The NASCAR Nextel Cup

The NASCAR Nextel Cup series heads to Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. The event is the first of two Cup races there this season.

Casey Mears is the defending race winner.

Who Will Win?

Jimmie Johnson: Lowe’s Motor Speedway is and always will be Jimmie’s House, as in Jimmie Johnson. The Lowe’s team will use a win on Sunday to remind everyone that Johnson, Knaus & Co. haven’t forgotten how to win. – Bob Margolis

• Given the kind of success he’s had at Lowe’s Motor Speedway over the years – five wins (including four in a row), eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes in 13 career starts (plus two poles) – it’s hard to pick against Jimmie Johnson. Sure, he’s finished 10th and 14th in the last two races at Lowe’s, but if there was ever a time for Johnson to reclaim the title “the house that Jimmie built,” Sunday will be the time. – Jerry Bonkowski

Kyle Busch: In any other year, the four Hendrick Motorsports drivers would be an easy choice at Lowes Motor Speedway. However, it has not been a typical year. So I’m favoring the three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers this week. All year, they have demonstrated their ability to win, regardless of the track size or length of race. Kyle Busch was fast enough last Saturday night in the All-Star Race to lead comfortably before losing an engine. Barring a similar failure, I don’t see him getting beat Sunday night. – Ricky Craven

Tony Stewart: Joe Gibbs Racing has been the team to beat all season, and that won’t change this weekend when Tony Stewart finally gets into the win column. With JGR’s engine power and his own savvy, Smoke will win on Indy day, just not in Indianapolis. – Jay Hart

Craven’s Keys to Victory

1. Running in the end: This is the longest event of the season and is an endurance race, not only for the drivers, but perhaps more for the car and mechanics. Over the years, several potential 600 winners have been eliminated with mechanical failures in the final 100 miles.

2. Attitude adjustments: The Coca Cola 600 has a completely different look and feel for the drivers between its start and finish. The race begins around 6 pm, but the track will be much cooler when it ends under the lights, roughly four hours later. Keeping up with the changing track conditions with aggressive adjustments throughout the race will be critical.

3. Gas ‘n go: Last year’s race was determined by fuel mileage as Casey Mears out lasted several competitors by going further on fuel at the end. Kasey Kahne won last week’s All-Star race without replacing tires for the final segment, suggesting the race could be decided by a late-race, long green-flag run.

Top Storyline

• Will the Coca-Cola 600 be another snoozer just like we saw in last Saturday’s Sprint All-Star Race? – Jerry Bonkowski

• Can Kasey Kahne back up his upset win in last week’s All-Star Race? Kahne won this race two years ago and carries plenty of momentum and confidence on the heels of his victory. In a year considered a struggle for most Dodge teams, Kahne’s win last week was perfectly timed. – Ricky Craven

• If the All-Star race is any indication, it’ll be a boring night for everyone on Sunday. Notice I didn’t say a long night, but a boring one. Don’t expect too many cautions as there won’t be a whole lot of racing going on. Most of the cautions will be for debris. – Bob Margolis

• What will Jimmie do? Because Jimmie Johnson has dominated Lowe’s Motor Speedway, great things are expected. It would be a cause for concern at Hendrick Motorsports if he doesn’t show well Sunday. – Jay Hart