Geico 400 Betting News and Notes

Driver's Tale of the Tape at Chicagoland

1 - Kyle Busch (No. 18 Wrigley Toyota)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.4

2011 Rundown
Four wins, 13 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 10.9
Led 19 races for 1,181 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
One win, two top fives, two top 10s
Average finish of 13.5 in six races
Average Running Position of 12.2, seventh-best
Driver Rating of 98.3, seventh-best
73 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
320 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 167.567 mph, seventh-fastest
1,031 Laps in the Top 15 (64.2%), seventh-most
154 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 10th-most

2 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.9

2011 Rundown
Four wins, seven top fives, 13 top 10s
Average finish of 11.6
Led 12 races for 332 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
Average finish of 11.2 in 10 races
Average Running Position of 11.3, fifth-best
Driver Rating of 98.5, sixth-best
Average Green Flag Speed of 167.847 mph, fifth-fastest
1,162 Laps in the Top 15 (72.4%), fourth-most
141 Quality Passes, 11th-most

3 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.9

2011 Rundown
Three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 11.6
Led 17 races for 721 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
One win, six top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 8.6 in 10 races
Average Running Position of 9.9, fourth-best
Driver Rating of 100.7, fifth-best
87 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 167.704 mph, sixth-fastest
1,332 Laps in the Top 15 (83.0%), second-most
Series-high 231 Quality Passes

4 - Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Ford)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.4

2011 Rundown
Two wins, seven top fives, 14 top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 11.9
Led 14 races for 579 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Two top fives, four top 10s
Average finish of 11.4 in 10 races
Average Running Position of 11.7, sixth-best
Driver Rating of 102.4, fourth-best
156 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 168.063 mph, third-fastest
1,052 Laps in the Top 15 (65.5%), fifth-most
160 Quality Passes, eighth-most

5 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 AFLAC Ford)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.4

2011 Rundown
One win, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 11.0
Led 17 races for 558 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Two top fives, two top 10s
Average finish of 18.3 in six races
Average Running Position of 16.8, 16th-best
Driver Rating of 89.4, 10th-best
93 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
985 Laps in the Top 15 (61.4%), eighth-most
187 Quality Passes, third-most

6 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's / Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.7

2011 Rundown
One win, 11 top fives, 17 top 10s
Average finish of 10.6
Led 14 races for 655 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Five top fives, seven top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 10.0 in nine races
Average Running Position of 8.4, third-best
Series-best Driver Rating of 112.0
Series-high 187 Fastest Laps Run
Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 168.376 mph
1,326 Laps in the Top 15 (82.6%), third-most
169 Quality Passes, fifth-most

7 - Kurt Busch (No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 97.0

2011 Rundown
One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s; three poles
Average finish of 12.9
Led 14 races for 548 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Five top 10s
Average finish of 18.1 in 10 races
Average Running Position of 15.5, 13th-best
Driver Rating of 81.7, 16th-best
350 Green Flag Passes, third-most
933 Laps in the Top 15 (58.1%), 11th-most
156 Quality Passes, ninth-most

8 - Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Medical Chevrolet)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.0

2011 Rundown
One win, eight top fives, 13 top 10s; two poles
Average finish of 13.1
Led 12 races for 267 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
One win, two top fives, five top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 16.8 in nine races
Average Running Position of 17.2, 17th-best
Driver Rating of 76.7, 19th-best
336 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

9 - Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot / Mobil 1 Chevrolet)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.3

2011 Rundown
Three top fives, 11 top 10s
Average finish of 14.2
Led 13 races for 340 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Two wins, seven top fives, eight top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 9.5 in 10 races
Series-best Average Running Position of 7.4
Driver Rating of 110.4, second-best
124 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
Average Green Flag Speed of 168.340 mph, second-fastest
Series-high 1,446 Laps in the Top 15 (90.1%)
196 Quality Passes, second-most

10 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy / National Guard Chevrolet)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 83.9

2011 Rundown
Three top fives, nine top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 14.3
Led 8 races for 50 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
One win, two top fives, three top 10s
Average finish of 16.0 in 10 races
Average Running Position of 13.2, 10th-best
Driver Rating of 88.9, 11th-best
61 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
337 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
1,046 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), sixth-most
179 Quality Passes, fourth-most

11 - Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.6

2011 Rundown
Three wins, six top fives, 10 top 10s; one pole
Average finish of 15.6
Led 12 races for 268 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
Average finish of 25.0 in two races
Average Running Position of 20.9, 23rd-best
Driver Rating of 65.5, 28th-best

12 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota)

Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 91.7

2011 Rundown
One win, four top fives, 10 top 10s
Average finish of 16.1
Led 14 races for 392 laps

Chicagoland Speedway Outlook:
One top five, two top 10s
Average finish of 16.8 in five races
Average Running Position of 16.7, 15th-best
Driver Rating of 87.7, 12th-best
Average Green Flag Speed of 167.496 mph, eighth-fastest
902 Laps in the Top 15 (67.4%), 13th-most
164 Quality Passes, seventh-most

GEICO 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts

Let the NASCAR playoffs begin!

The final 12 drivers are set with 10 races to go in their quest to win the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. The first track each of the drivers will attempt to conquer is Chicagoland this Sunday.

The top story coming in is the same story it’s been for the last five seasons: Who can beat Jimmie Johnson?

For the last five seasons, the answer has been no one. No matter how close anyone gets to knocking him off his throne, Johnson does just enough to be a little better.

In 2008, Carl Edwards finished fourth or better in eight of the 10 races with three wins and Johnson still found a way to win the title. Last season, Denny Hamlin was cruising to a championship but faltered in the final two races, while Johnson stayed cool and calm to win his unprecedented fifth straight championship.

Johnson has ice in his veins and is almost sub-human in that he doesn’t feel pressure like regular people do. He’s Joe Montana, Larry Bird and Reggie Jackson all rolled into one who does his best in the biggest moments.

On Monday, the Las Vegas Hilton Super Book posted Johnson as the 3/1 favorite to win the championship with Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon close behind at 7/2 odds.

Busch comes in with a three-point head start over the field with Kevin Harvick (8/1) on the basis of their four wins during the first 26 races. Gordon is three back, Matt Kenseth (10/1) is six points back and then you’ll find Johnson nine points backs along with the other drivers who won only one race this season.

Johnson could make up the nine position points easily in one race, but what’s amazing about his 2011 performance is that he only has one win on the year. Johnson has never had less than three wins in any of his nine seasons, including his rookie year in 2002. While his cars this season may not have been collectively as dominating as his previous nine years, he’s made up for the differences with his driving.

"I’ve said all along," proclaimed Johnson, "these final 10 races, it’s its own world. When everything re-racks and the point-spread is so small between first and 12th, it changes things and it’s a whole new season. It’s a clean sheet of paper and off you go.”

So who can step up and knock the King off his throne?

Who’s the driver that enough moxie with the equipment to stand up to this silent bully?

At first glance, the top candidate looks to be Johnson’s mentor and boss, Jeff Gordon. Since winning at Pocono in race 14 of the season, he’s gone on a tear finishing in the top-10 eight times.

“I haven’t felt like this in a long time and I love the position we are in as a team,” said Gordon earlier this week. “We led the most laps at Bristol, and we led the most laps and won at Atlanta. We definitely have momentum on our side.

“I don’t feel that anybody has shown more strength than we have in the past 10 races.”

Brad Keselowski is considered somewhat of a longshot at 12/1, but no one is running better than him over the last seven races. He’s finished 12th or better over that span, including two wins. One of his three wins on the season came at Kansas in June, a track that will be the fourth stop in the Chase. When asked about making the Chase, he sounds like he's still piching himself to make sure this isn't a dream.

“Well, I feel like a one-year old that got his first box of crayons, you know, just amazed and happy to have ‘em," said Keselwoski in a Tuesday interview for Dodge. "It's Great! Everything is fresh, new and a lot of positive momentum. No matter what happens in the Chase, it’s still an honor to be in it.”

Kenseth and Edwards could see some success for the Ford entries just because five of the 10 Chase races are on their best type of track, the 1.5-mile facilities. Kenseth also won at Dover earlier this season which is the third stop of the playoffs.

"I’m feeling pretty good heading into Chicago this weekend," Kenseth said Tuesday. "I feel like our performance so far this season has been good enough for us to be a contender in the Chase. With how fast our cars have been, combined with great pit stops, I feel like those factors combine to show that our performance is strong on the No. 17 team.

As always, the wild card race of the final 10 races will be at Talladega, the sixth stop on the tour. Beyond just being a volatile track that can chew any car up because of the speeds, the nature of the tandem drafting can vault just about any car to the front and leave some of the best cars with a poor finish.

When it’s all said and done in November at Miami, look for Jeff Gordon to be hoisting his fifth championship trophy and first since 2001. He is probably the most equipped to look Johnson square in the eyes and not flinch. Even though Gordon gets a piece of Johnson’s success through the cash register, he hasn’t enjoyed having his legacy in the sport be put in the past tense because of Johnson's present domination.

Top-5 Chase Prediction:

1) #24 Jeff Gordon (7/2)
2) #48 Jimmie Johnson (3/1)
3) #17 Matt Kenseth (10/1)
4) #2 Brad Kieslowski (12/1)
5) #99 Carl Edwards (5/1)

Top-5 Chicagoland Finish Prediction:

1) #22 Kurt Busch (10/1)
2) #99 Carl Edwards (7/1)
3) #48 Jimmie Johnson (7/1)
4) #24 Jeff Gordon (8/1)
5) #18 Kyle Busch (8/1)

Driver Notes & Quotes for Geico 400 at Chicagoland Speedway

KEVIN HARVICK ON CHICAGOLAND: “We struggled a little bit there (Chicagoland) last year, but we feel like we’ve done some things to hopefully head in the right direction. It’s a very fast race track. It’s really round, so you carry a lot of momentum through the corners. Hopefully we’ve got a good plan and can get (the Chase) started off on the right foot. I’m excited. I love change (kicking off the Chase at a new venue). I think we should change it up every year. Chicago is a great city. There’s a lot going on Chicago this weekend as we go there to start the Chase and I’m looking forward to it."

"It definitely helps (the win at Richmond with the team’s momentum going into the Chase). We had a little bit of a rough summer and we got a little bit off of our game. I think a lot of that came from winning so many races early. We were able to try so many things and a lot of them, well most all of them, didn’t work. We went back to what we know over the last couple of weeks and we’ve had top-five cars and to get the win at Richmond gives us a lot of momentum going into the next 10 weeks.”

HARVICK AT CHICAGOLAND: In 10 starts at Chicagoland Speedway, Harvick has earned two wins (2001 and 2002), five top-five and six top-10 finishes. He has an average starting position of 16.1 and his average finish at the 1.5-mile track is 11.2. Harvick has led a total of 282 laps at Chicagoland and has completed 99.4 percent (2,656 of 2,673) of the laps run in NSCS competition at the track.

HARVICK CHASSIS CHOICE: Kevin Harvick will race chassis No. 378 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) stable. This is a brand new race car that will see its first on-track action at Chicagoland.

JEFF GORDON ON CHICAGOLAND: “I haven’t felt like this in a long time and I love the position we are in as a team. We led the most laps at Bristol, and we led the most laps and won at Atlanta. We definitely have momentum on our side. I don’t feel that anybody has shown more strength than we have in the past 10 races. We have some confidence right now, but we also know it’s going to be tough during the Chase. We have to step up our game and we know there are a few tracks we have to improve at. If we can do that, we have a great shot this year. I’m excited about starting the Chase in Chicago this year."

"This week, the Chase drivers are spread out all around the country going to different places to promote the Chase before we end up in Chicago for additional media opportunities. It’s a great track. It reminds me a lot of Kansas, and we ran really well there earlier this year. I’m excited about our chances at Chicago. The plan is to start off the Chase on a positive note. September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and, with the support of DuPont, the gold ribbon – a worldwide symbol for childhood cancer – will be featured on the car. That ribbon serves as a symbol for those children battling cancer, and a sign of support for parents and caregivers. And a memorial for lives lost.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON ON CHICAGOLAND: “Really excited for it (starting the Chase at Chicagoland Speedway). I think the Chicago area and the race track is going to be a great host for the start of the Chase. I’ve been close to victory there a few times. We’ve always run well and led laps there. Really want to win there for the fact that it is in the Chase and also for Chad (Knaus, crew chief). We’ve been able to win a lot at my home track. I owe him a couple there and I need to get him one before long. Momentum doesn’t hurt going into the Chase; but, we’ve been without momentum; we’ve had momentum. Another way to look at it is we’ve had momentum working against us and momentum working for us and we’ve been able to win either way. I’ve said all along, these final 10 races, it’s its own world. When everything re-racks and the point spread is so small between first and 12th, it changes things and it’s a whole new season. It’s a clean sheet of paper and off you go.”

JOHNSON AT CHICAGOLAND: Johnson has made nine Sprint Cup Series starts at Chicagoland Speedway, where he has five top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Johnson has completed 98.1% (2360 of 2406) of competition laps at the 1.5-mile track and has led 326. Chicago is one of five tracks on which the Sprint Cup Series competes that Johnson hasn’t won. The others are Watkins Glen, Michigan, Homestead and Kentucky. He has an average start and finish of 7.8 and 10.

JOHNSON CHASSIS CHOICE: Johnson will pilot chassis No. 681 in Sunday’s event. He last drove that car to a 19th-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July.
BACKUP CAR: Johnson finished second in backup chassis No. 650 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in September.

RYAN NEWMAN ON CHICAGOLAND: “It exciting to be in the Chase, we worked hard all year to accomplish this goal. We were disappointed last year about not making the Chase (finished 13th in pre-Chase points) and during the offseason we evaluated where we went wrong and one area was the 1.5 to two-mile tracks. We’ve made a pretty good improvement at those tracks this year and five of the 10 Chase races will be at the mile-and-a-half tracks. What has me pumped is that we have an opportunity for our Soldiers to win a championship that they deserve. Consistency is needed to win the championship. My best guess is that it’s going to take a finishing average of at least seven or better in the final 10 races. We’ve been consistent as of late, but we need to step it up a few notches during the Chase. Avoiding mechanical issues and accidents to our Army Chevrolet are vital if we want to win the championship. Based on how we have performed lately I feel we have a legitimate shot at winning the championship. However, there are 11 other drivers and teams saying the same thing. In the end, it’s going to come down to the team making the fewest mistakes, along with being on the receiving end of a few good breaks. We all won a battle, but only one will win the war.”

TONY STEWART ON CHICAGOLAND: “I think I’ve always been good there (at Chicagoland). You look at the past and we’ve had some weird events. On Fridays I’ve had two events where I’ve crashed in practice. The first time Hermie Sadler blew a motor and before the caution came out I crashed in his oil and went to the hospital and I missed the rest of the day (2004). And then the very next year I blew a tire in practice and J.J. Yeley had to qualify for me (2005). It’s one of those places where as long as I get through Friday, I feel like we’ve got a shot at it. But I don’t watch the stats very much. You just take it week to week. Technology in this sport changes so fast. What was good the last time you were there doesn’t mean it’s going to be good the second time around. You constantly have to work. You’ve got to keep pushing the envelope. It’s a place I like. This place is really getting racy as far as finally being able to move around and change lines and run anywhere from the bottom to the top. It’s a fun track because of that.”

DALE EARNHARDT JR. ON CHICAGOLAND: “I’m proud to be in the Chase. I feel like I’m a good enough driver to be in the Chase, my team is good enough to be there. As a group, I think we’re good enough to be in the top 10, and I can look back over the season and just easily think of several instances where we cost ourselves 10 or 15 points and made this situation difficult this weekend. Had we been more conscious and smarter at certain times we wouldn’t have had to even worry about it this weekend. But we’re a good team, and I’m proud to carry my sponsors and Hendrick Motorsports in the Chase and represent them in the Chase, and hopefully we’re going to work real hard, hopefully we do a good job.”

CLINT BOWYER ON CHICAGO: “Sometimes moving track dates around (to put Chicagoland on the schedule as a Chase race) is a good thing. Change isn’t always a bad thing. We can’t be afraid of change. I think it could be good. New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) has been kind of my go-to track to get things turned around. We’re still going there though next week and just because it’s not the first race, it doesn’t mean it’s not an important one."

"I can’t believe I would ever say this, but I might move one of the road courses to the Chase. It’s been, for whatever reason, some of the most exciting racing that we’ve had all season. The tough thing about that is, it’s a make or break you kind of track. There are a lot of things that could happen and a lot of craziness and wrecks that could happen. You either make up or lose a lot of ground. I don’t know. With so much that rides on the line with the Chase, it would certainly shake things up. I hope that we continue with a top-five run (at Chicagoland) or, better yet, a win. That would be big.”

BOWYER CHASSIS CHOICE: Clint Bowyer will pilot chassis No. 371 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. This is a brand new No. 33 Chevrolet Impala that will turn its first laps during opening practice on Friday.

MARK MARTIN ON RACING AT CHICAGOLAND: “That was such an incredible night (2009 win at Chicagoland). A nearly perfect night. The restarts there at the end, with Jeff (Gordon) were intense. I had to take his groove away from him and pick the outside lane, even though I didn’t want to. It worked out for us, though. We were so good all weekend. It was Rick’s (Hendrick) birthday the following day too, so it was kind of an early birthday present for him. The momentum the (No.) 5 team had at that point was just incredible. One of the most fun nights I’ve had for sure. We’ve known for the past couple of races that it (making the Chase) was going to be a long shot, so it wasn’t a big surprise after Richmond (Va.) that we weren’t in. We’re concentrating solely on wins. That’s all that racing used to be about — the win. And I like that. I like thinking one race at a time and not searching for point scenarios. Hopefully we can all take a deep breath and get us a win or two before the season ends.”

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA ON RACING AT CHICAGOLAND: “Chicago is actually one of those places when you drive in you are like…“Where are we?” It’s very similar to Kansas. We should be pretty good there. We struggled in Chicago last year, we felt like we didn’t have the pace we needed. It’s going to be interesting. We have been working on the cars really hard and we are making a lot of changes. You can tell how our cars are a lot more competitive over the last few weeks. I’m excited about the way things have been turning around for us and I think our Target Chevrolet will be good.”

MONTOYA CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew Chief Jim Pohlman and the No. 42 team are bringing chassis #1105 to Chicagoland this weekend, marking the seventh race of the season for this chassis. Montoya previously ran this car at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Kentucky Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Darlington Raceway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

PAUL MENARD ON CHICAGO: “I think it’s good for Chicago. There are a lot of race fans in the area. We’ve run decent there. The intermediate tracks, the 1.5-mile tracks have been our strong suit, and that’s one of them. Chicagoland is a little bit quicker I think (than Kansas track). It has a little bit more banking. The backstretch is turned, or has a curve for some reason, but they are very similar. In looking at all the tracks, I think Kansas and Chicago are two of the most similar.”

MENARD CHASSIS CHOICE: Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 326 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet Impala was a brand new addition to the RCR fleet for the 2011 season and was last seen in competition at Michigan International Speedway (August) where Menard started 11th and finished 26th. This racer also saw time at Bristol Motor Speedway (March) where he started fourth and finished fifth, The Sprint Showdown (May) where he started third and was running second when he was hit on the restart, relegating him to an 11th-place finish and at Michigan International Speedway in June, where Menard started ninth and finished fourth.

JEFF BURTON ON CHICAGOLAND: “It’s funny. Chicago is one of those tracks where I almost have to go back and watch video to remember it because Chicago and Kansas, until I get there, I get them confused (laughs) and they are a little bit different. They came on board about the same time and they weren’t the tracks that I started racing on so I’ve got to go back and watch video to refresh myself. But it’s been a good race track and I really do like it. I think it’s a fun track."

"I think that we ought to have the most prestigious race tracks hosting the (Chase) races. So in my view, that’s Daytona, Darlington, Indianapolis, Charlotte; and then we can start getting into the debates. The Southern 500, I know that it being in that time of year would break tradition a little bit, but so what? It’s Darlington. So I think those things would be really cool. For that race track (Chicagoland), it’s certainly a positive (to be the first race in the Chase). There’s no question. That’s a big market. Think of how many companies do a lot of business in Chicago and how many companies are located in Chicago. I think it’s a good race track for us to be in, for the Chase. And we typically have really good crowds there and there seems to be a lot of excitement; so I’m excited about it.”

BURTON CHASSIS CHOICE: Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 355 primary from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. Built new for the 2011 season, this No. 31 racer was first put through its first competitive paces at Darlington Raceway in May. Burton was on his way to posting a top-10 finish until the engine on the Caterpillar Chevrolet expired with just fewer than 20 laps remaining and resulted in a disappointing 33rd-place finish. In addition, this yellow and black machine was run at Kansas in June where it finished 25th.

JAMIE MCMURRAY ON CHICAGOLAND: I’m really looking forward to going to Chicago. In addition to the racing, we have a lot of fun stuff going on in town. We will start the weekend by making a visit to McDonald’s World Headquarters on Thursday to meet with employees and fans. Then we are going to have a lot of fun racing in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series races at Chicagoland. We have had a lot of positive changes within our team over the last several weeks and I feel that things are headed in the right direction. We had a rough start to our season and have worked hard to catch up. Now that we are down to the last 10 races of the season maybe we can play the spoiler in one of the Chase races coming up and bring home a victory for our team. There would be no better place to do that than in McDonald’s hometown.”

McMURRAY CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has elected to bring chassis #1112 to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. This is the second race of 2011 for this chassis after it ran at Indianapolis in July, coming home with a fourth-place finish.

REGAN SMITH ON CHICAGOLAND: ‘The excitement and hoopla will be on the Chase drivers and that’s the way it should be. But that’s not going to make any difference about how we will approach the final 10 races. Our Furniture Row Racing team has made some great gains this year, but now is the time to step it up again and get primed and excited for the 2012 season. We all feel that we’re close to making another performance gain and the final 10 races, beginning with Chicagoland, are critical from our standpoint. Chase or no Chase, we’ll be fighting and working as hard as those 12 drivers competing for the Sprint Cup championship.”

CARL EDWARDS ON RACING AT CHICAGOLAND: “There couldn’t be a better track to go to for the first race of the Chase than Chicago. Since it’s a day race this time hopefully it will be hot and slick, it will be a lot of fun and a tough race. It will be a lot like Atlanta was since it’s got some age to it. We’ve run really well on the 1.5-mile tracks so we should be really good.”

EDWARDS CREW CHIEF BOB OSBORNE ON CHICAGOLAND: “I’m looking forward to getting back to the 1.5-mile tracks like Chicago. Carl runs really well at those types of tracks so we are certainly hoping to have a strong finish for the Aflac team. Tracks like Chicago and Kansas seem like cookie cutter-type tracks but actually they all have their own unique characteristics, and running at Chicago always makes for some great racing. This should be a good track for us to kick of the 2011 Chase.”

CARL EDWARDS enters Chicago fifth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase point standings, nine points behind the leader. In 26 starts, Edwards has accumulated one win, 12 top-five and 17 top-10 finishes.

FOR THE RECORD…Edwards will make his seventh Cup start at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend. In his previous starts, Edwards has two top-five and two top-10 finishes. His average start is 17.8 and his average finish is 18.3.

EDWARDS CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 99 Aflac team will be bringing chassis RK-788 to Chicago. This is a brand new car.

MATT KENSETH ON CHICAGO: “I always look forward to racing at Chicagoland since it’s the closest track to my home state of Wisconsin. I’m feeling pretty good heading into Chicago this weekend. I feel like our performance so far this season has been good enough for us to be a contender in the Chase. With how fast our cars have been, combined with great pit stops, I feel like those factors combine to show that our performance is strong on the No. 17 team. I feel like we have everything we need to make a run at the Championship, but we’ve got to get the finishes and we’ve got to do the right things every week.Chicago’s been a pretty good track for us in the past and hopefully we can start off on the right foot.

KENSETH CREW CHIEF JIMMY FENNIG ON CHICAGO: “Matt has a great performance record at 1.5-mile race tracks, so we’re hoping to have a great run at Chicago this weekend to start off the Chase. The car we’re bringing this weekend is the car we won Texas with and it’s really become one of our top cars we’ve relied on so far this season. We’re happy that we’ve made the Chase, but we need to continue our focus on doing the best we can each and every week in order to finish out the season strong and to be able to contend for the title. This weekend, we’re looking to start off the Chase with a strong run for our Crown Royal team in order to keep us up front in the point standings.”

FAST FACTS: Kenseth has an average starting position of 20.1 and an average finishing position of 11.4 at Chicagoland. Kenseth has finished second twice at Chicagoland (2005 and 2007). Kenseth has completed all but two of the 2,673 Cup laps he’s run at Chicagoland Speedway. Kenseth has led in six of his ten starts at Chicagoland for a total of 300 laps. Kenseth has two top-five and four top-10 finishes in ten races at Chicagoland, but is still searching for his first win at the 1.5-mile track

KENSETH CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary: RK-741 (Last run at Michigan).

DAVID RAGAN ON CHICAGO: “Chicago is a lot like Kansas and Texas, which are two tracks we ran great at this year. We are also coming off a good run at Richmond and will carry some of that momentum to Chicago this weekend. We feel like we can take some extra risks that the Chase teams can’t in these final 10 races. We should have a fast UPS Ford this weekend and we aren’t going to hold anything back going for the win.”

RAGAN CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary: RK-777 Last ran Michigan – finished 12th; Backup: RK-711 Last ran Darlington – finished 21st

DAVID RUETIMANN ON CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY: “We’ve kind of had the race at Chicagoland Speedway circled on our calendar since we left and it’s definitely one of our better racetracks, so we’re pretty ready to get there, get after it and see what happens. This race is going to be a little different now that it’s being run during the day instead of at night. With track temperatures being a little warmer, I’m expecting things to be a little more slick then we’ve seen during the night races. So I’m expecting that we’ll be sliding around a lot and we’ll have to work harder to make the car better – I think that’s the biggest thing.”

REUTIMANN ON HOW WILL DRIVERS RACE EACH OTHER NOW THAT THE CHASE HAS STARTED: “It’s hard to say. We all have the capability of misbehaving no matter what the circumstances are. It was definitely an eventful race that we had last weekend in Richmond and hopefully we don’t have as much of that at Chicago.”

KYLE BUSCH ON WHAT IT MEANS TO GET A GOOD START AT CHICAGO: “We’ve got to turn a corner here a little bit. Mile-and-a-half stuff, Chicago in particular, wasn’t great to us the past couple of years. I’m looking forward to Chicago with our Doublemint Camry this weekend. I like going there. Just running the Truck race and sitting out the Nationwide race and then we’ll be ready with the Cup race. I think we’ve got a great team and we’ve got a great leader with Dave Rogers (crew chief) and these guys are excited about it. They don’t get too high and they don’t get too low, so we just make sure we keep doing our job and working as hard as we can just digging in and paying attention to details and I think we’ll be alright.”

BUSCH ON WHETHER OR NOT HE'S THE DRIVER TO BEAT IN THE CHASE: “No. There are a lot of guys who have the car to beat. There are guys who are really tough. The 2 (Brad Keselowski) has been really consistent here the past little while. The 99 (Carl Edwards) has been consistent all year. The 48 (Johnson), the 24 (Jeff Gordon) seemed to have turned it up here the last few weeks and running strong at Bristol and last week at Atlanta. Certainly, I don’t think it’s anybody’s right now. It’s everybody’s game.”

BUSCH ON WHETHER HE'S EXCITED TO OPEN THE CHASE IN CHICAGO: “At Chicago, we ran really well there in ’08 and, unfortunately, ’09 and ’10 were kind of a struggle. But we are racing in the day there this year, which is different than the last several years. I like going to Chicago. It’s been a really good track for us in the Trucks and Nationwide Series and we’ve got to get our Cup stuff a little bit better there. We had a decent car at Kansas this year and Vegas and Charlotte – some of those places that are kind of the same as Chicago. With the Chase starting, we know that’s where it all begins. We know that building a good foundation certainly helps your chances in being able to go through the final 10 races. To me, it’s kind of like the beginning of the year. We always try to set out and start out really good and build that foundation to where we know we can run through the middle of the year and not have to worry about catching back up.”

BUSCH AT CHICAGOLAND: Busch has one win, two top-fives, two top-10s, and has led a total of 167 laps in six career Sprint Cup starts at Chicagoland. His average Chicagoland finish is 13.5.

BUSCH CHASSIS CHOICE: This is a brand new chassis that is slated to see action for the first time in Sunday’s Geico 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill.

BRAD KESELOWSKI ON HIS CHASE CHANCES: “Well, I feel like a one-year old that got his first box of crayons, you know, just amazed and happy to have ‘em. It’s great. Everything is fresh, new and a lot of positive momentum. No matter what happens in the Chase, it’s still an honor to be in it.”

KURT BUSCH ON HIS CHASE CHANCES: “We always get to answer questions that maybe we’re behind the eight-ball by only having two (Penske) Dodges out there but we put both of ‘em in the Chase. Both guys now have a shot at the championship so it’s been a great, solid season for us.”

BUSCH CREW CHIEF STEVE ADDINGTON ON THE CHASE: “It’s a pride thing. To get both Penske Dodges into this Chase is really huge for the organization, huge for Dodge. It’s huge for the guys that work back in that fab shop, work in that paint shop, and work in every little department we have. They take pride in working on these cars during the week. We get to come out here and work on ‘em. Everybody sees us, but they don’t see those guys putting in that effort back at the shop.”

KURT BUSCH - INSIDE THE CHASE NUMBERS
Qualified for the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup – seeded seventh.
Competing in the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the sixth time: 2004 – Champion, 2005 – 10th, 2007 – seventh, 2009 – fourth and 2010 – 10th
Has competed in 68 Chase races since 2004, 50 of those have been in a Dodge.
Career Chase stats: Two wins, three poles, 16 top-five and 34 top-10 finishes.
Busch has recorded eight career wins at the 10 tracks hosting Chase races (Loudon – 3, Martinsville – 1, Homestead – 1. Texas – 1 and Charlotte – 1).

Glance at the 12 drivers in the Chase

DRIVER: Kyle Busch

CHASE POINTS: First, 2012 points

CAR: No. 18 M&Ms Toyota

TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 6

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 1st (2008).

DRIVER: Kevin Harvick

CHASE POINTS: Second, 2012 points (tied with Busch but ranked 2nd because of tiebreaker)

CAR: No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet

TEAM: Richard Childress Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 10

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 1st (2001, 2002)

DRIVER: Jeff Gordon

CHASE POINTS: Third, -3 points

CAR: No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet

TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 10

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 1st (2006)

DRIVER: Matt Kenseth

CHASE POINTS: Fourth, -6

CAR: No. 17 Crown Royal Ford

TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 10

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 2nd (2005, 2007)

DRIVER: Carl Edwards

CHASE POINTS: Fifth, -9 points

CAR: No. 99 Aflac Ford

TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 6

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 2nd (2010)

DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson

CHASE POINTS: Sixth, -9 points (tied with Edwards for 5th but ranked 6th because of tiebreaker)

CAR: No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet

TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 9

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 2nd (2004, 2008)

DRIVER: Kurt Busch

CHASE POINTS: Seventh, -9 points (tied with Edwards for 5th but ranked 7th because of tiebreaker)

CAR: No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge

TEAM: Penske Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 10

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 6th (2002, 2007)

DRIVER: Ryan Newman

CHASE POINTS: Eighth, -9 points (tied with Edwards for 5th but ranked 8th because of tiebreaker)

CAR: No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet

TEAM: Stewart-Haas Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 9

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 1st (2003)

DRIVER: Tony Stewart

CHASE POINTS: ninth, -12 points

CAR: No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet

TEAM: Stewart-Haas Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 10

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 1st (2004, 2007)

DRIVER: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

CHASE POINTS: 10th, -12 points (tied with Stewart for 9th but ranked 10th because of tiebreaker)

CAR: No. 88 AMP Chevrolet

TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 10

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 1st (2005)

DRIVER: Brad Keselowski

CHASE POINTS: 11th, -12 points (first wild-card)

CAR: No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge

TEAM: Penske Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 2

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 18th (2010)

DRIVER: Denny Hamlin

CHASE POINTS: 12th, -12 points (second wild-card)

CAR: No. 11 FedEx Toyota

TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing

CAREER CHICAGO STARTS: 5

BEST CHICAGO FINISH: 5th (2009)

Driver Handicaps: Chicago
By: Jeff Wackerlin

To help you make your fantasy racing picks for the GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Motor Racing Network brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 267-lap event.

Who's HOT at Chicagoland
• Jeff Gordon, the 2006 winner, leads all drivers with a 8.6 average finish.
• Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers a 112.0 driver rating.
• Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick are the only multiple winners.
• Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne have each finished in the top 10 in the last two races.
• Matt Kenseth has captured two runner-up finishes and has led 300 laps.
• Kyle Busch, winner of the 2008 race, has a 13.5 average finish in six starts.
• Mark Martin, winner of the 2009 race, has led the most laps in the three races with the COT.

Keep an Eye on at Chicagoland
• Kurt Busch is second in average finish (7.5) and laps led (247) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011.
• David Reutimann, winner of the 2010 race, has the third-best average finish (9.0) in the three races with the COT at Chicago.
• Ryan Newman, winner of the 2003 race, has finished in the top 10 in three of his last four starts at Chicago.
• Brad Keselowski has a 4.7 average finish in the last three races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011.
• Carl Edwards, who finished second at Chicago last year, has the best average finish (5.8) on 1.5-mile tracks this season.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Juan Pablo Montoya each have a 12.5 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks this season.
• Brian Vickers has a 8.8 average finish in five starts at Chicago.

MotorRacingNetwork.com Staff Picks

Jeff Wackerlin: Jeff Gordon
Pete Pistone: Kevin Harvick
Craig Moore: Kyle Busch
Steve Blevins: Kevin Harvick
John Singler: Jimmie Johnson
Ricky Hamber: Tony Stewart

Top 20 Driver Notes - Ordered by current standings

(All stats/notes are in regards to Chicagoland unless noted)

1. Kyle Busch: One win and 165 laps led in the three races with the COT; Third in laps led (210) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 326) in the GEICO 400.

2. Kevin Harvick: Winner of the first two races; Last of six top 10s came in 2008 in third; Sixth among of all drivers with a 12.0 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 378) in the GEICO 400.

3. Jeff Gordon: Leads all drivers with an 8.6 average finish; Coming off sixth top five in third; Best average finish (5.3) in the three races with the COT; 5.0 average finish and 146 laps led in the last three races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011.

4. Matt Kenseth: Two of four top 10s were runner-up finishes; Has finished outside the top 10 in last two starts; Third in average finish (7.8) and first in laps led (339) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 741) that he won the race at Texas Motor Speedway with.

5. Carl Edwards: Coming off best finish in six starts in second; 18.3 average finish; Leads all drivers with a 5.8 average finish and fifth in laps led (176) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 788) in the GEICO 400.

6. Jimmie Johnson: 10.0 average finish and seven top 10s in nine starts; Tied for the sixth-best average finish (11.7) in the three races with the COT; Fifth among of all drivers with a 10.7 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Leads all drivers witgh a 4.0 average finish in the last three races on 1.5-mile speedways this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 681) that he last finished 19th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

7. Kurt Busch: Has finished 15th or worse in last three starts; 17.0 average finish in five starts with Penske Racing; Last of five top 10s came in 2007;Second in average finish (7.5) and laps led (247) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 756) that he finished 10th with at New Hampshire Motor Speedway after running out of fuel on the final lap.

8. Ryan Newman: 14.0 average finish in two starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Posted four top 10s, including one win in previous seven starts with Penske Racing; Seventh-best average finish (12.7) in the three races with the COT.

9. Tony Stewart: 6.5 average finish in two starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Second-best average finish (6.0) in the three races with the COT; Tied for the fourth-best average finish (9.0) and fourth in laps led (201) among of all drivers in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011.

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr: 18.0 average finish in three starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Won the 2005 race with Dale Earnhardt, Inc; Tied for the seventh-best average finish (12.5) among of all drivers in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 668) that he last finished ninth with at Pocono Raceway.

11. Brad Keselowski: 25.0 average finish in two starts; Eighth among of all drivers with a 12.8 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 760) in the GEICO 400.

12. Denny Hamlin: Has finished in the top 10 in his last two starts; 16.8 average finish in two starts; Tied for the fourth-best average finish (9.0) among of all drivers in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011.

13. AJ Allmendinger: 13.3 average finish in three starts; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 783) in the GEICO 400.

14. Clint Bowyer: Four top 10s in five starts; 10.8 average finish; Tied for the sixth-best average finish (11.7) in the three races with the COT; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 371) in the GEICO 400.

15. Greg Biffle: 17.9 average finish in eight starts; Only top 10 (fourth) came in 2008; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 767) that he last finished eighth with at Pocono Raceway.

16. Mark Martin: Winner of the 2009 race; 12.8 average finish; Fifth-best average finish (11.0) in the three races with the COT.

17. Martin Truex Jr: 13.5 average finish in two starts with Michael Waltrip Racing; Only top top 10 came with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in 2008.

18. Juan Pablo Montoya: 14.8 average finish in four starts; Tied for the seventh-best average finish (12.5) among of all drivers in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1105) that he last finished 15th with at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

19. David Ragan: 17.5 average finish in four starts; 10th among of all drivers with a 14.5 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 777) that he last finished 12th with at Michigan International Speedway.

20. Marcos Ambrose: 19.5 average finish in two starts; Ninth among of all drivers with a 13.8 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2011; Ambrose will return in the same car (chassis No. 703) that he last finished 34th with at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Betting Preview: Chase begins at Chicagoland
By Greg Engle

So it begins. After 26 races in the regular season, NASCAR’s 10-race playoff known as the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup kicks off in Chicago Sunday.

The 12 drivers who will vie for the Sprint Cup have been set and Sunday’s Geico 400 at the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway is the first real test of the contenders. The 12 drivers have had their points reset and, going forward, each race will be more important than the last. There’s no holding back, no more experimentation. It’s go time.

For this week’s favorite, Tony Stewart, not only is it go time, but also now or never. Coming off one of his less stellar regular seasons, Stewart enters the Chase without a win, but ready to make a statement. And there may be no better place for Stewart to show he’s a legitimate contender than Chicagoland.

Stewart has the second highest driver rating among the Top 12 (110.4) and has two victories here. Coming off top-10 finishes in the last two races, Stewart’s first win of the season could very easily come Sunday afternoon.

“You’ve got to keep pushing the envelope,” Stewart said of Chicagoland, “It’s a place I like. This place is really getting racy as far as finally being able to move around and change lines and run anywhere from the bottom to the top. It’s a fun track because of that.”

Jimmie Johnson hopes to have fun Sunday. The five-time and defending series champion has never won at Chicagoland, and while he does have the highest driver rating (112), the lack of a win keeps him from the top favorite spot. Johnson may have only one victory so far this season, but he knows that the Chase is a whole new ballgame.

“I've said all along, these final 10 races, it's its own world,” Johnson told the media. “When everything re-racks and the point spread is so small between first and 12th, it changes things and it's a whole new season. It's a clean sheet of paper and off you go."

Jeff Gordon could easily spoil the party Sunday. After a few quiet seasons, a rejuvenated Gordon has three wins and heads to Chicagoland where he won in 2006.

“I haven’t felt like this in a long time and I love the position we are in as a team,” Gordon told reporters, “We led the most laps at Bristol, and we led the most laps and won at Atlanta. We definitely have momentum on our side. I don’t feel that anybody has shown more strength than we have in the past 10 races.”

The outsider

Winning races in the Chase isn’t restricted to just the Top 12 drivers vying for the title. Thirty-one other drivers all have a shot at victory each week. This Sunday, the outsider with a good chance of stealing the spotlight is Mark Martin. Martin won here just two years ago and has been running strong lately.

Head-to-head

Both Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are capable of winning here this weekend (Busch has one victory here, Harvick has two). While their low driver ratings and less-than-spectacular average finishes at Chicagoland keep them from the favorite’s spot, Busch has been the hottest driver in the series. He leads the standings but has cooled off lately, while Harvick is coming off a win at Richmond last weekend. The pair will no doubt stage a heated battle among themselves and the rest of the field. When the checkered flag falls, however, look for Harvick to prevail in this matchup.

Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards share the same Roush-Fenway Racing equipment. Neither has won at Chicagoland, but both enter the Chase in the Top 5 in points and hope to stay there. Edwards was a preseason favorite of many, while Kenseth has made a strong statement that he’s ready to win his second title. Edwards and his team have admittedly been experimenting in the last few races and since they share the same shop, and Kenseth’s team has undoubtedly been doing the same. This will be a great match up Sunday, but look for Edwards to finish in front of Kenseth.

Bottom Line

Kyle Busch won the 2008 race from the pole - the first time a driver won from the first position. It was also the only time a driver had won from a Top-5 starting position. Kevin Harvick won the 2002 race from the 32nd starting position - the deepest in the field that a race winner has ever started at Chicago.

Favorites

Tony Stewart (+1,200)
Jimmie Johnson (+700)
Jeff Gordon(+700)

Chase for the Cup starts Sunday
By: Brian Graham

The Chase for the Cup begins in Joliet, IL on Sunday afternoon as the dozen title hopefuls (and the rest of the NASCAR curcuit) rev it up at Chicagoland Speedway. This intermediate track, completed in 2000, is a 1.5-mile D-shaped oval with 18-degree banking on the turns, 11-degree banking on the 2,400-foot frontstretch and five-degree banking on the backstretch, which measures 1,700 feet.

Drivers to Watch

Jeff Gordon (7/1) – He won in Chicago in 2006, was the runner-up in 2009 and placed third on this track in last year’s race. He’s also finished among the top-6 in six of his past seven starts, including three straight top-3 placements. With 10 top-5’s this season, Gordon is our pick to win Sunday’s Chase opener.

Tony Stewart (12/1) – He has zero wins on the season and only three top-3 finishes, but Stewart has performed remarkably in Joliet, IL. In 10 career starts in Chicago, Stewart has seven top-5 finishes. He’s one of two drivers (along with Kevin Harvick) to have won multiple races at Chicagoland Speedway, taking home the checkered flag in 2004 and 2007. At 12-to-1, he provides the best value on the board.

Jimmie Johnson (7/1) – He has never won in Chicago, but he has come very close with two runner-ups, two third-place finishes and three other top-8 finishes. He hasn’t won this season for 18 straight races, but had posted top-5’s in four of five races before last week’s head-scratching 31st-place finish. At this time of year, the defending five-time Cup champion is worth a Unit or two.

Kyle Busch (7/1) – He won the 2008 Chicago race, starting from the pole after qualifying was rained out. However, in his other five starts in the Windy City, Busch has finished in the top-12 only once (third in 2006). His career average finish on intermediate tracks is a subpar 16.2 And since winning in Michigan, he has placed 14th, 23rd and 6th in his past three races. Put your money elsewhere for Sunday’s race.

David Reutimann (50/1) – Last year’s winner in Chicago likes intermediate tracks with an average finish of more than two points lower than any other track type in his career. His odds are long, and rightfully so, with just two top-10 finishes the entire season. It’s extremely rare to get the opportunity for a 50-to-1 payout on a defending champion of a race, so if you’re into longshots, Reutimann is your man.

NASCAR Practice Notes & Driver Ratings

This Week's Race: Geico 400 from Chicagoland Speedway

Practice Notes - Chicago
Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Practice 2 Qualified Kansas*
1 Jeff Gordon 9/1 26th 6th 23rd 4th
Notes: 2006 winner; leads all drivers with an 8.6 average finish in 10 starts.

2 Matt Kenseth 6/1 29th 3rd 1st 6th
Notes: Runner up in 2005 and 2007; using 10th-place Michigan chassis this week.

3 Kurt Busch 8/1 11th 19th 3rd 9th
Notes: Five top-10 finishes in 10 starts; using 10th-place New Hampshire car this week.

4 Carl Edwards 7/1 19th 10th 5th 5th
Notes: Runner-up last season, 18.3 average finish; using brand new chassis this week.

5 Jimmie Johnson 8/1 36th 8th 12th 7th
Notes: One of five tracks to have never won at; averages a 10th-place finish in nine starts.

6 Kevin Harvick 15/1 28th 5th 30th 11th
Notes: Won the first two races ever held on track; using brand new chassis this week.

7 Kyle Busch 8/1 4th 44th 9th 12th
Notes: 2008 winner, finished third in 2007; using brand new chassis this week.

8 David Reutimann 30/1 1st 20th 29th 22nd
Notes: 2010 winner; had the best 10-consecutive lap average during the first practice session.

9 Mark Martin 50/1 3rd 26th 25th 21st
Notes: 2009 winner with 12.8 average finish in 10 starts; using eighth-place Brickyard car.

10 Brad Keselowski 8/1 13th 28th 6th 1st
Notes: Success at Kansas should translate well; using brand new chassis this week.

Note: * Results from the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on June 5, 2011. Kansas runs the most similar to Chicagoland among all the 1.5-mile tracks.