Preview: Pepsi 500

We are now upon the end of a tradition...a tradition that never reached fruition, and frankly, should've never insulted the classic Labor Day Weekend race at Darlington, SC. Next season Atlanta Motor Speedway will try and wrestle the daunting task of selling out a race over the Labor Day Weekend.

California didn't deserve a second date and the race didn't have the glory or popularity that it did when it was in the south. However, times change and NASCAR must follow suit; I'm OK with this as long as if California STILL can't sell out a race, a CHASE RACE to be specific, next year it needs to forfeit at least one of it's dates. The market in sunny southern California is just not what it was expected to be. Auto Club Speedway does not deserve a race in the chase and doesn't provide a unique track like Atlanta was able to. Regardless, this is where the series is headed this week and it is time to take a look at who to watch for:

MY TOP PICKS:

1) Jeff Gordon- He's not hungry for a win he's STARVING, where better to get that win than at (one of) his home tracks

2) Greg Biffle-Biffle seems to be off and on here, but has a win and also is still trying to win for the first time this season

3) Carl Edwards- Won the spring race and has been strong of late. With the momentum and knowing that he's a solid lock for the chase- He's going to go all out

4) Matt Kenseth- he's been strong here as of late and I look for him to start contending for wins soon.

5) Kasey Kahne- he's going to have to push it hard these next couple of weeks to even think of making the chase this year, he's won before in Fontana and knows he needs to contend. Look for the 9 car to be fast this weekend.

NOT WHAT THEY NEEDED:

1) Clint Bowyer- He has not been that great historically here, but in a sport that emphasizes momentum, he may shock everyone and contend.

2) Denny Hamlin- the chase could definitely be shook up again after this race, Hamlin has an average finish of 17.8 at Auto Club Speedway. I don't see him contending for a win unless it turns into a fuel mileage race.

3) Dale Earnhardt, JR- he's pretty much locked in unless he blows up on the first lap, but does not have a good record at Fontana, unless Tony Eury Jr can pull some magic out of his sleeves, JR fans might as well take a week off and look for him to be strong again in Richmond.

LONG SHOTS (for the win)

1) Kasey Kahne - it's been hit and miss for him all season, I'm not sure if he can hit it here or not.

2) Jimmie Johnson- Usually Johnson would be a strong pick for either California track, but with the way his season is going, I just don't see him getting to Victory lane this week.

3) David Ragan - Roush Fenway is usually fairly strong at ACS, and David had a good finish last week; watch to see if he can ride the wave.

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In The Rearview: Sharpie 500

Bristol is BACK! This race is exactly what the series as a whole needed! It's not the Bristol that Earnhardt, Wallace and Labonte clashed on, it's the new Bristol, with Kyle Busch, and Carl Edwards. Hands down Bristol was the best race of the summer.

Why was the Sharpie 500 so important?

1) Good racing, it showed that even while a track is "multi-groove" it can still pinch nerves and make tempers flare. Multi-car wrecks, bumps and runs and taps and pushes. It's all back, but seemingly on a smaller scale

2) Clash of the Titans: The two sereies points-leaders, Kyle Busch and Edwards dukin' it out on the last lap and after the race. In case you missed what's being refferred to as "the bump heard 'round the world" Carl pulled a classic and textbook perfect bump-and-run on Kyle Busch coming out of turn 1 on the final lap. Edwards said he asked himself "would he do that to me? and the answer was 'he has before" so Carl slid Busch up the racetrack, not to the favor of Busch, who after the race colided with Edwards, and then Edwards proceeded to take the 99 Office Depot Fusion and spin Kyle around to loud cheers from the crowd.

3a) This is what the sport has been missing, and Carl admitted, basically, there is a true rivalry now between Kyle Busch and Edwards, light, and dark; good and evil, I think it' obvious to see which is which, but I'll leave that up to you.

Smooth Sailing: Clint Bowyer, even after involvement in the wreck with newley named teammate Casey Mears and Michael Waltrip, was able to push his 07 Chevrolet to a 7th place finish, he's back in the chase hunt. With a decent finish next week at Autoclub speedway, Bowyer should have no problem landing in the chase at Richmond.

Uh-Oh: once again, Clint Bowyer, after the aforementioned wreck, Bowyer stated, in a rather nonchalant manner, over the radio "Michael Waltrip is the worst driver in NASCAR, period...I can't believe NAPA signed back on" At the time, however, he had no idea Mears had just said in an interview that the 5 spotter said "Clear, clear, clear" when in fact, Michael was still close enough to Mears that he was not clear. Bowyer later apologized on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain. This is proof that the temper and emotion is back at Bristol

Time to pack it up: Kasey Kahne, after the devastating race for Kahne, being in the Mears/Waltrip collection, Kahne is over 60 points out from 12th, making the chase at this point will require a bad week from another bubble driver.

What in the world?: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. passed many cars on the initial green flag, although that's ok, to the outside, on restarts, a competitor must be in his starting position when they cross the line the first time. Earnhardt Jr was a lap down and was being rather aggressive to lead-lap drivers after his pass-thu pit penalty.

That's my take on the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motorspeedway. I'll have a brief reaction to silly season announcments later this week and any penalties that may be levied, specifically to Kyle Busch, as he was called to the NASCAR trailer for his shenanigans.

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Preview: Shaprie 500 In Bristol, Tenn.

Last year, the fall race at Bristol was sub-par at best. I think this year may be another story, and sure hope that it is. Bristol's long-time motto is "racing the way it oughta be" and it was that way, until either A) the new car package made passing easier or B) the progressive banking and widening of the track or even C) both of those. Most likely it's more of the "C". Regardless, I think this year, after watching the truck race, this should be a fun one, maybe not quite as temper-flaring as it used to be, but nevertheless a good race. Only time will tell and I think we'll get a glimpse of that when the Nationwide Series gets to rolling here in the next few hours.

My Top Picks for Bristol:
1)RCR it's going to be RCR on top again with the sweep, Jeff Burton can lock a chase spot with a win tomorrow, Harvick and Bowyer really need to step it up and get solid top-5's, which between Bristol and Richmond, should be no problem
2)RCR
3)RCR
4)Kyle Busch-We haven't seen the last of him...yet, he'll be strong at least up until the chase
5)Kurt Busch- Maybe he can return Penske to victory lane, the blue Duce has always been one to watch at BMS

Not what they needed:
1) David Ragan- I just watched him crash in Qualifying, I think after this weekend, his chase hopes will be pretty much dashed unless he surprises everyone again and other people fall victim to bad luck
2) Denny Hamlin, although he's usually fairly good on the short track, I don't see him taking the checkered at Britsol, he's disheartened and that's the fastest way to fall out of the chase
3)Kasey Kahne with only one top 5 at Bristol in his career, he's only going to continue to suffer and tighten the chase berth bubble up

Long Shots (for the win):
1)David Ragan, He's been strong recently and has a strong team behind him
2)Matt Kenseth, even with two wins at the eastern Tenessee track, I still don't think he's aggressive enough to contend for a win, it depends on where he qualifies
3) Greg Biffle, he's hungry for a win, usually runs decent at BMS but has never won there

all images used with permission