Over the last couple weeks I have been thinking a lot about the upcoming Cup season. Please note that I refuse to refer to it as the "Sprint Cup" season. It totally irritates me when the media refers to the highest level of NASCAR racing, regardless of the era, as the "Sprint Cup" or over the last few years, the "Nextel Cup", even when they are talking about 40 years ago. I am sorry, but Richard Petty does not have seven "Sprint Cup" championshops. He has seven "Cup" championships (or in his case, seven Winston Cup Championships). This whole idea that the current advertiser gets total credit for 50 plus years of competition irks me.
Anyway, with all the hoopla surrounding the Daytona 500, I thought I ought to make my 2008 predictions, and then in November, we can all laugh at how wrong I was. Here are the 5 key events / issues to look forward to this year:
1. Tony Stewart's mullet and beard will affect the draft at Talladega. It's not quite full enough yet during speedweeks to give him or his teammates a distinct advantage at Daytona, but "give it time, Kevin, Give it time."
2. You will learn more about the National Guard this year than you have ever wanted to know thanks to Dale Jr. changing teams (no, not the "changing teams" Micheal Waltrip style, I'm talking about the move to Hendrick Motorsports) Remember the quantity of Bud ads over the last 8 years? Be prepared for Jr to trade in his aluminum cans for heavy steel tanks and apache helicopters.
3. Surprise: of the year - Although I am far from a fan, I think Reed Sorenson is going to get some wins, and turn a lot of heads this year, and I don't mean the sort of heads Michael Waltrip turns. The 41 has the best equipment in his stable, and he is finally getting some respect on the track. I'd expect to see multiple wins from the target car.
4. The term that FOX settles on for the Car of Tomorrow, or Today, or whatever, will become the new vernacular (that link is for those of you with a limited vocabulary) for the car. Because FOX has the first 10 races this year, they will set the standard for the duration of this season's technical jargon, as well as setting the table for the terminoligy used for the life of this car design. FOX execs, please select your words carefully.
5. Over/Under on a Joe Gibbs Racing team meltdown = 12 points races. With the new attitude of NASCAR towards the free behaviour of the drivers, I think the trio of drivers at JGR are being set up. NASCAR has stated that they intend to let drivers speak their minds without punishment in an effort to return the sport to the rough and tumble tradition it was built on. This seems like a great idea for fostering contraversy, and thus expanded attention, but it seems to be coming at a very delicate time for JGR. New fiery teammates; new car platform; new sponsors; new manufacturer; bad haircuts. I'll take the under.
Well, that's about it. I mean, I could have mentioned that the merger of Roush and Fenway is going to prove to be disappointing; or that Kenny Wallace may actually get a competitive full time ride if he finishes well this week (remember, this sport is more about marketability than winning races, and he one of the biggest fan favourites); or even that my favourite driver, Jeff Burton will have a disappointing season (we haven't turned a points lap yet and he's already has engine failures, shock problems, tire issues. I have a sneaking feeling that this is going to be a bad year to be a 31 fan), but I won't (even though I just did, you just can't hold me to it.)
OK, I gotta get settled onto the couch for the race. Enjoy the season! We will check on my accuracy periodically throughout the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment