Will the 2008 NASCAR season be a duel between Hendrick in Chevrolet vs Gibbs in Toyota?

Normally, I really wouldn’t want to make a prediction this bold on a season that really hasn’t started yet, however based on what I have seen in the past week and taking the last couple of years into account, I would have to say YES, the odds are in there favor. When you look at Speedweeks in Daytona as of right now (Friday night), before the two big races, the week has belonged to both of these manufacturers and teams in huge ways.

Starting with the Sprint Cup Series, the Budweiser Shootout showed three things, first the racing so far with this new car is getting better, some including Dale Jr. have said that this car handles more like the cars of old, very loss… and in a lot of cases, that’s what we wanted right? Could be, the second, both the Chevrolets and Toyotas mainly the Hendrick and Gibbs cars lead a lot of laps and for Gibbs, switching to Toyota really didn’t slow these guys down at all and yes I am surprised, but I shouldn’t be. Third, personally for me, Dale Jr. has not only gotten along with his new teammates, but Dale Jr. won the Budweiser shootout with a final push by his teammate Johnson past Stewart for his first Hendrick victory.

The next day for qualifying saw happyness for both manufacturers with Jimmie Johnson on pole and Michael Waltrip (Toyota) in 2nd place. Following that up in the Duels with both Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning the first Duels race and Denny Hamlin picking up the victory in the second Duel race which both races continued to produce better racing.

Staying with the Duels for a moment, I would like to congratuate Kenny Wallace in his Chevrolet along with the entire Waltrip Racing team in Toyotas for qualifying for the 500, with that, Dale Jarrett will be racing in his last Daytona 500, sad to hear. I was surprised to see Boris Said, Bill Elliott in the #21 wood Bros. Ford, Patrick Carpentier and more didn’t qualify… I hate the top 35 rule.

So will this Duel continue on into the Nationwide Series, I have to say, yes, at least manufacturers it will as RCR Racing in Chevys try to defend there 2007 Owner’s Championship.

So after all that, boy was I surprised to read and hear about JR Motorsports/Hendrick:
(From ESPN.com - The No. 5 car Earnhardt will drive in Saturday's Nationwide Series opener was impounded by NASCAR on Thursday night after officials discovered the team altered the spoiler to create an aerodynamic advantage following inspection.

The car was returned on Friday morning minus the trunk lid and spoiler, repaired and sent back through inspection. It will be allowed to run in the race.

Joe Balash, the Nationwide Series director, said further sanctions against the team and crew chief Chad Walter will be issued on Tuesday. NASCAR officials considered sending Walter home because the offense was considered blatant, but opted to hold off on what could result in a suspension.)

In that case, I would say seeing the crew chief be suspended indefently wouldn’t be out of the question along with some huge fines and points loss to say the least. In the Nationwide Series qualifying, Tony Stewart won the pole in a JGR Toyota, so far the Duel is in full swing.

So with all that said, I was asked about a week ago, what about Ford and Dodge and will Ford reduce funding? My reply was: “ I'm not sure about these two manufacturers right now, I believe that so far Chevrolet and Toyota are the frontrunners in the Cup Series, Roush could be a frontrunner…As for Ford reducing this year? No, no way, they are in this for the long run, however, next year could happen. I just read not to long ago that Ford is giving the data received from Roush Racing's 7 post shacker to all of the other Ford teams.If they do pull back on funding, they might just fully support Roush Racing, they are the Ford Flagship and most of the other Ford teams go though them anyway, I know that Yates and Wood Bros. go though Roush.”

So what about the two dream teams?
First, Hendrick Motorsports in Chevrolet’s, what a lineup, first you have 4-time Sprint Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon, second, two-time/ back to back defending Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, third, the up and coming Casey Mears who got his first Sprint Cup victory in the Coca-Cola 600 last season and fourth, you have my favorite driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. who has won 17 Cup races, including the 2004 Daytona 500, the 2001 Pepsi 400 and 5-time plus winner at Talladega and now add his latest Shootout victory last Saturday night, this is one superstar team, the four of them could combine to win half the races in the Sprint Cup Series not to mention the Nationwide Series.

However the lineup at Joe Gibbs Racing is right behind them with two-time Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart who I do route for and is one of the most outspoken driver in the Cup Series (I like that because he tells it like it is), Denny Hamlin who won both Pocono 500’s in his rookie year and just won the Duel #2 race and Kyle Busch, who left or whatever Hendrick to now drive for Gibbs and personally if he stops acting like his brother and putting his foot in his mooth, he could be a Sprint Cup Series Champion. Busch has amazing car and drives on the raged edge, he brings with him 17 Cup victories, the three of them will be interesting to watch.

All I got to say is I can’t wait until not only tomorrow’s Nationwide Series race, but more so, Sunday’s 50th running of the Daytona 500, go Dale Earnhardt Jr. in his new #88 Amp Energy/Mountain Dew/National Guard Hendrick Chevrolet.

- Racedriven