The Outside Groove's 2006 Season Preview--It Begins

After two months of, well, almost nothing to talk about, The Outside Groove returns with our preview of the 2006 season. We'll look at the top contenders, the also-rans, the field fillers, and Scott Wimmer, showing three drivers each day. And now, with further ado, here it goes:

1 through 3--Three men, two teams, one car, zero Green brothers

1. 24 Jeff Gordon
The Case For: The only four-time champion still competing in Nextel Cup, unless you include that 67-year old rookie going by the name of Pichard Retty.
The Case Against: A terrible middle-stretch of the 2005 season saw him finish OUT of the top 10, causing dams to burst, babies to cry, and the sun to start revolving around the earth.
Changes: Georgia-Pacific comes on board as an associate sponsor, as does Nicorette. I smell special paint schemes!
Fun Fact: Jeff actually skipped the 2005 Nextel Cup ceremonies to attend the 2005 World Series in Chicago, where he was pelted with garbage.

2. 20 Tony Stewart
The Case For: He’s the defending champion, and hasn’t punched anyone lately.
The Case Against: Teammates now have a total of zero years of experience in Cup between them. Suddenly, Tony feels very much like Ivan Rodriguez.
Changes: None, though Tony’s crew chief has announced a new marketing platform: The Pinhead—Are We Having Fun Yet?
Fun Fact: Stewart’s plans to get in shape this off-season were derailed by one night of Ben & Jerry’s, followed by several hours of crying in shame.

3. 48 Jimmie Johnson
The Case For: Has come off two straight championship-caliber seasons where he narrowly fell short. And his car is GRAY.
The Case Against: Lack of emotion might signal a lack of that “killer instinct” that keeps him from taking the next step. And his car is GRAY.
Changes: None, it was a pretty boring off-season—and that’s the way he likes it.
Fun Fact: Crew Chief Chad Knaus is a sucker for hot girls, but insists on wearing a wool cap in the summertime (based on a true story).