The field is set and ready to go for Loudon this weekend.

1 Mark Martin 5040
2 Tony Stewart 5030
3 Jimmie Johnson 5030
4 Denny Hamlin 5020
5 Kasey Kahne 5020
6 Jeff Gordon 5010
7 Kurt Busch 5010
8 Brian Vickers 5010
9 Carl Edwards 5000
10 Ryan Newman 5000
11 Juan Montoya 5000
12 Greg Biffle 5000

Whose your pick and why?

I’m going with Gordon of course, he has been pretty consistent this year, the chase races aren’t typically his best but I think they can do it this year. He would be going for his 7th title under the old point system, but I guess I’ll get over that one day. All he needs is to run up front the first few races and return to dominating at Fontana, Charlotte, Martinsville and Talladega, that’s not much to ask, is it?

Like him or not, you have to admit, Kasey Kahne had one hell of an evening Saturday night, as he was voted into the All Star Challenge and then went on to win it among a chorus of cheers from the fans in attendance. It must feel pretty good to be Kasey Kahne right now. He has the best sponsor he could have, just ask Dale Jr., he is 308 points ahead of where he was at this time last year, and he just won one million dollars in the race that everyone just wants to win. I had forgotten how popular he was, those fans were almost as loud as they were when Dale Jr. was leading it, but they really hadn’t had much of a reason to cheer for him of late. He hasn’t won a race since October 2006, that season he won six of his seven wins, including both races at Charlotte.

Voted into the Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway after he failed to make the field in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race, Kasey Kahne made the most of his opportunity by winning the All-Star event and the $1 million prize that goes with the victory.

Taking fuel only during his final pit stop between the third and fourth segments of the four-segment, 100-lap event, Kahne won the All-Star race for the first time. Matt Kenseth ran third, followed by Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver whose car survived the night. Source: Kahne goes from All-Star voted-in to Victory Lane

AJ Allmendinger and Sam Hornish Jr. raced their selves into the All Star Race, finishing 1st and 2nd in the Sprint Showdown:

1 4 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota Red Bull PE 40 Running
2 8 77 Sam Hornish Jr. * Dodge Mobil 1 PE 40 Running
3 3 6 David Ragan Ford AAA Insurance PE 40 Running
4 1 83 Brian Vickers Toyota Red Bull PE 40 Running
5 15 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser PE 40 Running
6 17 00 David Reutimann Toyota Aaron’s Dream Machine PE 40 Running
7 16 38 David Gilliland Ford FreeCreditReport.com PE 40 Running
8 10 28 Travis Kvapil Ford Yates Racing PE 40 Running
9 20 96 J.J. Yeley Toyota DLP HDTV PE 40 Running
10 6 22 Dave Blaney Toyota Caterpillar PE 40 Running
11 5 7 Robby Gordon Dodge Jim Beam PE 40 Running
12 13 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge Target PE 40 Running
13 18 49 Chad McCumbee Dodge Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil PE 40 Running
14 9 66 Scott Riggs Chevrolet State Water Heaters PE 40 Running
15 22 45 Kyle Petty Dodge Coca-Cola Classic PE 40 Running
16 12 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Johns Manville / Menards PE 40 Running
17 7 78 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing PE 40 Running
18 25 34 Jeff Green Chevrolet Front Row Motorsports PE 40 Running
19 21 21 Bill Elliott Ford U.S. Air Force PE 40 Running
20 14 55 Michael Waltrip Toyota NAPA AUTO PARTS PE 40 Running
21 23 01 Regan Smith * Chevrolet DEI / Principal Financial Group PE 40 Running
22 26 146 Carl Long Dodge Romeo Guest Construction PE 40 Running
23 24 08 Tony Raines Dodge getFUBAR.com PE 29 Running
24 11 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation PE 27 In Pit
25 19 150 Stanton Barrett Chevrolet NOS Energy Drink / Check ‘n Go PE 14 In Pit
26 2 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Stanley Tools PE 6 In Pit
27 27 10 Patrick Carpentier * Dodge Charter Comm. PE 2 In Pit

It looked like Kyle Busch was just going to drive away with this race, the announcers mentioned that when Gibbs first started with Toyota that they could produce engines with a lot more power, but they didn’t last very long, and they said they could have went to that package just for this race. It was almost a great move on their part, if it hadn’t let go, they would have easily beaten everyone I think.

The Coca Cola 600 should be a great race next week, with Dale Jr. running well in this race, as well as Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne and Sam Hornish Jr. I just hope Gordon can learn something from Jr. this week; it would be great to see him resume his dominance at Charlotte.

Here is how they finished the All Star Race:

1 24 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Budweiser PE 100 Running
2 5 16 Greg Biffle Ford DISH Network PE 100 Running
3 14 17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT NANO Technology PE 100 Running
4 21 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe’s / Kobalt Tools PE 100 Running
5 12 20 Tony Stewart Toyota The Home Depot PE 100 Running
6 8 12 Ryan Newman Dodge Alltel PE 100 Running
7 23 77 Sam Hornish Jr. * Dodge Mobil 1 PE 100 Running
8 11 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Nat’l Guard Citizen Soldier / AMP Energy PE 100 Running
9 13 8 Mark Martin Chevrolet U.S. Army PE 100 Running
10 19 99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot PE 100 Running
11 16 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Pennzoil Platinum PE 100 Running
12 10 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios / Betty Crocker PE 100 Running
13 17 5 Casey Mears Chevrolet Kellogg’s / CARQUEST PE 100 Running
14 15 42 Juan Montoya Dodge Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit PE 100 Running
15 2 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont PE 100 Running
16 4 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops / Tracker PE 100 Running
17 22 84 A.J. Allmendinger Toyota Red Bull PE 100 Running
18 9 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet Jack Daniel’s PE 100 Running
19 6 26 Jamie McMurray Ford Crown Royal PE 100 Running
20 7 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet AT&T Mobility PE 100 Running
21 18 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota UPS PE 100 Running
22 3 2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite PE 100 Running
23 20 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota FedEx Freight PE 84 Out of Race
24 1 18 Kyle Busch Toyota M&M’s PE 50 Out of Race

Kasey Kahne has the pole for Sunday’s race in Las Vegas, with 7 of the top 10 being Dodge’s, the other 3 are Chevy’s, while only 2 Toyota’s even made the field, continuing the bad beginning they have had so far in Nascar. I bet Toyota and NAPA both are very unhappy, I wonder if Nascar.com gave NAPA them some of those top banner ad positions to make them a little happier? Jeremy Mayfield is still looking to even start a race this year, as he has missed all three races so far.

1 9 Kasey Kahne Dodge
2 40 David Stremme Dodge
3 19 Elliott Sadler Dodge
4 42 Juan Montoya Dodge
5 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet
6 10 Scott Riggs Dodge
7 41 Reed Sorenson Dodge
8 14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet
9 13 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet
10 2 Kurt Busch Dodge
11 22 Dave Blaney Toyota
12 5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet
13 99 Carl Edwards Ford
14 01 Mark Martin Chevrolet
15 78 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet
16 07 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet
17 11 Denny Hamlin Chevrolet
18 16 Greg Biffle Ford
19 15 Paul Menard Chevrolet
20 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet
21 38 David Gilliland Ford
22 45 Kyle Petty Dodge
23 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet
24 18 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet
25 20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet
26 1 Martin Truex Jr. Chevrolet
27 96 Tony Raines Chevrolet
28 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet
29 66 Jeff Green Chevrolet
30 4 Ward Burton Chevrolet
31 180 Aric Almirola Chevrolet
32 70 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet
33 26 Jamie McMurray Ford
34 25 Casey Mears Chevrolet
35 6 David Ragan Ford
36 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet
37 17 Matt Kenseth Ford
38 7 Robby Gordon Ford
39 12 Ryan Newman Dodge
40 88 Ricky Rudd Ford
41 21 Jon Wood Ford
42 43 Bobby Labonte Dodge
43 44 Dale Jarrett Toyota

Here are my top 5 predictions:
1. Jeff Burton
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Kurt Busch
4. Kyle Busch
5. Clint Boyer

All I had read yesterday just mentioned that Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth qualifying attempts were disqualified, but nothing really gave any details. I just read an article today on AOL that mentions both had extra holes in their cars that could’ve given them better aerodynamics. Kenseth’s car had extra holes in the wheel well and Kahne’s were in an unspecified location.

Their qualifying times were disallowed after inspectors discovered illegal modifications in each car. NASCAR said Kenseth’s Ford had illegal holes in the wheel well and Kahne’s Dodge also had illegal holes in an unspecified location. The holes may have improved the aerodynamics of their cars.

It’s the second consecutive year NASCAR discovered violations following pole qualifying. Last year, crew chief Chad Knaus was thrown out of the race after Jimmie Johnson’s car failed inspection. Knaus was suspended four races. Johnson rebounded to win the Daytona 500 the following week and they eventually reunited and won the Nextel Cup championship. Source: Kenseth, Kahne Fail Qualifying Inspections Drivers Could Face Penalties for Illegal Holes

Fines are sure to follow.

You have to hand it to Kasey Kahne and the number 9 team, they sure do have the mile and a half tracks down, and they proved it again last night winning the Charlotte race, the Bank of America 500, sweeping this years races at Charlotte. Jeff Burton continues to un-impress on his way to the championship title, I read this great quote about him the other day, “He avoids trouble well.” How would you like to be the Nascar champion because you avoid trouble well? This quote from Nascar.com I read sums it all up,

Suddenly, the driver who couldn’t find his way to Victory Lane for five years before this season is the guy to beat. But Burton isn’t celebrating just yet. Source: Nascar.com

Well, he still can’t find his way to victory lane, well, okay he has once this year, Season 1 win, 6 top fives and 18 top tens with an average finish of 13.0. Yawn. I’ve got nothing against Jeff Burton, but this is what sucks about Nascar, be consistent and “avoid trouble well” and you’ve got a great shot of winning the championship.

Just ask Jeff Gordon, the first year of the Chase for the Cup, he would’ve won the championship had the counted points by the old system, but Kurt Busch was more consitent those last ten races to win the title.

Looks like Gordon is done for this year, three mechanical failures and it’s time to call the dogs, sure, anything can happen, but with Mr. consistency leading the cup, Gordon would have to win out to even get close.

Here are the standing after 5 races:

1. — Jeff Burton Leader
2. — Matt Kenseth -45
3. +1 Kevin Harvick -89
4. -1 Mark Martin -102
5. +1 D. Earnhardt Jr. -106
6. -1 Denny Hamlin -137
7. +1 Jimmie Johnson -146
8. +1 Kasey Kahne -160
9. +1 Kyle Busch -195
10. -3 Jeff Gordon -216

Nah, na nah nah, Nah na nah nah, hey hey goodbye.