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No more media tours, no more pres-season press conferences, and no more waiting around. The teams and drivers have arrived in Daytona and that can only mean one thing…the off-season has officially ended. 

And what a busy off-season it was. 

Since the checkered flag dropped at Homestead things have been quite hectic. From Danica’s big announcement to NASCAR’s unveiling of the “Back to Basics” campaign, this off-season has been a blur. 

With that in mind, we decided to empty the Catch Can one last time during the off-season and answer your questions and Emails before the chaos of the 2010 Sprint Cup season gets underway. But don’t worry; the Catch Can isn’t going anywhere. As a matter of fact it’s just getting warmed up. 

Let’s take a look inside… 

Larry Y. wants to know: 

Will Denny Hamlin’s knee injury affect his run at this year’s championship? 

Larry, I think it will have some impact on him this season. I’d be foolish to think otherwise. The million dollar question is, how much of an impact will it have? Obviously, the folks at Joe Gibbs Racing feel that skipping surgery is the best option so you have to think they’ve been told he can race like this for the next 10 months. If not he would have already had surgery. The only way I see this becoming an even bigger issue is if, God forbids, he injures the knee further in an wreck during a race. Other than that I think it’s just another storyline as we head to Daytona. 

Mark A. (via Twitter) writes: 

What is the latest on Grant Enfinger and the upcoming ARCA season? 

I talked to Grant last night (Wednesday) and he feels pretty good about Saturday’s ARCA race at Daytona. Well, as good as one could feel going into the biggest ARCA race in recent memory. He said they finally figured out the problem they were having in the driveline. They got it fixed before they came down to Daytona and it shouldn’t be an issue this weekend. Their main goal is to secure a Top 10 qualifying effort because he feels once the race gets going he has a good shot at a solid run. As long as he can stay in the lead draft he feels confident he can be a player come the end of the race. 

As for the 2010 season, they’ve only secured funding for about five races. Their goal is to be solid, have strong showings, and make the most of those five races. If they can do that, then he feels confident someone will jump on board and help them run the entire season. 

Lester J. writes: 

Am I the only one who thinks that Danica Patrick is nothing more than a publicity stunt? I think she is a talented race car driver, but is she really ready to run in NASCAR? 

I dont’ think Danica’s move to NASCAR is a publicity stunt. Tim Flock strapping a monkey in the passenger seat of his race car was a publicity stunt. From all indications she genuinely wants to give this a try and make the most of the opportunity JR Motorsports has given to her. 

As for her being ready, that has yet to be determined. Especially considering the latest rumors about her “secret” test at Atlanta. 

There is talk that Danica Patrick (and JRM I assume) rented out the Atlanta Motor Speedway for a “secret” test shortly after the most recent Goodyear tire test at AMS. And from what I’ve been told it wasn’t pretty. She wrecked one car coming out of 3 and 4 as she was trying to come on to pit road and then proceeded to blow the motor in the back-up car. Apparently, she over revved the engine as she was leaving pit road and absolutely “grenaded” it. As you can imagine the test went about as poorly as one could hope for. Does this mean she doesn’t have what it takes to be sucessful in NASCAR? Does it mean she isn’t ready? Absolutely not! You can’t write her off for having a disastrous test that quite frankly not many people know about in the first place. I think what it does say is that she has a lot to work on as she makes this monumental transition. 

Amy D. would like to know: 

What are you looking forward to most in 2010? 

I am looking forward the new Nationwide COT, the transition back to the spoiler, and earlier start times. Seeing races rained out last year because too much time was wasted was just that, a waste of time. I’m also curious to see how this whole “Back to Basics” campaign will pan out. The new rules packages at the plate tracks will make for more exciting racing, but I am curious to see how long NASCAR lets the drivers truly be themselves. If they do, then that’s great. But I really don’t see NASCAR allowing their sport to turn into WWE. Then again, it really depends on the ratings and attendance numbers and how those pan out to start the year. 

AnnaGrace would like to know: 

What’s the latest on Jeff Gordon and his back? Is this still an issue? 

Good question, AnnaGrace. From all indications it’s a non-issue. I’ve not heard a peep out of his camp about it so I assume all is well with Jeff’s back. 

Danny (via Twitter): 

Who is your sleeper pick to win it all this year? Also, who do you think will unexpectedly win a race this season? 

My sleeper pick to win it all this year is Dale Earnhardt Jr. I think Rick Hendrick has made the 88 bunch his personal project and will no longer sit back and let that team struggle. He’s given Lance McGrew and company the crucial components to make a run at the championship and their confidence heading into 2010 is noticeable. In all honesty, it all depends on how well Earnhardt starts the year, handles adversity, and how well they communicate during each race. If they start strong and finish that way, then they have a chance to be a player come Homestead. 

My surprise winner this year is Sam Hornish Jr. I think Hornish showed some promise last year and could benefit from the latest moves at Penske Racing. He obviously has the skill set to win in NASCAR he just needs to put a complete race together. If he and his team can do that then they just might surprise some people this season. 

Gene (via Twitter): 

What do you think of teams and owners selling owner points to other teams? 

I assume you are referring to Bob Jenkins and his recent partnership with Doug Yates and Yates Racing. I dont’ fault or criticize Bob Jenkins (or Doug Yates for that matter) for doing it. Actually I applaud Mr. Jenkins for taking the initiative to guarantee all three of his teams starting spots to start the 2010 season. Where it becomes a problem is when teams pony up money to buy their way in to the sport rather than earning it. That’s where it can get a bit skewed. But let’s face it, this is still a business with millions of dollars on the line in terms of sponsors and their involvement in the sport. On the surface it may seem like a bad thing, but it’s become somewhat expected especially at the start of a new season. 

Well folks, that does it for this weeks’ edition of Catch Can. Special thanks goes out to everyone who Emailed us or sent in questions via Twitter. If you would like to be a part of next week’s Catch Can you can click on the “Contact Us” link at the top of the website or you can email me directly pb@thespotterstand.