2005 went by as fast as a pack of stock cars at Talladega. That tells me it's time for my annual racing predictions for the new season. It's also time to work past the laughter from fellow racing fans that are waiting for me to explain my 2005 selections.
As I say each year, I don't own a crystal ball. My predictions are based on trends observed from the previous season and a general gut feeling which often turns out to be a case of acid indigestion.
Let's begin with the Daytona 500. I picked Dale Earnhardt Jr, and his Dale Earnhardt Inc Chevrolet, to win the great American race last February. It was won by Jeff Gordon which resulted in a telephone call from his biggest fan, and my girlfriend.
Undaunted, I'm going to stand on that prediction and tell you Earnhardt is going to win the 2006 Daytona 500. Daytona is a restrictor plate race and DEI has an uncanny knack of doing well at this type of event. There's also the fact that Earnhardt's cousin and 2004 crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., has returned to the team and that could be huge all season long.
The 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Chase For The Championship. This year's Chase will basically feature the same group of drivers from 2005 with a couple of exceptions. There's no way Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are going to suffer the embarrassment of not making the cut two years in a row. That means two drivers will not be returning to the 2006 chase. I think Jeremy Mayfield and Kurt Busch, in his brand new Penske Racing ride, will not make the final ten. In fact, I'm predicting that Busch will wind up wishing he would have stayed with Roush Racing.
Last year I said that Earnhardt was going to win the 2005 NASCAR championship. Obviously, I missed that one by a mile and watched him endure a terrible season. This year I'm picking Jimmie Johnson. He has been a major factor in the championship battle for the past three years in a row and I think this is the year he's going to get the job done. But it won't be easy, I'm also predicting that Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle will be in the thick of it.
Regarding the Nextel Cup Rookie of the Year I'm picking Denny Hamlin the impressive new driver from the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. He took over the ride in the final few weeks of the 2005 season and was sensational. He's also going to be a driver to enjoy a break out season as will Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch.
In the NASCAR Busch Series I called in right when I said Martin Truex Jr. would win his second consecutive title. He will be moving up to the Nextel Cup in 2006 so that means I have to pick a new champion for next year. There are going to be at least six Nextel Cup drivers who will be doing double duty by also running the Busch schedule. I'm picking Carl Edwards to win the Busch Series title and finish second in the Cup Series' final standings.
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series I said Dennis Setzer was going to win the championship only to watch Ted Musgrave take in the late stages of the season. I'm standing on the prediction and expect the veteran Setzer to finally get his championship in 2006.
Turning now to NASCAR's Regional Touring Series; The AutoZone Elite Division Southwest Series is going to be tough because there are some very good choices in 2006. This will be intensified by the recent announcement that said this will be the final year for the series and everyone will like the thought of going into the record books as the last ever champion. I think we're going a new series record when Jim Pettit II wins the 2006 title for an unprecedented third year in a row. By the way, I actually got this one right by picking Pettit last year.
I also correctly picked Jeff Jefferson to win the 2005 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Northwest Series title for the second year in a row. However, this year I think I'm going in a different direction by declaring 2006 as the year of Travis Bennett in the Northwest Series. Bennett came oh so close last year to winning that title in a battle with Jefferson that came down to the final laps. I think Bennett is going to push a little harder this year and win the championship.
There are also some very strong candidates for the 2006 NASCAR Grand National Division West Series title. Last year I picked David Gilliland to win this title and he did have a strong year but not as strong as Mike Duncan. I don't think anyone is going to top the overall consistency level of Mike Duncan who has won the series' title the last two years. There also that killer combination of Duncan and crew chief Bill Sedgwick who is no stranger to West Series championships as a former driver. I'm picking Duncan to take this title three years in a row.
