NASCAR Preseason Power Rankings

by Jeff Owens, SceneDaily.com

For those of you who are not J.J. fans, or who just like a little parity in their sports, I've got bad news: Johnson is the overwhelming favorite to win his fifth straight Cup championship. Not much has changed for Johnson and his No. 48 team. If he can handle a little diaper...

For those of you who are not J.J. fans, or who just like a little parity in their sports, I've got bad news: Johnson is the overwhelming favorite to win his fifth straight Cup championship. Not much has changed for Johnson and his No. 48 team. If he can handle a little diaper rash and a few sleepless nights (wife Chandra is giving birth to their first child in July), Johnson is the man to beat again.

Old Man Winner woke up from a three-year nap last season and, at age 50, proceeded to whip the tar out of all those young whippersnappers. Martin was noticeably upbeat and optimistic during the NASCAR Media Tour recently. Martin upbeat and optimistic? That spells trouble...

Old Man Winner woke up from a three-year nap last season and, at age 50, proceeded to whip the tar out of all those young whippersnappers. Martin was noticeably upbeat and optimistic during the NASCAR Media Tour recently. Martin upbeat and optimistic? That spells trouble for the competition.

Hamlin is this year's media darling after his four-win season last year. He's nearly everyone's preseason pick to be Johnson's top challenger. I'll give him his due, but I've got two words for you, Denny: Carl Edwards.

Stewart is like a big, furry bear -- he usually doesn't wake up from hibernation until spring turns to summer. But in the first half of last season, Stewart was The Story, leading the point standings and giving Johnson a run for his money. Then, when the Chase rolled around...

Stewart is like a big, furry bear -- he usually doesn't wake up from hibernation until spring turns to summer. But in the first half of last season, Stewart was The Story, leading the point standings and giving Johnson a run for his money. Then, when the Chase rolled around and the air got chilly, he went back to sleep. His Stewart-Haas team should be even better in year two, so look for another fast start. We'll see if he can go the distance.

Motivated by Johnson's four straight championships and 50-year-old Mark Martin kicking his butt last season, Gordon has been working out vigorously. He's hoping the new routine will strengthen his battered body and lead to another career resurgence. He'll be in the hunt,...

Motivated by Johnson's four straight championships and 50-year-old Mark Martin kicking his butt last season, Gordon has been working out vigorously. He's hoping the new routine will strengthen his battered body and lead to another career resurgence. He'll be in the hunt, but he needs to win more than one race to be a serious factor.

Montoya figured out how to drive a stock car last year and was a serious threat in the Chase. Team owner Chip Ganassi says he has never seen Montoya take a step backward in any series. He won't this season either.

Edwards should be the most well-rested driver in NASCAR after performing only five backflips last year -- none after Sprint Cup races. Jack Roush vows his teams will not have another off season. That means Edwards should be flipping out on a regular basis again. ...

Edwards should be the most well-rested driver in NASCAR after performing only five backflips last year -- none after Sprint Cup races. Jack Roush vows his teams will not have another off season. That means Edwards should be flipping out on a regular basis again.

Busch was so mad about missing the Chase last year that he fired his crew chief. And he barely got to enjoy his Nationwide Series championship. Rowdy will be back with a vengeance this season.

Kurt inherits Kyle's former crew chief, Steve Addington. Is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Kurt had some serious mojo going with former crew chief Pat Tryson. The change will take some getting used to.

Burton has been a testing fool during the offseason and should be able to sustain the momentum from consecutive runner-up finishes at the end of last season. Crew chief Todd Berrier will make him a contender again.

Biffle has a leg up on the competition with NASCAR's new spoiler, so he can't wait for the wing to take a flight. The switch should help him snap last year's winless streak.

Here's a bold prediction: Kenseth won't win the first two races of the season again. And he also won't miss the Chase again.

Which will be the bigger deal: Kahne's switch to Roush-Yates-powered Fords, or him entertaining suitors for 2011? Ford and Roush will lead him to more victories and he still might leave.

Sorry, but I want to see this team win a race before picking them to make the Chase again. But kudos on a good first year at Stewart-Haas.

RCR sucked last year and so did Bowyer. The organization is expected to be much better, which means Bowyer should move up this list quickly.

A better RCR should mean a better Harvick, too, but he's got that whole contract thing hanging over his head. He promises it won't be a distraction. We'll see.

He had a solid rookie year, but nothing spectacular. He's got too much talent and too good a team not to show significant improvement in year two.

This team had an impressive run to the Chase, but it stunk in the final 10 races (23.7 average finish). Rebounding from such a lackluster performance won't be easy.

The saga continues. Can Mr. McGrew conjure up the chemistry to spark a turnaround? Can Mark Martin's sage advice help NASCAR's most befuddled driver? Will Junior's new beard help him blend into the crowd and duck the spotlight?

Few drivers are more excited than Truex, who has a new team (Michael Waltrip Racing), a new crew chief (Pat Tryson) and shiny new cars (Toyotas). The new outlook will pay off.