Jeffrey Boswell

Rookie Trevor Bayne heralded his existence, stunning the Daytona field in becoming the youngest 500 winner in history.

Can Jimmie Johnson win his sixth-straight Sprint Cup title? How well will NASCAR's new points format be accepted? Are Tony Stewart's troubles with Australians just beginning? Jeffrey Boswell has the answers and more in his NASCAR 2011 predictions.

Johnson finished second at Homestead, easily overcoming Denny Hamlin’s 15-point lead entering the race, to capture his fifth-straight Sprint Cup title.

Hamlin lead 190 of 312 laps at Phoenix, but a late stop for fuel cost him a chance at the win and nearly cost him the points lead.

Hamlin won at Texas, leading 31 laps in the AAA Texas 500 to wrest the points lead in the Sprint Cup standings from Johnson.

Johnson finished seventh on a wild day at Talladega, avoiding trouble and maintaining his points lead.

Johnson finished fifth in the Tums Fast Relief 500, a solid result, albeit one that was outdone by his closest Chase For The Cup competitors, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick.

Johnson fell to 36th after an early spin at Charlotte, but recovered to finish third in the Bank Of America 500, one spot ahead of Denny Hamlin.

Jimmie Johnson: Johnson increased his points lead over second-place Deny Hamlin with a third in the AutoMax 500 at California.

Johnson followed his win at Dover with a runner-up at Kansas, second only to race winner Greg Biffle. Johnson also took the lead in the Sprint Cup point standing, and leads Denny Hamlin by eight.