HOT & NOT 2010 EARLY SEASON GUESSES

GREETINGS FROM ICE FROZEN SW OKLAHOMA:

HERE WE SIT, FROZEN, BROKEN TREES EVERYWHERE NOT TO MENTION POWER LINES AND POWER POLES AND THE RACING SEASON ONLY 2 WEEKS AWAY. THEY DANG SURE BETTER GET MY CABLE REINSTALLED BEFORE DAYTONA.

THIS IS WHAT I SEE WAY EARLY IN THE SEASON AND OF COURSE ALL OF IT IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHO IS PLAYING BASKETBALL, THROWING A FREEZBE, OR RIDING ON A GOLF CART. I HAVE NEVER CLAIMED TO HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL BUT THIS IS WHAT I SEE FOR THE UP COMING SEASON.

HOT:

1. JEFF GORDON: JEFF WILL BE A LITTLE MORE OVER THE NEW CHILD FAMILY THING AND THE BACK PAINS AND ALL ATTENTION WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE CHAMPIONSHIP. PLUS, I THINK THIS YEAR IT MIGHT BE HIS TURN ON THE HENDRICKS ROTATION TO GET ALL OF THE ATTENTION.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON: WITH THE FAMILY ON THE WAY JIMMIE IS GONNA BE A LITTLE DISTRACTED AND THAT IS EVEN IF THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS ALONG THE WAY. HE WILL BE AT THE TOP BUT I DON'T THINK THAT NO. 5 IS IN THE CARDS FOR THIS YEAR.

3. TONY STEWART: TONY WAS HOT EARLY LAST YEAR AND I LOOK FOR HIM TO BRAKE JUST A LITTLE IN THE EARLY RACES, BUT FROM MID-SEASON ON I THINK TONY WILL BLOW THE DOORS OFF. AND WITH THE BUMP-DRAFTING RULES OFF LOOK FOR HIM AND JR. TO LINK UP AND REALLY HAUL THE MAIL.

4. KYLE BUSCH: THORN BUSCH WILL BE GREAT THIS SEASON IF HE HAS GOTTEN HIS HEAD RIGHT OVER THE WINTER. IF THE DAY COMES WHEN HE EVER GETS THE FANS BEHIND HIM THERE WILLL BE NO STOPPING HIM, UNTIL TAHT TIME THERE ARE GONNA BE A LOT OF GOOD RUNS BUT NO BIG TROPHY AT HOMESTEAD.

5. JEFF BURTON: JEFF MAY NOT DRIVE THE LEAD CAR FOR RCR, BUT HE IS THE LEADER OF RCR, HE KEEPS HIMSELF ABOVE ALL THE BS THAT IS GOING ON AND PAYS ATTENTION TO THE RACING. I THINK AGAIN THIS YEAR JEFF WILL BE THERE AT THE END.

WARM:

1. MARK MARTIN: IF ALL TEH TALK ABOUT GETTING JR. BACK IN THE HUNT IS FOR REAL, MARK IS THE DRIVER WHO IS GOING TO SUFFER FOR IT, IT SEEMS THAT HMS CAN ONLY WORK WITH 3 CARS SO I AM WORRIED THAT MARK MAY BE IN FOR A ROUGH YEAR.

2. KEVIN HARVICK: WE HEAR THAT KEVIN AND RICHARD HAVE COME TO AN AGREEMENT AND IF THE RUNS FROM THE LAST 4 OR 5 RACES FROM LAST SEASON CONTINUE THEN KEVIN WILL DO WELL.

3. DENNY HAMLIN: I THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE DENNY'S YEAR TO SHINE, BUT WITH THE KNEE INJURY, I JUST DON'T SEE IT NOW. THE INJURY MAY NOT KEEP HIM OUT OF THE CAR BUT IT IS GOING TO SERVE AS ENOUGH OF A DISTRACTION TO KEEP HIM FROM GETTING THE BIG TROPHY AT HOMESTEAD.

4. DAVID RUITMANN: DAVID DID A WHALE OF A JOB LAST SEASON AND WITH NEW SPONSORS THERE SHOULDN'T BE MONEY PROBLEMS TO WORRY ABOUT AND ANOTHER YEAR OF EXPERIENCE I THINK DAVID WILL HAVE A GREAT SEASON.

5. CLINT BOWYER: CLINT IS ANOTHER DOWN HOME BOY THTA IS GONNA SHINE, DON'T THINK HE IS LOOKING AT ANOTHER YEAR OF MAJOR SHAKE UPS TO ADJUST TO SO HE WILL BEABLE TO DO THE "LET'S GO RACIN" THING AND END UP WITH A VERY GOOD SEASON.

6. DALE JR.: SUPPOSEDLY EVERYTHING IS TO BE WORK IN SINC TO GET JR. BACK IN THE FRAY AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL HAPPEN. HE IS A LONG WAY FROM A CHAMPIONSHIP, BUT A FEW WINS AND MANY MORE TOP 5'S AND 10'S ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

NOT:

1. SCOTT SPEED: REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THIS GUY CAME FROM BUT I SURE WISH HE WOULD GO BACK. I REALLY THINK THAT DANICA WILL EXHIBIT MORE CAR CONTROL ON HER FIRST RACE THEN THIS GUY DID ALL YEAR.

2. DAVID REGAN: DAVID WAS SUPPOSE TO BE SOMEONE'S LIFE BLOOD, BUT SO FAR IT HASN'T TURNED OUT THAT WAY, AND I DON'T SEE ANY BIG CHANCES THIS YEAR.

3. PAUL MENARD: I REALLY WISH THAT HIS DADDY WOULD SORT OF FALL ON HARD TIMES, AT LEAST THAT WAY NO ONE WOULD BEABLE TO BUY THIS GUY A RIDE.

4. A.J. ALLMINDINGER: SEEMS LIKE WHAT THIS GUY DOES BEST IS PUT DINGERS ON OTHER GUYS CARS, MAYBE IF THEY WRAPPED HIS CAR IN "SAFER BARRIER" MATERIAL IT WOULD BE SAFE TO RACE AROUND HIM ON THE TRACK.

5. KASEY KAHNE: KASEY APPEARING ON THIS END IS NOT REALLY HIS FAULT , BUT UNTIL HE CAN GET AWAY FROM PETTY RACING AND ALL IT'S CRAP THEN HE IS GOING TO RUN POOR AND JUST END UP GETTIN MORE AND MORE UPSET.

6. JOHN ANDRETTI: JOHN MAY BE A GREAT GUY AND HAVE A REALLY NICE SMILE, BUT HE ISN'T MARIO BY A LONG SHOT, MAYBE HE NEEDS TO CLIMB OUT OF THE CAR AND BECOME AN AD MAN FOR SOME HIGH DOLLAR SPONSOR.

THAT'S MY OPINION - WHAT'S YOURS

GUNAQUAT