Here is a NASCAR preview I wrote for Chalk. It will be featured in the April print version of Oddsmaker Magazine. To see this please go here and make sure it is the April issue and click on NASCAR feature.

April/May NASCAR race previews

The NASCAR season is a grueling, long distance road trip each driver must take just to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

There are already a few surprises turning heads in 2008 and NASCAR fans have to wonder if the trend will continue into the spring.

Based on Hendrick Motorsports dominating 2007 season, most experts figured they would roll into the new season without skipping a beat.

Jimmie Johnson won 10 races last season to capture his second straight Nextel Cup while HMS won 18 out of 36 races overall on the year.

Figure in the acquisition of Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the team and it only added to the expectations for HMS to win almost every week.

Not so fast.

Carl Edwards and the Roush Fenway Fords have come out of the gates with a bang and seem to be the team best positioned to knock Hendrick off its well-earned pedestal.

Roush Fenway Racing has Matt Kenseth, the most talented driver in NASCAR after Johnson, Edwards who came ninth last season and Greg Biffle.

The RFR boys advantage over HMS could be in large part to having a better grasp of the Car of Tomorrow, which is being used full-time this season.

So are HMS and RFR the only two teams to keep an eye on in April and May?

Of course not.

You can’t overlook Clint Bowyer of Richard Childress Racing. He snuck up on the field and finished third in the standings last year thanks to using a conservative strategy early in the racing season.

Will Bowyer be more aggressive in his approach in the early going this season or stick to what worked for him in 2007?

Then there are the drivers looking for bounce back seasons and capturing some early wins in the spring can certainly help build momentum toward the Chase..

NASCAR Rookie of the Year Juan Pablo Montoya should improve after finishing 20th overall last season and Kasey Kahne is a good bet to rebound this season, in large part because things can’t get any worse.

Races in April and May seem to be building into a heavyweight battle between Hendrick and Roush Racing.

Can RFR maintain the dominance they have shown in the early part of 2008 or will the favorites catch fire and start to dominate the track as expected?

April’s schedule begins at Texas Motor Speedway. Here’s a look at all of the upcoming events:

April 6 – Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway

Last year’s race came down to former Texas Motor Speedway winners and ex-teammates Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton. On the last lap Burton was able to hold off Kenseth to become the first repeat winner of a Cup series event held at the speedway. Of note Jeff Gordon started on the pole and led 173 laps of the race before finishing fourth.

April 12 – Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway

This race served as the first night race of the 2007 season and the third race to use the Car of Tomorrow. Jeff Gordon captured his first win at Phoenix and was also the first NEXTEL Cup race winner at Phoenix from the pole position. Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kensith rounded out the Top 5.

April 27 – Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Speedway

Last year Jeff Gordon won the race that saw fans throwing garbage on the track to show their displeasure. The rest of the top five finishers were Jimmie Johnson ending up in second place, followed by Kurt Busch, David Gilliland, and Jamie McMurray in that order. The event ended with an aborted green-white-checkered finish where several cars were involved, including Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, McMurray, and Gilliland.

May 3 – Crown Royal Presents The Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway

In the second installment of the ground breaking “Your Name Here” contest, Crown Royal announced essay winner Dan Lowry as the grand prize winner for this year’s race. In 2007 it was another dominating performance for Hendrick Motorsports, with Jimmie Johnson winning, Kyle Busch finishing second and Jeff Gordon coming in fourth.

May 10 – Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington Raceway

This race’s name was changed to the Dodge Charger 500 for 2008 after being sponsored by the Dodge Avenger last season. The originally scheduled May 12th running was postponed due to rain, and was run the following afternoon with Jeff Gordon finishing ahead of the pack. Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards also finished in the Top 5, while Clint Bowyer was the pole-sitter.

May 17 – NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway

Formerly known as the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, this race is open to winners from the previous season as well as the current season, plus the past ten event winners and past decade’s Cup Series champions. Matt Kenseth won the pole and Kevin Harvick was bumper-to-bumper with Jimmie Johnson coming to the finish line to win the race. Standings points are not awarded for this event.

May 25 – Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway

The longest race on the Nextel Cup schedule was won last season by Casey Mears, after he gambled by stretching his fuel to the finish line. He was followed by J.J. Yeley, Kyle Petty, Reed Sorenson and Brian Vickers. Ryan Newman won the pole for this race. Of note Jeff Gordon failed to finish this race for the fifth straight year.

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