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Not off the Press: Tune-up thoughts before actual thoughts on NASCAR 2011

By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
I am a big fan of NASCAR Sprint Cup racing. In fact, I enjoy all forms of racing. I like local track racing. I like Nationwide racing. I like the trucks. Heck, if the vehicle is going fast, I'll stop what I am doing and watch it race.

So before I give my educated (and researched) guesses and thoughts on what I actually think will happen this NASCAR season, I just want to dive into this and give some pre-thoughts about the upcoming season. Though some of my responses may or may not change by February.

We will call this a tune-up to get ready for SpeedWeeks in February.

• The Daytona 500 is 38 days away (as of Wednesday, Jan. 12).
Can't wait for this race. Only been to it once, and it was the biggest sporting event I've ever attended. Though it is the first race of the season, it is my favorite race of the year. Gut feeling as of January, I'm picking Greg Biffle to win this race. We'll make the "official" pick sometime in February (before Sunday, Feb. 20). I read where cars will be able to drive 3-wide this year with the new surface; if so, then in the words of former champion driver and current broadcaster Darrell Waltrip, "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity … Let's go racin' boys!" 


• Jeff Gordon's new paint scheme.
Maybe I am old school when it comes to NASCAR, but with DuPont only on his car for 14 races this season, it will be weird. For 22 races, he'll have the Drive to End Hunger on his car and Pepsi for the other two races. It just won't be the same without the DuPont car on the track as often. 


• Hendrick and his crew chief changes.
What can it hurt? He has Jimmie Johnson and his five straight titles, but the rest of his teams weren't up to par last season. Combined wins for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon in 2010 — zero. That can't happen at a Hendrick Motorsports. If you've even seen the Hendrick Museum, you know, without a shadow of a doubt, he's not going to settle for that. I see better results, maybe not wins, for all three teams for next season. 


• Who will be the champion?
January prediction is easy … Jimmie Johnson, but again, not setting it in stone. He's won for five straight years: eventually he has to lose it, right? In my opinion, he's already in the Top 3 greatest of all-time. He deserves more credit than what he gets. 


• NASCAR may get something right.
Not pertaining to the Sprint Cup series, but to the Triple-A series, the Nationwide Series. NASCAR may be announcing a rule where racers who are going for the Cup title can't gain points for a championship in any other series. It's about time. I'm tired of Cup drivers winning the Triple-A title, while drivers who just race for the Nationwide title are overmatched against the top level racers. It has always reminded me of if MLB players would play minor league games on the weekend. I hope they make it where Cup drivers can only race in 10 Nationwide races per season. This will go a long way in building more talent for the future, while getting an opportunity to see younger talent race their way up the ranks. (By the way, my Nationwide champion prediction is Elliott Sadler. In trucks, I'm going with Austin Dillon.) 


• Cup races to Kentucky.
This is going to be great. It's long overdue for this track to get a Cup race. If anyone has ever watched races from the trucks or Nationwide series on this track, then the Cup cars should be even better. 


• What will be the first feud of 2011?
It will happen sometime at Daytona, and I have a feeling it will involve Juan Pablo Montoya and Joey Logano. Logano was wrecked by JPM in the final race of 2010, but Logano got back on the track to wreck JPM back. Race car drivers don't forget. 


• Sponsors and numbers.
There will be some different drivers with new sponsors, numbers and owners. Here are some of the number changes for full-time drivers in 2011:

2, Brad Keselowski
4, Kasey Kahne
9, Marcos Ambrose
22, Kurt Busch
27, Paul Menard
47, Bobby Labonte

I'm already confused but should have everything memorized soon. 


• How many times will Sam Hornish wreck his race car or cause a crash this season?
Well, there are 38 weeks in a NASCAR year, so I'm going to guess 47 times. He's the pride of NASCAR drivers from Ohio. Sometimes he races like the Cincinnati Bengals or Cleveland Browns play football … in last. 


• Breakout driver of 2011.
I'm going with Martin Truex, Jr. He has the talent, Toyota has a good racing program, and in three of his final four races in 2010 he took the checkered flag in sixth, 15th and 11th. The other race in the final four, he was 38th (Texas). 


• Drivers who will win in 2011 that didn't in '10.
Here is my list: Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Marcos Ambrose, Martin Truex, Jr., and Kasey Kahne.

This is all I have for now, but look toward early February once the cars have arrived at Daytona. Then I will have a more informed list of NASCAR rumblings, opinions and predictions for the 2011 season.

Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press.[[In-content Ad]]

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