2008 NASCAR Preview- Driver Rankings (10th to 6th)

10. 12-Ryan Newman, Alltel Dodge Charger

Team- Penske Racing South

The 2007 Sprint Cup season was unarguably an upgrade from his miserable 2006 campaign, one in which he scored just two top fives, seven top tens, and most surprisingly, two poles. Ryan Newman was a perennial championship contender from 2002 to 2005 before he inexplicably fell off the radar. Well folks, Newman returned in 2007, and although he did not win, it was not due to lack of performance. It was lack of luck that kept Newman out of victory lane on several occasions in 2007, most notably at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last October. After he blew past Jeff Gordon late in the race, he began to pull away when a cut tire sealed his fate with less than three laps remaining.

Newman has momentum on his side as well. He scored four top five finishes in the final six races. Furthermore, some of Newman’s best performances of the year occurred in the Car of Tomorrow. Expect NASCAR’s best qualifier to snap his 80-plus race winless streak, and qualify for the Chase for the Championship.

2007 prediction- 12th

2007 result- 13th

9. 11-Denny Hamlin, Federal Express Toyota Camry

Team- Joe Gibbs Racing

It was a tale of two seasons for Denny Hamlin. Early in the year, he appeared poised and ready to challenge the Hendrick boys for the championship. Throughout the first 26 races of the year, he was consistently among the top three in the Sprint Cup standings. However, once the Chase for the Championship began, he dropped like a rock. In the final ten races, Hamlin only scored three top ten finishes, and posted five finishes of 20th or worse.

Hamlin and the Joe Gibbs Racing organization will field Toyota Camry’s following a decade and a half affiliation with General Motors. He seems to be optimistic with the change in manufacturer, and he has been fast in all of the pre-season testing. Expect Hamlin to be one of the driver’s fighting for a spot in the Chase for the Championship. As far as winning the title, he may be another year or so away.

2007 prediction- 14th2007 result- 12th

8. 07-Clint Bowyer, Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet Impala

Team- Richard Childress Racing

He is the Cinderella Story no more. Expectations for Clint Bowyer have radically ascended ever since he nearly pulled a New York Giants on the New England Patriots of NASCAR, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Bowyer was the only driver within shouting distance of the two Hendrick Motorsports drivers as the season reached its final handful of races. He entered the Chase for the Championship as the only driver without a win, but the doughnut in the win column emphatically turned into a ‘W’ after he led 222 of the 300 laps at New Hampshire en route to his first career victory. Bowyer established himself as a formidable competitor, one that has earned the respect of his peers.

Bowyer and the 07 team will be out to prove that they are no one-hit wonder. Look for this team to be the strongest out of the Richard Childress Racing stables. Another victory and Chase for the Championship berth is almost expected.

2007 prediction- 11th

2007 result- 3rd

7. 88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. , AMP Energy Drink/National Guard Chevrolet Impala

Team- Hendrick Motorsports

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will have an opportunity to silence the misanthropists that have hounded him throughout his career. Many refer to him as the most overrated driver in NASCAR, which is false. He is talented, but he is also overexposed, which has led to excess censure from non-Junior supporters. After a season full of tribulations, personally and professionally, Earnhardt, Jr. will unite with the premier organization in NASCAR. He joins Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Casey Mears at Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon, Johnson, and former driver Terry Labonte have proven that the operation can win championships. Now Earnhardt, Jr. must do the same or he will fall into the same category as Ricky Craven, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., Jerry Nadeau, Joe Nemechek, and Brian Vickers as drivers who could not benefit from the vast resources that Hendrick provides.

Earnhardt, Jr. will probably win multiple races, and will likely return to the Chase for the Championship, but he is a long-shot to actually win the Sprint Cup championship.

2007 prediction- 5th

2007 result- 14th

6. 99-Carl Edwards, Office Depot Ford Fusion

Team- Roush Fenway Racing

After winning three races in 2007, Carl Edwards has established himself as a legitimate championship contender in 2008. Two of his three wins were races that featured the Car of Tomorrow, and were at tracks that he previously struggled, Dover and Bristol. Edwards’ year of resurgence also included a Busch Series championship. However, a publicized confrontation with teammate Matt Kenseth may have tainted his public persona with fans and opposing drivers.

Despite his public relations woes, Edwards will be just as strong in 2008 as he was in 2007. If he can muster up some consistency in the final ten races, he could be in the championship hunt at Homestead in November.

2007 prediction- 9th

2007 result- 9th

NASCAR Driver Rankings (15th to 11th)

NASCAR Driver Rankings (20th to 16th)

NASCAR Driver Rankings (25th to 21st)

NASCAR Driver Rankings (30th to 26th)

NASCAR Driver Rankings (35th to 31st)

NASCAR Driver Rankings (43rd to 36th)

autoracing@suite101.com