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(A Special Weekly Post Prepared for letsgoracingfans.com)

1954. Dwight Eisenhower was President, the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn, gas cost about a dime a gallon and Tim Flock set a NASCAR record by winning 18 Cup races. That year, Al Keller won a race in Linden, New Jersey in a Jaguar- the last time a foreign name plate won a race at stock car racing’s highest level.

Fast forward to 1995. Bill Clinton was President, Brett Favre won his first NFL MVP award, and gas cost about half (or less) of what it does today. That year, on March 12, Jeffrey Michael Gordon won his first race at AMS at the age of 23 years, 7 months, and 8 days.

On March 9, 2008, Kyle Busch wrote his name in the NASCAR history books. At a track known for its close finishes, Busch the Younger (also known as “Rowdy” or “Shrub”), pulled away from Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The win gets Toyota off the snide at NASCAR’s top level, and Busch becomes the youngest winner at Atlanta at 22 years, 10 months, and 7 days (I needed extra fingers and toes to count that one).

It was just a matter of time.

While credit must go to Smoke, Junior, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer for pushing Busch, he was in control in his very out of control way. Even if he whines, even if he’s overly aggressive, even he ain’t the most angelic face in the NASCAR line-up- give him his due. He knows how to race. Right now, he’s scary fast and crazy consistent.

I would be remiss to ignore the skill of other drivers who overcame long odds to break up front. Smoke gained 30 spots to his second place finish in a car he fought with and tires he hated even more. Matty Kenseth gained 30 pots as well to finish 8th- after starting 38th. Don’t look now, but there’s another promising young Toyota driver making noise, and he doesn’t even race for Joe Gibbs. Brian Vickers started 35th, but ran all the way up to 9th, putting him in the Chase if it began today. Kurt Busch and Casey Mears also quietly finished significantly better than they started.

Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne also deserve props. Johnson took another terrible car and managed to pull off a respectable finish (13th). Another racer would have finished 30th or worse. Kahne overcame a nasty early race spin to pull out a 26th place finish. In the old car, he would have wrecked out. These guys get the Rocky Balboa Award for winning a knock down drag out with their cars.

Speaking of the new car,- wouldn’t you agree that it has its merits? It’s a miracle that Elliott Sadler didn’t go after the first caution, but kept his car out there through THREE mishaps before throwing in the towel. An incredible 41 of 43 drivers finished on a day where the tires were a disaster.

Oh yeah, there’s those doggone tires. If enough guys complain, then maybe they won’t go too hard on Tony Stewart for his post-race diatribe against Goodyear Tires. Bobby Labonte tested at Atlanta back in the Fall- I’d be real interested to hear what he might have to say. As it is, I’m afraid the message will be missed because of the messenger- though his point had some validity. Those were lousy tires.

Kyle Busch has looked like a top 5 driver this year. If he keeps it up, me not only win the Cup title, but the Nationwide and CTS titles too.

For the freshest (and perhaps most promising) faces in NASCAR, one need look no further than Team Red Bull. Perhaps no team has put forward an image with their drivers that more closely fits the brand of the company sponsoring them. In your minds eye, you can just see A.J. Allmendinger chugging a can of the energy drink in victory lane. Their colorful paint schemes that feature red wheels gives them high visibility on the track. Now the drivers just need to back it up with wins to complete the effect.

For drivers Brian Vickers and A.J. Allmendinger is the good news that this team already know a thing or two about motorsports though they are NASCAR neophytes. Red Bull already operates two Formula One teams and has involvement with Indy Car and Champ Car teams and/or drivers.

Of the two young drivers in the Red Bull shop, Brian Vickers seems poised for the more immediate impact. The 24 year old has been racing Cup full-time since 2004, and has seen what it’s like with a premier NASCAR team as Vickers drove 3 seasons for Rick Hendrick in the ride now occupied by Casey Mears. Vickers has already tasted victory in his former ride, the #25 Chevy at the Fall, 2006 Talladega race.

In 2007, Vickers was the first Toyota driver to lead laps in Cup competition. In fact, Vickers looked like a strong possibility to win the Coca-Cola 600 before gradually tapering off as the race went, an all-too-common malady for the manufacturer in 2007. Like teammate A.J. Allmendinger, Vickers has some moments of greatness in 2007 and seems to have the aggressiveness to win with the big boys. After all, it was Vickers who bumped his then-teammate Jimmie Johnson into Dael Earnhardt Jr. to get that Talladega win. Anyone Familiar with Hendrick Motorsports knows that’s not only a very gutsy move, but one that will likely spell your departure from the “all for one, one for all” mentality at HMS. Look for continued improvement from the North Carolinian who once boasted a high school GPA of 4.43.

Though Vickers has a load of potential, perhaps the driver with the greatest upside is A.J. Allmendinger. I like this guy. Like another promising young driver by the name of Kyle Busch, Allmendinger will push his car right to the point of losing control of it. The 2nd year Cup driver has tasted success in other motorsports- Allmendinger finished 5th in Champ Car points in 2005. In 2006, the Los Gatos, California native won a Champ Car race at Portland. In 2004, Allmendinger was rookie of the year for Champ Car. Allmendinger has tested very well in the 2008 pre-season.

This is definitely a team on the rise, sponsored by an organization that seems committed to success as a motorsports sponsor. They’re not afraid of change as Red Bull replaced Vickers’ veteran crew chief Doug Richert with Randy Cox in an effort to find a winning fit.

For Team Red Bull and owner Deitrich Mateschitz, it’s just a matter of getting the equipment and team personnel up to the level of the drivers.

It all starts tomorrow campers! The Chase is on beginning at Loudon, New Hampshire. All week long there’s been a load of buzz and speculation on what the final 10 races of the 2007 season hold in store.

I’ve got my swami turban on and heck my opinion counts for no less than Rusty Wallace, so here goes:

1) The primary battle for the Nextel Cup will come down to two teammates from HMS- Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. My heart’s with Gordon, if I had to bet money, I’d go with Jimmie.

2) Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards will push these guys real hard and should not be counted out. Oh, count Kurt Busch in this group too.

3) This year’s chase will put Martin Truex and Clint Bowyer on the map- so to speak. I had no idea who Truex was when this season started. I do now.

4) I really like Jeff Burton but I just don’t know if he can be better than top 10.

5) Clint Bowyer will win a race before the year’s over.

6) Due to his success this season, Denny Hamlin may steal some more of the young female vote from Kasey Kahne.

7) The Rushville Rocket in the #20 Home Depot Chevy will win one more race in a Chevy before moveing on to Toyota in 2008.

We may end up forgetting that Kevin Harvick is even in the Chase. Still a good racer though. Same for Matt Kenseth.

9) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will still keep stealing the spotlight away from the Chase. Not his fault. He will win a race before this year’s over. Could be at Mardi Gras, I mean Talledega.

10) Tony may win tomorrow at New Hampshire. He was crazy fast yesterday. Big Shrub and Jimmie may have something for him.

11) A Toyota will win one race before it’s over in 2007- thanks to either Brian Vickers or David “The Beak” Reutimann.

12) And the winner of the 2007 Nextel Cup is………Jimmie Johnson in a repeat.