Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog

The Allstate 400 this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the 15th running of the event.

I can’t help but get excited about this race for several reasons, especially this year with the new car.

The history that surrounds this track is incredible, and when NASCAR finally made it to “The Brickyard” in 1994, a new chapter in the speedway’s history, as well as NASCAR’s, was opened.

The Indy speedway is a relatively flat rectangle with four distinct corners and nine degrees of banking, two long straight-aways, and two short straightaways.

Handling of the car is going to be essential to a good finish here. And this is the first time the new, and sometimes ill-handling, race car is being raced here.

So, it has potential for some good ‘poor-handling’ storylines.

But if you don’t have a good powerplant, it won’t matter how well your car handles. You have to have a lot of horses to get down the long straights, and good torque to handle the low rpms on the short straights.

Not only that, but if the driver misses his ‘marks,’ or turning points in the corners, the potential for disaster is great, moreso here than anywhere.

Finally, track position is also important, especially on restarts.

Watch for teams to do different pit strategies, like only changing two tires.

Jeff Gordon (24) won the inaugural event in 1994, and then went on to win three more times. He has not gone any longer than a span of four years between wins, and since his last win at The Brickyard was in 2004, he’s due this weekend.

But there are several drivers who will have something to say about Gordon winning his fifth race at Indy. Current point leader Kyle Busch (18) is one of those drivers. Busch has raced there three times and not finished out of the top 10.

Another driver to watch out for is last year’s Allstate 400 champ, and Indiana native, Tony Stewart (20). Stewart is still winless this year, and will be at his best here because the two-time winner considers it his home track.

Two drivers to keep an eye on are former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya (42), who finished second last year in his rookie season, and former winner Kevin Harvick (29).

My pick for this year’s Brickyard 400 though is Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) because he has been really focused this year. I know Earnhardt has only one win this season, but he has been the picture of consistency this year and is second in points to Kyle Busch (18).

Winning at the Brickyard takes more than just having a fast car, and a lead foot. It’s about putting a complete package together, which allows the driver to do his job. And that means doing a good job in the pits, as well as having a driver keep his head about him. And being consistent for every lap. The goal is to make sure his car is still in one piece for the final laps, so that he and his team will still be in contention for the win at the end.

So far this year Earnhardt and his team have best demonstrated these qualities of winning, and that is why Jr. will win the Allstate 400 this weekend.

And in the past 10 years the winner of the race has gone on to win the series championship six times.

If he doesn’t, I prefer my crow to be well-done and West Nile-free.

find the complete article at thespec.com

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