Week 34 -- Phoenix
We've got ourselves a Chase again. A week after more than half of the championship contenders had trouble at Atlanta, we head to the desert for the Checker Auto Parts 500 with Kurt Busch clinging to a narrowed lead. Ryan Newman won his fourth straight pole on Friday (what else is new?) and Jimmie Johnson is going for his fourth straight win. So is the race of fours? Let's see...
Glenn's Ten:
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- Why not? The kid's on a hot streak at just the right time, and he stands to become the first driver to win four back to back since Jeff Gordon did it in 1998. Jimmie has finished well here in the past. And with the Hendrick organization still mourning the loss of 10 comrades two weeks ago, this would go a long way to help lighten their spirits.
The rest of the top 10 (in no particular order):
* Jeff Gordon -- Struggled a bit in practice (again), but starts in the top 10. Looking for his first win on this circuit.
* Ryan Newman -- As Ryan said himself, when you have the pole you have no excuses. He smoked the track record and the rest of the field in qualifying.
* Tony Stewart -- Can sniff the points leaders again after turn of fortunes in Atlanta.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Won here last year.
* Jeff Burton -- One of only a couple drivers to win here twice.
* Mark Martin -- No stranger to the top 10 at Phoenix.
* Matt Kenseth -- Only starting 16th this time. Might be too close to the front for him.
* Jamie McMurray -- I keep leaving him off my list and he keeps hitting the top 10. This will probably jinx him.
* Rusty Wallace -- Might make a quiet run to make the show.
Dark horses: Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards.
Chasers I left off the list: Elliott Sadler (Going backward in the standings)... Kurt Busch (This is supposed to be a good track for him, so he could rise to the occasion after finishing 42nd last Sunday. But I wonder...) and Jeremy Mayfield (Has reverted to his mediocre ways).
