Gas and Go--Charlotte (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go is a home game--Charlotte, NC. I will offer some short takes and maybe an unusual fact or two leading into the race, and pick a winner.

1. Kurt Busch has momentum going into the 600, coming off his win at the All-Star Race last weekend. However, he has never had a top 10 finish in the 600. This track is not one of his better tracks.
2. On the other hand, Jimmie Johnson practically OWNS this track. He should have had one more win in 2002, but he overshot his pit on the final pit stop of the 2002 race, giving the victory to his future Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin. In that race, it was Martin's superior conditioning that enabled him to stay alert those last 100 miles.
3. Johnson is the only driver to ever win at Charlotte on a last-lap pass, passing Bobby Labonte with 100 yards to go in the 2005 Coca-Cola 600.
4. Hendrick Motorsports has won 8 of the past 14 races overall at Charlotte, four in the 600: Johnson from 2003-2005 (3 in a row) and Casey Mears in 2007 for his only Cup win.
5. I'll stop blathering on about Hendrick Motorsports/Jimmie Johnson, and go a different direction. David Reutimann's first career victory last year made him the sixth driver to get his first win in the 600-mile race: David Pearson (1961), Jeff Gordon (1994), Bobby Labonte (1995), Matt Kenseth (2000), and Casey Mears (2007) were the others.
6. Thinking of you: Bill Frances Sr and Jr, Richard Petty, Junior Johnson, and the late Dale Earnhardt. (The five charter NASCAR Hall of Fame inductees.)
7. Look for the usual suspects to run up front: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Matt Kenseth.

Predicted Race Winner: Denny Hamlin. This guy is a threat to win every week; it doesn't matter the kind of track or the track conditions. He's finally learning how to be consistent, and not overdrive the car. He's always had the talent, but not always the consistency. He leads a JGR 1-2 finish with Kyle Busch finishing second. The rest of the top 5: 3) Johnson; 4) Kenseth; 5) David Reutimann.

That's my Gas and Go for Charlotte. Feel free to read and comment.

Information courtesy of www.nascar.com and www.racing-reference.info.

Gas and Go--Dover (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from our Vice-President's home state of Delaware. (You can always count on ole Joe for comic relief! And on a more serious note, get well wishes go out to his son Beau as he recovers from a mild stroke suffered earlier in the week.) And away we go!

1. More get well wishes go out to Brian Vickers as he recovers from an unspecified illness. Casey Mears will step in for Vickers in the #83 Red Bull Toyota. Get well soon Brian!
2. Kevin Harvick comes into the week with a 110-point lead over Jimmie Johnson. This would be a great opportunity for Johnson to cut into that lead, as this is one of Johnson's very best tracks. However, Harvick posted top 10s in both races in his rookie season of 2001. Johnson won both Dover races last season, as he did in his rookie season of 2002.
3. Johnson leads active drivers in Dover wins, with 5. (He also won the fall race in 2005.)
4. Although Juan Pablo Montoya is in 17th place in the standings, he's only 54 points behind Dale Earnhardt Jr for the final Chase spot. Montoya has been stout in the past month, pretty much duplicating what Mark Martin did last year, minus the wins. If not for Montoya's slow start, he'd be up there dueling with Harvick and Johnson.
5. The spoiler has greatly benefitted Gibbs, RCR and EGR. Those drivers have been very strong since the spoiler made its debut. Consequently, Hendrick Motorsports has been a little off, with the exception of Jeff Gordon.
6. Thinking of you: Jody Ridley (surprise winner at Dover in 1981). Whatever happened to him?
7. Dover has three firsts for Matt Kenseth: 1) Start (September 1998); 2) top 10 (he finished sixth in that first start subbing for Bill Elliott); 3) Pole (June 2002). Kenseth has eight top 10s in his last 10 starts.
8. Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Carl Edwards, Gordon, and Mark Martin. Which brings me to:

Predicted Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson. He breaks out of his funk and gains ground on Harvick. The rest of the top 5: 2) Hamlin; 3) Kenseth; 4) Kyle Busch; 5) J. Gordon.

Gas and Go--Darlington

This week's Gas and Go comes from The Track Too Tough to Tame, aka Darlington Speedway. I will give some short insights and takes leading into the race, and offer up some unusual facts, along with predicting my winner for the race.

1. Kyle Busch comes into Darlington on a roll. He showed his mettle and patience last week in winning at Richmond. Could this be the beginning of a newer, more patient KB? If so, he'll be a threat to JJ's dominance.
2. Mark Martin comes in as the defending race winner. Although he's just won twice, in over 50% of his starts at Darlington he has finished in the top 10 (26 top 10's in 43 races). This track is ideal for his patient, methodical approach.
3. Jeff Gordon is the current master of The Lady in Black with seven wins. He is the only driver ever to win four consecutive Southern 500s, 1995 to 1998. In that span he won five times at the track. To give you an idea of how dominant he was in that stretch, no one has even won the Southern 500 three times in a row. He also won the Southern 500 in 2002, and this race in 2007. Don't be surprised if he wins his eighth Darlington race. He's coming closer to that win.
4. Although Martin won last year at age 50, he's not the oldest winner at Darlington. Harry Gant won the 1991 Southern 500 at age 51. If you thought Martin had an amazing year at 50 (which he did), Gant won five races in 1991, including a record-tying four STRAIGHT races, which started at the Southern 500. At 51!
5. The all-time master of Darlington is David Pearson, with 10 wins. The Silver Fox often dominated; in one of his wins, the runner-up was 13 laps DOWN. Which brings me to:
6. Thinking of you: David Pearson.
7. Kevin Harvick comes in as the points leader. However, he has struggled at Darlington in recent years. In his first six starts, he had four top 10 finishes, including a second place finish in the 2003 Southern 500. He hasn't had a top 10 finish since.
8. Terry Labonte got his first Cup win at the 1980 Southern 500. He got his final Cup win at the 2003 Southern 500 as his career was winding down and a young buck named Kyle Busch was waiting in the wings. The 2003 Southern 500 would be the last race run at Darlington on Labor Day weekend.
9. Look for the usual suspects to run up front: Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Martin, Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin.

Predicted Race Winner: Jeff Gordon. He breaks his winless streak and shows the young studs how to tame the Lady in Black. With his eighth win at Darlington, he moves to within two of Pearson. The rest of the top 5: 2) Martin; 3) Biffle; 4) Harvick (he's running very well and continues the momentum); 5) Kyle Busch.

Darkhorse top 10 finisher: Marcos Ambrose. He noses out Carl Edwards for the final spot in the top 10.

Those are my observations. Feel free to leave your insights and takes.

Gas and Go--Richmond (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from the racing capital of Virginia, Richmond. As usual, I will offer short insights and takes leading up to the race, and pick my winner.

1. Fresh off breaking his 115-race winless streak, Kevin Harvick is looking to make it two in a row. Richmond is also the track where he started his only two-race win streak of his Cup career, in 2006. He would win the summer race at Richmond, then start the Chase by winning at Loudon, NH. Could he make it two in a row? Only time will tell.
2. Richmond is the kind of track that RCR could dominate at. All three RCR drivers have won at RIR: Harvick, Clint Bowyer (spring 2008), and Jeff Burton (he won in 1998 when driving for Jack Roush).
3. Not to be outdone, Denny Hamlin would like to turn his hometown track into his own playground and win in dominating fashion. He's certainly capable. Nothing like home cooking. He's won twice this year and in my opinion he's looking at it this way: another win and he's tied with Jimmie Johnson for the Chase lead.
4. Winning at Talladega will make it easier on Harvick for three reasons: 1) attracting sponsors; 2) re-signing with RCR as a result of getting new sponsorship; 3) getting that 800-lb gorilla off his back and not having to answer questions about the winless streak. Speaking of sponsors, Reese's will be sponsoring the #29 car this weekend. Reese's has been with Harvick since his rookie season in 2001.
5. The track was first built in 1946. At first it was a 1/2 mile dirt track, hosting its first NASCAR Grand National event on April 19, 1953. Since then, the track has undergone four additional configurations, the most recent being the 3/4 mile configuration after the spring 1988 race.
6. Lee Petty was the first winner at RIR. Denny Hamlin is the most recent winner, winning last season's Chevy Rock & Roll 400.
7. Jimmie Johnson, the active leader with three wins, has quite a ways to go to catch Richard Petty's all-time record of 11 wins at Richmond. Petty won under three different configurations of the track.
8. Johnson was the last driver to win from the pole, in the summer 2007 race.
9. Back to the burning question: who will win at Richmond? Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Hamlin, Harvick, Johnson, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Clint Bowyer, and Kyle Busch. Any one of these guys could win the race.

Predicted Race Winner: Kevin Harvick. He makes it two wins in a row, narrowly edging Denny Hamlin. (I predicted once he gets that first win, he'll reel off several afterwards.) The rest of the top 5: 3) Burton; 4) Bowyer; 5) Gordon.

Darkhorse top 10 finisher: there won't be an unlikely top 10 finisher--Richmond isn't conducive to an unlikely top 10 finisher. There aren't the variables at Richmond that there are at Talladega. Put another way, all the top 10 will be occupied by those in the top 20 in points.

Your insights are always welcome.

Information courtesy of www.rir.com.

Gas and Go--Talladega (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from the Heart of Dixie, Talladega. Being that Dega is the longest superspeedway on the circuit, Gas and Go takes a little longer than usual. I will give you my insights and takes leading up to the race, and predict the race winner.

1. I've been ruminating on this since it came out a couple of days ago. Shell-Pennzoil is leaving the #29 car of Kevin Harvick at the end of the season, and Kurt Busch will be driving the #22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge. I understand that this is a business decision, and Harvick hasn't won a points race since the 2007 Daytona 500. Let's see: Kurt Busch won three times last year, and once already this year. Hmmm, do I stay with someone that hasn't won in over three years, or go with someone that has won four races in a 40-race span? I go with the latter. Pretty clear no-brainer there.
2. Not to be outdone, it's now very likely that Harvick will be a free agent after this season. He wanted to leave RCR after last season, but Richard Childress held him to his contract. With the departure of Shell-Pennzoil to Penske, Harvick's gone after Homestead. It's a good possibility he'll be at Stewart-Haas Racing in a third SHR car. Say what you will about Kasey Kahne, but Harvick would be a MUCH better fit at SHR than Kahne. Harvick is tight with both Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman. There are even rumblings that SHR will have four teams, with the additions of Kahne and Harvick. Regardless, welcome to the Bowtie Brigade, Kasey!
3. In spite of Harvick's impending departure from RCR, he's going to bust his butt all season to win a race, and he'll get a win before his departure.
4. Dale Jr. to run the #3 Wrangler Chevrolet? It appears it's a done deal that Jr will run the #3 in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona in July in a combined effort with JR Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. I LOVE IT! GO DALE JR!
5. With the start at Talladega, it will be Jimmie Johnson's 300th Cup start. He's AVERAGED one win every six starts.
6. Big Bad Dega is looming for some nervous competitors, namely Jimmie Johnson. So far, JJ has been able to avoid the Big One in recent years. Johnson has won once at Talladega, in the spring of 2006. Dale Earnhardt Jr leads all active drivers in wins, with five, including four in a row at one stretch.
7. Thinking of you: Cale Gale (former KHI Nationwide Series driver from Mobile, Alabama).
8. Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Jr, Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and Kevin Harvick.
9. This is the track where ANYTHING can happen, and unlikely winners visit Victory Lane (see: Bobby Hamilton, Spring race 2001)
10. The 2001 spring race was run caution-free. The late Bobby Hamilton won despite leading only three laps for the entire race.
11. Jimmie Johnson's second career pole came in the spring 2002 race.

Predicted Race Winner: Jamie McMurray. Jamie Mac continues his modern-day mastery of the restrictor plate tracks. The rest of the top 5: 2) Kurt Busch; 3) Juan Pablo Montoya; 4) Tony Stewart; 5) Paul Menard (he comes out of NOWHERE to finish in the top 5). My darkhorse top 10 finisher is Regan Smith.

Gas and Go--Texas (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from deep in the heart of Texas. As always, I will offer some short insights and takes leading up to the race.

1. I have to give Jeff Gordon thanks for making me look like a freaking genius last year. I picked him to win the race, even though he had never won at Texas. Gordon added Texas to the list of tracks he's won at.
2. Back to this year. I look for the Roushkateers to bounce back and have strong runs. Matt Kenseth is showing signs of being the 2003 version of Kenseth. Very strong and consistent. He is a worthy rival to Jimmie Johnson.
3. Conversely, Kevin Harvick has gone backwards, in spite of his 12th place finish at Phoenix. This is reminding me of when the COT first came out. Harvick and the #29 team ended 2006 and began 2007 strongly. Then the COT came out and they struggled to adapt to the nuances of the car. Once NASCAR came out with the new spoiler, the #29 team is struggling again. Harvick is too good to struggle for very long. He has 'Dega, Darlington, and Richmond awaiting, tracks he has run well at.
4. With Kasey Kahne moving to Hendrick Motorsports in '12, will that light a fire under him, or will he continue to struggle at RPM? And will he be out of the #9 car before the end of the year and RPM shuttering the #9 team if he doesn't make the Chase?
5. Thinking of you: Terry Labonte.
6. In 2007, Jeff Burton became the first repeat winner at Texas when he won the spring race. Carl Edwards leads all drivers in wins at the track, with three. He'll certainly be a factor on Sunday.
7. Ford leads all manufacturers in wins at the track, with nine. Conversely, Toyota has never won a Cup race at the track.
8. Speaking of Kenseth, his win in April 2002 came from the lowest starting position (31st) for a race winner. Edwards has the second lowest position, 30th, when he won the first fall race in 2005.
9. Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Johnson, Kenseth, Edwards, Burton, Gordon, Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, and Kurt Busch.

Predicted Race Winner: Matt Kenseth. He's been stout all season, but without a win to show for it. He takes advantage of a struggling Jimmie Johnson, wins the race, and takes over the points lead. Rest of the top 5: 2) Edwards; 3) Biffle; 4) Smoke; 5) Burton.

Darkhorse top 10 finisher: David Ragan. He narrowly misses making it four Roushkateers in the top 5.

That is my Gas and Go for the week. Feel free to offer your insights.

Gas and Go--Phoenix (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from the Oasis in the Desert, Phoenix. Here are my short insights and takes leading into the race.

1. Jimmie Johnson is on a roll. In spite of his ninth place finish at Martinsville, he has taken over the points lead. Here comes championship #5. Everyone else is fighting for the table scraps from the champion's table.
2. As good as Johnson is at Martinsville, he's even better at Phoenix. He's NEVER finished worse than 15th at the track, and has won four of the last five races, including three in a row.
3. Mark Martin has won twice, 16 years apart (1993, spring 2009). Other active drivers that have two wins: Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Chevy has been dominant in recent years, but it wasn't always that way. In the early years, Ford was dominant, particularly Roush Fords. However, the last Ford driver to win at Phoenix: Kurt Busch.
5. Johnson needs to lead 115 laps in order to reach 10,000 laps led in a career. He would become the fourth active driver to reach this milestone. The others: Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Bill Elliott, and Mark Martin
6. In the last 10 races at Phoenix, Johnson has accumulated 1,685 points. That's 168.5 points per race! (Is there a track this guy DOESN'T run well at??)
7. Thinking of you: Ernie Irvan.
8. It's going to be all about Hendrick Horsepower on Saturday, with a bit of the Busch Brothers and RCR thrown in as appetizers.

Predicted Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson. Who else did you expect? JJ continues his mastery of PIR, leads the most laps, and wins in dominating fashion. Rest of the top 5: Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dark horse top 10 finisher: Regan Smith. The driver of the #78 has Earnhardt-Childress horsepower under the hood, and he will show it off impressively en route to a top 10 finish.

That's Gas and Go for this week! Your comments and insights are welcome.

Gas and Go--Martinsville (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from the Big Paper Clip known as Martinsville. I will offer short insights and takes into the race, and give you my predicted winner and dark horse top 10 finisher.

1. Jimmie Johnson is the Master of Martinsville. Of his 16 starts at the Big Paper Clip, all but one start has resulted in at least a top 10 finish. Five of his last seven starts there have resulted in wins.
2. Jeff Gordon shouldn't be overlooked, either. He and Johnson have combined for 13 of HMS' 18 wins at the track. HMS is second to Petty Enterprises in all-time wins at the track. One more win by an HMS driver would tie them with Petty Enterprises.
3. Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin is waving his arms frantically, shouting, "WHAT ABOUT ME? I'M NOT CHOPPED LIVER HERE!" And he isn't: Hamlin is the only driver that has withstood the Johnson Juggernaut at this track, accounting for the other two wins in those last seven races.
4. Thinking of you: Ward Burton.
5. Look for the usual suspects to run up front: Johnson, Gordon, Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Carl Edwards, and Juan Pablo Montoya.
6. To win at Martinsville, it is best that a driver start within the first two rows historically, but in the last 12 races, six have won from a starting position outside the top 10.
7. If you have a good handling car that is well-balanced, you'll do well. Consequently, if your car is crappy, it's going to be a LONG LONG day.

Predicted Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson. He wins in dominating fashion and takes the points lead from Kevin Harvick. The rest of the top 5: 2) J. Gordon; 3) Montoya; 4)Edwards; 5) Hamlin. (Where's Harvick? He finishes 10th, but loses the points lead.)

Dark Horse top 10 finisher: Marcos Ambrose. He's due for some good racing luck.

Gas and Go--Bristol (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go comes from the Bull Ring, aka Bristol.. I will give some insights and short takes leading up to the race and give you my predicted winner.

1. More than a few drivers will be skittish going into this race, especially those fighting for that magical 35th spot in the standings.
2. Boris Said is in 35th, but three other drivers are within five points: Robby Gordon (-3, in 36th); David Gilliland (-4, in 37th), and Max Papis (-5, in 38th). I look for Said to struggle and drop out of the top 35, Gilliland to run strong and finish the race in the top 35, and Papis to stay where he's at. As for Gordon, meh.
3. For those drivers that will be in the top 12 after Bristol, they stand a better than even chance of making the Chase. For the drivers just outside the top 12, they need to have a strong run at Bristol to put themselves in position to make their move prior to the Chase.
4. The Bullring has PLENTY of drama and PLENTY of opportunities to slip up. A wreck or mechanical issue will put a driver multiple laps down with no chance of making up ground. At that point, just hold your position and hope you gain a few positions through attrition.
5. With the narrower track due to the SAFER barrier, a driver has to be more patient than normal.
6. Thinking of you: Sterling Marlin.
7. Look for the usual suspects to run up front: the Busch Brothers, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, the RCR drivers, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth.
8. Amazingly, this track isn't one of Jimmie Johnson's better ones, despite finishing in the top 5 in his last Bristol start last summer.

Predicted Winner: Jeff Burton. Burton breaks RCR's long winless streak and goes into Victory Lane. (Ironically, Burton got RCR's last win, October 2008, in Charlotte.)

Predicted rest of Top 5: 2) Kevin Harvick; 3) Kyle Busch; 4) Denny Hamlin; 5) Greg Biffle.

Darkhorse top ten driver: Marcos Ambrose (he's long overdue).

Gas and Go--Season to date 03/12/10

Since the boys have the week off in all NASCAR's series, I thought I'd give a few short insights and takes on the season so far.

1. Where's Jamie McMurray? Since his huge Daytona 500 win, he's been nowhere to be seen. It's almost as if a driver wins the 500 it becomes a huge millstone tied around his neck, and tossed into the Pacific Ocean around the Marianas Trench.
2. Good thing Dale Earnhardt Jr didn't win the 500 in this case--he's starting to put together steady, consistent runs. He's currently 13th in points, and aside from the axle slip-up, has shown much better communication with his crew chief, Lance McGrew.
3. Even though there have only been four races so far, the contenders and pretenders are starting to separate themselves.
4. The one thing that will keep Carl Edwards from being a Cup champion: his temper. He's got the talent, he's got the crew and crew chief to win races and stay in contention. (You notice how calm and cool under pressure Jimmie Johnson is? That's one reason why he's won four championships in a row.)
5. Scott Speed WILL make the Chase. He's finally starting to figure out this thing called NASCAR. Speaking of Speed, he will get his first Cup win this year en route to the Chase.
6. Kevin Harvick will break his LONG winless streak by the time the boys roll into Dover. And once he gets that first win, the wins will come in bunches. Happy will be at or near the top of the points lead all season.
7. Harvick's ninth-place finish at Atlanta establishes him as a legitimate championship contender. But he NEEDS to win races. And win them in bunches.
8. Hopefully, Edwards has learned his lesson re his feud with Brad Keselowski. Edwards should have waited until Bristol to take out Keselowski.
9. The HMS dominance is being challenged by RCR and to a smaller extent, Roush-Fenway Racing.
10. The battle for the 35th position is just as compelling as the battle for the points lead. Currently, Boris Said is 35th, but three other drivers are within five points of 35th. And Bristol isn't exactly a cup of tea for Said. Fortunately for Said, he's automatically entered into the Bristol race. After Bristol, the top 35 in THIS YEAR's points standings have automatic entry into the following week's race. Don't be surprised if this battle becomes more compelling than the battle for the championship.
11. By the time everything shakes down, I see three drivers that could win the championship at Homestead: Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, and Kurt Busch. Jeff Gordon will still be mathematically alive, but would need a miracle.

Those are my insights into the season so far. Feel free to share your insights into the season.

Gas and Go--Atlanta (Spring Race 2010)

This week's Gas and Go offers up short insights and takes leading into the Kobalt Tools 400 this Sunday.

1. Bring your heavy jackets. Temps for the weekend will be in the upper 50's during the day and upper 20's at night. Track temperature will be a factor, as it will warm up rapidly from subfreezing temperatures the night before the race. The pit crews that adjust to rapidly rising track temperatures and adjust the cars accordingly will have those cars in the front.
2. The cars that have good handling will move to the front quickly. AMS is the fastest 1.5 mile track on the circuit, and good handling is at a premium.
3. Look for the usual suspects to run up front: Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, and Carl Edwards.
4. Thinking of you: Bill Elliott aka Awesome Bill from Dawsonville. (Too bad the Wood Brothers are running a part-time schedule; Elliott would still be competitive with major sponsorship for a full season, IMO.)
5. The teams that are struggling now need to make a strong run here to kick-start their Chase chances. I look for Kurt Busch to make a strong run to move himself closer to the top 12. Dale Earnhardt Jr NEEDS a strong top 10 finish to put himself closer to the top 12, if not break into the top 12. Consequently, those teams that have a bad run that are outside the top 12 at the start of the race will have a much steeper climb the rest of the season.
6. Juan Pablo Montoya is languishing in 26th place in the standings. He's been the victim of bad racing luck this season. A good run will be the tonic the #42 team needs to kick start his season. Consequently, a bad run will put him closer to 35th going into Bristol.
7. Now begins the scramble to stay within the top 35 in points, because after Bristol next week, those that are outside the top 35 are not automatic entries.

Predicted race winner: Jimmie Johnson. The #48 team is hitting on all cylinders and rips the heart out of Kevin Harvick by passing Happy on the final turn to win. The rest of the top 5: 2) Harvick; 3) Kurt Busch; 4) Jeff Gordon; 5) Matt Kenseth.

Darkhorse top 10 finisher: Scott Speed. He has shown vast improvement and will finally crack the top 10. (And thus live up to his last name.)

Weather information courtesy of www.weather.com.

Gas and Go--Las Vegas

This week's Gas and Go comes from Sin City. If you stop and listen closely, you can almost hear Elvis singing, "Viva Las Vegas." It's gonna be Viva Las Vegas for the driver that visits Victory Lane! Here are some short insights and takes leading into the race.

1. While Jimmie Johnson was last week's winner, it was the RCR drivers that are the big winners coming into Vegas. They come into Vegas with Big Mo on their side. Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer are 1-2 in the points coming in, and both drivers have been strong in Vegas. I expect the RCR momentum to continue.
2. No driver has ever won this race from the pole. Kyle Busch did win the pole last year, but had to start from the rear of the field. He charged through the field and won in his hometown.
3. Kyle Busch made his Cup debut at this race in 2004, but crashed out after 11 laps.
4. With 17 laps led in last year's race, Jeff Gordon surpassed 20,000 laps led, becoming only the seventh driver to eclipse that number. For his CAREER, Gordon has averaged nearly 40 laps led PER RACE.
5. Speaking of Kyle, I look for a brotherly duel with him and older brother Kurt at some point in the race. I expect both brothers to run well, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them visits Victory Lane.
6. Roush Fenway is the only organization that has had a driver in the top 10 every year of the race's existence. Look for that trend to continue.
7. Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Harvick, Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Gordon, Carl Edwards (2008 winner), the Busch Brothers.

Predicted Race Winner: Kyle Busch. He goes back to back in front of the home crowd. (Unless he runs that Pepto-Bismol pink paint scheme the little girl in the Toyota commercial thought up.)

Predicted rest of the top 5: 2) Harvick; 3) Burton; 4) Kurt Busch; 5) Johnson.

Darkhorse top-10 finisher: Sam Hornish Jr.

That's my G&G for the race. Your insights and comments are welcome!

Gas and Go--Fontana

This week's Gas and Go has a Southern California flavor. More laid back than the usual G & Gs. I will offer some short insights and takes leading into this race.

1. Roush, Roush, Roush. Roush drivers have seemingly dominated this race almost from the get-go. Matt Kenseth is the defending race champion. Kenseth has won three times at Fontana. Carl Edwards has won once, the spring race in 2008. Even Kurt Busch and Mark Martin have won while driving under the Roush banner.
2. Not to be outdone, Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won a total of eight times. One of Jimmie Johnson's very first Cup wins came at Fontana, on April 28, 2002. Johnson has won four times, Jeff Gordon has won three times, and Kyle Busch became the youngest winner in NASCAR history at the time by four days (since broken by Joey Logano, 18 at the time) when he got his first Cup win on Labor Day weekend of 2006.
3. Speaking of Roush, I look for the Roush drivers to show their strength, particularly Carl Edwards. He is itching to get back in Victory Lane. He'll have several drivers to contend with.
4. Jeff Gordon was the inaugural winner at Fontana, on June 22, 1997.
5. Thinking of you: Dan Gurney.
6. Look for some wide-open racing, especially since there are no restrictor plates and multiple grooves.
7. While RCR hasn't had very much success in the past, I look for them to be strong. Having three teams seems to agree with everyone at RCR, from Richard Childress on down.

Predicted Race Winner: Greg Biffle. He started the season strong at Daytona and I look for him to continue the trend. I look for him to start within the first three rows and quickly move to the front and stay at or near the front. Biffle has won at Fontana once, in February 2005.

Information courtesy of www.nascar.com.

Gas and Go--Daytona 500

Greetings race fans! With the dawn of a new season in NASCAR comes the return of Gas and Go. At G&G, I will offer some short insights and takes on the upcoming race. This week's race happens to be the biggest in the sport, the Daytona 500.

1. HMS teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin will start at the front of this year's Great American Race. Having a good starting position means there is less likelihood they will get caught in The Big One early.
2. The other HMS drivers look stout. Jimmie Johnson won Race 1 of the Twin 150s and was in contention in the Bud Shootout. Jeff Gordon was also in contention in the Shootout.
3. Keep an eye on the Fords, particularly Kasey Kahne. Kahne won Race 2 of the Twin 150s and appears poised to win his first Daytona 500.
4. While the RCR cars struggled in qualifying, they have been stout ever since. Kevin Harvick won the Shootout and narrowly got nipped by Johnson in Race 1. Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton also look strong.
5. Thinking of you: Richard Petty.
6. Weather could be a factor come Sunday. Rain is in the forecast for Friday, and chilly, partly cloudy weather is in the forecast for race day, with temperatures in the low 50s at the drop of the green flag, with a high of 58 at some point in the race.
7. Also keep an eye out for Kyle Busch, who's been stout throughout Speedweeks. IF he exhibits patience, something he's not well-known for, he may be in Victory Lane.
8. If the racing in the Twin 150s is any indication, the 500 should be a VERY exciting race.

Predicted Race Winner: Kevin Harvick. Happy breaks his LONG winless streak by edging Jimmie Johnson at the line to win his second Daytona 500. Happy's been stout, and since Atlanta last year, he's been one of the best drivers, despite not having a points win to show for it.

Surprise Top Ten: Brad Keselowski. He is a surprise in the sense this is his first Daytona 500. He has taken to restrictor plate tracks like a fish to water. With a few breaks, he could finish in the top 5.

Gas and Go--Homestead

Like NASCAR, the season's final Gas and Go boils down to Homestead, just outside Miami. This is the final pit stop of the season for this writer, who will take a much-needed break after the final Good, Bad, and Ugly of the season. As always, I will offer my insights and takes leading into the race.

1. Jimmie Johnson enters Homestead with a 108-point lead over Mark Martin. With a 25th place finish or better, Johnson enters the history books as the first-ever driver to win four consecutive championships in any NASCAR touring series.
2. Johnson has had mixed results at Homestead. In his first race at Homestead in 2001, Johnson finished 26th, the last driver on the lead lap. He does have one pole, in 2007, and has five top 10's, including a best finish of second in 2004. He finished 15th last year en route to joining Cale Yarborough in the record books.
3. Look for the Roushkateers to run strong, as Roush drivers have won the last five times at Homestead. (Greg Biffle from 2004 to 2006, Matt Kenseth in 2007, and Carl Edwards last year. Kurt Busch won in 2002 while driving for Jack Roush.)
4. With this being the last race of the season, look for perhaps the most exciting racing of the season, unless it becomes the Jimmie and Chad Show again. The teams from second back, and particularly those teams that have long winless streaks, will be ultra-desperate for a win.
5. It's become official: Jamie McMurray will be driving the #1 Chevrolet for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and become a teammate of Juan Pablo Montoya. Welcome to the Bowtie Brigade, Cupcake! (Psst, between you and me, I wanted him and not Casey Mears in the #07.)
6. Formula One star Juan Pablo Montoya made his Sprint Cup debut driving the #30 Dodge for Chip Ganassi at this race in 2006. He was running very well until a crash on Lap 251 ended his day. He finished 34th.
7. Speaking of Montoya, the progress he has made from his debut to the present is nothing short of amazing. He is this generation's Mario Andretti: he's won in Indy cars, he's won in Formula One, and he won at Infineon in 2007. His first NASCAR oval win is coming sooner rather than later. He struggled at the mid-point of the Chase, and Johnson took advantage of that. He'll learn and be a factor in future years.
8. Can Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin just meet up in an Octagon and settle their feud MMA-style? You can have nicknames for them: Keselowski is the Polish Pummeler and Hamlin is the Mouth of the South because of his propensity for yapping. (I can see the caricatures: BK has enormously large fists in proportion to the rest of himself and Hamlin has a gigantic mouth with a silly-&$$Ed grin in relation to his face.)

Predicted Race Winner: Kevin Harvick. Although he has never won at Homestead, he has several top 10's and has always raced well there. RCR as a whole has made tremendous strides since the Chase started. He brings home RCR's lone win this year.

Information cited is from www.racing-reference.info.

Gas and Go--Talladega (Chase Race 2009)

This week's Gas and Go comes from Big Bad Talladega. I will give you some insights and takes on this race and how it affects championship hopes.

1. This race is the wild card in the Chase. One slip-up by Jimmie Johnson (him getting involved in the Big One) could dramatically alter the landscape of the championship.
2. A driver could be leading the race with one to go, get freight-trained, and end up finishing in the 30's. Yes, it's possible to go from first to 30th in one lap.
3. Unlike most races, Talladega has qualifying on Saturday.
4. Last year's race involved the bonehead move of the year: Carl Edwards bump drafting Greg Biffle in the corner and causing the Big One that effectively ended half of the Chase field's hopes of winning the championship. Somehow, Jimmie Johnson escaped despite being in the middle of the melee. Kevin Harvick took exception to Edwards' move, calling him out for it on national TV. That led to a scuffle a few days later between Edwards and Harvick in Harvick's Nationwide Series garage.
5. Tony Stewart won last year's race when it was determined that Regan Smith improved his position when he went below the double yellow line just before taking the checkered flag. Just before the checkered flag, Stewart went to block Smith, who went below the double yellow. The lack of experience of Paul Menard and Aric Almirola prevented either one of them from taking the checkered flag. Had they worked together, Menard would have won the race.
6. Last year's race set a NASCAR record with 28 different leaders.
7. Formula One star Juan Pablo Montoya made his NASCAR debut at Talladega in 2006, testing for Felix Sabates in an ARCA car one week before the ARCA race at Talladega.
8. Thinking of you: The Alabama Gang.
9. Look for the usual suspects to run well: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin. My dark horse: Casey Mears.

Predicted Race Winner: Juan Pablo Montoya. Three years after his first test in a NASCAR stock car, he drives the #42 Target Chevrolet into Victory Lane and wins over the old-school Alabama fans.

Gas and Go--Martinsville (Chase Race 2009)

This week's Gas and Go comes from the Big Paper Clip known as Martinsville.

1. This week's race begins the homestretch of the Chase, and the season. The end is in sight.
2. Until yesterday, qualifying had been rained out in the last two visits to the track.
3. Kurt Busch came from the farthest back in the field (36th) to win in October, 2002.
4. Jimmie Johnson has won five of the last six races at Martinsville, an unprecedented domination over a three-year period. (It's hard enough to win ONE race, let alone 5 of 6 over a 3-year period at the same track.) Simply put, he's made this track his b****. It doesn't matter whether he starts from the pole or way back in the field, the #48 has what it takes to win.
5. The only other driver that even approaches Johnson is his teammate and mentor, Jeff Gordon. Gordon has seven career wins at Martinsville, the first coming on 9/22/96, at the Hanes 500. Gordon started from the 10th position en route to the win.
6. Johnson's first win at Martinsville came in October 2004, at the Subway 500.
7. Thinking of you: Cale Yarborough (Four wins in a five-race span from 1976-78).
8. Look for the usual suspects to run well: Johnson, Gordon, Mark Martin, JPM, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, with a dark horse in David Reutimann.

Predicted Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson. JJ continues his mastery at Martinsville and all but clinches his fourth consecutive championship.

Gas and Go--Charlotte (Chase Race 2009)

This week's Gas and Go is basically a home game for the circuit. I will give short insights and takes and give you my predicted winner.

1. After this race, the Chase is halfway over. Any driver within 100 points of the leader after the race has an outside chance to win it all.
2. Currently, there are only three drivers within 100 points of leader Jimmie Johnson: Mark Martin (-12), Juan Pablo Montoya (-58), and Tony Stewart (-84). The next closest driver is Jeff Gordon, 105 points behind Johnson.
3. It's extremely important for Montoya and Stewart to start racking up wins and cutting into Johnson's lead. That is the only way either driver will cut into Johnson's lead.
4. The #48 team is as close to perfect as possible. They are the 1970's Pittsburgh Steelers of NASCAR. The only other team that has come close is Montoya's team.
5. Look for Montoya to get his first couple of wins on an oval and cut into Johnson's lead going into Homestead.
6. Everyone wants to win this race. Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Johnson, Montoya, Stewart, Martin, Gordon, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin. My dark horse to run well: Jeff Burton. He won this race last year, the last RCR driver to win a race, and he typically runs well at Lowe's.
7. Thinking of you: Big Bill France and the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Congratulations to Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, and Junior Johnson on being the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. All excellent choices.
8. Too bad the Carolina Panthers are playing at Tampa Bay on Sunday--it would be an AWESOME weekend for a fan of NASCAR and the Panthers had the Panthers been at home.

Predicted Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson. As the driver of the Lowe's Chevrolet, this is his house. Johnson wins and leads the most laps and extends his lead, and there is a flip flop in the second and third positions. JPM moves into second with a stout second place finish and Mark Martin finishes just outside the top 10.

Gas and Go--Kansas

This week's Gas and Go comes from the Heartland. I will give some insights and brief takes surrounding the race.

1. Last year's finish was one of the most exciting and heart stopping in recent memory. Carl Edwards tried to use the Turn 4 wall as a slingshot to propel him past Jimmie Johnson, but it actually slowed him down. Johnson ended up winning.
2. Jeff Gordon won the first two Kansas races, in 2001 and 2002.
3. Guess who is the only driver to sweep the Busch (now Nationwide) Series AND Cup Series on the same weekend? HINT: He's now a start and parker. Another hint: it happened in the mid-2000's.
4. Clint Bowyer is itching to visit Victory Lane in his home state. Only a few short years ago, he was a fabricator at a local body shop in Emporia, KS, and going to the track to watch the Cup race. When you stop and think about it, Bowyer has had a rapid and meteoric climb into the Cup ranks.
5. The first race at Kansas Speedway took place in June, 2001, with the NASCAR Winston West Series Kansas 150 and the ARCA RE/MAX Series BPU 200.
6. Since Gordon's last win in 2002, no driver has won in consecutive years, nor has more than one win.
7. Look for the usual suspects to run well: Gordon, Johnson, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Mark Martin. One dark horse to run well: AJ Allmendinger.

Predicted Race Winner: Jimmie Johnson. He joins Gordon and makes it two in a row at Kansas.

Many thanks to www.kansasspeedway.com for the information cited in Gas and Go.

Gas and Go--Dover (Chase Race 2009)

This week's Gas and Go focuses on The Monster Mile, aka Dover. I will give you some insights and short takes leading up to the race, and give you my predicted winner.

1. It may only be one race in the Chase, but Kasey Kahne is in DEEP trouble. He enters Dover 161 points behind leader Mark Martin. That's just more than one race to make up. In years past, one could make up that margin, but not this year. Not the way Martin and the front runners have been running.
2. Besides Kahne, both Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards are also looking for strong runs, as is Jeff Gordon. Biffle won this race last year and has run strong in the past at Dover. Edwards is looking for a strong run to give the #99 team some badly needed confidence. Gordon is looking for a strong run to put himself back in contention.
3. While he didn't qualify exceptionally well (he qualified 16th, making up an all-brother Row 8), Kurt Busch has found some speed, topping the second practice session, followed by Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, and Clint Bowyer. Busch is going to have to pick and weave his way around traffic tomorrow if he is to get up to the front.
4. Among non-Chase drivers, look for Bowyer, David Reutimann, and Marcos Ambrose to run well and play spoiler. I would put Kyle Busch here, but he's been too up and down this season. Kyle is certainly capable of winning, and I think he's going to do his best to play spoiler.
5. RCR found out this week that Jack Daniel's will not be returning to the 07 car as sponsor. No word on whether or not they have a sponsor lined up. One rumor is Bobby Labonte and Ask.com going to the 07 next season. (Personally, I'd have LOVED to see Labonte instead of Mears at RCR, with Labonte in the 33 and Bowyer staying in the 07.) Another rumor I've heard is Paul Menard in the 07 with Menards as the main sponsor.
6. Okay, enough of Silly Season for now. Guys to watch for: Johnson, Newman, Montoya, Biffle, Bowyer, and Kurt Busch.
7. IMO, Morgan-McClure should sell the #4 team to Stewart-Haas Racing so Smoke can have that third team. Scott Wimmer failed to qualify for the race at Dover, making him the only driver that failed to qualify. MMM is a shadow of its old self. They had a great run in the early 90s with Ernie Irvan and Sterling Marlin. Time to sell and relinquish the #4 to SHR.

Predicted Race Winner: Ryan Newman.