Top 10 Fearless (but not ones we are betting any cash on ) Predictions for 2007:
10. Staten Island - DOA; Hello, Seattle!
9. The rising cost of attending a race drives fans away.
8. Introduction of Toyota--what will be the reaction, one like Jack Roush or more like Brian France? (We know, we know, it is more of a question than a prediction)
7. New demographics-- Montoya's entree into Nextel and Busch's points race in Canada lead to new viewers
6. COT confuses fans who don’t want IROC-style racing.
5. JPM finishes well and two more F1/INDY drivers follow.
4. New Busch Series Sponsor -- big deal or non-story, and will there be a "target" on the new sponsor?
3. The fines just keep on a coming
2. Toyota wins by seventh race. (Ensuing controversy good for solving item # 9).
1. No one can replace Benny.
Big stories of the Week:
"Just in time for Valentines...The Candymen deliver"
1. David and Lazarus are appropriate monikers for the front row holders of this year's Daytona 500. By providing Yates Racing and Masterfoods, Inc., the front row for this Sunday's classic, perhaps the folks at Snickers can place into their rearview mirror their strange Super Bowl commercial.
2. The only question left to be answered is the "water into wine" miracle for Michael Waltrip (perhaps we should say "mystery liquid into 'oil' "). Hey Matt, that should show you that a few misplaced holes are not that exciting.
3. On the other front we are guaranteed that for the first time since 1963 -- when Smokey Cook ran an MG (yes, you read that correctly) at Bowman-Gray stadium in a 200 lap event won by Junior Johnson -- a foreign entry will run in a NASCAR points race. Wonder what took them so long?
4. James Hylton age 72 looking relaxed and ... well, need we say more ?
5. New life for Chip Gnassi !
Overall: Score a -3 for the Toyotas and a +1 for candy.
--- Jon and Mike