NASCAR 2012

The Daytona 500 has come and gone (although it took it's sweet time), and the 2012 NASCAR season is underway. Defending series champion Tony Stewart is looking to defend his title, but Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, and others plan on holding the trophy and ending Smoke's reign. There are some compelling storylines and everybody thinks their driver is gonna be crowned the next Sprint Cup Champion, but here are a few drivers I'll be following this season, and why:

1. Danica Patrick- Say what you want about her ability, or whether or not she "earned" her place in Sprint Cup, the girl is here to stay. She's a marketing goddess and trust me, Stewart-Haas Racing will make a fortune selling #10 GoDaddy.com merchandise. And to all my Dale Jr fans out there, don't be surprised if "Little E" gets a little competition in the Most Popular Driver race. Don't underestimate the power of the female vote (or the male vote for that matter). And for all the haters out there, be honest with yourself... The girl can drive a little.
2. Jimmie Johnson- After a 5-year reign as NASCAR's champion, we will get to see how the 48 team does at bouncing back. I expect this team to come back very strong this year after last year's disappointing finish (only disappointing for a team that has won 5 championships in a row). JJ and Chad Knaus will have their work cut out for them (especially after the post-Daytona penalties), but I assure you they are up to the challenge.
3. Carl Edwards- Can Carl come back after a disappointing end to 2011? What a heartbreaking way to lose a championship. Can Carl rebound and challenge for a title in 2012, or will we see a slide similar to that of Denny Hamlin who came oh so close in 2010?
4. Kyle/Kurt Busch- Have the Busch boys learned their lesson this time? Can they keep the emotions under control and avoid the meltdowns that cost each of them so dearly in 2011? We shall see...
5. Brad Keselowski- This guy is my dark horse to win it all this year. In the second half of the season last year, he was lights out. I think becoming "the guy" for Roger Penske this year will be extremely motivating for NASCAR's "Twitter King."

After the way the Daytona 500 played out, one would think "how are they gonna top that?" Trust me, after 20+ years of watching NASCAR these boys will find a way. 2012 is already shaping up to be an exciting year of racing. Boogity Boogity Boogity! Let's go racin' boys!