SI.com's experts weigh in with their predictions for this Sunday's race in Talladega, Ala.
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LARS
ANDERSON |
MARK
BEECH |
TOM
BOWLES |
| The winner of the Aaron's 499 will be ... |
Tony Stewart
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Tony Stewart
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Tony Stewart
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| Why? |
| Stewart, the most hard-luck driver in NASCAR this season, is obviously a frustrated man right now. But if he can avoid the Big One at Talladega, he should be in position to earn his first win of 2007. He had fastest car in the field in February at Daytona, the last restrictor-plate race, and he's one of the top-five plate racers on the circuit.
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If NASCAR is anything like pro wrestling, then Stewart is sure to be in the mix for a win on Sunday. Indeed, a victory would be in the script. He's never won at Talladega, but he's been awfully close an awful lot, with six second-place finishes there in his career.
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It's not just that Stewart had the best car at Daytona until being wrecked by Kurt Busch. It's not just that Stewart has had a chance at the win four times in eight races, only to see it slip away each time. No, Stewart is visibly pissed off after events of recent weeks ... and when Tony's ticked off the track, he's lights out once the green flag drops.
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| Keep an eye on ... |
Jeff Gordon
Gordon would love to pass Dale Earnhardt on the career wins at Talladega, which was Big E's best track. Why should Gordon be optimistic? Two reasons: A Chevy from Hendrick Motorsports has taken three of the last four checkered flags at 'Dega; and Gordon is currently on one of the most memorable hot streaks of his career, finishing fourth or better in seven of the eight races this season.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Little E has struggled for consistency this season, but Talladega is an excellent place for him to post a solid showing. He's won five times there in his career, and while his recent finishes haven't been so great, he seems due for some good luck on Sunday. Want another pro wrestling angle? A win would add just a little more drama to the ongoing saga of DEI.
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Denny Hamlin
Hamlin's no slouch at Phoenix, winning the pole in his first career start at the track back in 2005. Mechanical problems in this race last year kept Hamlin from being at his best, but a third place starting spot has him primed and ready to make up for that this year.
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| Don't expect much from ... |
Greg Biffle
This season has been a struggle for Biffle. Through eight races, he has only two top-10 finishes and he's currently 14th in points. Talladega is, statistically, his worst track in the circuit. In eight starts at the superspeedway, his average finish is 26th, which is right around where he'll likely end up on Sunday.
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Denny Hamlin
Hamlin hasn't fared too well on superspeedways in his brief career, with an average finish of 23.6 at Daytona and Talladega. Is he ready to break out? Maybe, but until he actually does, I'm looking elsewhere for possible winners.
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Kevin Harvick
Yes, Harvick swept both Phoenix races at the track last year, but the No. 29 team has struggled over the past month; in fact, Harvick has just one top-15 finish over the last six races. Considering the last time they ran a Car of Tomorrow, the car burst into flames, I'm not exactly trusting the No. 29 team has what it takes to master the new car quite yet.
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| Mythical SI.com Cup |
TOTAL POINTS: 1,160
Last week: 180 (Tony Stewart) |
TOTAL POINTS: 1,284
Last week: 190 (Jeff Gordon) |
TOTAL POINTS: 1,209
Last week: 130 (Carl Edwards) |
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