Who will be the Chumps of the ’09 Season?
If you have played Champs, Chumps & Sleepers here on OneBadWheel.com for at least a season you know what I mean by chumps. If this is your first season then let me tell you. The Chumps represent the Top 12 drivers in points during the season at any point in time.
So, before the cars are let out of the haulers for speed weeks let me put together my final Chumps for ’09.
- Carl Edwards. He has the equipment behind him and the will to take on the task. I think he is hungry and will be the #1 ’09 Chump.
- Kyle Busch. This man has done some amazing things in the COT. He was the first to win in the COT as well as being the first to win in a Toyota. Look for him to put on a show this year and steer clear of picking him at any track on the West Coast.
- Jeff Gordon. With what I would consider a disappointing season for Gordon, he will most definitely put that behind him and pull off a win or two. I like Gordon to win at a track like Talladega or Daytona this year.
- Jimmie Johnson. This man has the Team that would equate to a Dynasty in Modern football. The ability to string together some awe inspiring wins will be expected, but I think JJ will get off to a slow start, to slow to catch up with Edwards and Busch.
- Greg Biffle. Steady, Steady, Green, Green, Green. This is how I peg The Biff. Steady and Smooth. I do not think he will get a win in the “regular†season unless it is fuel mileage or rain, but a wins a win however you can get them.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. The most Popular Driver in NASCAR presently, with something to prove. I think that with the Jr. Nation calling for his cousin’s head every other race, this puts some unwanted pressure on the team to grow together. As long as Tony Jr. is with Little E, the team will not reach peaks like the famous Rainbow Warriors or the Flying Aces. However, I think Junior will also perform well at the Super Speedways.
- David Ragan. Surprise, Surprise. Ragan did some amazing things in his ride last year, and if he intends to stay in it (Which I think is a No Brainer with the new UPS sponsorship) he is going to have to put up the numbers. I pick Ragan to have his breakout season this year and to help Roush get 4 of his 5 cars in the Chase.
- Matt Kenseth. Well, I guess I had to put him here since I blew the surprise by saying that Roush would have 4 cars in the Chase. I think Kenseth is Mr. Steady as well, I think he will perform well with his teammate in his Chase for the Cup. I think Kenseth has the ability to pull down a couple of wins this year. See you over at Yates Jamie.
- Denny Hamlin. Denny barely makes the Chase this year. If he does better than that I’ll be surprised. Denny is the senior driver at JGR this year and it will be his job to be a leader for teams. Too bad that the M&M car will be leading the pack, and I don’t think Sliced Bread will be any count this season.
- Brian Vickers. I like Brian Vickers to do well at tracks like Michigan or even Daytona in the summer. Brian who helped Red Bull get both their cars in the top 35 last season, probably had less to worry about than other drivers due to the fact that Red Bull is the sponsor/owner. Barring any shenanigans Brian will win at least one race this year.
- Jeff Burton. This will be a rather disappointing season for the RCR bunch. Harvick, Bowyer and Mears miss the Chase for whatever reason. Burton, however, brings consistency on the track pulling down the top tens win they matter the most.
- Martin Truex Jr. This will be make or break for Truex this year. His team has Merged or purchased two other teams in as many years. Bass Pro Shops has felt the blow by the economy and has pulled some funding from the team. I see Truex leaving the new EGR after the 09 season, but not before he makes his second appearance in the Chase.
I guess if I’m lucky enough to get all these correct, I’ll be heading to Vegas after Homestead. These are the guys that I feel will have the wins or consistency to play in the Chase. I’m sure I may regret leaving Smoke off the list or bumping Bowyer (who has to get in on time the first 5 races). But like I said, these are my picks, and that’s the Fun thing about Fantasy. One race your pulling for your Driver, the next against him. I challenge you to scrawl out your picks. Just leave a comment below. The easiest thing to do would be:
- Who are you taking out?
- Who are you putting in the Chase?
Or, I guess you could just blast me for leaving your driver out of the Chase.