Week 20 — Pocono
Haven't we been here before? Oh yeah, six weeks ago, when the sun was shining, when the yellow flag was flying high, and when Dale Earnhardt Jr was still the points leader. Remember that thrilling final lap when Jimmie Johnson cruised around to the checkers (at about 70 mph) and giant picnic objects were hurled at the flag stand?
Enjoy the memories, because now it's summer and the rain is falling. There's fog, too. Green-white-checker? Forgeddaboudit. They'll be lucky to get the full 200 laps in without a red flag or three. Why do we race here twice a year? Maybe when they get the new track built in New York they can steal one of Pocono's dates. Yeah, right!
OK, here's Glenn's Ten:
* Jeremy Mayfield (winner) -- Help me, I'm going off the deep end! But there's logic here: This is the last race Mayfield won, four years ago. He finished second here in June. He hasn't been running poorly, and in fact is trying to make it into the Championship Chase (106 points out of 10th). And with the foul weather canceling practice Saturday, it's gonna take a team that can get it right off the truck to have a good shot. The Evernham guys seem to know this track well, so why not?
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Casey Mears -- He's got the pole! First one ever. He finished 10th here in June. Can he best 7th place finally?
* Kurt Busch -- Coming off a win, and he likes this track. Can this be the start of a midseason surge?
* Jamie McMurray -- I know this will only jinx him, but he has incentive, just 134 points out of 10th.
* Jimmie Johnson -- Defending champ at this track. Has to grow that points lead some more.
* Jeff Gordon -- Starts 13th, which is about right to peak by lap 200.
* Matt Kenseth -- This spot permanently reserved for the defending Cup champ. Who will he spin out this time?
* Bobby Labonte -- Without Fatback at crew chief, who knows? But this is Labonte's track. If things come together, he might win it all.
* Dale Jarrett -- It's getting better all the time...
* Kasey Kahne -- If Mayfield's gonna win it he'll need a teammate to help him get there. That means Kasey, could they finish 1-2? Naw.
And what about... Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Burns will hamper him for a while. Needs to get healthy for September. ...Ryan Newman? I don't like that he's starting 30th with no practice time. That spells trouble. ...Tony Stewart? Maybe I'm missing the boat here, but I didn't have room for him on my list.
