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.