There is only one driver hotter than points leader Tony Stewart, who is coming off of a victory in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4. That would be Kyle Busch, who was steaming mad after that finish at Daytona.
Busch blames Stewart for dumping him on the final lap, when Busch was in the lead and trying to block his way to the checkered flag. Busch wound up in the wall after contact with Stewart, finishing 14th.
Voters like both drivers on Saturday night in the LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. Busch, the defending champion at Chicagoland, received six votes, Stewart earned five and Jimmie Johnson four. Who knows, maybe Busch and Stewart will meet again before the finish Saturday night.
Mark Beech, Sports Illustrated: TONY STEWART
Nobody is better right now, and Stewart, who's on his usual mid-summer tear, has won twice at Chicago before.
Viv Bernstein, Charlotte NASCAR Examiner: JIMMIE JOHNSON
Johnson might be the only driver who can give Stewart a run for it -- this week and this season.
David Caraviello, NASCAR.com: TONY STEWART
He's good at Chicagoland, he won last week at Daytona, and he's on a roll. He'll also win Saturday if Kyle Busch doesn't come looking for revenge.
Liz Clarke, Washington Post: KYLE BUSCH
I'm hardly a fan of his driving, but he seems to have arrived in Chicago feeling he has a point to prove. Plus, he won here last year. Look out.
Shawn Courchesne, Hartford Courant: KYLE BUSCH
The Shrub shrugs off the misery of the final lap at Daytona last week and makes it two in a row at Chicagoland.
Jeremy Dunn, Atlanta NASCAR Examiner: GREG BIFFLE
Roush Fenway Racing has never won a Cup race at Chicago. Expect that to change this weekend. Biffle is way overdue for a win in 2009.
Greg Engle, National NASCAR Examiner: JIMMIE JOHNSON
Chevy has won six of the eight races run here, so it should be a safe bet that one will be in Victory Lane again. He's never won here but does have five top finishes, so look for Jimmie Johnson to break through and win thie weekend.
David Exum, NASCAR Scene: KEVIN HARVICK
This is the one track where Harvick can finally end his 89-race winless skid.
Tony Fabrizio, Tampa Tribune: CARL EDWARDS
Both Edwards and Roush-Fenway are way overdue, and they run well on intermediate tracks. Chicagoland hasn't been a great track for Edwards, but he did finish third there a couple of years ago.
Jeff Gluck, NASCAR Scene: TONY STEWART
Tony Stewart is on a roll -- no, not like the roll that the gigantic Tropicana orange once took down the frontstretch at Chicagoland Speedway -- but a roll nonetheless. And there's no reason to believe it won't continue in Joliet, where everything seems to be going his way exactly one year after he announced his plans to be a team owner. Expect to see him in victory lane.
Brant James, St. Petersburg Times: KYLE BUSCH
He will race with the anger of a million striking Teamsters ... so he's either in victory lane or the infield care center again.
Tom Jensen, SPEEDtv.com: TONY STEWART
The weather is hot,
The track is greasy,
That makes picking this
week's winner easy:
Tony Stewart, No. 14 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet.
Josh Lobdell, Detroit NASCAR Examiner: JIMMIE JOHNSON
The turning point in the 2008 season may have been a pass made by Kyle Busch on Jimmie Johsnon at the Chicagoland speedway. It seemed after that pass the 48 bunch knew they had some work to do to make a strong run in the chase. I think this is the case this year and my pick for Chicago is Jimmie Johnson. In seven races here, Jimmie has finished outside the top ten only once, and he is due for a strong race winning run.
Dustin Long, Landmark Newspapers: DENNY HAMLIN
Building momentum for the Chase and this time scores some bonus points with a win.
Mike Massaro, ESPN: MARK MARTIN
Because he was "bad fast" in Happy Hour.
Ryan McGee, ESPN The Magazine: MATT KENSETH
He's done everything at Chicagoland but win, he hasn't been to victory lane since winter, and after the birth of his daughter this week he'll be happy to be at the track so he can actually get some sleep.
Joe Menzer, NASCAR.com: TONY STEWART
He'll make it two wins in a row overall and in doing so become the first three-time winner at this track. And this time he won't even have to turn anybody to do it.
Rick Minter, RacinToday.com: KYLE BUSCH
He's good on the mile and a half's, and it'll be a good way to put Daytona behind him.
Mike Mulhern, MikeMulhern.net: CARL EDWARDS
I'm picking Carl Edwards to beat Jimmie Johnson on the last lap.
Bob Pockrass, NASCAR Scene: JIMMIE JOHNSON
He almost won it last year. Probably should have won it last year. He won’t lose it this year.
Nate Ryan, USA Today: KYLE BUSCH
He's the defending race winner, and he still is hacked off about getting wrecked while going for the win at Daytona last week. I think that's a good thing, no matter what Bob Pockrass of NASCAR Scene says (just kidding, Bob!).
Jim Utter, Charlotte Observer: KYLE BUSCH
Apparently, Kyle Busch isn't quite over what transpired at Daytona with Tony Stewart and there's nothing like a win to get his frustration out.
Ken Willis, Daytona Beach News-Journal: MATT KENSETH
He's so happy to be out of that busy house, he'll be in a whole new gear.
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