Price Chopper 400 News and Notes

Driver Highlights - Kansas

1 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.6

2010 Rundown

# Six wins, 11 top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole
# Average finish of 14.5
# Led 15 races for 918 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# One top five, one top 10
# Average finish of 19.0 in five races
# Average Running Position of 18.4, 16th-best
# Driver Rating of 80.9, 16th-best
# 28 Fastest Laps Run, 12th-most
# 288 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most
# 118 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), 12th-most

2 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's/Johns Manville Chevrolet)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 108.2

2010 Rundown

# Six wins, 11 top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles
# Average finish of 14.4
# Led 19 races for 1,274 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# One win, two top fives, six top 10s; three poles
# Average finish of 10.3 in eight races
# Series-best Average Running Position of 6.3
# Series-best Driver Rating of 122.6
# Series-high 204 Fastest Laps Run
# 328 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most
# Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 162.394 mph
# Series-high 1,189 Laps in the Top 15 (93.0%)
# Series-high 217 Quality Passes

3 - Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.8

2010 Rundown

# Three wins, eight top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles
# Average finish of 12.1
# Led 15 races for 1,024 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# One top 10
# Average finish of 24.3 in six races
# Average Running Position of 21.9, 25th-best
# Driver Rating of 74.4, 18th-best
# 43 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
# 351 Green Flag Passes, second-most
# 156 Quality Passes, seventh-most

4 - Kurt Busch (No. 2 Operation Home Front/Miller Lite Dodge)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.6

2010 Rundown

# Two wins, nine top fives, 16 top 10s; two poles
# Average finish of 14.0
# Led 15 races for 820 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# Two top 10s
# Average finish of 19.7 in nine races
# Average Running Position of 18.8, 17th-best
# Driver Rating of 82.0, 14th-best
# 54 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
# 326 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

5 - Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 95.1

2010 Rundown

# Three wins, 12 top fives, 18 top 10s
# Average finish of 9.8
# Led 11 races for 230 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# Three top 10s
# Average finish of 15.9 in nine races
# Average Running Position of 16.4, 14th-best
# Driver Rating of 81.2, 15th-best
# 328 Green Flag Passes, fourth-most

6 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.5

2010 Rundown

# Seven top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles
# Average finish of 11.6
# Led 8 races for 139 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# Two top fives, four top 10s
# Average finish of 13.3 in six races
# Average Running Position of 13.9, seventh-best
# Driver Rating of 94.2, sixth-best
# 71 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
# 305 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 161.350 mph, eighth-fastest
# 824 Laps in the Top 15 (64.5%), seventh-most
# 173 Quality Passes, fourth-most

7 - Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.4

2010 Rundown

# Six top fives, 14 top 10s
# Average finish of 12.4
# Led 12 races for 390 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# One top five, two top 10s
# Average finish of 18.6 in nine races
# Average Running Position of 21.1, 23rd-best
# Driver Rating of 73.0, 21st-best
# 285 Green Flag Passes, 13th-most

8 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.3

2010 Rundown

# 10 top fives, 14 top 10s
# Average finish of 11.9
# Led 15 races for 815 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# Two wins, six top fives, seven top 10s
# Average finish of 8.9 in nine races
# Average Running Position of 9.5, third-best
# Driver Rating of 104.7, third-best
# 45 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 161.912 mph, third-fastest
# 1,123 Laps in the Top 15 (87.9%), third-most
# 197 Quality Passes, second-most

9 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Sherwin Williams Ford)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 86.2

2010 Rundown

# One win, five top fives, 14 top 10s
# Average finish of 15.5
# Led 9 races for 258 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# One win, five top fives, five top 10s
# Average finish of 9.0 in eight races
# Average Running Position of 6.3, second-best
# Driver Rating of 119.6, second-best
# 117 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 162.152 mph, second-fastest
# 1,170 Laps in the Top 15 (91.5%), second-most
# 181 Quality Passes, third-most

10 - Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.1

2010 Rundown

# One win, seven top fives, 14 top 10s; two poles
# Average finish of 13.6
# Led 16 races for 432 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# Two wins, four top fives, six top 10s
# Average finish of 13.2 in nine races
# Average Running Position of 11.0, sixth-best
# Driver Rating of 99.0, fifth-best
# 58 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 161.541 mph, fifth-fastest
# 952 Laps in the Top 15 (74.5%), fourth-most
# 163 Quality Passes, fifth-most

11 - Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Crown Royal Black Ford)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.7

2010 Rundown

# Five top fives, 10 top 10s
# Average finish of 13.1
# Led 6 races for 35 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# Two top fives, three top 10s; one pole
# Average finish of 22.1 in nine races
# Average Running Position of 14.5, ninth-best
# Driver Rating of 93.7, seventh-best
# 73 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
# 794 Laps in the Top 15 (62.1%), eighth-most
# 113 Quality Passes, 13th-most

12 - Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet)

# Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 92.6

2010 Rundown

# One win, five top fives, 15 top 10s
# Average finish of 14.5
# Led 12 races for 340 laps

Kansas Speedway Outlook:

# One top five, two top 10s
# Average finish of 11.0 in four races
# Average Running Position of 14.5, 10th-best
# Driver Rating of 93.4, ninth-best
# 35 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 161.627 mph, fourth-fastest

Glance at the 12 drivers in the Chase

A glance at the 12 drivers competing in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship heading into this weekend's race at Kansas Speedway (in order of points):

DRIVER: Denny Hamlin

CHASE POINTS: first, 5,368 points

CAR: No. 11 FedEx Toyota

TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing

POSITION CHANGE: None.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 5

BEST KANSAS FINISH: Fifth (2009)

LAST WEEK: On the track, very quietly kept his spot atop the standings with a ninth-place finish at Dover. Off the track, his dustup with Kevin Harvick gave the Chase another shot of melodrama.

CHASE CHATTER: ``A lot of people are waiting for us to slip up like we have in the past, but I don't see it this time around,'' Hamlin said. ``I think it's going to go all the way to the wire.''

DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson

CHASE POINTS: second, 5,333 points

CAR: No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet

TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports

POSITION CHANGE: Plus 4.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 8

BEST KANSAS FINISH: 1st (2008)

LAST WEEK: That's more like it. The four-time defending champion shrugged off a poor start to the Chase at Loudon by rolling through the field at Dover to pick up his third win in his last four starts at the Monster Mile.

CHASE CHATTER: ``I don't look all that excited right now, but there's a huge weight off my shoulders that we were able to come and win a race in the Chase, rebound from last weekend and we're in the middle of this thing,'' Johnson said.

DRIVER: Kyle Busch

CHASE POINTS: third, 5,323 points

CAR: No. 18 M&Ms Toyota

TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing

POSITION CHANGE: None.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 6

BEST KANSAS FINISH: seventh (2006)

LAST WEEK: Is this New Kyle Busch, or Old Kyle Busch pulling a fast one? He finished a solid sixth at Dover and showed some maturity by not forcing the issue by trying to gamble for a win.

CHASE CHATTER: ``If I drove it a little bit over my head and a little harder, it was faster than (Johnson), but I about wrecked a couple times so I just backed up and rode there,'' he said.

DRIVER: Kurt Busch

CHASE POINTS: fourth, 5,309 points

CAR: No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge

TEAM: Penske Racing

POSITION CHANGE: Plus 1.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 9

BEST KANSAS FINISH: sixth (2004)

LAST WEEK: Overcame a mid-race pit road speeding penalty to match a career best with a fourth-place finish at Dover. Seems to be rounding into form after a late season bobble.

CHASE CHATTER: ``It was a good solid top-five finish,'' Busch said. ``This was a tough one and Kansas will be a tough one. I'm real happy with this effort today.''

DRIVER: Kevin Harvick

CHASE POINTS: fifth, 5,303 points

CAR: No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet

TEAM: Richard Childress Racing

POSITION CHANGE: Minus 3.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 9

BEST KANSAS FINISH: sixth (three times)

LAST WEEK: If only his car showed as much fight on the track as Harvick showed jawing with Hamlin in the garage. Ran in the top 10 before slipping to 15th at Dover.

CHASE CHATTER: ``It's somewhat puzzling, because our car was super fast in the early going,'' Harvick said. ``For some reason, we just lost the handle on it.''

DRIVER: Carl Edwards

CHASE POINTS: sixth, 5,295 points

CAR: No. 99 Aflac Ford

TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing

POSITION CHANGE: Plus 1.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 6

BEST KANSAS FINISH: second (2008)

LAST WEEK: Is Edwards the new Chase dark horse? Posted his ninth top-10 in the last 11 races at Dover and heads to his ``home'' track with solid momentum.

CHASE CHATTER: ``I was fortunate to win the truck race there at Kansas,'' Edwards said. ``That was a huge victory and to win the Cup race would be unbelievable.''

DRIVER: Jeff Burton

CHASE POINTS: seventh, 5,288 points

CAR: No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet

TEAM: Richard Childress Racing

POSITION CHANGE: Plus 2.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 9

BEST KANSAS FINISH: fifth (2006)

LAST WEEK: What, you expected him to go away? The veteran finished runner-up at Dover and is arguably running as strong as he has all season.

CHASE CHATTER: ``At about halfway and through the next-to-the-last run, my car just got really happy and took off,'' Burton said. ``We then became a contender.''

DRIVER: Jeff Gordon

CHASE POINTS: eighth, 5,285 points

CAR: No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet

TEAM: Hendrick Motorsports

POSITION CHANGE: Minus 4.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 9

BEST KANSAS FINISH: 1st (twice)

LAST WEEK: Proof positive of how tight the pack is behind Hamlin: Gordon finished a steady 11th at Dover and slipped from fourth to eighth in the standings.

CHASE CHATTER: ``When the rubber laid down, man we just really struggled,'' Gordon said. ``It was everything I could do to just hang on to it, let alone finish 11th.''

DRIVER: Greg Biffle

CHASE POINTS: ninth, 5,228 points

CAR: No. 16 3M Ford

TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing

POSITION CHANGE: Minus 1.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 8

BEST KANSAS FINISH: 1st (2007)

LAST WEEK: Caught a little bit of bad racing luck at Dover, when an ill-timed yellow prevented him from recovering from early race struggles and he wound up 19th.

CHASE CHATTER: ``If we were running on the lead lap, I thought we were a top-10 car,'' Biffle said. ``It's unfortunate. We're not out of it, but those two finishes (at Loudon and Dover) are not a way to start the chase off.''

DRIVER: Tony Stewart

CHASE POINTS: 10th, 5,206 points

CAR: No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet

TEAM: Stewart/Haas Racing

POSITION CHANGE: None.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 9

BEST KANSAS FINISH: 1st (twice)

LAST WEEK: A total nonfactor at Dover after a pit road speeding penalty, Stewart's hot summer appears to have cooled off in the Chase. He came in 21st at the Monster Mile, but heads to a track where he has dominated at times.

CHASE CHATTER: ``I'm sorry guys,'' said Stewart over the radio on the race's cool-down lap. ``I knew it as soon as I came in. I just couldn't get slowed down enough.''

DRIVER: Matt Kenseth

CHASE POINTS: 11th, 5,203 points

CAR: No. 17 Crown Royal Ford

TEAM: Roush Fenway Racing

POSITION CHANGE: None.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 9

BEST KANSAS FINISH: fifth (twice)

LAST WEEK: A blown tire while trying to pit under green sent Kenseth tumbling to an 18th-place finish at Dover.

CHASE CHATTER: ``It's 100 percent my fault, I just got in there too hard and it locked the left-front up,'' Kenseth said.

DRIVER: Clint Bowyer

CHASE POINTS: 12th, 5,133 points

CAR: No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet

TEAM: Richard Childress Racing

POSITION CHANGE: None.

CAREER KANSAS STARTS: 4

BEST KANSAS FINISH: second (2007)

LAST WEEK: So much for taking the anger of his New Hampshire mishap out on the field at Dover. He brushed the wall about halfway through the race at Dover and slid to 25th.

CHASE CHATTER: ``We fought back for all we could get but we're really disappointed in that finish,'' Bowyer said.

Price Chopper 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

This week at Kansas Speedway we have all types of elements coming together that make for plenty of interesting candidates to win. This is the third race of the Chase and while there are all kinds of storylines going around that involve Clint Bowyer and his upheld fine and deduction of points, he’s just as good a candidate to win as anyone. There will be no lull or dry spell despite knowing that can’t win the Championship.

The heated exchange of words and paint between Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick is over, but not forgotten. Harvick did the appropriate venting during Dover practice and didn’t allow it to carry over onto the race itself. Each went about their business at hand and didn’t let any bitterness towards one another affect their ultimate goal of winning a title. If one had wrecked the other and hurt either one’s chances of finishing well, the retaliatory smack the following week would have happened which basically would have eliminated each other from contention.

We talk about all the Chase drivers as candidates to win every week, but there are three to five drivers outside the Chase that could win Sunday based on the track and past performances on similar types. The track itself is a 1.5-mile tri-oval, but it doesn’t resemble the others just because of it’s banking being much lower than the others. If looking to compare Kansas with any, California’s 2-mile layout has similar traits, as does Chicagoland. Atlanta, Las Vegas, Texas and Charlotte all have much steeper banking and race at higher speeds despite being the same distance.

Of all the tracks on the season, year after year, Kansas is usually the hardest to dissect a winner from by using traditional methods of looking at similar tracks, driver history and final practices. So this week, I’m going in another direction where I begin with the actual chassis the driver is using and descend with the remaining data. I have made my plays already and then will look for some more action after seeing practice on Saturday. (Check back Saturday for my final ratings)

When looking at all the drivers chassis’ this week, there a whole slew of quality rides out there with only one having winning experience. Several drivers have brand new cars, but there are about nine others who brought cars with top-five finishes at various tracks throughout 2010 who should all contend this week. Even the likes of Mark Martin and Joey Logano should be considered contenders just because of their cars.

At the top of the list is Tony Stewart who is using his winning chassis from Atlanta, the same car that finished runner-up at Pocono. I like this car a lot and expect him to do well regardless of what happens in practice. He’s a two-time winner at Kansas, but most importantly, one of those wins came last year while with his current team. I also like that Stewart is sitting 10th in points 162 points out which gives me comfort in my 12/1 bet that I’ll be getting their most inspired effort of the season. There aren’t many drivers I like when the pressure is on, but Stewart ranks right up there with Jimmie Johnson as guys who are immune to the pressures of high stakes racing.

I feel much more comfortable with Stewart over Johnson this week just because of the primary car Johnson is using. Johnson drove the car to third-place in Atlanta last month, but prior to that, it was 10th at Pocono and 37th at Charlotte. Johnson won this race in 2008, but it was only his second top-five finish on the track. Last season he led 53 laps, but settled for ninth-place. Should Johnson announce that he’s using his back-up car, then I’ll have a problem because that cars is nearly unbeatable. In four starts dating back to last season, the back-up has three wins and a fifth. Two of the wins came at California, a track that a car can be modeled after for Kansas. Hopefully he doesn’t wreck in practice forcing a move to that stout back-up.

Some of the other top experienced cars being brought this week are that of Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Bowyer, Jamie McMurray and even Dale Earnhardt Jr.

If looking for the top driver on 1.5-mile tracks this season, you’ll start with Matt Kenseth who has a 10.2 average on the six tracks. Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch each have the next best average at 11.3 while Kurt Busch has led 393 laps in the six races that include wins at Charlotte and Atlanta.

For Kansas specific, Jeff Gordon leads the way with an 8.9 average finish in nine races that include winning the first Cup two races ever held on the track. Gordon also finished runner-up to Stewart last season. Following Gordon is Greg Biffle with a 9.0 average finish in eight Kansas starts that includes his 2007 win. He’s on a streak right now that has seen him finish no worse than third in five of the last six races. Biffle will be using a brand new car this week.

Clint Bowyer finished runner-up to Biffle on his home track of Kansas in 2007 and has a career average of 11.0 in his four starts. Bowyer is using his fourth place car from Chicagoland this week which should run similar. Another local driver, Jamie McMurray, will be taking one of his better cars to Kansas that has led 143 laps this season en route to being runner-up at Darlington and fifth at Chicagoland.

This race almost has a strange feel to it the way Chicago did when David Reutimann dominated the entire race. I can see Stewart running well, Gordon competing and McMurray making a run for his third win of the year. When it’s said and done, It’ll probably be Johnson and Busch 1-2, but there’s no fun in that payout.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:

1) #14 Tony Stewart (12/1)
2) #1 Jamie McMurray (25/1)
3) #24 Jeff Gordon (7/1)
4) #99 Clint Bowyer (15/1)
5) #16 Greg Biffle (10/1)

Driver Handicaps: Kansas
Racingone.com

This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway for Sunday's Price Chopper 400. To help you make your fantasy racing picks, Motor Racing Network brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 267-lap event.

Who's HOT at Kansas
• Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are the only multiple race winners.
• 2007 winner Greg Biffle has a 9.0 average finish in eight starts.
• 2008 winner Jimmie Johnson has the best driver rating in the last five races.
• 2005 winner Mark Martin has an 8.2 average finish in the last five races.
• Carl Edwards has finished in the top 10 in four of his last five starts.

Keep an Eye on at Kansas
• Matt Kenseth leads all drivers with a 10.2 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.
• Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne are tied for second in average finish (11.3) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.
• Kurt Busch has led 393 laps in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be driving a chassis that finished in the top 10 in two races this season and led 46 laps at Texas.
• Series points leader Denny Hamlin scored his first top 10 at Kansas last season with a fifth-place finish.
• Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick posted top-five finishes at Auto Club this season and the same tire combination from ACS will be run at Kansas this weekend.
• Jamie McMurray will pilot the same car that posted top-five finishes at Darlington and Chicagoland.
• David Reutimann won at Chicagoland this season.
• Juan Pablo Montoya recorded a fourth-place finish last season at Kansas.
• Clint Bowyer will return in the same car that finished fourth at Chicagoland.

Track Performers
Matt Kenseth, who has yet to post a win at Kansas, leads all divers with a 10.2 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks this season. Kyle Busch (11.3), Kasey Kahne (11.3), Kurt Busch (12.2) and Jeff Gordon (12.3) round out the top five in finishing average in the six races. Kurt Busch, who is tied with Gordon for most laps led (393), is the only driver with multiple wins (Atlanta, Charlotte). Jimmie Johnson (Las Vegas), Denny Hamlin (Texas), David Reutimann (Chicago) and Tony Stewart (Atlanta) are the other winners.

Top 20 Driver Notes - Ordered by Current Standings

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

1. Denny Hamlin: Scored first top 10 in five starts last year after finishing fifth; Fifth best average finish (8.0) in the two races with the COT; Won the pole and led 74 laps on the last 1.5-mile track (Atlanta) before the engine expired; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 285) in the Price Chopper 400.

2. Jimmie Johnson: Won the 2008 race after leading 124 laps; Three-time pole winner; Ninth-place finish in this event last year was sixth top 10 in eight starts; Third-best average finish (5.0) in the two races with the COT; Eighth best average finish (13.3) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 592) that finished third at Atlanta earlier this month.

3. Kyle Busch: 24.3 average finish in six starts; Only top 10 came with Hendrick Motorsports in 2006; Scored best finish with Joe Gibbs Racing in 12th last year; Tied for the second-best average finish (11.3) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 274) that most recently finished fifth at Atlanta.

4. Kurt Busch: 19.3 average finish in four starts with Penske Racing; Two top 10s came in previous five starts with Roush Racing; Fourth-best average finish (12.2) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Tied for the most laps led on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010 with 393; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 735) in the Price Chopper 400.

5. Kevin Harvick: 15.9 average finish in nine starts; 24th-place finish last season ended streak of consecutive sixth-place finishes; 16.0 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 318) in the Price Chopper 400.

6. Carl Edwards: 13.3 average finish in six starts; Overcame a pit road speeding penalty last year to finish 10th; Led 31 laps and finished second in this event last year; 15th-best average finish (17.3) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 695) that finished third at Michigan last month.

7. Jeff Burton: 18.6 average finish in nine starts; Scored second top 10 in six starts with Richard Childress Racing in 2008 in seventh; Seventh-best average finish (13.2) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 323) in the Price Chopper 400.

8. Jeff Gordon: Leads all drivers with an 8.9 average finish; Two-time winner; Tied for the best average finish (3.0) in the two races with the COT; Finished in the top five in last three starts; Fifth-best average finish (12.3) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Tied for the most laps led on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010 with 393.

9. Greg Biffle: 2007 winner; Tied for the best average finish (3.0) in the two races with the COT; 21.8 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 706) in the Price Chopper 400.

10. Tony Stewart: Scored second win in this event last year; Victory came in first track start with Stewart-Haas Racing; 13.2 average finish in nine starts; Latest winner on a 1.5-mile track after leading 176 laps at Atlanta; Sixth-best average finish (12.8) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 515) that he won with at Atlanta.

11. Matt Kenseth: 22.1 average finish in nine starts; Finished 39th last year after engine failure; Fifth-place finish in 2008 was third top 10; Has led 99 laps in last three races; Leads all drivers with a 10.2 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 698) that he finished 14th with at Richmond.

12. Clint Bowyer: Two top 10s came in first two starts in 2006 and 2007; 16.5 average finish in the two races with the COT; 10th-best average finish (14.2) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 306) that finished fourth at Chicagoland.

13. Ryan Newman: Posted a 1.7 average finish in first three starts; Won the 2003 event; Has yet to post a top 10 in six starts since his win; Finished 22nd last season in track debut with Stewart-Haas Racing; 14.2 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

14. Jamie McMurray: 21.0 average finish in seven starts; Will make track debut in an Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevrolet; 19.2 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 1006) that posted top-five finishes at Darlington and Chicagoland.

15. Juan Pablo Montoya: Posted first top 10 last year with a fourth-place finish; 17.3 average finish in three starts; 22.8 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 910) that finished seventh at Pocono in June.

16. Mark Martin: 2005 winner; Won the pole and finished seventh in this event last year; 12.4 average finish in nine starts; 13.8 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will race chassis No. 523 for the fourth time this season; This chassis saw its best finish at Auto Club in fourth.

17. David Reutimann: Finished eighth last season for first top 10 in three starts; One win and an 18.7 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

18. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Started second and finished 36th last season after engine failure; Finished 13th in 2008 in first track start with Hendrick Motorsports; Four top 10s came in previous starts with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.; Best finish (sixth) came in 2002 when he won the pole; 17.7 average finish and 56 laps led in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 599) that finished in the top 10 at Michigan and Texas this year.

19. Kasey Kahne: Finished sixth last season for second top 10 in six starts; Won the pole for the 2006 race; Tied for the second-best average finish (11.3) in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Fourth in laps led on 1.5-mile tracks in 2010 with 160.

20. Joey Logano: 33.5 average finish in two starts; 21.3 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 278) that most recently finished fourth at Richmond.

NASCAR Betting: Stewart a Dangerous Dog at Kansas
By Greg Engle

It’s time to separate the men from the boys.

The third race in NASCAR’s 10-race Chase may very well show who will remain competitive and who will fade away.

That means Sunday’s Price Chopper 400 could be a desperate day for some. In the first two races of the Chase, the points were still relatively close enough that a driver could fall back a bit but still not have an insurmountable hill to climb.

But after this week, a large gap between the spots will only grow and any hope of trying to make up the difference may be gone.

Desperate times, desperate measures for some.

And none are more desperate than Tony Stewart.

Two races into the Chase and Stewart finds himself falling backwards. Unless he can find a handhold, he could just tumble out of any hope of adding another championship trophy to the two on his mantle.

But a desperate Tony Stewart is a dangerous Tony Stewart and that’s why he’s this week’s favorite.

Stewart always seems to find that little extra when the chips are down and this week, at Kansas, could provide him the perfect opportunity to turn things around and jump right back into the fray.

Stewart is one of only two multiple winners at Kansas having visited Victory Lane a year ago and in 2006. He also has four Top-5 finishes overall in Kansas and has led four of the past five races.

Despite his past success here, Stewart himself can’t foretell whether he will be able to turn it around this weekend.

“None of us can predict this,” Stewart said this week. “If we could, we'd be bookies in Las Vegas making millions of dollars betting on these races instead of driving in them. And it's a heck of a lot safer sitting in a chair in that dark room letting cocktail waitresses bring you drinks. I don't have the answers. Nobody has the answers. All we can do is speculate on what's going to happen until each week actually happens.”

With his record here though, anyone else could safely bet on Stewart to begin his climb back to the top with a win this Sunday at Kansas.

Stewart’s nearest rival, especially given his domination last week, has to be Jimmie Johnson. After staging a commanding performance at Dover, Johnson has jumped right back into the fire. And with one win here and given the team’s mastery of fuel mileage, Johnson will be a threat.

As for the primetime matchup this week, keep an eye on Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. Hamlin seems to be trying to tiptoe in order to protect his points lead, while Kyle Busch seems to only know one speed - full out. The problem for Busch is that Kansas is typically a fuel mileage race and tiptoeing will win out over full out every time. Look for Hamlin to finish ahead of Busch.

The other matchup pits Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick. Like Hamlin and Kurt’s younger brother, neither have won here and there’s nothing that will seemingly change that fact this weekend. However, both are looking to move up the ladder in the standings. And, while Busch always runs strong, Harvick is racing for redemption for the Richard Childress Racing organization after his teammate Bowyer was sent packing thanks to a point’s fine of 150 markers. Look for Harvick to outrun Kurt this weekend.

The Spoiler

Greg Biffle won’t win this year’s Chase. He’s in ninth, 140 points back. But while he won’t win the Chase, he can still win races. He’s won here before, one of only four active drivers to do so and with his record at Kansas he could definitely steal the show.

Picks:

Tony Stewart (+3000)
Jimmie Johnson (+175)
Greg Biffle (+10,000)

Practice Notes - Kansas
By Micah Roberts

Top 8 Driver Ratings Following all Practice and Qualifying Sessions

Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Qualifying Practice 2 Practice 3

1. Jeff Gordon 7/1 18th 3rd 2nd 5th
Two-time winner with track best 8.9 average finish. Has lead 393 laps on 1.5-mile tracks this season.

2. Greg Biffle 10/1 15th 5th 5th 3rd
2007 winner with top-three finishes in five of last six Kansas races; new car this week.

3. Kurt Busch 12/1 13th 9th 1st 12th
Has led 393 laps on 1.5-mile tracks this season, including wins at Atlanta and Charlotte.

4. Jimmie Johnson 7/2 3rd 21st 6th 2nd
2008 win was his only top-five finish in eight starts. Using third-place Atlanta chassis this week.

5. Tony Stewart 12/1 12th 14th 18th 23rd
Two time Kansas winner, including last year. Using winning Atlanta chassis this week.

6. Matt Kenseth 20/1 11th 8th 3rd 13th
Leads all drivers with a 10.2 average finish in the six races on 1.5-mile tracks this year.

7. Carl Edwards 10/1 6th 31st 10th 7th
13.3 average finish in six starts; runner-up in 2008. Using third-place Michigan chassis this week.

8. Kyle Busch 7/1 24th 19th 21st 14th
No top-fives in seven starts at Kansas; using fifth-place Atlanta chassis this week.

Note: Kansas Speedway is one of seven 1.5-mile tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit, but it’s banking is much flatter than the others with Chicagoland Speedway being the most similar.