PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Which Sprint Cup star will snap his long winless streak first?

By SceneDaily.com Staff

Monday, February 01, 2010

Kevin Harvick, shown here with his wife DeLana, has not won since the 2007 Daytona 500.

Jim Fluharty
NASCAR Illustrated

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Which NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will surprise us this season?

Which ones will pull off a stunning upset, or sneak into the Chase?

Who’s going to win this year’s Daytona 500?

Does anyone have a chance to knock off four-time champion Jimmie Johnson?

Over the next two weeks, leading up to the 2010 Daytona 500, SceneDaily.com staffers Kenny Bruce, Kris Johnson, Jeff Owens and Bob Pockrass will provide those answers and more, offering our preseason predictions on a variety of topics?

We begin with a look at the drivers we believe will return to victory lane this season after a long absence.

Which Sprint Cup star will be the first to snap a long winless streak?

Kenny Bruce says:

RYAN NEWMAN

Stewart-Haas Racing's Ryan Newman is looking forward to racing his No. 39 U.S. Army sponsored Chevrolet in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. (Jeff Robinson / NASCAR Scene) Frankly, I’m stunned that the guy didn’t win a race last year, but the fact is, Newman hasn’t been to victory lane since winning the 2008 Daytona 500. The move to Stewart-Haas Racing helped put him back in the Chase, but he and crew chief Tony Gibson have to prove that they can win races together for this team to contend for a title.

   Kris Johnson says:

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

Come on, do you really need to even ask? Junior. It's been a long time since that fuel-mileage win at Michigan in 2008. The Golden Boy says anything less than three wins this year will be a disappointment.

Expect the new level of cohesion between the 5-88 shops to bear fruit for Earnhardt Jr. Martin won five times in 2009 and Junior should find victory lane at least twice in 2010. Expect one of those wins to come early.

This streak could be over when we leave Daytona on Feb. 14.

     Jeff Owens says:

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA

Richard Petty Motorsports' Kasey Kahne (9) trails Earnhardt Ganassi Racing's Juan Pablo Montoya (42), in 12th, by just one point in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings. (LaDon George / NASCAR Scene) Montoya was the best driver not to win a race last season. He had 18 top-10 finishes and was a serious championship contender early in the Chase.

Clearly, he figured out how to drive a stock car, and long-time team owner Chip Ganassi says he has never seen Montoya take a step back in any series.

So, look out. The next step is for Montoya to become a big-time winner.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 92 races since his first career Cup victory. He will win early and often this season.

   Bob Pockrass says:

KEVIN HARVICK

Kevin Harvick is looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2009 season. It's a contract year, and we know what that means for an athlete – it means digging a little deeper, trying a little harder to prove his worth. If Harvick wants big money in his next contract, he needs to show he can win with NASCAR’s new car.

And there’s that part of Harvick that despises running like dung. No one questions Harvick’s desire but sometimes that desire to win or run well causes him to boil when things don’t go his way. That desire can deflate Harvick as much as motivate him.

One day – and soon – Harvick will have the opportunity to win. He won’t let the opportunity slip away.