by Lou Vailant

Created on: January 20, 2009

If you are a fantasy gamer you know that statistics can be both your best friend, and your worst enemy. It is my prediction given the current economic status of the United States, and the recent trends with the "Car of Tomorrow," that we are looking at another dominating year for Hendrick Motorsports and Jimmie Johnson. It is becoming increasingly tough for smaller two-car or single-car teams to be competitive in such a sport when winning is crucial both for budgetary and sponsorship opportunities. Just recently Bill Davis Racing sold off majority share in his company, as did Roush Racing in 2007. Roush's decision was followed by Evernham Motorsports, Michael Waltrip Racing and Petty Enterprises early in the 2008 season. Such a trend does not seem to help, however, as all of these three teams have sought a merger in the last few months. The smaller teams simply do not have the money in this struggling economy and the "superteams" of Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush-Fenway Racing are going to run away from the field even more so in the 2009 season. In addition, we can only hope Detroit's "Big Three" can keep their heads above water in the coming year as a pullout from those three automakers could cause quite a startle among the garage.

First, my prediction for the 2009 Sprint Cup Champion is none other than our current reigning champion, Jimmie Johnson. The trick is in the formula Hendrick Motorsports has formed over the past three seasons. That team itself has locked up those final ten races for the past three years, leaving every other competitor scratching their head in the dust. I strongly believe that the 2009 season, especially with the looming economic troubles, will be placed solidly in the grasp of the #48 team.

Jimmie Johnson: Over the 2008 season Jimmie Johnson amassed his third consecutive Sprint Cup Championship, 7 wins, 6 poles, 15 top-5s, 22 top-10s, an average finish of 10.5, and only 1 DNF. For anyone else that would have been considered an amazing season, for Jimmie Johnson, only second at best. The 2007 season, for example, saw him win 10 races totaling in 24 top-10s. With Hendrick Motorsports' continued success in the current Chase lineup, there is no reason why the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion cannot lock up his fourth consecutive championship. There is only one driver who came on strong enough late in the season to question the #48's strength, Carl Edwards.

Carl Edwards: Carl Edwards came on extremely strong in the 2008

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