It took Clint Bowyer until the Chase to win, but Jennifer says he could do it again.

Eight races to go until the season is over and we’re headed to Kansas Speedway. It’s a one and a half mile track with fifteen degrees of banking in the turns. It is still a fairly new track with only six Cup races on its surface, but that should be enough to give us more than one groove to race in. Having more than one groove will make the race not only more interesting for us to watch, but more of an exciting race for the drivers.

Last year’s race was a gas mileage chess match, with Tony Stewart making it over the finish line on the fumes he had left over. The old car is back on the track and that plus the multiple grooves may add up to a few more cautions than needed for a fuel mileage race, but there will still be some strategies that will be used and I am hoping it will prove for a good race.

Tony Stewart, the defending winner here, is my first pick for this week. He also won at Chicagoland earlier this year, which is the sister track to Kansas, and even though this does not necessarily mean you can win here – this is Smoke we’re talking about. It’s about time he got aggressive; if he waits much longer it could be too late.

The only non-chase driver to make my list is Dale Earnhardt Jr.. He was the fastest in practice. He qualified seventh and I can’t help but think he really wants to take the number eight Budweiser car into victory lane one last time. He’s had three top ten finishes here and has run well recently, when his car makes it through till the last lap.

I really wanted to pick Carl Edwards but I think Clint Boyer has a better chance this weekend. Both drivers consider this their ‘home’ track and that can give a driver an edge. Boyer not only qualified much better but he was ninth in practice and Edwards was thirty-first. In interviews Boyer seems to still be pumped up from his win two weeks ago and that momentum will help him.

Matt Kenseth, he’ll be using the same car as he used in Chicago and feels like he has a good chance this week. This driver is always quiet on his run to the front and he can’t get much more silent than he has been lately. He’s a driver who can come through when needed and time is running out and he needs to get a move on if he wants to get his second Championship.

Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Gordon – I do have to choose one of them because if I didn’t then I’d just be being ornery. Jeff has won here twice and Jimmie, not even once. Jimmie qualified and won the pole and Jeff starts in fourth. Both were in the top five in practice as well. They both have an excellent chance of ending up in the winner’s circle so I am going to end up going with my gut instinct no matter how much it kills me to do so, I am choosing Jimmie Johnson. For some reason I can’t see him having yet another bout of bad luck and that is what it is going to take to stop him from winning.

I nearly forgot to make a dark horse pick this week, even though I already had one in mind earlier today. As is my custom I am going to pick someone I have picked before, last week as a matter of a fact. Casey Mears qualified sixteenth and was fourth quickest in practice. He gave a solid sixth place finish last week and I’m hoping he’ll be able to run strong again this Sunday.

Questions and comments can be sent to jenniferpatterson@sportsgrumblings.com