Are there backflips coming this week from Carl Edwards?

Michigan International Speedway is an interesting track to watch, its two-and-a-half miles of track are rounded out with eighteen degrees of banking on the turns. This helps make the track very versatile; there is more than one groove that can be run in, and at times, you might see some three wide racing going on.

This could cause problems for people, however, if there is too much bumping. You want to protect your fenders here. Due to the high speeds that will be reached at Michigan, aerodynamics will play a big part in how a car runs. 

We were just here back in June and according to drivers, the track does not change a lot between races. Does this mean we’ll see a backflip from Carl Edwards once again? 

This week, Carl Edwards said even though the track may have not changed, someone could have figured out a better setup between then and now. This statement does not stop me from picking Edwards for the win. Carl is hungry, as was very evident in last week’s run at Watkins Glenn when he pushed for the win and ended up driving through the kitty litter and falling from second to eighth when the checkered flag fell.

Speaking of hungry for a win, Jeff Gordon also pushed his car last week and ended up spinning out with only a few laps left, and this cost him the win. In his post-race interviews, he stated points weren’t an issue and he wanted the win. That type of thinking will no doubt be present, this weekend as well.

Ryan Newman or Kurt Busch… both are vying for the last position to make it into the chase. This will mean one of two things: they will either be going all out to get the most points, or they will be cautious, not wanting to make a large mistake and fall too far. Normally, I would say Kurt would not be a cautious sort, but his crew chief, Pat Tryson, used to work with Mr. Cautious, Mark Martin. This combined with the fact that he is number twelve in the points leads me to believe he will not be pushing the envelope on Sunday. Ryan Newman knows how to take chances, and even though they don’t usually work out in his favor, I think he’ll feel like he has to go for it this week. He has won here twice, so expect to see him going for number three.

I almost picked Greg Biffle as my dark horse pick because this year has not been good for him, but I have someone else who fits that spot better. I do think Biffle has a good shot of breaking his bad luck streak. He qualified second and was in the top ten in practice. He’s won here twice, so he knows how to make the track work for him and I think he can run well.

Considering that Roush-Fenway has not had a very good year, I am surprised I am picking three of their drivers here at Michigan. Matt Kenseth is, as always, quietly keeping a solid position in the points. Despite the quiet rise, I think he will be earning an extra ten bonus points for a win before the Chase begins.

Bobby Labonte qualified fourth and was running fast in practice. He’s going to be my dark horse pick this week, and I would love for him to win. Not only would it be good to see him in the winner’s circle, but it’d be excellent to see the number forty-three there too.

Off the Beaten Path

This weekend will be an exciting race, and it’s not because we are at a track that is set up for exciting racing.

We have NASCAR to thank for it.

The new points system rewards each driver with ten extra points for a win. These points come after the chase begins, so if you want a jump on the competition, you want to have the most wins.

As I said earlier, Jeff Gordon was racing for the win last week - it was first place or nothing. Now, granted, these are racers and they always want the win, but the points system adds a new element to it.

Thinking back on all the races this year, it seems there have been more exciting finishes than usual and it makes me wonder….points for wins, is this the reason we’ve had exciting racing this year?

Questions and comments may be sent to Jennifer at jenniferpatterson@sportsgrumblings.com