Suite 101 NASCAR Preview
Suite 101 previews the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season
The 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season will feature a surfeit of changes- from a new championship format all the way to the much-publicized Car of Tomorrow.
And even though some of these changes within the sport have been disparaged, they do incite intrigue, and even the most cynical of NASCAR fans will be tuning in to see how this Car of Tomorrow plays out, or how the Colombia native Juan Pablo Montoya will perform in his rookie season in NASCAR, and all eyes will be focused on the new 12-man race to the championship.
We have no idea how these gripping storylines are going to play out. But we can always speculate. Here is my concise forecast for the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup season.
Who will be the 2007 Nextel Cup champion? Kevin Harvick. In 2006 Harvick had his breakout season, winning five races, scoring fifteen top fives and twenty top tens. And he did all of that while competing in a full Busch Series schedule. In 2007, Harvick will not have the burden of performing the double duty week in and week out. I fully believe that Richard Childress has given Harvick all the tools to win his first NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.
Who will win Rookie of the Year? Not Juan Pablo Montoya. It will be Paul Menard. Yes, Montoya is one of the greatest racecar drivers in the world and everyone wants to see him succeed, but the reality is that the transition will not as smooth as everyone seems to think. Paul Menard has quietly improved over the past two seasons with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. He will not be Denny Hamlin, or Clint Bowyer for that matter, but he will be the top rookie in 2007.
Who will win the Daytona 500? Tony Stewart. I have predicted Tony Stewart to win the Great American Race at Daytona every year since 2004. One of these days my prediction will come to fruition. Like the late Dale Earnhardt, Stewart is spectacular at Daytona, but every year he faces some kind of deterrent.
Which manufacturer will win the manufacturers title? Chevrolet. Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt Jr all drive Chevrolets. Need I say more?
Who will win the first Car of Tomorrow race at Bristol? Kurt Busch or Ryan Newman. The Penske organization spent a lot of time during the off-season focusing on the Car of Tomorrow.
Who will win the most races? Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne (4 wins a piece)- Tony Stewart can win at any given track, and Kasey Kahne owns the intermediate tracks.
Who will win in 2007 that failed to win in 2006? Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Scott Riggs, and Casey Mears. Newman and Edwards may win multiple races, and Bowyer, Riggs, and Mears are right on the threshold of winning their first Nextel Cup event.
Who won in 2006 that will not win in 2007? Brian Vickers. If it took three years for Vickers to win with Hendrick Motorsports, then it will likely take even longer with Red Bull Racing.
Who will be the next first-time winner in 2007? Clint Bowyer. Bowyer was fast at tracks like Texas and Kansas. He should win his first race fairly early in the season.
Who needs to win in 2007? Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears. McMurray and Mears left Chip Ganassi Racing for premier rides with Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, so it is vital for them to capitalize early on, especially McMurray after his miserable first year with Roush Racing.
Can a Toyota driver win in 2007? Dale Jarrett is Toyota's best bet. Jeremy Mayfield and Dave Blaney could surprise a lot of people.
Who will be the comeback driver of the year? Ryan Newman. Penske Racing will not have to put up with mediocrity for much longer. Newman will return to victory lane, and will reclaim his stranglehold on qualifying day.
Who will struggle in 2007? Brian Vickers, David Ragan, Michael Waltrip
Who will make the Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship?
* Kevin Harvick * Tony Stewart * Greg Biffle * Jimmie Johnson * Dale Earnhardt Jr * Kasey Kahne * Matt Kenseth * Jeff Gordon * Carl Edwards * Kurt Busch * Clint Bowyer * Ryan Newman
Close but no cigar: Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Casey Mears, and Scott Riggs
Great darkhorse picks: Ricky Rudd, Bobby Labonte, and Dale Jarrett
