by FOXSports.com

Around the track

Follow the action:

• Michigan schedule
• Michigan practices

Watch:

• Video Central

Picture perfect:

• Action at Watkins Glen

Read all about it:

• Dale Jr: Changes needed in NASCAR
• Vickers edges Martin for Cup pole

Analysis:

• White: Chasers feel the heat
• Spencer: Drivers to watch at Michigan

What has gone on here at the newly merged Hall of Fame/Yates Racing team is that they actually gained during the offseason by joining forces and finding drivers who provide solid results and have potential for even more success. Paul Menard had his best season of Sprint Cup competition last year and I feel that this year should be better, especially at the restrictor plate races where Yates engines are king and Menard himself shines. Also, when you bring in a veteran like Bobby Labonte, who's got something to prove, is a big plus. The folks at Ford and Roush Fenway Racing work closely with this team, so you know Labonte will have good equipment. If they can get the right chemistry, it'll be a good year for the former Cup champion as he has not forgotten how to drive. Throw in Travis Kvapil, who for now is driving a partial schedule in the hopes of securing more sponsorship, and you have a trio of guys who are hungry to improve and show they belong towards the front of the field.

This is what Doug Yates has been building towards, now it's up to him and fellow team owner Max Jones to take advantage of all their relationships with Roush, Hall of Fame, Ford and others to maximize their results.

This should be a much improved team. Will they be a Chase contender? Time will only tell, but definitely look for progress from this bunch. On paper, things should be good, but it'll come down to finding the right chemistry.

One aspect that cannot be underestimated is the relationship with Roush. Even though Hall of Fame Racing had a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing the last few years, a lot of rumors and innuendos indicate that relationship was not as strong as it needed to be. That won't be the case at Yates.

The pieces are falling place, now we have to wait and see how it shakes out on the racetrack — and not just at Daytona. Sure, it's great to get an ego boost at the first race of the year, but the real racing begins when we get to Auto Club Speedway in California. That's when we will be able to tell if this group has it together or still needs to tweak things around.

Driver outlook

Travis Kvapil — Driver of the No. 28 Ford

Kvapil quietly posted a solid season for Yates Racing in 2008. He generated a respectable total of 14 top-20 finishes, including four top-10 rides (six top 15s). Kvapil best demonstrated his ability during the seven-race stretch from the end of April through May. He generated five top-16 finishes in that stretch, including two top 10s.

Bobby Labonte — Driver of the No. 96 Ask.com Ford

The 2000 Sprint Cup champion enters the new year with a brand new look as he recently joined Hall of Fame Racing. However, he joins the team on a slump. Labonte averaged a mediocre 22.6-position finish with just two top-10 finishes, his lowest total since 1994, last season. In fact, it was the fifth straight year in which his top-10 total declined.

Paul Menard — Driver of the No. 98 Menard's Ford

Menard participated in his second full season in the Sprint Cup Series and was on the radar for several events. He earned the first top-10 finish in his career, a strong second-place finish in the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega. As I reviewed Menard's 2008 race log, my interest was piqued by the number of strong qualifying efforts he made. He started inside the top 20 on 11 occasions and earned his first career pole in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. He might be worth a look during the Daytona events where he has averaged a 19.3-position finish in three starts.

Closing number

1

How can you define success for the Hall of Fame/Yates Racing organization in 2009? Look for top-five finishes. If you combine Menard, Labonte and Kvapil's results from last season, they have a combined one top-five finish (Menard in the fall Talladega race).

This group may not challenge for the championship, but they definitely show potential for more finishes among the best of the best.