Time for our preseason power rankings, and not a moment too soon. Each week throughout the season, we'll size up who's rising and who's falling, based on current standings, behind-the-scenes changes, and general gut feelings. And we begin with a familiar face:
1. Jimmie Johnson. He's the best there is at what he does, and until someone comes along to knock him off the throne, he's the man to pick, both at the start and the end of the season. As long as Johnson has Chad Knaus atop the box, he's a threat to win it all. Last year's finish: 1.
2. Denny Hamlin. He showed in the Bud Shootout that he's still got the drive and speed to go for the win; one wonders how he would have approached the finish line had this been a points race. Last year's finish: 2.
3. Kevin Harvick. NASCAR's most confident driver finally drove as well as he believed he could, taking the regular season and staying in the hunt for the Cup until the final laps of Homestead. Easily the most stable of the three top teams, and with Harvick, that's saying something. Last year's finish: 3.
4. Carl Edwards. By record, the hottest driver at the end of last year, winning both Phoenix and Homestead to snap a 70-race losing streak. Whether he can sustain the momentum from last year will go a long way to keeping him this high in the rankings; he's had trouble before when he's come into a season lavished with offseason praise. Last year's finish: 4.
5. Kyle Busch. Pound for pound and division for division, the most talented driver in the sport. Seemed primed last year to make a run at Johnson, but an in-Chase overreaction to David Reutimann cost him any chance at a title. Last year's finish: 8.
6. Jeff Gordon. Still got the speed, as his outside-front qualifying Daytona position attests. And now he's got Alan Gustafson, the heir apparent at Hendrick, on his pit box. Can he turn this into his own personal drive for five? Last year's finish: 9.
7. Kurt Busch. New sponsor, new speed: Busch won the Bud Shootout with some canny driving and smooth strategy. He's got a history of running well early in the season, but momentum is a concern. Still, you don't get much earlier than now, so here he sits. Last year's finish: 11.
8. Jamie McMurray. He won many of the big individual prizes last year, but drifted for long stretches between those wins. Does he have it in him now to take the next step up to yearlong consistency? Last year's finish: 14.
9. Tony Stewart. Fun fact: Stewart was the last Cup champion before Johnson. Seems like a long time ago, doesn't it? Smoke is starting to fade, though he's still good for a few wins a year. Don't expect him to heat up before the weather does, though. Last year's finish: 7.
10. Greg Biffle. You've got to figure Biffle will find the checkers at least once this year. He and Roushmate Matt Kenseth could be some of the drivers to really benefit, by virtue of attrition, from the new points system and its penalties for poor finishes. Last year's finish: 6.
11. Clint Bowyer. Bowyer's still a bit of a mystery man; is he a talented driver and the next wave of NASCAR celebrity, or just a good ol' boy from Emporia who knows how to wheel a car? He won two times in the Chase, once under dubious circumstances, so if he can add to that total earlier this year, our opinion will tip more to the former. Last year's finish: 10.
12. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Hey, why not? He's got the season's first pole (two, if you count the Bud Shootout, though you really shouldn't), and that means that at this moment, he's the fastest driver in NASCAR. We'll see how long it lasts at one of his favorite tracks. Last year's finish: 21.
Tune in next week to see what effect Daytona will have on our top 12. Send comments to us Twitter at @jaybusbee, email by clicking here, and via Facebook at The Marbles page.
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