With Christmas over, the presents you didn’t want returned and the memories from New Year’s Eve still fuzzy, let’s turn our collective attention to the 2016 NASCAR season, which is a little over a month from commencing. Here is an early look at what SB Nation’s crystal ball is forecasting.
NASCAR predictions 2016
Better racing, more Chase controversy and the continued emergence of young talent are among the things projected to occur during the 2016 season.
On-track happenings
- Following a season where passing proved laborious and the racing often assailed due to its blandness, the low downforce aerodynamic rules package will reinvigorate the on-track product. Although drivers will continually wrestle with a car on the edge of out-of-control, they will be able to race side-by-side and make passes. Which in the end creates the excitement that was absent.Team Penske’s duo of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski continues to draw the ire of the garage. Logano, because of his unapologetic nature and abundant talent that sees him again seriously challenge for the championship, and Keselowski, due to his aggressiveness on the track and outspoken nature off it.Only because it is hard to sustain the high level that it showed for much of 2015, Furniture Row Racing’s performance will regress. Nonetheless, the team’s first season aligned with Toyota will be considered a success as Truex again wins a race and qualifies for the playoffs. More so, Furniture Row inks their driver to a long-term contract and formalizes expansion plans for a second full-time car to compete in 2017. Not surprisingly, the driver for the second team is Eric Jones, the fast rising prospect who Toyota believes is a future star.For the first time since NASCAR went to the knockout Chase format, Jimmie Johnson will advance past the second round.Despite Jeff Gordon’s retirement, Hendrick Motorsports will not miss a step. In fact, the organization will earn more victories than its nine of a year ago. Why? Because Kasey Kahne will bounce back from a dismal 2015, Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will each win multiple times while Chase Elliott will prove to be worthy successor as driver of the No. 24 car.Although many fans will still decry it, the Chase for the Sprint elimination format again generates plenty of excitement and memorable moments and of course, controversy.
2015 Year in Review
Off-track happenings
- In the footsteps of the Race Team Alliance, created in the summer of 2014, drivers form their own coalition beyond just the drivers’ council that regularly meets with NASCAR officials and executives. Although not a union per se, there will be many similarities with the primary focus on measures to better protect drivers.Darlington Raceway’s Southern 500 throwback weekend is again an unabashed success. The theme this go-round is NASCAR’s era from 1975-84. Meaning, a wide-ranging array of leisure suits, tracksuits and everything in between.With his unassuming though sharp analysis, Gordon will be a revelation in the Fox broadcast booth. The coming season also marks Darrell Waltrip’s last calling races. Who eventually replaces Waltrip is unclear, though it won’t be Chad Knaus -- long rumored to join Gordon and Mike Joy this season -- as the crew chief, in the first season of a multi-year contract extension, continues leading the No. 48 team.
Tony Stewart embarks on final season
- While Tony Stewart shows improvement in his final season before retirement -- only because he can’t be any worse than he was last year -- the gains won’t be enough for him to make the Chase for the first time since 2012.Outside of NASCAR, the family of Kevin Ward Jr. settles their wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart. The settlement will include no public disclosure of the payout, as well as a confidentially agreement provision.
Young drivers continue to emerge
- Rebounding from an underwhelming sophomore season, Kyle Larson will earn his first cup win and garner further comparisons to Stewart and Gordon, each of whom have offered effusive praise for the precocious 23-year-old.Besides Larson, Chase Elliott will score his maiden victory. If a first-time winner emerges in 2016 it will snap a streak of repeat victors that dates to the 2011 season.In what is the best freshman class since 2006 when Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer went head-to-head-to-head, Elliott narrowly edges Ryan Blaney for Rookie of the Year honors.
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