Week 24 -- Bristol Revisited
This is going to be so much fun. This week we get to see which of the Chase contenders outside the top 10 passes The Test, which is simply to survive 500 laps in the half-mile bullring that has been the demise of many a promising season. Just ask Kasey Kahne, who before visiting here in the spring was sailing along with second-place finishes and a cushy spot in the top 10 when Jamie McMurray's bumper found him and Kasey found the wall and was eliminated from the race early. Kasey's just snuck back into the top 10 and has the outside pole Saturday, so better believe he'll try to avoid a repeat of the March race.
This is going to be a tough pick, but I'll try...
Glenn's Ten:
* Matt Kenseth (winner) -- Miracle Matt is due for a win, and this is a big Rousch track. The Rouschers are coming off a perfect top-10 week at Michigan and Matt ran well here Friday night in the Busch race. Plus, he's starting 23rd -- right about where he needs to be for a good day.
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Kurt Busch -- He won't win four in a row. No one does anymore. But he's a Rouscher.
* Mark Martin -- Mark's been hot of late. Might even win it. Oh yeah... he's a Rouscher.
* Jeff Gordon -- Has the pole, but tough to win from there. Only night win at Bristol came two years ago.
* Jamie McMurray -- Muscled just about everyone to score a spring top 10. Of course, there are some guys who might feel they owe him one (Kahne and Kenseth, perhaps?).
* Tony Stewart -- I like Tony's chances under the lights.
* Greg Biffle -- Room for one more Rousch car? Last week's win a confidence builder.
* Kevin Harvick -- This track owes him one eventually. Will we see the Harvick who bumper tags his way to the front, or the one who makes unscheduled pit stops all night for cut tires and gear problems?
* Elliott Sadler -- Past Bristol winner knows how to finish well.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Got a ways to go to find his dad's success here, but he won the Busch race Friday night.
No room at the inn: I wanted a home for Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman, but it wasn't in the cards. Dale Jarrett? I fear for him. Jimmie Johnson? Smacked the wall in Happy Hour and starts from the tail end of this dog. That Championship Chase can't begin soon enough for the #48!
I'll be watching: Jeff Burton (who starts 15th. He's back! Maybe.) and Ricky Rudd (first race reunited with Fatback McSwain as crew chief. Wood Brothers equipment needs more help than Yates').
And what of Kasey Kahne? He'll finish in the top 15 perhaps. Needs a good run and will somehow avoid the melees.
