Week 25 -- Fontana (part 2)
Happy Labor Day weekend. Many of us will be out enjoying the holiday, but at least a few guys will be laboring long and hard Sunday evening as they try to race their way into the Chase at California Speedway. This is a wide, fast track that should favor the teams with plenty of horsepower. Look for fuel mileage and engine problems to play decisive rolls in this 250-lapper under the lights.
GLENN'S TEN:
* Greg Biffle (winner) -- Biff's overdue for a win, and what better way to break the drought than at the track where he was among the dominant cars in the spring race, finding his way to the first of his five victories so far this season. He needs to turn up the heat for the start of the Chase, so there is plenty of incentive.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Jimmie Johnson -- Used to be J.J. owned this place. I think he'll be a shoo-in for a top 5.
* Joe Nemechek -- Front Row Joe had this race in the bag until bad luck took him out late, as it has so often this year. I'm going to bet that the team won't screw it up twice.
* Kasey Kahne -- Finally, a track where he has plenty of room to keep away from 4-wheeled obstacles.
* Brian Vickers -- Sat on the front row here in February.
* Elliott Sadler -- Chase hopes rapidly fading, but he knows how to get a good finish in Fontana.
* Kurt Busch -- Close to home. Ought to do well here.
* Ryan Newman -- Pressure's on to perform well after last week's early exit in the Dale Jarrett incident.
* Matt Kenseth -- Seems like a man on a mission.
* Carl Edwards -- Starts on the pole, won the Busch race Saturday night, and finished 5th here in February.
OH-OH: Jeff Gordon (Needs to finish well here and should, based on his practice runs. But his pattern has been to stink at his best tracks. Perhaps a top 15.)... Tony Stewart (No pressure until the Chase starts, so I'm not expecting much.)... Mark Martin (Almost made my picks, but not all the Rousch drivers can make the top 10... can they?)... Rusty Wallace (Almost picked him too. This is a good track for him, where he has won a couple of times. But starting too far back.)... Kevin Harvick (Has given up after last week's disappointment.)
