Johnny Benson

It's restrictor-plate racing Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway and Jeff Gordon is my favorite to get to Victory Lane and complete a season sweep at the 2.66-mile tri-oval.

They'll be a twist to this race as the Car of Tomorrow -- not used in April at Talladega -- will be running this event, marking the first time the COT will be racing on an oval track longer than 1.33 miles.

Working in Gordon's favor
When it comes to racing at restrictor-plate tracks (Talladega and Daytona International Speedway), Gordon is one of the best. He has lots of experience and success at the superspeedways.

His win at Talladega in the spring was his fifth restrictor-plate victory since 2004, and his 12th overall. Gordon's got star power and it seems he never fails to show it on this superspeedway. Over the years he and his team have gotten an iron grip on how to take the checkers at Talladega.

Gordon has five wins at Talladega. He also has 12 top-fives and 15 top-10s. He's led in 23 of his 29 races for 800 laps at this track, where he has an average finish of 15.4. Racing at this venue should give the four-time Cup champion an excellent shot at rising to the top of the Chase standings. Gordon enters Sunday's race in second place just six points shy of the top spot.

The engines and chassis of Hendrick Motorsports perform well at the restrictor-plate tracks, and the resources the organization has to work with have helped make its cars tough to beat on superspeedways.

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Gordon's superb season is not only due to his driving, but also due to the impact of his crew chief Steve Letarte. Gordon has said that Letarte has done a great job of leading his team, building the team chemistry, and preparing great race cars.

That's not only a formula for success, but also a formula that could bring Gordon a fifth Cup championship.

Other drivers to watch
Kurt Busch has six top-fives and 10 top-10s in 13 Cup starts at Talladega. The driver of the No. 2 Dodge ran a strong third in the spring event. He's led in all but two of his races at this superspeedway for a combined 81 laps. His average finish is 10.2.

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Busch won the inaugural Chase in 2004, but he's off to a slow start in this playoff thanks to bad luck. He's ninth in the standings, 177 points from the lead. Busch and his team know they face a serious challenge to get out of the hole they're in, and they'll be going all out at Talladega to gain significant ground and earn a lot of points.

Defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, one of Gordon's teammates at Hendrick Motorsports, should be a top contender on Sunday. Johnson leads the Chase standings and he's run as well as any driver in the playoff.

Johnson was runner-up to Gordon in the spring race. This is his 12th Cup start at Talladega, where in addition to a win in 2006 he also has a pole, three top-fives, and four top-10s. He's led 10 of 11 races for 180 laps, and has an average finish of 19.3.

Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing must be considered a prime threat to make it to Victory Lane. The two-time Cup champion has never won a Cup event at Talladega, but he has finished second in three of his last five starts at the superspeedway. Overall at the Alabama track Stewart has a half dozen second-place results. He's led 11 of 17 races for 145 laps.

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