Week 16 — Infineon Raceway (a.k.a. Sears Point)
Twice a year, the gNA$hCAR boys leave their bland ovals behind and hit the road courses in Sonoma and Watkins Glen. This is my "home track," which is to say that it is the one closest to where I live that has gNA$hCAR races at least once a year. I was in the stands the past two years to watch Ricky Rudd and then Robby Gordon win races at Infineon, but this year I am opting for the best seat in the house, in front on my television set. That's a shame, because this is the year one of my favorites will finally go to victory lane.
All bets are off when you get to a track like this one, where the regular competitors that are contenders any other week struggle, and you mix in a few road course "ringers" -- guys who only come out for these tracks -- to produce a lineup that reads like the roster of football team during a strike season. It's time to check out...
Glenn's Ten:
* Jeff Gordon (winner) -- They might as well rename this place Jeff Gordon Raceway. He has won three times and finished in the top 10 something like close to 10 times he has raced here. He grabbed the pole position despite a *mediocre* qualifying lap which, by the way, broke the track record. He says he's on a mission, and he has every incentive to win, having blown up while dominating the race at Michigan last weekend. He will crush the competition in the wine country Sunday.
Rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman -- Gotta plug my other favorite, who despite rolling off 22nd has four top 10s in as many starts on road courses. He could have qualified as high as third if not for screwing up the final turn on his qualifying lap.
* Kurt Busch -- Runs well here, for some reason.
* Matt Kenseth -- Starting 5th??? Has never had a top 10 at Infineon. This is the year.
* Kevin Harvick -- Was a contender last year. Drives well at the road courses.
* Ricky Rudd -- This race marks two years since his last win. Had to change the transmission before qualifying, so may not bode well, but I'll go out on a limb for the two-time Sears Point winner...
* Jeff Burton -- Quietly resurrecting his career, even if gNA$hCAR won't allow a hard-liquor company to sponsor the team.
* Tony Stewart -- I worry a lot about this pick. Any other year I'd say Tony would be one of the guys to beat, but this hasn't been a good year for Tony. Starting 17th is going to be more of a hole to crawl out of at a track where it is tough to pass.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Like Kenseth, has never had a top 10 here. But like his late father, Junior is developing into a savvy driver at all the tracks he runs on.
* Robby Gordon -- 24th??? What's he doing back here? Not to worry, last year's winner won't stay there all day.
What? No ringers in my top 10? OK, my sleeper pick would have to be Scott Pruett, who shows up here every year and actually gets decent equipment. Might be a top 10 contender if someone like Harvick or Greg Biffle doesn't put him through the spin cycle. Note that Pruett, at 6th on the grid, is the highest qualifyer among the ringers, the others being Boris Said (19th), Jim Inglebright (28th), PJ Jones (technically -- 31st), Austin Cameron (32nd), Tom Hubert (35th), Brandon Ash (37th), Klaus Graf (38th) and Larry Gunselman (whom technically I wouldn't call a ringer, but he's no regular either -- 43rd).
We'll also keep an eye on Rusty Wallace (2nd), Mark Martin (4th), and Jimmie Johnson (34th, thanks to an abysmal qualifying run).
