'05 run and won. '06?

[Mattracer]

2005 season is run and won. Many have shown their hand for next year in the second half of this season.

Your likely favourites and the dark horses?

[Rombles1]

Craig Lowndes will win the championship in 2006. The reverse-grid races will suit him perfectly, and he will be the only person I can see getting close to winning all 3 races in any one weekend next year. Tander, Murph, J Richards and maybe Toddler will give him the most grief. I can't see Russell backing it up in '06.

And Seton to win Bathurst in a Holden.

[Dazz]

Hard to see Lowndes being beaten next year really isn't it.

He qualifies well, one of the top guys in that respect along with Skaife, Richards, etc.
He usually makes great starts.
He is super fast on cold tyres at the beginning of the race.
He can pass cars cleanly if need be.
And 888 have given him a car that will do the job.

On current form Tander will be a big threat if the Toll HSVDT can give him a consistantly good car. Rick Kelly will no doubt be in the mix along with Garth but still just lacks a little as a complete driver. But his form of late has been good.

Skaife and Todd Kelly, tough one to call. Still the best performing Holden Team over a season but need to stop silly mistakes and getting caught up in unnecessary drama's.

Steven Richards will be there as always and one again if he can keep his nose clean and keep racking up top four finished will be strong at seasons end.

Russell Ingall will be pleased to have championship number one out of the way and we will possibly see a bit more mongrel from him next year, although I don't think he will be throwing caution to the wind. He needs to qualify better though if he is really going to fight it out for race wins.

Dark Horses?

James Courtney will be interesting to watch with lots of experience for his age, but limited V8 Supercar experience. But that didn't stop Lowndes and Ambrose from winning quickly.

Jason Bright has shown glimpses when the car is right, but it's not been right often enough this year. If they can give him the equipment he could be a threat.

Greg Murphy has the speed no doubt about it, but needs the team to give him a 100% great car at every round for him to shine.

I'll be evry surprised to see a winner come from outside this bunch.

[SkaifeysGal]

The season has only just finished, I personally think it is way to early to be predicting the 06 winner

[peckstar]

i really think whincup may be a dark horse next year, he probably wont win the championship but i really think he will be in the mix. After a poor start to the year (read into the wall at clipsal) the 2nd 888 car has been strong in the latter part of the season (4 top 10 finishes includinga podium and a 5th) in the last 5 rounds. None of the drivers above it had more top 10 finishes in the last 5 rounds.

Hopefully whincup can carry this years form into the new team

[Mattracer]

Originally Posted by SkaifeysGal

The season has only just finished, I personally think it is way to early to be predicting the 06 winner

Oh well. Don't predict anything, just take a wild guess then. Humour me.

[deeks6]

Title: Lowndes
Dark Horse: Courtney
Bathurst: A Holden

[Grimace]

Originally Posted by peckstar

i really think whincup may be a dark horse next year, he probably wont win the championship but i really think he will be in the mix. After a poor start to the year (read into the wall at clipsal) the 2nd 888 car has been strong in the latter part of the season (4 top 10 finishes includinga podium and a 5th) in the last 5 rounds. None of the drivers above it had more top 10 finishes in the last 5 rounds.

Hopefully whincup can carry this years form into the new team

At least Whincup wont have to finish a race next year trailing a line of oil from a blown Holden engine

[rustyinsthoz]

As Ford drivers have won the last 3 years , it doesn't take a brain surgeon to work out that it will be a Ford driver that will win the title next year . And the obvious Ford driver would have to be Lowndes . As for a Holden driver . I will not hold my breathe on that one . There seems to be no Holden driver / team that is consistent enough to win the championship as well as the fact that the Holden is not fast enough at enough circuits to win the championship by speed alone anyway .

[Dazz]

Originally Posted by rustyinsthoz

as well as the fact that the Holden is not fast enough at enough circuits to win the championship by speed alone anyway .

Huh? Neither car appears to have a perceptable advantage over the other. Thgis year has shown the team to get the best from their car soonest has done well.

Don't use parity as a reason for losing a championship especially when the field is as close as it has ever been.

[rustyinsthoz]

Originally Posted by Dazz

Huh? Neither car appears to have a perceptable advantage over the other. Thgis year has shown the team to get the best from their car soonest has done well.

Don't use parity as a reason for losing a championship especially when the field is as close as it has ever been.

So when Holden finish 1 2 3 there is a problem with parity , but when Ford finish 1 2 3 , there isn't ?

The simply fact is , Holden were only faster at 4 rounds of the championship .

[Rombles1]

Originally Posted by Grimace

At least Whincup wont have to finish a race next year trailing a line of oil from a blown Holden engine

And cos he didn't go to FPR, he probably won't have the same thing happen to his Ford engine....

[RotorFan]

Originally Posted by rustyinsthoz

So when Holden finish 1 2 3 there is a problem with parity , but when Ford finish 1 2 3 , there isn't ?

The simply fact is , Holden were only faster at 4 rounds of the championship .

Exactly. A little too convenient, isn't it?

[SRabbit]

I remember hearing somewhere that Triple8 still have 1 test day left, and it's to happen on the 12th of next month where Whincup will get to sjakedown his car for next year - that's not a bad tactical ploy just quietly if they've managed to do that - nice little head start on next year anyway.

[dsg]

I don't think Lowndes, Tander or Bright can win next year because they tend to go for the win rather than accumulate points. I see Todd Kelly or Steve Richards being a good chance.