So another NASCAR season has passed us by. Did that go by fast or what? Looking back on the past year, I have to say that I am impressed with my own predictions and how many of them actually happened. From Tony Stewart’s surprising All Star win to Mark Martin finishing second place in the overall points championship, it has been a season of surprises.

Here are my 2009 season predictions and a little commentary on them. You can view the original post here.

Tony Stewart will win. – Well. He did win. And he did it in style by wining the non points event, the All Star Race.  And then he did it again four more times at Pocono, Daytona, the Glen, and Kansas. The guy let the points for a good part of the season until he lost the lead in the chase, but he was consistent week in and week out until the team lost their momentum around the Bristol night race. Be sure to keep your eyes open for this team in 2010.

Mark Martin will be a Chase contender. – I like to take risks when I make predictions and this man was one of the biggest risks I took all season. But after five season wins at Phoenix, Darlington, Michigan, Chicago, and Loudon and finishing second in points, giving Johnson a real run for his money, I’m beginning to wonder why (and how) I ever doubted him.

Joey Logano isn’t going to quite live up to all the hype. – Alright, so the kid won a race, I’ll give him that but he won that under rain. I just don’t think that at 18, this kid was ready for Cup. Give him a couple more seasons behind the wheel and maybe he will probably be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but he just doesn’t have enough experience now.

Greg Biffle will also be a Chase contender. – Well this one was a little off. I mean sure he made the chase but he wasn’t all that consistent. In the past few races, he didn’t even have a top 10 finish. Of course the entire RFR organization was less than impressive this season. Be on the look out for a few wins from the 16 team in 2010.

Jimmie Johnson won’t win his 4th championship in a row. – I don’t even want to discuss this one. Let’s move on.

The DEI-Ganassi merger will crash and burn. -  Ok so it wasn’t spot on and JPM seems to be thriving with this company but they’ve lost a lot of their drivers and sponsorships in the past couple of seasons. Now the company has lost another one of it’s drivers, Martin Truex Jr., who will now be driving the 55 NAPA Toyota for MWR. This is just a hunch, but it is the beginning of the end for the Earnhardt empire.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his great comeback. – I was so far off base with this one that it isn’t even funny. Dale Junior finished a miserable 25th in points. There was no consistency at all for the 88 team this season. Call it poor luck or lousy teamwork, but the 88 team was off of its game this season.

Jeff Gordon will win a race. – He started off the year on a great note by winning the first Gatorade Duel and then the first Texas race a few months later. He also finished an impressive 3rd place in points, right behind his teammates Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin.

We’ll have a very unexpected first time winner. – Who would have expected it to be the 09 car of Brad Keselowski running a part time schedule for a part time team with little funding behind it? Talladega was definitely an interesting race. When a last lap crash sent the 99 of Carl Edwards flying into the catch fence, Brad Keselowski crossed the finish line first with the 88 of Dale Jr. in second and the 39 of Ryan Newman in 3rd. Definitely one of the most unexpected race finishes of the 2009 season. 

There will be a first time champ. – Ok so I was off base on this one too. Can you blame me for having high hopes? Johnson’s reign can’t last forever.