NASCAR roars back to the Brickyard

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July 22, 2010

Aaron Kirchoff CNHI The Rushville Republican Thu Jul 22, 2010, 09:52 AM EDT

RUSHVILLE —

The roar of NASCAR engines are returning to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend for the annual Brickyard 400. I’ll be honest, this week kind of caught me off guard. I have not heard the usual hype around the Brickyard that seems to follow the NASCAR circuit as it hits town. Maybe that has to do with the week off last week for the Sprint Cup drivers. Ready or not, the week is here, so let’s look at some of the topics at the Brickyard as NASCAR takes over Indy. The first concern for all fans as any race weekend approaches is the weather in Central Indiana. Will it be hot or cool? Will it be wet or dry? All big factors when the teams prepare for the 400 miles at the Speedway. Friday’s weather forecast looks more like what is expected for Sunday, so if teams can get things right on Friday, they will be a step ahead on race day. So which driver is going to take the pole this year? With the possibility of rain on Saturday, the points leader could be sitting on the pole. That would put former winner Kevin Harvick on the pole for the 2010 race. Jamie McMurray has three poles this season, most on the Sprint Cup series, but I am going with the 4-time winner to take the pole this year, Jeff Gordon. As far as the race goes, how can anyone not pick Jimmie Johnson or Tony Stewart. The two have won the past five races with Johnson taking the last two and the 2006 race and Stewart winning in 2005 and 2007. Juan Pablo Montoya has to be on the “favorites” radar. His performance last year should have had him as the first Indianapolis 500 and Brickyard 400 winner. Mistakes, which have to be limited on a track like Indy, cost Montoya last year. I look for him to be even more motivated this time around. Being a flat track, only 9 degrees of banking, Denny Hamlin looks to be right at home on the Speedway. He is always strong at Pocono (another flat track) and should be strong at the Brickyard this year. Former winners Harvick and Gordon and last year’s pole sitter Mark Martin should also be on the list to watch. One driver that I would like to see take the checkered flag at Indy is Dale Earnhardt Jr. A win at Indy might be what he needs to finally get out of the “underachieving” status that some put on this driver. I am going to go with somewhat of a long shot to win the race this year. I think Ryan Newman wins the race and jumps back in the running for the Chase as he sits in 16th position in the points. My hope for Sunday is a safe race, with a little “rubbin” for excitement and for the teams to find a way to make passes on the track and not just in the pits.

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