Coach Joe Gibbs (Left) and Kyle Busch (Right) speak at a media availability. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Joe Gibbs Racing

Like drama? Pay attention to JGR in 2012. There may be no other organization in NASCAR with as much youth and talent, but at the same time there’s no group out there that creates as much hardship. Kyle Busch certainly looks like he learned his lesson after getting parked for a Cup race in 2011 for aggressive driving, but can he keep his cool as rivals do their best to rattle him? Denny Hamlin hasn’t looked the same since losing the championship in the final race of the 2010 season. Can a new crew chief get him back on track to be a title contender, or will 2012 be another disappointment? And can Joey Logano show the talent that everybody says he has, or will this contract year prove too much and cause him to fail? — Jorge Mondaca

JTG Daugherty Racing

Here’s an organization intent on gaining traction in the Cup series — and willing to take time to rebuild to do just that. The team has added crew chief Todd Berrier and has left the alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing and struck out on its own. Bobby Labonte, the 2000 Cup champion, will provide veteran leadership to a team focused on first gaining top-20 finishes on a regular basis, then moving up through the ranks. Labonte and Berrier must work to improve the organization and keep the goals realistic — and therefore the team members from losing faith — in order for this group to build and grow through the coming year. — Rea White

Michael Waltrip Racing

Michael Waltrip Racing is growing up right in front of our eyes. Entering its sixth full season of competition, the group went all in and upgraded its driver pool by hiring veterans Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin, who will drive a part-time schedule along with the team's namesake. Combine that with Martin Truex Jr., who despite having a subpar 2011 turned it up late in the year and started getting results, and you have an organization that can challenge for race wins and could challenge for a coveted Chase spot. — Jorge Mondaca

Penske Racing

AJ Allmendinger moves from Richard Petty Motorsports to Penske Racing in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. (Photo: Getty Images)

After an offseason of dramatic change in which the team lost a crew chief and split with its championship-contending driver, 2012 is a huge reboot for Team Penske — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Brad Keselowski is embracing his new role as leader of the organization and, after a breakout year in 2011, a shot of confidence could be just the thing to motivate him to greater heights. Meanwhile, the pressure will be on the new-look No. 22 team as crew chief Todd Gordon and driver AJ Allmendinger take over a race-winning team. But fear not; Allmendinger was knocking on the door of scoring his first career Cup win — and that was before the boost he got by winning the prestigious Rolex 24 at Daytona Grand-Am race this past weekend. Combine that with Gordon, a successful Nationwide Series crew chief who will be itching to prove he’s a Cup-caliber pit boss, and you have a partnership that is not only hungry for success but will also bring new ideas to the table that may help Keselowski and Co. as well. — Jorge Mondaca