After a disappointing end to the 2012 season, Jimmie Johnson is more than ready to get back to racing. Battling neck and neck with the Championship Winner Brad Keselowski, it looked like Johnson was going to get his 6-pack, but fate had other ideas.

After taking both the pole positions and the wins at Martinsville and Texas, it looked like Johnson was well on his way to winning his 6th Championship but fate had other plans. Phoenix looked promising for Johnson but a melted bead caused him to blow a right front tire and slam the wall. Going into Homestead, his Championship hopes looked bleak, but not lost.

For the first 212 laps of the Homestead Finale, it looked like Johnson had it in the bag. After leading a majority of the race, Johnson came down pit road for a routine pit stop, and that’s where it all started unraveling. During the pit stop, his crew forgot to tighten one of the lug nuts causing Johnson to have to pit again which left him one lap down and 20 points behind Kelesowski.

Then it got even worse. Johnson felt a vibration and could smell what he thought was a burning gear. He pulled into the garage for the final 43 laps, with a hole in an oil line. In the end, Keselowski won the Championship and Johnson finished 3rd in points, 40 behind Keselowski and 1 point behind second place Clint Bowyer.

Going in to 2013 with a new car, Johnson and his team, along with the rest of the Hendrick Organization, are optimistic about their Championship hopes. With all four Hendrick cars in the Chase last season, it wouldn’t be surprising to see that again.

“It doesn’t (add any extra pressure), because we feel (that we’ll have four cars in the Chase) and we believe that,” said Johnson. “Last year, when he (Mr. Rick Hendrick) went on the record in front of everybody and said that, that was a lot of pressure. I was waiting for him to drop the hammer this year and I think a couple of us were smiling on the stage wondering what he was going to say, but he let us off the hook there. I’m sure we’ll hear about it all year long in our meetings, and that’s great. You know we love to have that; it’s a kick in the pants to get things going.”

After losing the last 2 Championships, Johnson acknowledged that there was “a pressure on me that I didn’t know existed until the streak ended.” Now he says he’s got a “clear mind” and he isn’t worried about the streak anymore.

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NASCAR is all about the fans. It’s the only professional sport that allows fans to get up close and person with the athletes. This season, fans even have control over the Sprint Unlimited, formerly the Bud Shootout, race to kick of Daytona.

I took to twitter recently to see what exactly fans thought about the current tracks on the schedule. I asked my 900+ followers, a majority of them being NASCAR fans, what they would change about the track schedule the Sprint Cup Series currently has. Some responses were pretty predictable but others took me by surprise.

FONTANA: This 2 mile, D-shaped oval was probably the one that was brought up most often. Many race fans say they would like to see Auto Club Speedway removed from the schedule. A majority said that the TV broadcast quality is poor and hard to watch. It also seems like the attendance at the track as gone down in recent years. With only one race on the schedule, it would be sad to see this track go.

IOWA: The two Nationwide Series races held at Iowa Speedway do not seem to be enough for NASCAR fans. Many want to see this Newton, Iowa track hold a Sprint Cup race and soon. Attendance at Iowa Speedway seems to be high, nearly packing the stands each and every race. This 7/8 mile tri-oval, designed by Rusty Wallace, is definitely a fan favorite.

ROCKINGHAM: A lot of fans want to NASCAR to add Rockingham to the Sprint Cup Series schedule. The main reason for this is because Rockingham is where NASCAR belongs. Rockingham hosted a Cup race from 1966-2004. Currently hosting a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, fans would love to see the Gen-6 on this famed and historical track.

ROAD COURSES: This list was endless when it came to road courses. Road America, Montreal, and the Circuit of the Americas were all tracks mentioned numerous times in the addition category. Fans have been saying for years that they would like to see a road course in the chase.

INDIANAPOLIS: This was one that surprised me. Indianapolis is famous for the Indy 500; one of racing’s most famous events. Many NASCAR fans don’t think stock cars belong at Indy. One fan even made the comparison to seeing IndyCars at Talladega. Stock Cars have been racing at the Brickyard since 1994 and drivers like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson dominate at this track.

CHICAGOLAND: This was another track that took me by surprise. Opening in 2001, Chicagoland hosts the first race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. With only one race on the schedule, I was surprised this track was even brought up. The most common response regarding this track is that it is just too boring. Chicagoland hasn’t made any major changes to its track since its opening, maybe a reconfiguration and a repave would change the minds of NASCARs die-hard fans.

NASHVILLE: I have heard this track be brought up many times in the last few years. Many teams test at Nashville, so why not add it to the schedule? One fan went as far as saying that if it is good enough for testing then why not a race?

CANADA AND MEXICO: Fans would love to see NASCAR across the borders. Many were devastated to hear Montreal (Canada) was off of the Nationwide Schedule and think it should not only be back but added to the Cup schedule as well. “Montreal is just good racing,” exclaimed one fan.  Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (Mexico) was also brought up a few times which is also another road course race. The Nationwide Series raced there from 2005 to 2008. Seeing NASCAR across the border would bring in more fans but televising a race might be an issue.

KANSAS: Although the repave did make the fall race pretty exciting, many fans think at least one Kansas race should be removed from the schedule. The race brought up most often was the spring race in April. Maybe these new cars and the new pavement will change fans minds about this one. Change is good, right?

MILWAUKEE: This mile-long track was mention multiple times. Old-school short track was the main reason why fans want to see the new Gen-6 cars on the track. The Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series raced at this mile-long oval in the 1990s and early 2000s. The Milwaukee Mile currently hosts an IndyCar event, Milwaukee IndyFest, so having a NASCAR sanctioned event at this track wouldn’t be impossible.

Whether or not you agree with the list above, it is clear that fans want a change, but isn’t that always the case? Change isn’t necessarily a bad thing and having new or returning tracks added to the current schedule wouldn’t be such a bad thing. The questions remains, do you add on to the season or replace races with these new tracks? Maybe each track only needs to hold one event in the regular season and make the 10 races in the Chase the ten best tracks on the schedule. With all of the responses that I received, one thing is for certain, fans really want to see a road course in the chase.

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Thankfully for NASCAR fans, there really isn’t an off season to deal with. Yeah, there might not be any “real” racing, but there are award banquets, testing, and media stops between the Homestead Finale and the Daytona Opener. There are also the endless questions that arise when NASCAR changes or add a new element into the upcoming season. This year, there are quite a few. With a new car, driver changes, and even new drivers entering the series full time, there is going to be a lot to look out for and prepare for this season.

Let’s start with the new car. Called the Generation 6 or Gen-6 for short, this new car models the body style of its original show room sibling. This just means that the Ford Fusion on the track will look like the Ford Fusion at your nearby Ford Dealership, same with the Chevy SS and the Toyota Camry, thus bringing back the true meaning to “Stock Car” racing. There have been a few dilemmas that have already arisen with this new car, the biggest being evident in the second afternoon session of Daytona Winter Testing. Dale Earnhardt Jr, a Chevy, tried bump drafting with Marcos Ambrose, a Ford, which in turn ended up wrecking most of the drafting field. Turns out that the differences in front and rear bumpers cause a problem. Will this change the outcome of Daytona and Talladega? Is tandem drafting a thing of the past? We will have to wait and see.

There are going to be a few new faces to the Sprint Cup schedule as well as some familiar faces behind very different numbers. Matt Kenseth will no longer be behind the wheel of the Roush Fenway Racing #17. After 13 years, Kenseth has jumped ship to Joe Gibbs Racing to get behind the wheel of the #20, previously driven by Joey Jogano. Logano now moves to the famed #22 Shell/Pennzoil that was driven by A.J. Allmendinger. Kurt Busch will be in the 78 for Furniture Row Racing and Allmendinger will share a ride with Regan Smith in the #54 car for Phoenix racing which Busch drove previously. If all of that made sense to you, I applaud you. Thanks in part to NASCAR, drivers last names will now be on the windshield, making all of these driver changes a little less confusing.

The Sprint Cup Series will also have a pretty exciting Rookie of the Year battle this season as two-time Nationwide Series Champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr and the polarizing queen herself Danica Patrick battle it out for the coveted title. Stenhouse, who took over the #17 from Matt Kenseth, had only six Cup starts last season with his best being 12th at Dover. Patrick, an IndyCar transplant, completed two part-time and one full-time season in the Nationwide Series along with 10 Sprint Cup races last year. She was well on her way to a top-15 finish in Phoenix until she was turned into the wall by Jeff Burton and finished 17th, her best Cup finish to date. Many people have already dubbed Stenhouse as the winner but don’t let Patrick fall by the wayside. She has 3-time Champ Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman by her side to help her along, as well as Crew Chief Tony Gibson. Look for Patrick to surprise her fans, critics, and even herself this season. We won’t have a clear picture on who will win Rookie of the Year until well into the season. Will Stenhouse come out of top or will Patrick take the title right out from under him?

The battle for the Sprint Cup Series Championship will be interesting to watch. Will Defending Champion Brad Keselowski make it two in a row or will someone else come in and take it away. Can Mr 5-time himself Jimmie Johnson finally get his 6 Pack? Or will Kasey Kahne get his chance at glory? The battle for the title this year will be as exciting as ever and we might not know who will win until the checkered flag at Homestead.

The 2013 season will have its fair share of ups and downs as well as its shocking moments no one can predict (example: the Jet Dryer). So stay tuned, the Daytona 500 is right around the corner. My only piece of advice is this, don’t miss a minute of this season, you might regret it.

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She is one of the few female faces in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Often called the “anti-Danica”, she draws in eyes every time she hits the racetrack. Johanna Long is one of the up-and-coming faces in NASCAR and is out to prove that she can race with the big boys.

Johanna started racing at age 8 and quickly became a staple in victory lane. At age 14, she began racing professional Late Model Stock Cars and was the first female track champion at Five Flags Speedway. At 17, she became not only the youngest driver, but the first female to win the Snowball Derby. An event known as the “Super Bowl” of short track racing, she beat racers from many divisions, including some from NASCARs biggest series.

In 2010, Johanna joined the ranks of NASCAR when she made 6 starts in the Camping World Truck Series. Numerous top-20 finishes came in 2011 with a best finish of 11th at Texas. The NASCAR industry saw two very talented female drivers enter its ranks in 2010 thanks to Johanna and Danica Patrick. Driving for ML Motorsports, Johanna made 21 starts in 2012, making her the youngest female to ever drive in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Back for another season with ML Motorsports, Johanna will once again be a familiar face at the track in 2013. With many female fans and children alike vying for her attention, she is one to watch.

With a finish of 12th at Kentucky and Daytona, and a 13th at Iowa in 2012, Johanna can be competitive at almost any track. She was well on her way to a top-10 finish in Richmond until a cut tire sent her to the garage. Look for Johanna to improve in 2013 and hopefully she will get her chance at a Cup ride in the coming years.

Although she doesn’t like being compared to Danica Patrick, they do have a lot in common. They are both making huge strides for women in motorsports, both on and off the track. Johanna shows young race fans that you don’t have to be a GoDaddy Girl to race cars, you can just be yourself. As an avid social media user, you can connect personally with Johanna on twitter, just search @JOHANNALONG, and if you tweet her, she just might respond.

If you are like me, you are anxious to see what Johanna Long accomplishes next. I cannot wait to see her on the track in the #70 ML Motorsports Chevrolet racing with the big boys. At just 20 years old, she has already made a name for herself in racing and will forever be known as a great racecar driver.

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With the new Generation-6 car, teams across the board are discovering new to race these cars. But the new car is not the only change this season. There are a few new drivers in the Sprint Cup series, a few drivers who changed teams, and a few drivers who are looking to make a comeback. Below I have listed a few drivers who I think are ones to watch in 2013.

Kyle Busch: After barely missing out on the Chase in 2012, look for the youngest Busch brother to make a run for the Championship as soon as the season starts. Kyle Busch has made the Chase before, his first time being 2006 in just his second year as a Cup driver. Although Kyle hasn't won a Cup Championship, he has won the Nationwide Series Championship in 2009 so this driver knows how to win. He broke the record of most wins in a season with 21 in 2008 then beat his own record in 2010 with 24 wins across all three major series including a three-race sweep at Bristol. At just 27 years old, Kyle still has many years of racing left in him.

Matt Kenseth: After leaving Roush Fenway Racing #17 for Joe Gibbs Racing #20, the defending Daytona 500 Champion is starting over: new number, new sponsor, new team, and new car. Kenseth spent 13 years with Roush Fenway Racingand won the 2003 Cup Championship. Kenseth debuted in the #20 in early December at a Charlotte test and was in Daytona this past week for the winter test and was one of the fastest cars on the track. Look for him to make a dead run for the Cup as the newest member of the JGR family. Danica Patrick: One of racing's most recognizable faces and the lone woman in NASCARs highest tier, look for all eyes to be on Danica Patrick as she makes the move to full time Cup in 2013. Patrick was consistently in the top 10 in testing this last week at Daytona and even leading most of the final practice. With Tony Gibson and his crew by her side, look for her to be a factor in plate tracks and road courses. Finishing 10th in point standings last season in Nationwide Series, she joins Stewart-Haas Racing as Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman's newist, and smallest, teammate. Danica Patrick may be a girl, but she can drive.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr: The reigning two-time Nationwide Series Champion is making the jump to Sprint Cup this season in the #17 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. After proving that he can win races in the Nationwide Series, Joe Gibbs offered him the 17 after Matt Kenseth moved to Roush-Fenway Racing. Stenhouse has been in 6 Cup races with his best finish being 12th at Dover this last year. Stenhouse and good friend Danica Patrick will both be racing for the title of Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year. Look for Stenhouse to be a factor in many Cup races this season because this 25 year old has a lot of talent.

Jimmie Johnson: After 5 straight Championship wins, 5-time has now lost two in a row. Jimmie Johnson is known as one of the best racers on the track and he won't back down this season as he fights for a 6th Cup. Johnson said in an interview early in the season that he wants 8 Championships; he wants to be known as the greatest driver there is. With Hendrick Motorsports and teammates like Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr and Kasey Kahne behind him, Johnson is well on his way to accomplishing that dream. After a tight battle for the Cup in 2012, Johnson has to be biting at the bit to get back out there and do what he does best: win.

No doubt there are more than five drivers to watch in 2013, including Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and reining Champion Brad Keselowski. With a new car, Dodge out of the picture, tandem drafting problems and a few new rules, 2013 will be a season of excitement and drama and one you definitely do not want to miss.

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Towards the end of the season, reports started flying that Kevin Harvick would be leaving Richard Childress Racing and moving to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Harvick has been a full-time Cup driver for 12 seasons and each of those have been with RCR. No one has confirmed these rumors but Richard Childress did have this to say. “If you want to talk about that bull … what (you) need to do is have somebody from over there to confirm it,” Childress said. “Right now, he’s driving for me in ’13…so I ain’t even going to talk about it to nobody.”

Stewart-Haas Racing ended 2012 with two full-time drivers, owner Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman. In 2013, SHR will add Danica Patrick to that list. SHR has had the goal of having a four car team since its formation. SHR has not confirmed the reports of adding Harvick to their list of high-profile drivers.

RCR currently has three drivers, Harvick, Jeff Burton and Paul Menard. Clint Bowery left in 2011 after RCR failed to find sponsorship and he now drives for Michael Waltrip Racing.

Childress picked up Harvick in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt. The car number was changed from 3 to 29 and three races into his career, Harvick was in victory lane. In 12 seasons, he has 19 wins, 91 top-5s and 188 top-10s. Kevin has been in contention for the Sprint Cup Championship but has never won it. RCR hasn’t had a driver win a Cup Championship since 1994.

Every driver wants to be with a team that is going to give him or her the best chance at holding up that Cup at the end of the season and Kevin Harvick is no different. Look for Harvick to run strong in 2013 and if rumors are true, even stronger in 2014. He could be a big asset to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 and a benefit to newcomer Danica Patrick.

Harvick needs a good strong team behind him for him to have a real chance at winning that coveted Championship and maybe a change will be the thing he needs. For now, Harvick will still be in the 29 for Richard Childress Racing. He finished the 2012 season 8th in standings with 1 win in his pocket. While many reliable sources have confirmed that he will leave RCR in 2014, Harvick himself has not yet confirmed it so until then, it looks like his foreseeable future is with Richard Childress.

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