Now that another new NASCAR season is officially upon us, the time is here for our Frontstretch staff to look like geniuses… or fools… with our picks for who makes the Chase – and most importantly, who takes this year’s title.
So, read on to find out who your favorite expert picked to bring home the hardware this season, along with who’s ready to cash their first unemployment check. And while Rookie of the Year might not count for much this year… we made a selection there, too.
| 2008 Sprint Cup Title Predictions | ||||
| Expert | Tom Bowles | Kim DeHaven | Toni Montgomery | |
| Title | Editor-In-Chief | Publisher | Senior Editor | |
| 1st | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | |
| 2nd | Matt Kenseth | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 3rd | Jimmie Johnson | Matt Kenseth | Tony Stewart | |
| 4th | Kyle Busch | Clint Bowyer | Carl Edwards | |
| 5th | Clint Bowyer | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Matt Kenseth | |
| 6th | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Greg Biffle | Kurt Busch | |
| 7th | Carl Edwards | Carl Edwards | Clint Bowyer | |
| 8th | Kurt Busch | Kevin Harvick | Ryan Newman | |
| 9th | Greg Biffle | Kasey Kahne | Greg Biffle | |
| 10th | Kasey Kahne | Tony Stewart | Jeff Burton | |
| 11th | Ryan Newman | Kurt Busch | Denny Hamlin | |
| 12th | Tony Stewart | Martin Truex Jr. | Kevin Harvick | |
| First Driver Fired | Jamie McMurray | Ken Schrader | Ken Schrader | |
| Rookie of the Year | Regan Smith | Dario Franchitti | Dario Franchitti | |
| Why They Picked How They Did | While Johnson will be strong in his bid for three straight titles, there’s a reason only one driver in history has accomplished that feat. Gordon will push Johnson to the limit – and finally figure out a rhythm that will carry him through the Chase unscathed. If Gordon falters, look for Kenseth to surprise with his first title in the Chase era; he won’t take as long to adjust to Chip Bolin as you might think. | I don’t have a crystal ball, but it is hard to bet against Hendrick Motorsports’ dominance. So why did I go with Gordon, you ask? It’s easy; I tossed the contenders’ names in a hat and drew them out one by one. Is there any other way to determine who will be the 2008 champion? | Why Gordon? I have seen nothing that makes me think it’s still not going to be all Hendrick, all the way – and Johnson can’t win them all. Gordon has lost out twice to the Chase system… but he won’t this time. | |
| 2008 Sprint Cup Title Predictions | ||||
| Expert | Cami Starr | Amy Henderson | Matt Taliaferro | |
| Title | Senior Editor | Assistant Editor | Assistant Editor | |
| 1st | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | |
| 2nd | Matt Kenseth | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 3rd | Jimmie Johnson | Matt Kenseth | Matt Kenseth | |
| 4th | Carl Edwards | Carl Edwards | Tony Stewart | |
| 5th | Clint Bowyer | Clint Bowyer | Carl Edwards | |
| 6th | Martin Truex Jr. | Jeff Burton | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | |
| 7th | Kevin Harvick | Tony Stewart | Kyle Busch | |
| 8th | Kurt Busch | Kyle Busch | Kurt Busch | |
| 9th | Tony Stewart | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Martin Truex Jr. | |
| 10th | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Kevin Harvick | Kevin Harvick | |
| 11th | Denny Hamlin | Martin Truex Jr. | Ryan Newman | |
| 12th | Ryan Newman | Casey Mears | Greg Biffle | |
| First Driver Fired | Jeremy Mayfield | The Driver of Whichever Team Outside the Top 35 That Lures Terry Labonte out of Retirement | Scott Riggs | |
| Rookie of the Year | Regan Smith | Dario Franchitti | Regan Smith | |
| Why They Picked How They Did | Finally! Gordon will be able to overcome the Chase format and win his fifth title in 2008. Johnson will be close again this year, but I don’t think even the great No. 48 team can overcome the pressure of trying to pull off the three-peat. | If it was not for the Chase, Gordon would be looking to tie Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty at seven titles this year – and don’t think he doesn’t know it. Gordon will come out of his corner fighting in 2008, meaning this could just be the year he finally takes home trophy number five. | Gordon has learned his lessons. With the patience and precision of crew chief Steve Letarte to back him up, he’ll finally overcome Johnson after a six-year-long battle within Hendrick, winning his first title under the Chase format in the procss. | |
| 2008 Sprint Cup Title Predictions | ||||
| Expert | Nikki Krone | Jeff Meyer | Mike Neff | |
| Title | Senior Writer | Senior Writer | Senior Writer | |
| 1st | Jeff Gordon | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 2nd | Jimmie Johnson | Tony Stewart | Jeff Gordon | |
| 3rd | Tony Stewart | Jeff Gordon | Tony Stewart | |
| 4th | Carl Edwards | Carl Edwards | Denny Hamlin | |
| 5th | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Jimmie Johnson | Jeff Burton | |
| 6th | Kevin Harvick | Jeff Burton | Kevin Harvick | |
| 7th | Greg Biffle | Greg Biffle | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | |
| 8th | Clint Bowyer | Matt Kenseth | Greg Biffle | |
| 9th | Matt Kenseth | Denny Hamlin | Martin Truex Jr. | |
| 10th | Kyle Busch | Elliott Sadler | Clint Bowyer | |
| 11th | Juan Pablo Montoya | Ryan Newman | Carl Edwards | |
| 12th | Ryan Newman | Kevin Harvick | Kurt Busch | |
| First Driver Fired | Reed Sorenson | John Andretti | Jeremy Mayfield | |
| Rookie of the Year | Dario Franchitti | Sam Hornish Jr. | Sam Hornish Jr. | |
| Why They Picked How They Did | We all know that Jeff can do it. While they are friends, I feel like Jeff has probably already had enough of losing to Johnson, and with Junior coming on board, I think he will want to prove that he is still “top dog” at Hendrick. I think Gordon will be strong right from the start and show that he isn’t the “old man” in the organization – he can still show these “kids” a thing or two. | Why Junior for my champion? Why not? Wouldn’t it be cool!? After a year of controversy, Junior can now just drive. Everybody has always wanted to know how good he can be… well, now he is in the best equipment to do prove it. Trust me, Hendrick is going to everything he can to help his newest “golden boy” succeed. | For the most part, all of the parts of Johnson’s team have stayed the same – so, there is no reason to think they’ll miss a beat this year. If the chemistry between Johnson and Knaus keeps on going, Cale Yarborough may have company in the record books by the end of this season. | |
| 2008 Sprint Cup Title Predictions | ||||
| Expert | Matt McLaughlin | Beth Lunkenheimer | Tommy Thompson | |
| Title | Senior Writer | Senior Writer | Senior Writer | |
| 1st | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | |
| 2nd | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | Kurt Busch | |
| 3rd | Matt Kenseth | Kevin Harvick | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 4th | Kasey Kahne | Carl Edwards | Carl Edwards | |
| 5th | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Clint Bowyer | Tony Stewart | |
| 6th | Clint Bowyer | Tony Stewart | Matt Kenseth | |
| 7th | Carl Edwards | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Clint Bowyer | |
| 8th | Kevin Harvick | Matt Kenseth | Matt Kenseth | |
| 9th | Kurt Busch | Kyle Busch | Ryan Newman | |
| 10th | Ryan Newman | Denny Hamlin | Denny Hamlin | |
| 11th | Jeff Burton | Kurt Busch | Kyle Busch | |
| 12th | Tony Stewart | Martin Truex Jr. | Kasey Kahne | |
| First Driver Fired | David Gilliland | David Gilliland | Aric Almirola | |
| Rookie of the Year | Dario Franchitti | Dario Franchitti | Dario Franchitti | |
| Why They Picked How They Did | It’s not all about the equipment. It’s about the driver, as well; and anyone who thinks Gordon isn’t one of the best drivers ever to take the wheel of a stock car is as full of crap as Ella Sofia’s diaper. | It’s virtually impossible to pick the 2008 champion – especially before the first race of the season. But what I do know is how easy it is to pick a Hendrick Motorsports car to win. With Johnson having won the last two championships, Gordon will look to get out of his shadow and show he can still win a title. | This should be the year that the active driver with the most career wins finally figures out to save a little for the Chase. The four-time champion ought to have it figured out now, collecting “one for the thumb.” | |
| 2008 Sprint Cup Title Predictions | ||||
| Expert | Vito Pugliese | Tony Lumbis | Mike Lovecchio | |
| Title | Senior Writer | Senior Writer | Senior Writer | |
| 1st | Tony Stewart | Carl Edwards | Tony Stewart | |
| 2nd | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | Jeff Gordon | |
| 3rd | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Matt Kenseth | Carl Edwards | |
| 4th | Kyle Busch | Jeff Gordon | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 5th | Martin Truex Jr. | Kurt Busch | Kyle Busch | |
| 6th | Jeff Gordon | Tony Stewart | Clint Bowyer | |
| 7th | Kurt Busch | Martin Truex Jr. | Matt Kenseth | |
| 8th | Denny Hamlin | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Kurt Busch | |
| 9th | Clint Bowyer | Greg Biffle | Casey Mears | |
| 10th | Carl Edwards | Jeff Burton | Kevin Harvick | |
| 11th | Ryan Newman | Kasey Kahne | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | |
| 12th | Matt Kenseth | Bobby Labonte | Juan Pablo Montoya | |
| First Driver Fired | Reed Sorenson | Scott Riggs | AJ Allmendinger | |
| Rookie of the Year | Dario Franchitti | Dario Franchitti | Dario Franchitti | |
| Why They Picked How They Did | Everyone really needs to take a look at how Toyota is dominating the Truck Series and realize that with the CoT, the only thing that is different these days are the engines – and Toyota makes big time power with bulletproof reliability. Mark Cronquist’s group is among the best in the business, and with Toyota’s ability to spend at will, by the second half of the season, Smoke and company could very well hang one on everybody. | I think this year, the Hendrick championship juggernaut falls at the hands of the team that is in the best position to do so – Roush Fenway Racing. The No. 99 team demonstrated strength in the CoT Department down the stretch in ’07, and Edwards should be in position to build on his resurgent 2008 season, following up a Busch Series title with a Cup triumph the very next year. | If Toyota has the same type of success as they have in other series, it’s Stewart who will be leading the charge. | |
| 2008 Sprint Cup Title Predictions | ||||
| Expert | S.D. Grady | Danny Peters | Kurt Allen Smith | |
| Title | Newsletter Contributor | Contributing Writer | Contributing Writer | |
| 1st | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | Jeff Gordon | |
| 2nd | Clint Bowyer | Jimmie Johnson | Jimmie Johnson | |
| 3rd | Jimmie Johnson | Tony Stewart | Carl Edwards | |
| 4th | Tony Stewart | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Matt Kenseth | |
| 5th | Ryan Newman | Denny Hamlin | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | |
| 6th | Jeff Burton | Kyle Busch | Tony Stewart | |
| 7th | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Kevin Harvick | Kyle Busch | |
| 8th | Kasey Kahne | Jeff Burton | Kurt Busch | |
| 9th | Juan Pablo Montoya | Carl Edwards | Denny Hamlin | |
| 10th | Carl Edwards | Kasey Kahne | Clint Bowyer | |
| 11th | Matt Kenseth | Clint Bowyer | Jeff Burton | |
| 12th | Martin Truex Jr. | Martin Truex Jr. | Casey Mears | |
| First Driver Fired | Jacques Villeneuve | David Gilliland | Reed Sorenson | |
| Rookie of the Year | Dario Franchitti | Dario “Yeah, Right, I’m A Rookie” Franchitti | Sam Hornish Jr. | |
| Why They Picked How They Did | I’m picking Gordon for no other reason than he’s due – that fifth Cup is missing from his trophy case for far too long. With HMS continuing to build on their spectacular past two seasons and his personal life appearing to be dreamlike, Jeff has only to worry about passing the rest of the cars on the track; and that’s something he’s well able to accomplish. | The Drive For Five finally happens, while the three-peat falls just short. | Probably an easy call after scoring more points than anyone under the old system last year. | |
About the author
The Frontstretch Staff is made up of a group of talented men and women spread out all over the United States and Canada. Residing in 15 states throughout the country, plus Ontario, and widely ranging in age, the staff showcases a wide variety of diverse opinions that will keep you coming back for more week in and week out.
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