Let’s try this prediction thing one more time. I have waited longer than other years to write this annual article as I thought some sort of divine intervention would come to me and all that has popped into my dreams is that I better start getting packed for our annual pilgrimage to Daytona starting this Friday.  I have scoured the racing news and watched the January testing at the big track and all I learned is that the cars can now obtain speeds in excess of 210 MPH and that the two car draft is still the favorite style of racing for the teams.  So the smaller air intakes and fuel injection has really made no differences and I assume small plates will again be added, BOO!!!

Previous years I have always picked one of the rides from the big buck teams, Hendrick, Roush, or Gibbs, with my favorite choice being Denny Hamlin, and every year I have been disappointed in the outcome. In fact the Gibbs organization has usually had some issues during Speedweeks or during the race itself.  The most respectable finisher from this camp has been the #18 ride, and anyone that knows me at all will know that I would not pick Kyle to be the winner if he was the only car on the track, it just the way I feel about this driver, tons of talent and no limiter on his emotions.

Okay so now I will go into the deep end of the forecast pool and choose Tony Stewart to be in victory lane at the 2012 Dayton 500.  Tony has been running well, he seems to be a good racing business man and he beats the heck out of the completion during the Nationwide 300 on Saturday prior to the big race.  I think the seat time will help him get the information needed for Sunday.

I also think that Tony’s male teammate Ryan will help him with information during the practices, qualifying and the “Twins” on Thursday.  The only possible distraction might have been getting the #10 car into the big race but that has been taken care of with a cash donation for a assured start, (which this writer does not like at all) but has been done for several years and somehow allowed  by the NASCAR bosses.  So there you have it, Tony Stewart winner of the first Sprint race in 2012.

Of another note and certainly worth our mentioning is that local driver James Swan has secured a ride in the 2012 ASA Midwest Truck tour in a damn good mount owned by QKA racing.  This truck has a pedigree of wins and should have the best of everything to race as that is what Rob put into his race teams.  Now the only thing Swan needs is people to join us financially to help this very talented driver be competitive in 2012.  He certainly has the pedigree to make a great showing which is why he has this vehicle in his shop now.  You can contact me, at Hankscraft Racing, James, Katie or Mark and we will be happy to discuss sponsor plans with you.  Please help us to make the Swan Chevy extremely competitive in 2012.  Thanks in advance!

On to Daytona to be with family and friends, and watch for further updates.

Racing to the Checkers
Jim