2015 Predictions: Part Two

A few days ago, I pos5 NASCARo, I posted part one of a many part ted part one of a many part 2015 NASCAR prediction. I evaluated all four drivers at Hendrick Motorsports and gave my opinion and prediction of how they will fare this coming season. I had said that not all of the Hendrick drivers will fare well in 2015. Let’s see how Team Penske and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing look under my microscope.

First, Team Penske. Team Penske was a pleasant surprise during the 2014 season, especially with one young Joey Logano. Logano, who recently got married, finished 4^th in the standings, his best season to date. Keselowski, the 2012 champion, came fired up with talent and a little controversy. Now, who is first? Let’s go with Keselowski.

Brad Keselowski: 2014 was certainly an eventful one for Keselowski, who was involved in two major altercations that got physical. Keselowski was involved in an on-track incident with two Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth at Charlotte during the Chase. The altercation with Kenseth had gotten physical. You can watch it here. Just a few weeks after that, Keselowski got into another altercation with Jeff Gordon. You can watch that one here. 2014 certainly wasn’t Brad’s best year, but it wasn’t a bad one. Keselowski won a season-high six races, won 5 poles and a season-high 17 top five finishes. He finished 5^th in the standings after failing to advance to the championship round at Homestead. How will Brad fare in 2015? Brad will have a hiccup in 2015. With one win at Kansas in the October, Brad will miss The Chase.

Joey Logano: Logano is coming off his best year in Sprint Cup to date, racking up five wins and 16 top fives. Logano made it all the way to the Championship round, finishing fourth after two bad pit stops during the last race of the Chase, ultimately finishing 16^th in the race. Joey’s 2014 was less…exciting…than his teammate, staying pretty far under the radar. Logano’s best season by far was 2014, winning five races. 2014 was his first multi-race win season of his career and certainly not his last. How will 2015 treat Joey Logano? I think Joey will score two in the win column and make the Chase, BUT ultimately failing to advance from the second round of the Chase, leaving Joey mired in mid-pack.

Now that’s all for Team Penske. What about Earnhardt Ganassi? Let’s take a look at teammates Kyle Larson and Jamie McMurray. Let’s start with…McMurray.

Jamie McMurray: Jamie McMurray’s 204 season was yet another mediocre one, despite performing better than some Chase drivers. Jamie finished 2014 with 7 top 5’s and 13 top 10’s with no wins. McMurray failed to make the Chase and finished 18^th in the points. I think 2015 wouldn’t be much different than 2014 was. Jamie will perform well, but I don’t foresee any wins by the driver.

Kyle Larson: Also called ‘Yung Money’, Kyle Larson came off one hell of a rookie season. Although he didn’t find himself in Victory Lane in 2014, Larson certainly was very close to Victory Lane. Scoring 8 to 5’s and 17 top 10’s, by far better than any other rookie. Kyle Larson, 2014 Rookie Of The Year, will have NO sophomore slump. I predict Larson winning at least two races and making the Chase. I think he’ll be a big threat come Chase time.

So these guys certainly weren’t as detailed as Hendrick, but it gets the job done. Part three will be Joe Gibbs Racing drivers and Furniture Row Racing driver Martin Truex Jr.