Sometimes races aren’t hard to pick, a driver gets on a roll at a particular track and they can dominate there for quite awhile, look at what Dale Jr. has done at Daytona, what his father has done there, look at what Jimmie Johnson has done in Charlotte, and Jeff Gordon on several tracks at several different times. But, this year in Daytona, I think there are several drivers who could win, a few have already been dominate, Dale Jr., Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, a few have ran up front after coming from the back, a few are always good picks in Daytona, Gordon, Earnhardt, and Johnson. Throw in a big wreck that can take out all or none of the top drivers, the car of tomorrow and tempers, and this is going to be one tough race to predict.

The drivers that I think are capable of winning tomorrow are, in no particular order, the standbys: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and others who have shown the potential or have the equipment, Casey Mears, a Hendricks Car, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Mark Martin and Bobby Labonte.

So, I’m just going to pick:

1. Jeff Gordon, of course
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3. Kyle Busch
4. Tony Stewart
5. Casey Mears

Okay, Tony Stewart has won the last two races here, so he is surely a favorite, Kyle Busch won the Busch race this morning and ran good in the 500 and Busch series race before having trouble, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson always run good here, the DEI cars in the past have always run good at Daytona and about any restrictor plate race, Kurt Busch has bee running good at Daytona of late, and has stately this week his planning on running with Stewart during the race, which should be interesting. Denny Hamlin is second in the points, and had it not been for some bad endings, he could possibly be leading the points, or, at least a lot closer to Gordon.

Here are my predictions:
1. Jeff Gordon (of course)
2. Tony Stewart
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Mark Martin
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Kyle Busch
8. Carl Edwards
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Martin Truex Jr.

But what do I know, I’m just hoping for a good race without any stupid penalties or controversy. Let’s Go Racing!

Short and sweet, just gut picks for Pocono.

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Denny Hamlin
3. Tony Stewart
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Brian Vickers

Here is the format for the All Star Race this year, as posted on Nascar.com.

This years All-Star Challenge’s new format consists of four, 20-lap segments for the teams that won a Cup Series event during the 2006 or 2007 seasons.

Additionally, two drivers will qualify for the premier event by finishing first and second, respectively, after two 20-lap segments in the Nextel Open.

Finally, one driver will once again join the All-Star Challenge field by winning the Fan Vote.

Teams will have the option of pitting after the first 20-lap segment of the event, giving up their respective on-track position by doing so.

A mandatory 10-minute stop will follow the second 20-lap segment. Teams will resume their position at the start of the third segment.

Following segment three, all remaining participants on the track will circle the track under caution. Each team will then conduct a pit stop under race-like pitting conditions.

The order of the teams exiting pit road will serve as the starting lineup for the fourth, and final, 20-lap segment.

I don’t think this race is long enough, but I guess I’m just being selfish, because I would like to see more racing. Humpy Wheeler and countless other websites are picking Jimmie Johnson to win it. I think they will only be partially be right, he will win a couple segments, but I see Jeff Gordon completing the pass on or near the last lap to win it. Hooty Hoo.

Here is how they qualified in the Nextel Open portion:

1 99 Carl Edwards
2 6 David Ragan
3 22 Dave Blaney
4 38 David Gilliland
5 42 Juan Montoya
6 26 Jamie McMurray
7 41 Reed Sorenson
8 84 A.J. Allmendinger
9 88 Ricky Rudd
10 15 Paul Menard
11 1 Martin Truex Jr.
12 10 Scott Riggs
13 14 Sterling Marlin
14 13 Joe Nemechek
15 66 Jeff Green
16 49 Mike Bliss
17 96 Tony Raines
18 21 Jon Wood
19 4 Ward Burton
20 70 Johnny Sauter
21 78 Kenny Wallace
22 07 Clint Bowyer
23 19 Elliott Sadler
24 18 J.J. Yeley
25 7 Robby Gordon
26 36 Jeremy Mayfield
27 45 Kyle Petty
28 00 David Reutimann
29 34 Kevin Lepage
30 37 Boris Said
31 40 David Stremme
32 55 Michael Waltrip
33 180 Aric Almirola

Here is how they qualified for the All Star Challenge:

1 17 Matt Kenseth
2 48 Jimmie Johnson
3 2 Kurt Busch
4 29 Kevin Harvick
5 31 Jeff Burton
6 5 Kyle Busch
7 24 Jeff Gordon
8 12 Ryan Newman
9 11 Denny Hamlin
10 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
11 9 Kasey Kahne
12 16 Greg Biffle
13 44 Dale Jarrett
14 83 Brian Vickers
15 43 Bobby Labonte
16 25 Casey Mears
17 20 Tony Stewart
18 01 Mark Martin