SI.com's experts weigh in with their predictions for Sunday's race in Fort Worth, Texas
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| | My Pick: Dale Earnhardt Jr. |
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Why he'll win: Little E, put simply, is due. One of the most consistent drivers on the circuit this season, he hasn't finished lower than sixth in his last four starts. Plus, Texas Motor Speedway is one of his favorite tracks; it's where he captured the first win of his Cup career back in 2000.
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Keep an eye on: Jimmie Johnson -- As I wrote in the magazine this week, no team has tested more since Easter than the No. 48 crew. They're desperately trying to rekindle their magic on the 1.5-mile tracks, and, after spending time with this team at Martinsville, I've got a feeling that they're going to make a pretty loud statement on Sunday.
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Don't expect much from: Ryan Newman -- The Daytona 500 winner hasn't exactly lit up the circuit since his big victory in February. Since then, his best finish has been tenth and he's fallen from first to 11th in the points. Texas isn't one of better tracks; in nine starts here Newman's average finish is 25.8.
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| | My Pick: Jimmie Johnson |
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Why he'll win: I've got to be right going with a Hendrick driver sooner or later, don't I? Johnson dominated at Texas last fall, and has rarely been anything but great at the track. He's won once and has a series-best average finish of 9.2.
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Keep an eye on: Matt Kenseth -- In his last five races at Texas, Kenseth has only once finished outside of the top 10. His Roush team is one of the strongest on the circuit so far this season, and if anybody is due, it's Kenseth.
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Don't expect much from: Ryan Newman -- He won here in '03, but his average finish of 25.8 and driver rating of 62.7 are the lowest of any driver in the top 12 of the standings.
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| | My Pick: Jeff Burton |
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Why he'll win: Burton only led one lap to take the checkered flag last year, but Sprint Cup's new points leader should lead a bunch more this weekend as the main beneficiary of RCR's '08 resurgence on intermediate tracks. When he takes the checkered flag, it'll be the first time the 40-year-old has won two races in a season since '01.
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Keep an eye on: Jeff Gordon -- There are only two tracks the Rainbow Warrior hasn't won at in his Cup career: Texas and Homestead. But during his last two starts in the Lone Star State, the four-time champ has been knocking on the door: he's led 193 of the last 668 laps run here.
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Don't expect much from: Michael Waltrip -- One week after the sway bar incident with Roush Fenway Racing became public, the car owner faces a different dilemma: trying to keep his No. 55 car in the Top 35. But with an average finish of 33rd as a driver in his last three Texas starts, that's easier said than done.
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