1. Jeff Gordon picks up 4th Daytona win in the 50th
running.-In a year where Gordon welcomes in a highly publicized new teammate, and watched another teammate win back to back titles, it's only fitting that the sports most successful current driver picks up the win in the season opening Daytona 500. Chevrolet has won the last five Great American Races and 15 of the last 19. Look for new Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. to challenge for the win, especially after seeing how well he ran in winning Saturday's Budweiser Shootout, but at the end of the day, Jeff Gordon and the Rainbow Warriors will be celebrating in victory lane like they were for the 47th running in 2005. (photo: Orlando Sentinal)
2. Chevrolet and Hendrick WILL NOT dominate this year.................................only kidding
-While Chevrolet does lose one major player in Joe Gibbs racing move to Toyota, don't expect to see Hendrick Motorsports and the bow tie brigade to struggle. Last season, Chevrolet won 26 of the 36 races for an astounding 72 %. There are other teams out there capable of winning races, and I do feel that Roush-Fenway has closed the gap, expect to see Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon win AT LEAST half the races this year.
3. Toyota will win in 2008 but only drivers for JGR.
-Joe Gibbs Racing is just too good of a team to not get Toyota there first win, even though the manufacture struggled mightily last year. Expect Tony Stewart to reach victory lane a few time for Toyota, but expect teammate Kyle Busch to pick up victory number one.
4. Michael Waltrip makes more races than commercials.
-2007 was a historical one for Michael Waltrip. He started his own 3 car team from scratch. Was involved in Daytona 500 controversy when they found traces of jet fuel in his intake manifold. He only made 14 races last year, yet it seemed like every race during the season, 36 in all, brought us a new Michael Waltrip commercial. Of course I only kid, but it was quite comical to see a driver/owner marketing his teams so much only to fall flat on his face in qualifying. MWR has already improved from last year with Michael grabbing 2nd starting spot for the 500. So things are looking up, then again, it can't get any worse.
5. Comeback driver of the Year
- There are many candidates for comeback driver of the year. Ryan Newman is one, and the obvious will be Dale Earnhardt Jr, as the switch to a new team has made racing fresh and new for him, but I'm going with Kasey Kahne. Last season was a miserable one for Kahne in which he failed to reach victory lane, and only had one top 5 finish all season. What made Kahne's horrible 2007 campaign so surprising? Perhaps the fact that Kahne reached victory lane six times the year before. With new sponsorship in Budweiser, and a focused owner in Ray Evernham, Kasey will improve, win at least 1 race, and make the Chase. photo: (Evernham Racing)
6. Kurt Busch gets punched, a lot.
-This prediction might be going out on a limb, but aw what the heck. After a reported dust up during Shootout practice where Tony Stewart reportedly punched Kurt Busch in the face, things will only get worse for the former Nascar champion. Expect Kurt to irritate analyst and former driver Jimmie Spencer again, and get a couple shots to the face from Mr. Excitment. Carl Edwards has made up with teammate Matt Kenseth who he "fake" punched last year at Martinsville. I predict somewhere along the road, (most likely Bristol) for Kurt to bump Carl out of the way only to get paid back with a punch to the face. Finally during this season's All Star weekend, Kurt will attempt to pay back his brother Kyle for wrecking him in the last year's All Star race only for Kyle to sock his older brother right in the kisser.
7. Talladega fans throw AMP energy drinks at Jeff Gordon car.
-I mean it only makes sense. Last year beer cans rained down on Gordon's winning car after picking up the victory at Talladega. As most people are aware of by now, Dale Earnhardt Jr, has a new sponsorship deal with Mountain Dew AMP energy drink. Now, I'm not trying to say that everyone who threw items at Gordon's car last year where Earnhardt fans........but I'm going to assume they were
8. Franchiti wins Rookie of the Year.
-This one is just too easy. Last year he won the Indy 500 and the IRL championship, and already this year, he won the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. This guy is on fire. Don't exect Mr. Ashley Judd to win any races just yet, but rookie honors is a great start for the Scotsman.
9. Jack Sprague wins Craftsman Truck Series title.
-This season, Sprague teams up with defending champ Ron Hornaday for Kevin Harvick Racing in what should make for a historical duo. Sprague and Hornaday are the two winningest drivers in Truck Series history, and with a change in scenory for Sprague, a championship should follow.
10. Clint Boyer captures the 2008 Nationwide (Busch) Series crown.
-In what will always be known as the Busch Series to me, expect the Busch Whackers or I guess you would call them Nationwide Whackers to be in full force. Carl Edwards walked away with the title last year with little competition from anyone. Toyota's best shot at any sort of a title this year may be with David Reutimann driving the Aaron's, XM Radio, Napa Auto Parts, Best Western number 99 Toyota for MWR. (I had to get all of those sponsors in for Mikey) Edwards will be tough again, but we saw just how good Clint Boyer could be last year in both series, and this year he grabs the championship.
11. The 11 drivers that make the Chase but come up short.
-in the order they will finish.
12.Kyle Busch 11.Ryan Newman 10.Casey Mears 9.Jeff Burton 8.Kasey Kahne 7.Tony Stewart 6.Clint Boyer 5.Matt Kenseth 4.Jeff Gordon 3.Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2. Carl Edwards
12. Johnson 3 peats for Cup Title.
-Best resources, best cars, best crew chief, best driver, yeah Jimmie Johnson has it all. It won't be easy, not that either of the first two were, but expect JJ to win his third straight title. He will have plenty of competition in Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and his two Hendrick teammates, Gordon and Junior, but Jimmie Johnson has shown why he is the ultimate professional, and why he is a deserving champion. photo(cnn)
So there are my predictions, now you know, Boogity Boogity Boogity, let's see how badly these picks go!
-Nick Yeoman
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