Early season comments?

97forever

97forever

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Who looks good after the (almost) first third of the season?

Who will win ROTY?How about the Title?Manufacturer's chase?

Before the season started I picked Tony to repeat,Biffle as ROTY and that Kurt would surpass Jr.in race wins.I never saw Harvick,Waltrip or Jr. running as good as they are.And expected Newman to really challenge for the title.

The manufacturer's race is a two-carmake battle,with the oval and the bowtie leaving the wide track and the mopar in the dust!Not really that surprising...Dodge is still new and working out the kinks and Pontiac is relying on Well's and Ricky to do it all.

J-Mac is running better for ROTY than I would have bet.I thought Greg would leave him in the dust.Maybe just my wishful thinking,although Jamie is a pretty likable guy.

Title-wise:Who,other than his fans,saw Jr.coming?Kind of ironic that only Kenseth is ahead of his old 'arch-rival'.Still expect Kenseth to hold the lead.Hopefully,Kurt will surpass Jr. shortly! :lol:
Tony should still be able to rebound,Jeff G.is never out,and the planets will resume their normal alignment and Harvick and Mike will drop like rocks from the top ten.

But can Newman come back?And will Johnson ever hold it together to the END of a race?Good questions.

Anyway,in this sport,you just never know!

Let's hear some opinions. :cheers:
 
Who looks good after the (almost) first third of the season?

17 and 8 team seem most consistant so far and the others in top 10-15 are all goin up and down every week

Who will win ROTY?How about the Title?Manufacturer's chase?

i picked Biffle and still think he'll do it, Jamie Mac will be his closest competitor
Not even going to attempt title winner this early... :lol:
chevy


The manufacturer's race is a two-carmake battle,with the oval and the bowtie leaving the wide track and the mopar in the dust!Not really that surprising...Dodge is still new and working out the kinks and Pontiac is relying on Well's and Ricky to do it all.

I'll be surprised if Pontiac hangs in there much longer...they just don't have top team anymore...but Ricky is carrying the weight very well.

Title wise, I did see the #8 team as a top 5 team this year, the #24 is a perrenial top 5-7 team....i said last year if the 17 could find consistancy and avoid break downs they'd be the team to beat..so far, this seems the case(but the 8 team is right there 2)....#88,#12, and #20 are the surprise droppers so far and the #32 and #31 are the surprise risers for me....
 
Q: Who looks good after the (almost) first third of the season?
A: Matt Kenseth is really doing the best out there.

Q: Who will win ROTY?
A: It will be close, but not exciting like last year, but In the end, Jamie McMurray is Rookie of the Year.

Q: How about the Title?
A: I am thinking that It will be one of 3 picks, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, or Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Q: Manufacturer's chase?
A: It will be Ford, because of Roush Racing.

Q: But can Newman come back?
A: Newman will be back, but It will take the couple of wins that he gets later this year.

Q: And will Johnson ever hold it together to the END of a race?
A: Thats a good question...he is young, and has many people expecting him to do what he did last year, and that Is kind of hard to do. He is under a lot of pressure, and at the end of races he gets a little yancy. He will stop wrecking though on the last lap at the Winston.
 
Who looks good so far?

Well Jr and Kenseth are putting on quite a show at the top of the charts. I expect both of them to be in the top 5 at the end of the season. Kenseth has impressed me with his ability to rally in a less than perfect car and salvage a good finish. Jr really needs another win at a non-RP track to silence the critics, but he is bringing it all to the table this year.

Bobby Labonte has been good this year when he hasn't been wecked by someone else. He is back in the top 5 in points and has now had 3 straight 2nd place finishes. I wouldn't count him and Fatback out of another Championship hunt.

Other surprises UP: Elliott Sadler, Mikey, and Caven

Surprises DOWN: Jarrett, Stewart, and Newman

ROTY?

Still too soon to say really. It is a very different group from the guys from the last few years. It's less compelling this year. So far I give the edge to Biffle. He has the team and the experience for the long season ahead.
Jamie seems to have good followed by 2 terrible runs. Typical rookie seasons so far.

Manufacturer's title?

I think it'll come down to the Roush boys vs all the Chevy drivers. And it'll be close. Roush is carrying Ford right now and he may prevail.

Dodge is very uneven and Pontiac has all but given up the ghost since the Gibbs switch this season.

I can't mke any predictions about the top10 this year yet. It has been full of surprises, but I think the field is settling into a rhythm right now. I see Busch, Kenseth, Jr, B Labonte, Gordon, Johnson, and now Sterling as all having a great shot at the top spot this year.

JMO
 
I still think the 'Wild Man' will sneak up there & win the title. The ROTY is close, even with Biff missing the Vegas race.
 
I really think Jeff will win his fifth title this year. He has had some bad luck, and the last few races they haven't exactly lit up the track. But that is what championships are won on. When you don't have your best, you still manage to get a decent finish and maybe lead a few laps to salvage enough points to end up on top.

R.O.Y.? I think they should pass on it this year as none of the rookies seem very deserving of any kind of honor so far. I see some potential, but nothing like the rookies we have seen the past few years with Johnson, Busch, Newman, Kenseth etc.

Manufacturers? Never really paid much attention or cared much for car make. They are all the same anymore anyway.
 
I don't know...Wild Man was pretty un-impressive his rookie year...finished 27th, 0 wins & at the time I still wondered why he got the WC ride instead of Biffle.
 
ROTY: Biffle; does anybody know if Casey Mears qulaify for this award?

Newman is the biggest disappointment; probably will tie Busch for the most wins this season.

The championship is Kennesth's to lose, very consistant so far this season.

Surprise ride this season: Mongo!
 
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