500

The Auto Club 500 at California is usually one of my lesser favorite races. It should be fairly uneventful, but you never know, one of the best assets of NASCAR. Here are my predictions for this weekend's race.

1. 48 - Jimmie Johnson (Chevrolet) - He's always been strong here and it's the defending Champ's home track.
   
2. 18 - Kyle Busch (Toyota) - Kyle did great here last year. If he's going to have another year like last year, look for him to run up front Sunday.
   
3. 24 - Jeff Gordon (C) - Another home-stater; historically the 24 team is a contender here. Gordon could easily snap his winless streak at this 2-mile oval.
   
4. 17 - Matt Kenseth (Ford) - Momentum from the Daytona 500 win and a historical skew for Roush and Ford make Kenseth a strong choice.
   
5. 99 - Carl Edwards (F) - Again, Roush, Ford California, and he's the defending race winner.
   
6. 26 - Jamie McMurray (F) - Rouh-Fenway. Ford. Reunited with Wingo and he had a great race at Daytona if not for Dale Jr.
   
7. 29 - Kevin Harvick (C) - Harvick is also a California native. Historically he averages a 17.9 finishing position, but RCR has really stepped up lately.
   
8. 6 - David Ragan (F) - Roush. Ford. Plus, Ragan has really improved, in 4 starts Ragan has an average finish of 13.8.
   
9. 14 - Tony Stewart (C) - Stewart is strong and back in a Chevrolet, if Goodyear doesn't ruin his chances he should be contending for a win.
   
10. 33 - Clint Bowyer (C) - Bowyer has an average finish of 12, but with new crew chief Shane Wilson a win is possible. The 33 Cheerios/Hamburger-Helper Chevy should be a strong top-15 car at least.
    

Dark Horses

• 16 - Greg Biffle - Roush, but I just have a hunch he may not be as strong as the last two years.
  
• 39 - Ryan Newman - This guy is back! I think he could surprise a few people and maybe contend for the win.
  
• 88 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - He won Michigan last year and this track is very similar. If he doesn't wreck everyone look for him to be in the top-half of the field for most the day.
  

Pole Qualifier: 18 - Kyle Busch (T)
Lap Leader: 99- Carl Edwards (F)

In The Rearview: Daytona 500

The season opening race was one that was entertaining to watch, yet it was not without controversy. Two notes that should be looked at for sure.
First off though, let's take a look back. Martin Truex, Jr. Sat on the pole but only led a few laps. Kyle Busch (18 M&Ms Toyota) was the day's lap leader, he finished 41st. No, there were not catastrophic engine failures or blown tires for the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, just NASCAR's Favorite Son.
Matt Kenseth ended up being declared the winner after the race was shortened by 48 laps for rain. Kevin Harvick finished second, A.J. Allmendinger third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Elliott Sadler fifth.

Controversy No. 1: "The Big One" and "Little E"
This wasn't the typical wreck that is usually caused in the middle pack mayhem that goes on. This was in conjunction with the leaders. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had two very poor pit mistakes that put him a lap down. At one point he drove past his pit stall; the next round of pit stops the right front tire was on the pit-box line, that is declared out of bounds. The NASCAR official working his pit pointed that out, the crew pitted the car anyway, causing the official to asses a one-lap penalty.
On the next restart, the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet was the second car one lap down, behind Brian Vickers in the #83 Red Bull Toyota. After the cars got up to speed, Dale Jr got a small run, Vickers pushed his Toyota down to the double-yellow line and the Amp Chevy below it. Instead of blending in to line, Dale seemingly took his frustrations out and came across the bumper of Vickers not once, but twice. Immediately the announcers all agreed "that was wrong". Darrell Waltrip even said "I don't care who you are". Later in the broadcast though, they seemed to show a bit more sympathy. I don't know how or why , but it was intentional. I don't care what Earnhardt, Jr. says that was intentional. It took out ten cars, including contenders like Kyle Busch and Jamie McMurray. "All of this uncalled for with 75 laps to go in this race" - Larry McRenolyds. The block may have been unnecessary, but what was horribly wrong was the wrecking of the leaders. Where was the penalty? No penalty was assessed for "reckless driving" not one lap, no heading to the back. Nothing. That is a disgrace to the sport, I usually don't call the usual 'conspiracy' alert like many do, but this was just down right stupid. Dale Jr. you had ought to be ashamed of yourself. In a sport emphasizing safety, the consistency was lacking on Sunday.

Controversy #2: Rain, Rain, we'll go away.
Earlier I quoted Larry McReynolds at that point it was 75 laps to go. However part of the reason the big one occurred had to be with looming storms moving across the state of Florida. The Race finished after 152 laps, caution coming on lap 148. So the race was official per NASCAR Rules. What I don't like is that by the time Matt Kenseth made it to Gatorade Victory Lane, the rain had ceased. Now drying the track would have been a different story, but usually there is a waiting-out period. I have no problem with Kenseth winning, but I don't know why they didn't wait even an hour to call the race. Contributing to this problem is the later start time for "The Great American Race". Over the last few years the start time gets later and later due in part to the rise of West-Coast fans. Florida is notorious for late-afternoon thunderstorms that come in from the gulf. If the start time would go back to being a more day-centered race it would be nice. Regardless, congratulations to Matt Kenseth and the #17 Roush-Fenway Racing DeWalt Ford Fusion team.

DAYTONA 500 Predictions

Here they are. My predictions for the top ten for the 51st running of the Great American Race.

1. Jeff Gordon - I think this is his year and he's already proved he has a strong car.
2. Kevin Harvick - He's really grown to be a great super-speedway racer. I think he could certainly be a threat to win the 500 again.
3. Mark Martin - More Hendrick power here. I think he'll be in the lead often, but I don't know if he can actually tie this one down.
4. Clint Bowyer - The Kansas native seems to have learned quickly from his teammates and after the Nationwide race should really prove to be a threat.
5. Dale Earnhardt, JR - You can't ever count out this guy on a Super-Speedway, especially boasting Hendrick horsepower.
6. Jamie McMurray - He's won here under the lights and although he may be an underdog, I expect him to be strong if he can stay out of trouble.
7. David Ragan - With all the improvement he showed last season, he very well may start this season off strong.
8. Kyle Busch - He's daring and doesn't mind putting his car in places others won't go. Problem is this is a double-edged sword at Daytona.
9. Tony Stewart will have to fight from the back after moving to a back-up, regardless, the man knows the way around The World Center of Racing.
10. Carl Edwards - Roush-Fenway has been OK on Super-Speedways as of late, if not Edwards then Biffle.

Dark Horses:

• Casey Mears - The 07 team knows what to do. Mears has plenty of experience but no results to show for it. Assuming he can dodge the mis-haps look for him to challenge for a top-5 position.
• Jeff Burton - Although he may not be aggressive enough to really dominate a race like this, the skillful veteran could definitely be left standing at the end to challenge for a win
• Bill Elliott - Great car, great experience. Sounds like the possibility of a win to me.
• Michael Waltrip - This is someone who knows this Florida speedway very well. Toyota has the horsepower, but Waltrip may or may not have the talent left in him.
• Brian Vickers - his lone Cup win came at Talladega, He's matured as a driver since then and with Team Red Bull his chances this season of being in contention for many races are quite high.

Those are my picks - take 'em or leave 'em. I hope to have a podcast of these types of things up and running by the All Star race. Thanks for reading. Come back Tuesday for a review of the 2009 Daytona 500.
- DT

2009 Season Preview

There seems to be a lot of speculation that NASCAR will have trouble fighting through these tough economic times. There also seem to be a lot of "sure things" to happen, but fans don't seem like they're expecting any change.

No one can deny that many companies are finding ways to cut budgets, including sponsorships. However, there is evidence of growth.

Jeremy Mayfield just qualified as an owner/driver for this year's Daytona 500. With all the good things though, there will be at least one race that either 1) only 43 cars show up to race and/or b) less than a full field show up.

This won't be an easy year for NASCAR by any means, but there will be opportunities for several people to get a foot in the door that otherwise wouldn't have.

As far as winning and the Chase for the Cup are concerned, I think that victory lane will be more diversified. I imagine that Tony Stewart will win multiple races and that Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, and Jeff Gordon will garner wins to break their respective droughts.

It may be early, but I don't think that necessarily means it's impossible to tell who's going to finish where. My stance has been to try to be different and take these things from a different perspective.

So, without further ado, here's how the Chase will finish:

1. 24 Jeff Gordon will find victory again and finally get that elusive fifth championship. Johnson will have to move by the wayside; the wonderboy of yesterday is going to be back in a strong way with a bold new paint scheme.
2. 29 Kevin Harvick has already started this year off strong by winning the Budweiser Shootout. Happy's key to victory and a strong points finish is to extend his DNF-free streak while capturing more wins.
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3. 33 Clint Bowyer: This may be a 'bold' prediction considering one-third of the media professionals in NASCAR SCENE's Feb. 5 issue said Bowyer and his new team will miss the Chase. I'd like to nominate Bowyer as one of the most underrated drivers in the sport. A crew chief change may be what he needed to be able to truly contend weekly.
4. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Everyone is going to put a target on this team's TV Panel. A record-tying three championships in a row is one thing, but this Hendrick team won't be able to cement a record with four in a row this year.
   
5. 6 David Ragan: Although he ran into trouble in the Bud Shootout, this team really turned the power up at the end of the '08 season. Look for Ragan to grab his first win and be in contention at several tracks in 2009.
6. 5 Mark Martin: He is the greatest driver to never win a championship; unfortunately for Martin, I don't see him losing that title. Martin will most likely elude retirement after a roller-coaster season and give it one more "one last shot."
   
7. 99 Carl Edwards: Although he was strong last year and seems to be the favorite this year, I just don't see Edwards winning the Chase. He's racing full-time in the Nationwide Series again, and if he could step away from that, I think he'd be a serious threat.
8. 14 Tony Stewart: There is a reason that "Smoke" left a long partnership with the Gibbs team. This Stewart-Haas team will win at least three races in 2009 and be a title contender until the waning weeks.
9. 16 Greg Biffle: Although I believe the 3M team is a Championship caliber team, I think Biffle will be on the downside of what has seemed to be a roller-coaster Sprint Cup career.
10. 18 Kyle Busch: He's a strong and smart driver. I hate to admit it, but there is so much talent flowing out of this guy, he'll be contending for wins for a time to come. Again though, I don't think he can match the success he had last year.
11. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Popular is one thing 'Junior' is, however, so is "overrated." He's a strong driver but still won't be contending for a championship until he breaks family ties and gets a different crew chief. Sorry, "Junior Nation."
12. 31 Jeff Burton: Consistency, Consistency, Consistency. Unfortunately a lack of wins may keep the Caterpillar Chevy team from being true title contenders this year. He'll make the Chase but probably won't be a strong contender.
    
13. 83 Brian Vickers: No, Vickers probably isn't the driver you expected to see here, but he's been quietly making progress with the Red Bull Racing team. Next season, he may be able to contend for the title. Look for the youngest Nationwide Champion to mark down at least one "W" this season.

Others to keep an eye on:

• 1 Martin Truex Jr.: I'm not sure where he'll be for the 2010 season, but unless he has a strong showing with EGR, expect him to be picked up by a better team. Perhaps Stewart-Haas would pick up a third car.
• 26 Jamie McMurray: I think he could actually challenge to make the Chase, especially after reuniting with Donnie Wingo. He has to really perform this season if he doesn't want to be the man to move to Yates Racing.
• 07 Casey Mears: This team has had a history of success and Gil Martin works well with drivers needing a boost. Expect to see Mears in victory lane in 2009 and have a solid points finish inside the top 15. In 2010 this team could be a serious threat.
• 11 Denny Hamlin: Ever since is phenomenal rookie season, Hamlin will always be looked at as a possible contender.
• 39 Ryan Newman: I think the new driver for the U.S. ARMY may be in a place that compliments his driving style. He too could challenge for a Chase berth.

Not so serious contenders: Kasey Kahne, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Reutimann and Bobby Labonte could all easily be contenders. I think this year will have a very hard-fought points race throughout the entire season. 2009 looks to be a great year.

Age seems to be a popular issue this year with Mark Martin, 50, and Joey Logano, 18, both being expected to make a lot of noise. However, Logano will struggle as he gets acclimated to the high-pressure, high-stakes world that is the NASCAR Sprint cup.

Scott Speed will win Rookie honors. I don't think many are even considering someone else to be better than Logano, but Speed seems to be very promising, where Logano got off to a rocky start last season.

2009 Season Catch-Up (For Reference)

Welcome to 2009! I hope to be more on the ball this year (not off to a great start) but still continue to provide a unique prospective on the world of NASCAR Racing!
Before the Gatorade Duels I will have up my predictions for the final season standings and my Daytona 500 predictions. Before all that begins I'm going to list the mergers that happened and all the driver/sponsor/etc. shifts that also occurred.

Stewart-Haas Racing (Chevrolet)
- #14 Tony Stewart
*Old Spice/ Office Depot, Burger King
- #39 Ryan Newman
* U.S. Army

Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
- #29 Kevin Harvick
* Shell/Pennzoil
- #33 Clint Bowyer
* General Mills
- #31 Jeff Burton
* Caterpiller
- #07 Casey Mears
* Jack Daniel's

Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)
- #5 Mark Martin
* Kellogg's
- #25 Brad Keselowski (Part Time)
* Delphi
- #24 Jeff Gordon
* DuPont
- #48 Jimmie Johnson
* Lowe's
- #88 Dale Earnhardt, JR.
* AMP Energy Drink/Mountain Dew

Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
- #20 Joey Logano
* The Home Depot
- #18 Kyle Busch
* M&Ms/Mars
- #11 Denny Hamlin
* FedEX

Yates Racing Allied with Hall of Fame Racing (Ford)
- #98 Paul Menard
* Menard's
- #96 Bobby Labonte
* Ask.com
- #28 Travis Kvapil
* MANY (Single race sponsors)

Michael Waltrip Racing Allied with JTG-Daugherty Racing (Toyota)
- #00 David Reutimann
* Aaron's Rentals
- #47 Marcos Ambrose
* Little Debbies
- #55 Michael Waltrip
* NAPA Auto Parts

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports (Chevrolet)
Dale Earnhardt INC. merged with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
- #8 Aric Almirola
*Activision/Guitar Hero (Not likely for full season)
- #1 Martin Truex, Jr.
* Bass Pro Shops
- #42 Juan Pablo Montoya
* Target
- #34 John Andretti
* Window World

Tommy Baldwin Racing (Toyota)
- #36 Scott Riggs
* No Primary Sponsor as of 2/10

Mayfield Motorsports (Toyota)
- #41 Jeremy Mayfield
* All Sport

RedBull Racing (Toyota)
- #82 Scott Speed
* Red Bull Energy Drinks
- #83 Brian Vickers
* Red Bull Energy Drinks

Penske Championship Racing (Dodge)
Penske Racing South gave Bill Davis minority ownership for owner's points
- #12 David Stremme
* Verizon Wireless
(SPECIAL NOTE: Verizon logos will not appear on car, but the pain scheme is Verizon-esque. This is due to the buyout of Alltel. Stremme will run a Nationwide car sponsored with logos in that series)
- #2 Kurt Busch
* Miller Lite
- #77 Sam Hornish, JR.
* Mobil 1/AAA


Richard Petty Motorsports (Dodge)
Petty Enterprises merged into Gillette-Evernham Motorsports (Ray Evernham reduced role to consultant approx. 10% ownership)
- #44 AJ Allmendinger
* Valvoline
- #43 Reed Sorenson
* McDonald's
- #9 Kasey Kahne
* Budweiser
- #19 Elliot Sadler
* Best Buy

Roush-Fenway Racing (Ford)
- #6 David Ragan
* UPS
- #16 Greg Biffle
* 3M
- #17 Matt Kenseth
* DeWalt
- #26 Jamie McMurray
* Crown Royal
- #99 Carl Edwards
* Aflac Insurance

Robby Gordon Motorsports (Toyota)
- #7 Robby Gordon
* Jim Beam

That should be all of the competitive full time organizations. I will have a preview of 2009 and my predictions for both the season and the Daytona 500 up by tomorrow night.
Thanks for reading!
- DT

2008 Season Review Part II

This is coming later than I had hoped but I did get some much needed Holiday rest. The last bit should be posted by the end of the week.

#10 Patrick Carpantier (38)*: The Canadian driver had a mediocre rookie campaign. He was not able to post any top 10s after 24 starts. He was removed from the car for the last six races. A.J. Allmendinger drove the last 5.

#11 Denny Hamlin (8): Had a fairly successful year. Statistically speaking this year was slightly worse for the Virginia native, however he garnered more points this season. The highlight of Hamlin's season had to be winning in his home state at Martinsville, Va.

#12 Ryan Newman (17): Newman started off the year as the series points leader after an astounding Daytona 500 win. This was Car Owner Roger Penske's first Daytona 500 win. After winning the 50^th Great American race, Newman had a dismal season and signed to race for the newly formed Stewart-Haas racing, leaving the car owner he's been with since entering the cup series.

#15 Paul Menard (26): Menard made all 36 races and finished a respectable 26^th in points. Menard will move with his family sponsorship to Yates Racing for the 2009 season.

#16 Greg Biffle (3): Another tough year for The Biff, but one that must be considered a success. Biffle started The Chase for the Sprint Cup with back-to-back victories at New Hampshire and Dover. The 16 Ford team was consistently near the front all season, completing 97.5% of all laps run.

#17 Matt Kenseth (11): The 2003 series champion had another quiet year, going winless with 9 top fives. Kenseth made The Chase, but missed the season-end New York Banquet.

#18 Kyle Busch (10): Everyone knows he had a stellar season. At least the first half. Busch was able to dominate through the summer, but finished the year 10^th in points. He did not lead the series in wins, will he build in 2009 or was 2008 just a flash in the pan?

#19 Elliott Sadler (24): Elliot Sadler had a meager year. Sadler had only 8 top tens and 2 top-fives. Sadler did resign with Gillette-Evernham Motorsports through 2010, but was recently swept up in the elongated silly season.

#20 Tony Stewart (9): Stewart had a fairly slow year, as far as smoke goes. He was still able to make the Chase, finishing 9^th in points and garnering only 1 win. Next season Stewart will put on the Driver/Owner cap as he pilots the #14 Chevy.

#22 Dave Blaney (30): Blaney, at the origin of the season looked to be on a roll. Several times within the first third of the season he was the top Toyota (other than Kyle Busch). However, as the season progressed the Bill Davis Racing team was only able to secure a 30^th place finish in driver points.

#24 Jeff Gordon (7): The four-time cup champion had what will probably be the worst of his career. Gordon went winless in 2008, a first in his storied career. The 24 DuPont team was seventh in points this year, four places back from 2007.

#26 Jamie McMurray (16): The “other” Roush-Fenway driver didn't have a bad year. Although the Crown-Royal Ford didn't ever pull into victory lane, the team was able to record 4 top-five and 11 top-ten finishes.