NASCAR kicks off its 2012 season this week, so I figured I’d better get to it with my predictions for this year.

Just so you know, I am terrible at this. In the last decade, I have correctly predicted one race winner.

So now that I have lowered expectations, here we go with my wild prognostications for this season.

First Sprint Cup driver to lose his ride: It’ll be Kurt Busch. James Finch has already said he isn’t going to pay someone and listen to all that $%@. Kurt Busch can’t stop talking all that $%@.

Guy who is going to get his first career win: In 2011, it was Trevor Bayne, Paul Menard, David Ragan and Marcos Ambrose. Looking over who is running full-time in 2012 and hasn’t won a race and has a legitimate shot at winning, I have to go with A.J. Allmendinger. He is driving the No. 22 Penske Dodge, the best equipment he has ever had.

Maybe it will happen the same week Kurt Busch gets fired. That would be some good irony.

2012 Rookie of the Year: Timmy Hill (who?) because he’s the only candidate.

Truck Series Champion: This is a tough one with a bunch of veterans in the series. But I am going to go out on a limb and pick a rookie: Ty Dillon. His brother won the 2011 championship and he spanked the ARCA Series field last year. Besides, he’s driving grandpa Richard Childress’s trucks, and they are pretty dang good.

Nationwide Series Champion: In my opinion, this one comes down to three drivers: Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse and Elliott Sadler. Stenhouse is the defending champ, Bayne really hasn’t run a full season but has a win in the series and Elliott Sadler is the seasoned veteran. They all have good equipment.

I am going to go with Sadler for this year’s championship. He missed some opportunities last year but I think his experience makes all the difference this year.

Chase for the Sprint Cup: Only 12 can be chasers after Richmond in September. In 2012 they will be Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards.

I debated putting Kasey Kahne on that list, but I couldn’t decide who would go to put him in.

I think it will be Edwards who is hoisting the 2012 Sprint Cup at Homestead.

Y’all let me know what you think about my picks and share yours with me.

Contact Andy Cagle at andycagle@earthlink.net.