Recently I took part in NASCAR’s media poll, providing my input as to which 12 drivers would make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and which one would win the title.
The results were fed back to us as part of the run-up to Sunday’s Daytona 500 (see below). As I didn’t agree with everyone else, I thought it would be a good idea to take a stab at making some predictions.
Fearless Prediction #1
For Sunday’s 50th Daytona 500, my heart (and Dad) say Tony Stewart is going to finally win The Great American Race.
That’s my heart.
My head says a car from Hendrick Motorsports will be parked in Victory Lane on Sunday. I keep seeing those four Hendrick cars working together up front in the Shootout, then three of the four contending strongly in the Duels.
But I don’t think the fairy tale will come true, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning his first points race since 2006.
No, unlike at the end of the Shootout, when push comes to shove — literally — Junior will find himself on the wrong end of Jeff Gordon’s or Jimmie Johnson’s car.
Fearless Prediction #2
I’m going to say there will be at least four cautions as a result of tires going down.
The CoT is hard on tires, as we’ve seen, and with everyone bunched up nose-to-tail, the likelihood of a Talladega-style mega-crash is pretty good.
I’ll even go so far as to say Denny Hamlin will be involved in one of those multi-car crashes. I know he won the second Duel, but in the Shootout he seemed to be banging off everyone. At some point on Sunday he’s going to be in a crowd, he’ll get a little loose or cut a tire, and …
Fearless Prediction #3
I agree with the rest of the media-types polled that Gordon will win his fifth championship this season, and Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates Racing driver Dario Franchitti will be the Rookie of the Year.
If Franchitti does win the rookie award, Snohomish native and CGFSR developmental driver Kevin Hamlin should get his name etched on the trophy somewhere. Hamlin helped former F1 star Juan Pablo Montoya, last year’s winner, make the move to NASCAR, and he’s doing the same thing this year for Franchitti, the reigning IndyCar champ.
— — —
Here are the results of the 2008 media poll, and my input:
Chasers
Media picks (in predicated order of finish): 1. Jeff Gordon, 2. Jimmie Johnson, 3. Tony Stewart, 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 5. Matt Kenseth, 6. Kyle Busch, 7. Carl Edwards, 8. Kurt Busch, 9. Kevin Harvick, 10. Denny Hamlin, 11. Clint Bowyer, 12. Jeff Burton. Champion: Jeff Gordon.
Whitmore picks (in no particular order): 1. Jeff Gordon, 2. Jimmie Johnson, 3. Tony Stewart, 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 5. Kyle Busch, 6. Kurt Busch, 7. Bobby Labonte, 8. Clint Bowyer, 9. Kevin Harvick, 10. Carl Edwards, 11. Matt Kenseth, 12. Kasey Kahne. Champion: Jeff Gordon.
Rookie of the Year
Both: Dario Franchitti
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