The 2001 NASCAR season unofficially kicks off this weekend with the Bud Shootout. With
the long off-season nearly over it's time for my annual NASCAR Winston Cup predictions.
The Rookies
Of the five drivers that have announced their intention to compete for Raybestos Rookie
Of The Year honors there are two who stand out as the true contenders.
The rookie honors do not always go to the best driver, but rather to the best
combination of driver, crew, equipment and "chemistry." Kurt Busch and
Casey Atwood stand out from the group as the drivers with the best overall package.
I believe that although the performance of the new Dodge is a short-term concern Ray Evernham
will put together the best package for Casey Atwood and win the 2001 Raybestos Rookie Of
The Year award. (see my complete rookie rundown)
Most Improved Team
Johnny Benson finally has the tools he needs to reach his potential and both Jeremy Mayfield
and Terry Labonte look to turn around disappointing 2000 campaigns but overall I look for Travis
Carter's #66 team to be the most improved team in Winston Cup. The previous occupant of
the driver's seat, Darrell Waltrip, is moving to the broadcast booth in 2001 which opens the
door for Todd Bodine.
Todd is probably the most talented driver in the Bodine family. He can get the most out of
his equipment. The only problem is that he tends to push more than he should. As they said
in the movie Days Of Thunder, "Sure, he can drive. He can drive beyond the limits
of the car, the tires...." Maybe Todd will be able to learn a little about patience from new
teammate Jimmy Spencer. :)
The 2001 Winston Cup Champ
Although based on my current NASCAR Power Rankings I believe that defending champ Bobby Labonte
is the car to beat on any given Sunday. I just cannot believe that it is possible to have another
season like he did last year. Bobby had an incredible season in 2000 but the highly competitive
world of NASCAR Winston Cup makes it nearly impossible to string those seasons together.
Dale Earnhardt knows how to win Championships. Some questioned his determination after a
lackluster 1999 campaign but he was close in 2000 and will be tough to beat in 2001.
There is no doubt that Earnhardt is a solid contender this season.
However, Ford looks to have an edge for 2001. Certainly 1999 Champ Dale Jarrett will be in the thick
of the battle while Penkse Racing's Rusty Wallace and Jeremy Mayfield will continue their search for
consistency. Also, Jack Roush Racing has been knocking on the door for the last few seasons.
His year-to-year consistency and deep pockets make his teams an automatic favorite.
When it's all said and done only one team will be able to claim the biggest prize in NASCAR.
Without the Busch and IROC races to distract him, newly focused Mark Martin is as determined as
ever to finally break through to the head table but I believe that it will be his teammate Jeff Burton
who will win the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Championship.
