Just 3 races to go, and it seems like Jimmie Johnson's championship to lose, BUT anything can still happen.  NASCAR finishes the weekend at Texas this afternoon, and there's a lot on the line.  Jeff Gordon is on the pole, that's right, Gordon on the pole at Texas.  He's actually going for the Texas sweep after finally getting the monkey off his back at this place back in the spring.  That also broke the longest winless streak of his career.  His next win ties him with Cale Yarborough, but that tie has been put on hold, he hasn't won since.  8 of the 12 chasers have won here before, but Jimmie Johnson is not one of them.  He was fastest in Happy Hour, but that doesn't guarantee a win.

Last year in this race, Carl Edwards took a huge bite out of Johnson's point lead when he won the race and Johnson finished well out of the top 10.  Edwards is winless this year.  You've also got some non-chase drivers who would love to win.  Jamie McMurray is coming off a huge win last week at Talladega.  Yes he probably got lucky that the caution came out when it did, but he was at or near the front for much of that race, and much like his win at Daytona, I'd hardly consider it a fluke.  Then there's Kyle Busch, all he's trying to do is sweep the weekend, the triple sweep.  He won the truck race Friday night, led all but 21 laps and stunk up the show yesterday in the Nationwide race, and starts 5th in this race.

We should see a great race.  Texas is the 3rd in the set of triplets with Atlanta and Charlotte, and out of the newest tracks on the schedule, this place was really the only one that DID deserve that second race date.  So with all the stories waiting to be written in the history books, who wins this thing?

My Pick: Kasey Kahne

He won at Atlanta which is a carbon copy of Texas.  and he's on the front row for today's race.  I'd expect to see him stay up there for a good bit of this race.

Dark Horse: Only because he's not in the Chase am I picking him as a dark horse, but it's Kyle Busch.

The Shrub is trying to do something that has never been done before.  He has a great chance to pull off the weekend triple sweep.  While Jimmie Johnson is 3 races away from history, Shrub is trying to make some more history of his own.

As always, this is your official open race thread to discuss the happenings before, during, and after the race.

NOTE: I personally won't be here for the race, I have a jazz concert to play in, but hope everyone has fun watching the race.