So, it has arrived at last. The 2017 season has almost arrived. In less than two weeks, the Clash at Daytona will commence. It will kick off what may well be the best season in years. With 3 rookie drivers, a seven time champion, and a solid group of bad boys, and of course the outstanding new format of points, the season is full of potential. It will be thrilling. Now for my predictions.

Predicted Standings:

1: Martin Truex Jr. Strange? Not really. His pure dominance will pay off this season. His habit of destroying competition will pay off this year. And it helps to have a solid history at Homestead.

2: Kevin Harvick. Again, consistency. Harvick is only ranked behind Truex because of the switch to Ford and changing teammates. Still, don’t count him out.

3: Chase Elliot. Rookie no more, champion to be, this kid will step up again. A first win and more consistency seems to be in the works. Mentored by the best, the Son of Bill From Dawsonville will make the siren ring once more in his hometown.

4: Kyle Larson. Footing is important, and Larson’s finding his. The fact that he’s improved this much in the car he’s in is impressive. I think he makes it this far.

5: Jimmie Johnson. Hard to repeat as champ in this format. Johnson is good, but he almost always uses the Summer races as test sessions. That or he always slumps. Now, he can’t do that. I think that will take some adjustment.

6: Daniel Suarez. I know, I know. He’s a rookie. And yes even I think this may be a bit bold. But he is good. And he has a solid team which is coming off a great season. That, with Suarez’s talent, is a good combo. Remember where he got his first win: Over Kyle Busch in a last lap duel. That doesn’t happen by chance.

7: Kyle Busch. They all have good stretches, but they aren’t good every year. Kyle may have a more realistic year. Not that he won’t win. He just may not be as dominant as he was this past year.

8: Austin Dillon. Dillon took a step up this past year, and got very close to winning. He may get there this year. I don’t see him as a championship contender yet, but hey, I’ve been wrong before. ‘cough’ (Dale Jr.)

9: Denny Hamlin. Hamlin just can’t get there. He comes so close to success, and misses. Don’t see that changing this year.

10: Kurt Busch. He’s like Hamlin. Good, just not great. Switching to Ford isn’t going to help him much.

11: Matt Kenseth. How long will Kenseth outrun age? No offence to him, but he’s past the average driver’s peak. He still has skill, but he wasn’t exactly at his best this past year. Still, he’s still solid. But he needs one last burst of speed if he wants that second championship. His first was 14 years ago.

12: Trevor Bayne. Strange pick. But he is getting better. And he nearly made the Chase last year. With one less person one his team, there’s more focus on his and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.s improvement. He may have a shot.

13: Dale Earnhardt Jr. My championship pick last year was far from it. Hence my cough earlier. But he’s capable of a win and playoff chance. However, he needs time to recover from his concussion.

14: Eric Jones. Skill is the name of the game with Jones. The guy can drive, but his first year will be tough. Still, he will do well. However, he might need time to adjust, and a brand new team will be hard. The no. 77 Furniture Row Toyota and Jones make their Monster Energy Cup Series debut.

15: Clint Bowyer. A new team. A new start. Bowyer seeks redemption in his 12th season in the Cup Series. The no. 14 team showed promise last year. They may be good enough to give Bowyer a reset button. Still, it takes time to gain momentum in the Cup Series. And Bowyer is at square one.

16: AJ Allmendinger. He may not wind up here, but AJ has shown that he can carry his tiny team to victory lane. He still is seeking his second win, and it comes this year.

17: Kasey Kahne. What is wrong with this team? I mean, if you can’t make the Chase, and you are a Hendrick car, something is wrong. And it just may be the driver.

18: Jamie McMurray. McMurray has made the Chase for two years in a row, and I expect him to be in contention this year as well. However, consistency won’t help him as much this year. However, a victory would solve all his problems.

19: Danica Patrick. She seems to go up and down. Danica led laps last year, more than ever before, and yet, somehow, she couldn’t scrape a top-ten. She constantly shocks me, whether good or bad, but it’s about time she got something. A switch to Ford may be helpful. After all, it’s the first time her crew chief hasn’t been sacked after a year. She may finally add some consistency.

20: Ryan Newman. Newman has lost some of his edge, and he seems to be fading into the mid pack runners. He has never won with Richard Childress Racing. He needs something big to happen, and now. He may have gotten a contract extension, but time is ticking.

21: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The 2 time Xfinity Series champ can not seem to get success. Doesn’t have a win yet. Not even a Chase appearance. He needs help. But he may need a new team for that.

22: Paul Menard. Menard lacked speed this year, and like Newman, he needs help to succeed. I don’t doubt Menard’s skill. I’ve seen it’s flashes. He just needs a decent ride.

23: Chris Buescher. Chris had a solid first Cup season, and got his first victory. He is a good driver. And with some experience, he could be great. And the fact that he is now in a JTG Daugherty Racing car may give him a better chance as opposed to the chances he had in the no 34 Front Row Motorsports car. However, it’s a  new team, and Daugherty Racing as only ever achieved one victory. So he probably won’t win yet, but in the long term he may do well.

24: Aric Almirola. Aric has skill, but he really needs a better ride. He’s still in his prime, but good rides are hard to come by. If Penske ever opened a third team, I know who I’d go for.

25: Ty Dillon. Ty will find himself an impressive rookie class, and less than impressive equipment. A win isn’t likely. And consistent top-10s aren’t likely either. Dillon is a good driver, but the no. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet isn’t the ride to success.

Rookie of the Year: Daniel Suarez. Suarez is a skilled young driver, and stepping into a championship caliber team. If any of the three rookies is likely to make the Chase and claim a victory, it’s the defending Xfinity Series Champion.

The Races:

1: Daytona: Kyle Busch. I said he wouldn’t win the championship. Busch showed skill on the plate tracks last year, and seems ready to claim the greatest victory of his career.

2: Atlanta: Jimmie Johnson. Let’s not lie. Johnson wins. Every year. And Atlanta will be the first.

3: Las Vegas: Chase Elliot. Chase was good here last year. Why not?

4: Phoenix: Dale Earnhardt Jr. DJ will prove he’s not to be overlooked in this race, and will do it by beating Kevin Harvick.

5: Fontana: Kyle Larson. Larson has either feast or famine here, and it’s feast time. The 42 wins this one.

6: Martinsville: Denny Hamlin. Hamlin is becoming a Martinsville legend, and adds another win this year.

7: Texas: Martin Truex Jr. Hey, no thinking about this one. Truex has to get over his luck here eventually.

8: Bristol: Eric Jones. Jones has defeated Cup drivers here before, and why not this time?

9: Richmond: Kevin Harvick. May be a slow start, but he’ll find his footing with Ford here.

10: Talladega: Austin Dillon. Dillon showed remarkable restrictor-plate racing prowess last year, and Talladega seems to be the place where he’ll get that first win.

11: Kansas: Martin Truex Jr. Kansas and Truex go together like bread and butter, and somehow a win hasn’t happened. It will now.

All-Star: Kyle Larson. Who cares? I know, this race is about as fun as eating moldy salami. But Larson’s a likely victor. He’s good at Charlotte, and should have won this last year.

12: Charlotte: Chase Elliot. I won’t lie, Elliot is good at Charlotte. And it helps to have Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon as mentors. Chase’s first big win will come here.

13: Dover: Kyle Larson. This track was both Larson’s friend and foe last year, and now he will claim victory at the Monster Mile.

14: Pocono: Kevin Harvick. Harvick is always picks up a couple victories over the Summer, and one comes here.

15: Michigan: Daniel Suarez. Suarez claimed his first Xfinity win here over Kyle Busch, so why not in Cup too?

16: Sonoma: Clint Bowyer. When you put a Sonoma winner with the car and team that won here last year, you get a pretty solid squad at Sonoma.

17: Daytona: Dale Earnhardt Jr. DJ makes a solid run at Daytona in July, and punches his ticket to the playoffs.

18: Kentucky: Brad Keslowski. Brad may be a pretty annoying, but I’m growing to admire his skill. And Kentucky is the battle grounds which Keslowski thrives upon.

19: New Hampshire: Matt Kenseth. Matt may not be in for the best season, but New Hampshire is a place he can win at.

20: Indianapolis: Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie is still the man at the Brickyard. But he will have to outduel the Joe Gibbs drivers to claim this win.

21: Pocono: Kurt Busch.  Kurt never seems to be outstanding mid-season, but a win here seems likely.

22: Watkins Glen: AJ Allmendinger. The road masters in Nascar (Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, etc.) have all  retired. Which opens the door for  others. Such as road veteran AJ Allmendinger.

23: Michigan: Chase Elliot. Elliot was runner up both times at Michigan in 2016. He now will take advantage of his skill and claim victory.

24: Bristol: Trevor Bayne. Bold, I know, but if Roush-Fenway Racing can up it’s game just a bit, this may be possible. Bayne loves Bristol, and if he’s going to get win no. 2 anywhere, it’s here.

25: Darlington: Chase Elliot. Once more, Elliot’s skill is impressive, and Darlington is  place with deep Elliot family history. Chase wins Darlington.

26: Richmond: Kurt Busch. Busch may not be dominant, but he will get win no. 2 here.

27: Chicagoland: Chase Elliot. My evidence: watch last year’s race. Elliot all the way.

28: New Hampshire: Martin Truex Jr. Again, last year.

29: Dover: Daniel Suarez. And… once again. Last year’s Xfinity race.

30: Charlotte: Martin Truex Jr. How many times must I say this. 2016 Coca-Cola 600.

31: Talladega. Chase Elliot. Last year, the only driver who bothered trying to win here was Elliot. He didn’t then, but he will now.

32: Kansas: Kyle Busch. Busch will build momentum here with a win, but it won’t carry him.

33: Martinsville: AJ Allmendinger. I know this seems reckless, but AJ is good at the paperclip.

34: Texas: Kyle Larson. He does well late in the Chase, and this time he will make it to the Championship 4.

35: Phoenix: Kevin Harvick. We know him as the cactus king for a reason.

36: Homestead-Miami: Martin Truex Jr. Truex is good, but at Homestead he is amazing. And it will take that to defeat Kyle Larson, Chase Elliot, and Kevin Harvick.

Biggest Cup surprise of 2017: Daniel Suarez. He will be solid. And a victory may be possible. He will be a bit better than expected. After all, beating a champion, cough (Kyle Busch), is not a feat to overlook.

Best Change: The new points system. The addition of race segments and playoff points will be amazing, Nothing like this has existed in Nascar before, and it will be an interesting change. Also, it’s because of that that I chose Truex as my championship pick. The dominance he’s displayed in recent years will really pay off.

Predicted best race: Daytona 500. No questions asked here. The first race under the system, this will be both experimental and madness. Which is all going to be happening at 200 miles per hour for 3 hours. So this prediction is just a guess… which has evidence of an amazing start to the season.

Xfinity Series Champion: Justin Allgier. He was very impressive last year. And now that Eric Jones and Daniel Suarez have moved to the Cup level, Allgier may well be the favorite. However, he’ll have competition from teammates Elliot Sadler and…

Xfinity rookie of the Year: …William Byron. The Truck Series rookie sensation was foiled in the second to last race of the year by a blown engine, but still, his record breaking rookie season is historic. And if he can replicate that in the Xfinity Series, a Cup ride is in the future. Look out for him, Byron will be a major threat.

Biggest Xfinity Surprise: Cole Custer. He has yet to win much, but him and his maiden Stewart-Hass Racing team may be good enough for a championship run.

Truck Series Champion: Spencer Gallagher. He may not have made the Truck playoffs last year, but he deserved it. Spencer will do well, no doubt.

Truck Series Rookie of the Year: Myatt Snider. No, I don’t know who he is. You don’t usually know much about rookies in the Truck Series. But, I actually do know one thing about him. He was picked by Kyle Busch. And that is why I pick him. If Kyle thinks he’s good, who am I to disagree?

Biggest Truck Series surprise: Cup drivers won’t win much. Cup drivers are only allowed in a select 7 or so races, and the intensity of the new points format will prove difficult for the Cup drivers to overcome. Truck racing is rough, and the aggression will be upped from past races.

 

So, these are my predictions. I hope you’ve enjoyed them. I know I probably will get less than half right, heck, I’d take half, but I can say one thing. This will be a great year. New teams, new drivers, and new points system. Plus, I’ll be choosing a new driver. I won’t be telling you now, because I’ll be unveiling that when I go to the Daytona 500. So, let me say this. Let’s go racing: 2017 style!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!