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Who Will Win?
Jeff Burton Burton Jeff Burton: Last week, Jeff Burton came up a few volts shy of earning his third consecutive top-five and taking the points lead. He might have even found that little extra speed needed to get around Jimmie Johnson and win the Cup race like he did to Kyle Busch the day prior in the Busch race, but his battery lost power late in the going. Burton is going to be highly motivated to win and wipe away last week's disappointment. – Dan Beaver
Kyle Busch: Busch has had two consecutive top-10s following a disappointing opening round at Daytona. Although some still write off the 21-year-old as being unpredictable, wild and foolish behind the wheel, those qualities aren't all that bad when it comes to Nextel Cup racing. Giving the Busch race to Burton at Las Vegas last weekend in the final hundred yards has given Busch an itch that only a visit to victory circle can scratch. – Bob Margolis
Jimmie Johnson: He has a third-place finish and a win in his last two starts. Add in a win and six top-five finishes (including two runner-ups) in 11 career starts at Atlanta. Do the math and it's hard to pick against Johnson this Sunday, when he will win his second race in a row. – Jerry Bonkowski
I was so impressed with Johnson's performance last week that I am picking him to win his second straight. Although the season did not start as well as he would have liked in Daytona, he bounced back in California like a champion does and gave himself a shot at victory. He again showed championship form overcoming an average starting spot in Las Vegas and some adversity on pit road. I like the frame of mind he brings to Atlanta and the confidence that comes with having a win under his belt. Also watch out for Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards, as both seem close to their old winning form. – Ricky Craven
Jeff Gordon: All those listed above are legit contenders, as are Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. But Martin and Gordon have shown virtually no weaknesses thus far, and seeing as how Johnson and Kenseth already have won this year, perhaps it's someone else's turn at Atlanta. Gordon was strong there last fall and has had plenty of success at the Georgia track. He finds a little more this weekend. – Jon Baum
Craven's Keys to Victory
Craven Craven 1. Maneuvering: Drivers' ability to maneuver in traffic and transition through the different lanes is crucial. Atlanta is fast and gets real busy, particularly on restarts. A poor qualifying run would not be the end of the world, as a good-handling car can easily find its way to the front. But you need to use all the race track offers to do it.
2. Aiming high: Running the high line through the corners can be an excellent option. It is less taxing on the tires and an advantage on long runs. The faster way around Atlanta still is on the very bottom but gradually shifts to the middle and eventually the top if green flag racing goes uninterrupted.
3. Enjoying the track: There are few tracks I enjoyed competing on more than Atlanta. Although I did not win in Atlanta, I certainly gave myself a chance in 2001 and 2002 in large part because I enjoyed the track and all it offers. Tire preservation is another dimension at Atlanta and an area drivers have plenty of influence. Sliding around Atlanta should be something the driver looks forward to, and I expect Johnson would agree.
Top Storyline
Showing your hand: Following the debacle at Las Vegas last weekend, Atlanta becomes the first true 1½-mile test of the season. With the majority of the races on the Cup schedule and in the Chase being contested on this type of track, it is critical that teams have a strong program there. If teams struggle at Atlanta, they might have to be prepared for a long season ahead. – Bob Margolis
Atlanta serves as a perfect evaluator of where teams are. Having had three races to get back into the swing of things, drivers and teams understand more about what they have done well and what they have not done so well. Their focus will be on improving on a solid start (including teams such as Martin's and Gordon's) or logging some points to get comfortably in the top 35 – or simply on qualifying. Potential title challengers will recall their past success in Atlanta and see this as a chance to turn things around. The drivers facing the most pressure are Jeremy Mayfield, who has missed each of the first three races, and Michael Waltrip, who enters the weekend with negative points. All drivers also understand how important this race is, as they turn their attention next weekend to Bristol and debut a new car. Atlanta is a race where championship contenders expect to run well. Although it is too early for most to start worrying about points and the Chase, we should have a better idea after Sunday's race of who's in good shape and who could be in trouble going forward. – Ricky Craven
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Junior Comebacks and choices: Fans get two top stories for the price of one this weekend. First, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. continue to struggle, or will he have the big breakthrough he's been seeking after a tough start to the season? Also, if Martin has another strong outing and remains at or near the top of the Nextel Cup standings, will he finally agree to race next week at Bristol rather than turn the wheel over rookie Regan Smith? – Jerry Bonkowski
Toyota's efforts: After missing the Daytona 500, Brian Vickers went to California with grim determination. He was impressive from the moment the Red Bull team rolled his car off the hauler; he practiced well, qualified strong and earned the foreign manufacturer its first top-10. Vickers missed the show last week because of a bad qualifying draw, so he's got just as much fire this week. Heck, he may even help teammate A.J. Allmendinger qualify for his first Cup race. – Dan Beaver
The end of normalcy: Bristol follows Atlanta, marking the beginning of the Car of Tomorrow era. No, the car won't run full-time from Bristol on out, but teams who aren't sure about their COT program best take advantage of this weekend's fast 1½-miler while they have the chance. – Jon Baum
From The Source
Tony Stewart: "Because the track is such a momentum race track, if you're a little bit off it seems like you're way off. If your stuff isn't right, you can't expect to run with the pack all day. You've got to be on your game, because it seems like there's always two or three guys who always get it right."
Jeff Burton Burton Jeff Burton: Last week, Jeff Burton came up a few volts shy of earning his third consecutive top-five and taking the points lead. He might have even found that little extra speed needed to get around Jimmie Johnson and win the Cup race like he did to Kyle Busch the day prior in the Busch race, but his battery lost power late in the going. Burton is going to be highly motivated to win and wipe away last week's disappointment. – Dan Beaver
Kyle Busch: Busch has had two consecutive top-10s following a disappointing opening round at Daytona. Although some still write off the 21-year-old as being unpredictable, wild and foolish behind the wheel, those qualities aren't all that bad when it comes to Nextel Cup racing. Giving the Busch race to Burton at Las Vegas last weekend in the final hundred yards has given Busch an itch that only a visit to victory circle can scratch. – Bob Margolis
Jimmie Johnson: He has a third-place finish and a win in his last two starts. Add in a win and six top-five finishes (including two runner-ups) in 11 career starts at Atlanta. Do the math and it's hard to pick against Johnson this Sunday, when he will win his second race in a row. – Jerry Bonkowski
I was so impressed with Johnson's performance last week that I am picking him to win his second straight. Although the season did not start as well as he would have liked in Daytona, he bounced back in California like a champion does and gave himself a shot at victory. He again showed championship form overcoming an average starting spot in Las Vegas and some adversity on pit road. I like the frame of mind he brings to Atlanta and the confidence that comes with having a win under his belt. Also watch out for Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards, as both seem close to their old winning form. – Ricky Craven
Jeff Gordon: All those listed above are legit contenders, as are Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin. But Martin and Gordon have shown virtually no weaknesses thus far, and seeing as how Johnson and Kenseth already have won this year, perhaps it's someone else's turn at Atlanta. Gordon was strong there last fall and has had plenty of success at the Georgia track. He finds a little more this weekend. – Jon Baum
Craven's Keys to Victory
Craven Craven 1. Maneuvering: Drivers' ability to maneuver in traffic and transition through the different lanes is crucial. Atlanta is fast and gets real busy, particularly on restarts. A poor qualifying run would not be the end of the world, as a good-handling car can easily find its way to the front. But you need to use all the race track offers to do it.
2. Aiming high: Running the high line through the corners can be an excellent option. It is less taxing on the tires and an advantage on long runs. The faster way around Atlanta still is on the very bottom but gradually shifts to the middle and eventually the top if green flag racing goes uninterrupted.
3. Enjoying the track: There are few tracks I enjoyed competing on more than Atlanta. Although I did not win in Atlanta, I certainly gave myself a chance in 2001 and 2002 in large part because I enjoyed the track and all it offers. Tire preservation is another dimension at Atlanta and an area drivers have plenty of influence. Sliding around Atlanta should be something the driver looks forward to, and I expect Johnson would agree.
Top Storyline
Showing your hand: Following the debacle at Las Vegas last weekend, Atlanta becomes the first true 1½-mile test of the season. With the majority of the races on the Cup schedule and in the Chase being contested on this type of track, it is critical that teams have a strong program there. If teams struggle at Atlanta, they might have to be prepared for a long season ahead. – Bob Margolis
Atlanta serves as a perfect evaluator of where teams are. Having had three races to get back into the swing of things, drivers and teams understand more about what they have done well and what they have not done so well. Their focus will be on improving on a solid start (including teams such as Martin's and Gordon's) or logging some points to get comfortably in the top 35 – or simply on qualifying. Potential title challengers will recall their past success in Atlanta and see this as a chance to turn things around. The drivers facing the most pressure are Jeremy Mayfield, who has missed each of the first three races, and Michael Waltrip, who enters the weekend with negative points. All drivers also understand how important this race is, as they turn their attention next weekend to Bristol and debut a new car. Atlanta is a race where championship contenders expect to run well. Although it is too early for most to start worrying about points and the Chase, we should have a better idea after Sunday's race of who's in good shape and who could be in trouble going forward. – Ricky Craven
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Junior Comebacks and choices: Fans get two top stories for the price of one this weekend. First, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. continue to struggle, or will he have the big breakthrough he's been seeking after a tough start to the season? Also, if Martin has another strong outing and remains at or near the top of the Nextel Cup standings, will he finally agree to race next week at Bristol rather than turn the wheel over rookie Regan Smith? – Jerry Bonkowski
Toyota's efforts: After missing the Daytona 500, Brian Vickers went to California with grim determination. He was impressive from the moment the Red Bull team rolled his car off the hauler; he practiced well, qualified strong and earned the foreign manufacturer its first top-10. Vickers missed the show last week because of a bad qualifying draw, so he's got just as much fire this week. Heck, he may even help teammate A.J. Allmendinger qualify for his first Cup race. – Dan Beaver
The end of normalcy: Bristol follows Atlanta, marking the beginning of the Car of Tomorrow era. No, the car won't run full-time from Bristol on out, but teams who aren't sure about their COT program best take advantage of this weekend's fast 1½-miler while they have the chance. – Jon Baum
From The Source
Tony Stewart: "Because the track is such a momentum race track, if you're a little bit off it seems like you're way off. If your stuff isn't right, you can't expect to run with the pack all day. You've got to be on your game, because it seems like there's always two or three guys who always get it right."
