2009 Predictions

[slick42]

So the new season is only 2 months away

What are your predictions for 09

I'll do mine in a seperate post so you can just copy and paste the fields

Daytona 500:
Bristol Spring:
Talladega Spring:
Sonoma:
Indianapolis:
Watkins Glen:
Bristol Night:

Your Chasers:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Your Top Five End of Season

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

[slick42]

Daytona 500: Gordon
Bristol Spring: Truex jr.
Talladega Spring:Montoya
Sonoma: Stewart
Indianapolis: Harvick
Watkins Glen: Busch
Bristol Night: Edwards

Your Chasers:

1. Edwards
2. Busch
3. Gordon
4. Johnson
5. Kenseth
6. Earnhardt Jr.
7. Martin
8. Burton
9. Harvick
10. Montoya
11. Biffle
12. Hamlin

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Edwards
2. Martin
3. Gordon
4. Johnson
5. Busch

[Cuckoo]

Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Bristol Spring: Carl Edwards
Talladega Spring: Kyle Busch
Sonoma: Jeff Gordon
Indianapolis: Brian Vickers
Watkins Glen: Juan Montoya
Bristol Night: Mark Martin

Your Chasers:

1.Carl Edwards
2.Kyle Busch
3.Jimmy Johnson
4.Dale Earnhardt Jr
5.Jeff Gordon
6. Greg Biffle
7. Juan Montoya
8. Jeff Burton
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Mark Martin
11. Tony Stewart
12. David Regan

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Carl Edwards
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jimmy Johnson
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Kasey Kahne

On a side issue nice to see Carl shoving it up that German fellow at the ROC
And it was bloody cold there!!!!

[Axeman444]

Not sure about the rest of them, but my pick for Sonoma is one M. Ambrose

[slick42]

I've gone off Ambrose since he spun Juan at Infineon and then did away with Said at Mexico. He will most likely be a factor but more thatn likely at the Glen imo. He looked stronger there than he did at Infineon

[gomick]

Ambrose for a top 20 finish in points

[Jacko44]

Daytona 500: Kurt Busch
Bristol Spring: Denny Hamlin
Talladega Spring: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Jamie McMurray
Indianapolis: Jimmie Johnson
Watkins Glen: Kyle Busch
Bristol Night: Carl Edwards

Your Chasers:

1. Carl Edwards
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Jeff Burton
5. Mark Martin
6. Greg Biffle
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Denny Hamlin
10. David Ragan
11. Kevin Harvick
12. Jamie McMurray

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Mark Martin
3. Carl Edwards
4. Jeff Burton
5. Denny Hamlin

[mongrelpunt]

Daytona 500: Clint Bowyer
Bristol Spring: Carl Edwards
Talladega Spring: Brian Vickers
Sonoma: Kyle Busch
Indianapolis: Jimmie Johnson
Watkins Glen: Marcos Ambrose
Bristol Night: Carl Edwards

Your Chasers:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Greg Biffle
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Mark Martin
7. Clint Bowyer
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr
10. Jeff Gordon
11. Brian Vickers
12. David Ragan

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Kyle Busch
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Greg Biffle
4. Carl Edwards
5. Mark Martin

[slick42]

Alot of people aren't keen on Vickers this year because of the way he fizzed out last year after a great start

[Jacko44]

I'm surprised no-one else has gone for Jimmie to win his 4th in a row??

[Speedworx]

Daytona 500: C.Mears
Bristol Spring: Ky.BUsch
Talladega Spring: J.Gordon
Sonoma: T.Stewart
Indianapolis: T.Stewart
Watkins Glen: C.Mears
Bristol Night: C.Edwards

Your Chasers:

1. C.Edwards
2. Ky.Busch
3. J.Gordon
4. J.Johnson
5. C.Bowyer
6. D.Ragan
7. C.Mears
8. K.Harvick
9. G.Biffle
10. K.Kahne
11. J.Burton
12. D.Stremme

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Ky.Busch
2. C.Edwards
3. J.Johnson
4. J.Burton
5. G.Biffle

[slick42]

interesting choice in Stremme, he could be sleeper this year, i wish he was still at Ganassi

I love the fact that juan will have so many drafting partners this year: Truex, Almirola, Labonte?, Dale Jr. Stremme, Kyle Busch but definitely not Clint Bowyer after last year

[Racenut7]

Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Bristol Spring: Carl Edwards
Talladega Spring: Kyle Busch
Sonoma: Marcos Ambrose
Indianapolis: Jimmie Johnson
Watkins Glen: Marcos Ambrose
Bristol Night: Juan Montoya

Your Chasers:

1.Carl Edwards
2.Kyle Busch
3.Jimmy Johnson
4.Dale Earnhardt Jr
5.Jeff Gordon
6. Greg Biffle
7. Juan Montoya
8. Jeff Burton
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Mark Martin
11. Tony Stewart
12. Kevin Harvick

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Carl Edwards
2. Kyle Busch
3. Jimmy Johnson
4. Greg Biffle
5. Kasey Kahne

[mongrelpunt]

Originally Posted by slick42

Alot of people aren't keen on Vickers this year because of the way he fizzed out last year after a great start

He did have a blistering first half, and should have been higher in the points than 19th - he had the best car at Lowe's (I think) when he had that loose tyre go on him into the corner. Plus he missed his crew chief for a few weeks with a suspension, and also had 17 different team-mates trying to keep the #84 in the points.

He should make the chase next year if all those go right.

[TF1 Fan]

Daytona 500: Mark Martin
Bristol Spring: Denny Hamlin
Talladega Spring: Kyle Busch
Sonoma: Juan Pablo Montoya
Indianapolis: Jimmie Johnson
Watkins Glen: Kyle Busch
Bristol Night: Carl Edwards

Your Chasers:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards
3. Jimmie Johnson
4. Jeff Burton
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Jeff Gordon
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Mark Martin
11. Brian Vickers
12. Juan Pablo Montoya

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Kyle Busch
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Carl Edwards
4. Mark Martin
5. Denny Hamlin

[Racenut7]

Budweiser Shootout: Dale Earnhardt, Jr
Daytona 500: Jimmie Johnson
Bristol Spring: Denny Hamlin
Talladega Spring: Kyle Busch
All-Star Race XXV: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Marcos Ambrose
Indianapolis: Jimmie Johnson
Watkins Glen: Marcos Ambrose
Bristol Night: Juan Pablo Montoya
Talladega 500: Jimmie Johnson

Your Chasers:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kyle Busch
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr
4. Jeff Burton
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Greg Biffle
7. Juan Montoya
8. Brian Vickers
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Mark Martin
11. Tony Stewart
12. Kevin Harvick

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kyle Busch
3. Mark Martin
4. Greg Biffle
5. Kasey Kahne

[DanicaFan]

My prediction... Jimmie Johnson wins 4 in a row.

[GTRMagic]

I dont see Mr Ambrose taking a Winston Cup victory this season... despite the good sentiment... the Toyota under him is not likely to be a serious contender. He has now hit the Big League....

Top 20 in the points might be the best result mustered

[Aloysius]

Daytona 500: Kyle Busch
Bristol Spring: Matt Kenseth
Talladega Spring: Denny Hamlin
Sonoma: JPM
Indianapolis: Clint Bowyer
Watkins Glen: Jeff Gordon
Bristol Night: Carl Edwards

Your Chasers:

1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards
3. Jeff Burton
4. Mark Martin
5. Dale Earnhadt Jr.
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Greg Biffle
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Jamie McMurray
10. Brian Vickers
11. Denny Hamlin
12. Kevin Harvick

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Kyle Busch
2. Carl Edwards
3. Greg Biffle
4. Jeff Burton
5. Mark Martin

[Clive Brown]

Forgive me if I don't buy in to this particular format , but I can't see the Sprint Cup championship being as predictable as this , other than that Jimmie Johnson will most probably win the Chase again , Little E won't all the time he's got a hole between his buttocks ( just a journeyman with a great surname ) , and Brian France will continue to make Dubya look like a management genius .

Anyway , for me there's six certain qualifiers ; Edwards , Biffle , Johnson , Jeff Gordon , Shrub , and Denny Hamlin . Add to that the two best RCR cars , the #31 and the #29 , not quick enough to win a Championship , but consistent enough ( especially Jeff Burton ) to make the Chase , the #88 ( so-so driver , rocky team , but HMS car ) , and I think the #5 ( under-performing team , but Hendrick car , and the world's fastest old man now at the wheel ) . That leaves , in no particular order , the #6 and #17 for the remaining two spots .

Now , I think that JPM is the fastest and most talented driver in Sprint Cup , but unfortunately , he has driven for two years for a team seemingly managed by mutants hell-bent on self-destruction , and this season , will be running for those self-same mutants , but this time merged with a team of terminal losers . 'Motorsport 101' tells us what might happen next .... The #9 looks great on its day , but those days don't happen often enough , and Penske still show no signs of getting any real grip on the genre as a whole .... too clever by half , in my view . The #83 team doesn't lack talent behind the wheel , but to make the Chase , you need to perform well enough over 26 races , and I'm not at all sure that they have yet mastered this trick .

Stewart-Hass I consider a long shot because Hass CNC was one bad team , and I haven't yet heard of enough of the trash being fired to give me any confidence in Smoke , great driver though he is , making the Chase this year , at least . As for Ryan Newman , I think he will struggle to make a future Chase in any year , driving any car , for any organisation .

There's others I've not mentioned : Joey Logano is a good longshot , and I kind of wonder if AJ Allmendinger might not have had the fairy powder ( no , not Angel dust ! ) scattered upon him . But what do you guys think ?

[slick42]

It's gonna be different this year. JPM was easily a top 5 car at the last 3 intermediates. Add that to his strong RP runs, his road course background and DEI's short track history and as the song says...

THINGS CAN ONLY GET BETTER

[Ola]

Daytona 500: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Bristol Spring: Carl Edwards
Talladega Spring: Kyle Busch
Sonoma: Jeff Gordon
Indianapolis: Juan Pablo Montoya
Watkins Glen: Juan Pablo Montoya
Bristol Night: Jimmie Johnson

Your Chasers:

1.Carl Edwards
2.Kyle Busch
3.Jimmie Johnson
4.Dale Earnhardt Jr
5.Jeff Gordon
6. Matt Kenseth
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Jeff Burton
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Mark Martin
11. Tony Stewart
12. Juan Pablo Montoya

Your Top Five End of Season

1. Carl Edwards
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Matt Kenseth

[Clive Brown]

[quote=slick42]It's gonna be different this year. JPM was easily a top 5 car at the last 3 intermediates. Add that to his strong RP runs, his road course background and DEI's short track history [quote]

Err .... no ! DEI clearly can't cut it now ; what we are looking at is a team in terminal decline , the next Petty Enterprises . Truex didn't even look like making the Chase last year , yet in '07 , he made it quite comfortably , despite one or two car issues . Blending this group of bums and no-hopers with the imbeciles who run CGR will not suddenly produce a winning organisation , I promise you .

JPM should have jumped ship ; quite why he didn't go to either of the two better MOPAR teams , both of whom had seat vacancies , I really can't work out . Or the #5 , or the #20 , or the #26 , or the #33 ; better in each case than the then- or proposed- incumbent of the seat .

[slick42]

[quote=Clive Brown][quote=slick42]It's gonna be different this year. JPM was easily a top 5 car at the last 3 intermediates. Add that to his strong RP runs, his road course background and DEI's short track history

Err .... no ! DEI clearly can't cut it now ; what we are looking at is a team in terminal decline , the next Petty Enterprises . Truex didn't even look like making the Chase last year , yet in '07 , he made it quite comfortably , despite one or two car issues . Blending this group of bums and no-hopers with the imbeciles who run CGR will not suddenly produce a winning organisation , I promise you .

JPM should have jumped ship ; quite why he didn't go to either of the two better MOPAR teams , both of whom had seat vacancies , I really can't work out . Or the #5 , or the #20 , or the #26 , or the #33 ; better in each case than the then- or proposed- incumbent of the seat .

Incomparable, Petty Enterprises suffered due to the dated way in which their team was run. DEI on the other hand was one of the best teams at the short tracks and has a full time sponsor.

It's not fair for you to call the people at ganassi imbiciles. I've been to the race shop and know they do work very hard, harder than most. They may not engineer the best car on the track but they do work hard.

The team found some speed last season so this season will without a doubt be different

Also what makes you think Juan could find a sponsor, Texaco and Wrigleys were already at the team before joined

[Clive Brown]

Firstly , how do you think Petty Enterprises got to be such a joke ? It didn't happen overnight ; exactly because they were such a great team , they became complacent , and arrogantly assumed that they would always have a seat at the top table as of right . They got gradually less competitive year by year , locked in a time warp whilst the sport as a whole moved on around them .

Turning to Ganassi , in my view , the problem lies not so much in the shop as at the level above , just as it does with such other perenially under-performing teams as Hass CNC and HoFR . I am wary , to say the least , of organisations that change their crew chiefs and drivers more often than some folks change their socks ; it's normally a knee-jerk reaction to disguise failings at management level . At least when HMS or RFR changes a crew chief , it's usually because the previous guy has been suspended by NASCAR having been caught cheating .

It cannot be denied that late season at least , the #42 car was more competitive more often than it had been the season before , but might that not have been principally due to JPM getting to work out what NASCAR in general was all about ? There were still too many occasions when the car was nowhere , and the team seemed bereft of ideas as to how to turn the situation round . Last season JPM got through no less that three crew chiefs , the first two of whom I really rated , but who obviously had issues with the management of the team .

Finally , I would suggest that Montoya is fairly attractive as a sponsorship prospect . As a Hispanic , there are synergies with the demographics in a number of geographical areas in which the sport as a whole wants to improve its penetration , and I don't think that had he gone to any half-decent team , securing sponsorship would have been too much of a difficulty . I would suggest that the principal reason that HMS deep-sixed Shrub last year in favour of a driver who was arguably slower and certainly ten years older was simply because of the sponsor dollars that Junior would inevitably bring in .