Now that another new NASCAR season is officially upon us, the time is here for our Frontstretch staff to look like geniuses… or, more likely, make fools of ourselves with our season picks for who takes this year’s title.
Read on to find out who your favorite expert picked to not only win the Nextel Cup championship, but Rookie of the Year, as well as the one honor no one wants to take home… the official title of first Nextel Cup driver fired from their ride during the season.
|
2007 Chase for the Championship Picks |
Expert |
Kim DeHaven |
Amy Henderson |
Jeff Meyer |
Title |
PR Coordinator |
Driver Interview Coordinator |
Senior Writer |
1st |
Tony Stewart |
Tony Stewart |
Tony Stewart |
2nd |
Matt Kenseth |
Jimmie Johnson |
Carl Edwards |
3rd |
Jimmie Johnson |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
4th |
Kevin Harvick |
Kasey Kahne |
Jeff Burton |
5th |
Jeff Gordon |
Kevin Harvick |
Jeff Gordon |
6th |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Matt Kenseth |
Jimmie Johnson |
7th |
Jeff Burton |
Jeff Gordon |
Dale Jarrett |
8th |
Kasey Kahne |
Denny Hamlin |
Bobby Labonte |
9th |
Ryan Newman |
Jeff Burton |
Greg Biffle |
10th |
Casey Mears |
Casey Mears |
Denny Hamlin |
11th |
Elliott Sadler |
|
Kasey Kahne |
12th |
Carl Edwards |
|
Tony Raines |
Rookie of the Year |
Paul Menard |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Paul Menard |
First Driver Fired |
David Stremme |
David Ragan |
Johnny Sauter |
Why They Picked Their Champion |
Stewart’s 2006 got sidetracked with an injured shoulder, but by the end of the year he was as good as anyone out there. With his whole team intact and Stewart focused for ’07, there’s no reason to think the No. 20 team can’t rebound quickly towards a third championship in six years. |
Stewart’s streaky, but usually hits his high mark right in the middle of the Chase – he’ll make it in this year, and then he’ll be trouble for everybody else. |
Stewart is just going to “toy” with the rest of the field all year! When they reset the points for the Chase, Tony will be at least 70 points ahead, making a mockery of the whole Chase ‘restructure’ in general. |
|
2007 Chase for the Championship Picks |
Expert |
Becca Gladden |
Mike Neff |
Cami Starr |
Title |
Senior Writer |
Senior Writer |
Senior Writer |
1st |
Kevin Harvick |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Tony Stewart |
2nd |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Tony Stewart |
Kasey Kahne |
3rd |
Tony Stewart |
Jimmie Johnson |
Greg Biffle |
4th |
Matt Kenseth |
Kevin Harvick |
Matt Kenseth |
5th |
Jimmie Johnson |
Carl Edwards |
Jeff Burton |
6th |
Kasey Kahne |
Kasey Kahne |
Kevin Harvick |
7th |
Jeff Burton |
Martin Truex Jr. |
Jimmie Johnson |
8th |
Jeff Gordon |
Jeff Gordon |
Carl Edwards |
9th |
Kurt Busch |
Greg Biffle |
Denny Hamlin |
10th |
Ryan Newman |
Elliott Sadler |
Jeff Gordon |
11th |
Denny Hamlin |
Kyle Busch |
Elliott Sadler |
12th |
Carl Edwards |
Matt Kenseth |
Bobby Labonte |
Rookie of the Year |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
First Driver Fired |
AJ Allmendinger |
Jamie McMurray |
Sterling Marlin |
Why They Picked Their Champion |
RCR engineers will be ahead of the learning curve for the Car of Tomorrow, giving Harvick just enough of an edge in the Chase to put him on top. |
Junior’s team finally puts all of the pieces in place, forcing Teresa’s hand and ultimately giving Junior a stake in the company. Catching fire, the No. 8 team then romps to its first Nextel Cup title. |
Smoke has the tendency to get hot and go on a winning streak. I think the new bonus points for wins will be key for the No. 20 team as Stewart heads toward his third Cup title. |
|
2007 Chase for the Championship Picks |
Expert |
Matt McLaughlin |
Beth Lunkenheimer |
Tommy Thompson |
Title |
Contributing Writer |
Contributing Writer |
Contributing Writer |
1st |
Tony Stewart |
Tony Stewart |
Jimmie Johnson |
2nd |
Jimmie Johnson |
Kurt Busch |
Greg Biffle |
3rd |
Kasey Kahne |
Kasey Kahne |
Matt Kenseth |
4th |
Denny Hamlin |
Kyle Busch |
Tony Stewart |
5th |
Kevin Harvick |
Kevin Harvick |
Jeff Gordon |
6th |
Jeff Gordon |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Jeff Burton |
7th |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Jeff Gordon |
Kurt Busch |
8th |
Matt Kenseth |
Ryan Newman |
Ryan Newman |
9th |
Carl Edwards |
Matt Kenseth |
Denny Hamlin |
10th |
Greg Biffle |
Denny Hamlin |
Jamie McMurray |
11th |
Kurt Busch |
Casey Mears |
Casey Mears |
12th |
Bobby Labonte |
David Reutimann |
Joe Nemechek |
Rookie of the Year |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
David Reutimann |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
First Driver Fired |
David Stremme |
Jamie McMurray |
Tony Raines |
Why They Picked Their Champion |
This year, it’s more difficult than ever to handicap the field. With the CoT as a wildcard and the new Chase format, you might as well throw darts at a board. |
After a disappointing end to the regular season, Stewart found himself missing the playoffs, and will be ready to show everyone it was just a one-time thing. |
There’s no reason not to expect Johnson to continue his winning ways. Johnson, Chad Knaus, and the No. 48 crew are intact and in championship form. |
|
2007 Chase for the Championship Picks |
Expert |
Vito Pugliese |
Meegan Sweeney |
Mike Lovecchio |
Title |
Contributing Writer |
Contributing Writer |
Contributing Writer |
1st |
Jimmie Johnson |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Tony Stewart |
2nd |
Matt Kenseth |
Tony Stewart |
Jeff Gordon |
3rd |
Carl Edwards |
Jimmie Johnson |
Kyle Busch |
4th |
Jeff Gordon |
Jeff Gordon |
Carl Edwards |
5th |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Denny Hamlin |
Jimmie Johnson |
6th |
Kasey Kahne |
Kevin Harvick |
Kasey Kahne |
7th |
Kurt Busch |
Jeff Burton |
Kevin Harvick |
8th |
Clint Bowyer |
Martin Truex Jr. |
Jeff Burton |
9th |
Elliott Sadler |
Clint Bowyer |
Matt Kenseth |
10th |
Tony Stewart |
Mark Martin |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
11th |
Kevin Harvick |
Casey Mears |
Brian Vickers |
12th |
Jeff Burton |
Brian Vickers |
Greg Biffle |
Rookie of the Year |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Paul Menard |
David Ragan |
First Driver Fired |
Jamie McMurray |
None |
JJ Yeley |
Why They Picked Their Champion |
Now that he’s relieved himself of the Dan Marino syndrome, more titles will follow for Johnson, especially with the 10-race Chase format. |
Despite the distractions, I just believe it’s going to be his year. |
Stewart has a chip on his shoulder after missing the Chase last season. |
|
2007 Chase for the Championship Picks |
Expert |
Matt Taliaferro |
Ren Jonsin |
Frontstretch |
Title |
Contributing Writer |
Publisher |
Most Popular Staff Picks |
1st |
Tony Stewart |
Tony Stewart |
Tony Stewart |
2nd |
Jimmie Johnson |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Jimmie Johnson |
3rd |
Matt Kenseth |
Kevin Harvick |
Kasey Kahne |
4th |
Greg Biffle |
Jeff Gordon |
Kevin Harvick |
5th |
Kevin Harvick |
Jeff Burton |
Jeff Gordon |
6th |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
Denny Hamlin |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
7th |
Jeff Gordon |
Carl Edwards |
Jeff Burton |
8th |
Carl Edwards |
Matt Kenseth |
Carl Edwards |
9th |
Kasey Kahne |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Denny Hamlin |
10th |
Jeff Burton |
Kasey Kahne |
Greg Biffle |
11th |
Kyle Busch |
Greg Biffle |
Kyle Busch |
12th |
Denny Hamlin |
Dale Jarrett |
Casey Mears |
Rookie of the Year |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Juan Pablo Montoya |
First Driver Fired |
Johnny Sauter |
Jamie McMurray |
Jamie McMurray |
Why They Picked Their Champion |
Stewart will have something to prove and, being the purest talent on the circuit, should adapt to whatever nuances the CoT throws at him better than most. |
12 spots in the Chase allow the No. 20 team their perennial slow start AND a 10-race sprint to the championship once they hit their stride. |
Smoke was a clear pick by our writers to take home his third Nextel Cup title this decade. |