This weekend the Nascar Nextel Cup series heads to Virginia for the Chevy Rock and Roll 400.  Held under the lights on the 3/4 mile short track Richmond International Speedway, the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 is the last race before the Chase for the Nextel Championship begins.  Richmond is a challenging track that tests a driver's patience, and this race could get nasty as several drivers have a lot at stake to try and turn around their 2007 seasons. 

The secret to success at Richmond is downforce, which means you want the spoiler maxed out and the front fenders as wide as Nascar allows.  Since this is a car of tomorrow race, the car setup is critical here with springs, shocks and sway bars coming into play.  You want the car to grip the track well throughout and handle well in the corners.  A driver will have to keep his cool and maintain his focus on the race as there is normally a lot of beating and banging at this track.  This race will more than likely be won by the team with the best pit strategy that gains track position for their driver and the team that has their COT program figured out.

In the last 10 races run at Richmond, Kyle Busch has the best average finish.  He's raced here 5 times and finished no worse than 5th place.  Busch runs exceptionally well in the COT and next to Jimmie Johnson, who won the first race of the season at Richmond,  he's the best bet for Hendrick motorsports on Saturday night.  Denny Hamlin has lead the most laps this year in the COT and with this being his home track, I wouldn't be surprised to see him do well this weekend.  Roush Racing is lead by Matt Kenseth, as his average finish is 7th among active drivers in the past 10 races at Richmond.  When picking a winner, take in account the drivers from Hendrick and Gibbs, as they have run the best this season in the Car of Tomorrow races.

Others to Watch

Kevin Harvick - He's holding on to the final 12th spot in the Cup standings in his strong bid to qualify for the Chase. He's had excellent success at Richmond, winning last year's September race. He also owns the most Top 10's (6) in the past five seasons at this short track, including five straight Top 10's.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - His Chase hopes are fading (he's 128 points behind Busch), but Earnhardt, Jr. has been driving like a man possessed of late. The No. 8 DEI Chevy has produced three Top 5 finishes in the past five events and four top 15's.

Mark Martin - An oil leak in his last start at MIS sent Martin to only his second run outside of the top 20 in his 17 starts this season. He owns a phenomenal record this season, producing nine Top 10's and averaging a 12th-place finish.

Ryan Newman - Though he's struggled recently with four finishes outside the Top 10 (39th, 16th, 13th and 42nd) in his last six Cup events, Newman has posted solid results at Richmond.

What the experts think

My pick - Kyle Busch - He owns the best average finish of all drivers at short tracks this season with a 4.0 mark. He's managed to clinch a Top 10 in all four starts at short tracks this year, including three top fives and one victory. In addition, he has clinched top fives in all five races at Richmond, including seconds in the last two events.

Sleeper pick - Greg Biffle - He's had three straight Top 10's at this particular race and five in his last six Richmond trips overall.