The final stretch of the Chase begins today with the wild card of the last 10 races.  NASCAR is at Talladega this afternoon, where you can run, but you can't hide from the big one.  It can strike anytime in any part of the field.  This race in 2001, Bobby Labonte got turned over on the last lap and started the big one.  It's happened early in the race, it's happened late.  The problem is everyone knows it's going to happen.  NASCAR is trying to outlaw bump drafting, but I don't think that's going to prevent the big wreck from occurring.

This track has seen some crazy races in the past.  The wildest in recent memory was back in the spring where there were not one, not two, but three big wrecks.  Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon got together in turn 3, triggering the big one in the first 10 laps.  Late in the race, Denny Hamlin and Juan Montoya got together starting another big wreck, this time on the backstretch and Jimmie Johnson was in this one.  Then, coming to the checkered flag, a replay of Neil Bonnett in 1993 and Bobby Allison in 1987, as Carl Edwards tried to block Brad Keselowski, got turned, launched off the hood of Ryan Newman's car and flew into the catch fence upside down.

Keslowski became the latest first-time winner at Talladega.  There have been several here, but out of those, only Ken Schrader, Brian Vickers, and Davey Allison went on to win again.  I'm sure Keselowski will follow suit eventually, but for now he's on the long list of one win wonders at NASCAR's biggest track.  Regan Smith may have had a win in this race last year, but he went below the yellow line.  Unfortunately, had he held his position in the tri-oval, we may have seen Tony Stewart fall victim to the same kind of wreck as Carl Edwards did earlier this year.

Jeff Gordon was involved in the early big wreck back in April and Dale Jr. finished second.  What's so important about that?  Simple, they're the winningest active drivers at Talladega.  Gordon has won here 6 times, Earnhardt Jr. has 5 victories.  They're the 2 drivers you'd expect to see up front much of the day, and I do think one of them will win this afternoon.

Qualifying was rained out, so Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin will start on the front row together.  This happened back in 2002 and they got together during the pace laps!


This is the biggest question mark in the Chase, and it's going to be one wild afternoon.  But who wins this thing?

My Pick: Dale Earnhardt Jr. - It's a toss up between Junior and Jeff Gordon in my humble opinion.  Junior starts 24th and Gordon starts 3rd, but who really cares where you start this race?  It doesn't matter because you can go from the middle of the pack to the front and get shuffled to the back in the course of a few laps.

Dark Horse: Brad Keselowski - He won this race back in April, and it's no stretch to think he could win it again.  The different rules may make a difference, but anyone on the grid has a legitimate shot to win this race.

This is your official open race thread to discuss the happenings before, during, and after the race!