Johnny Benson

Last year, Carl Edwards said he had a blast in winning the Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

On Sunday, NASCAR’ showcase series returns to the 1.5-mile oval, and Edwards should be ready for another real good time because he is my pick to take the checkered flag.

Working in Edwards’ favor
The Roush Fenway Racing driver didn’t fare well in the Daytona 500, crossing the checkers 18th. But last week at Fontana, he bounced back from that disappointment with a strong run to finish seventh. That result vaulted him nine spots in the standings, and into ninth place.

Edwards ranks second on intermediate tracks. He’ll take a brand new Ford Fusion chassis out on this venue, but the setup should be the same. If he gets a good car, and stays out of a wreck, Edwards should find Las Vegas the perfect track at which to make his first visit to Victory Lane this season.

In five previous Cup starts at Las Vegas, Edwards has one top-five, and two top-10s to go along with his win last year. His average start in the desert is 14, and his average finish is 11.8. He’s a finisher at the Nevada track, having completed 100 percent of the laps he’s attempted there.

While Edwards won last year’s race, the victory did not come without controversy and penalty. Upon inspecting the No. 99 Ford, NASCAR found the lid for the oil tank box behind the driver’s seat was off. That cost crew chief Bob Osborne a suspension, and it also cost Edwards bonus points and championship points. The sentiment in the Edwards’ camp is don’t let it happen again. It could cost a championship.

Other drivers to watch
Last year Jimmie Johnson couldn’t get things to click in the desert, and that was big news since he was seeking his fourth straight Cup win at Las Vegas. Johnson wound up 29th. He’ll turn to a new chassis on Sunday in an attempt to get back to his winning ways in Nevada.

Las Vegas being a big, flat track, Johnson likes his chances at a win. By the end of last season, his crew chief, Chad Knaus, had hit on a setup that worked great at such venues. Racing on these layouts with that setup was a labor of love for Johnson.

This will be the eighth Cup start in the desert for the three-time defending Cup champion. In addition to his three wins, his Las Vegas resume includes three top-fives, and four top-10s. His average start is 16.4, and his average finish is 9.3. He’s led for 210 laps at this track.

Tony Stewart is further along in his new venture – Stewart-Haas Racing than I expected him to be this early in the season. The two-time Cup champion was eighth in the Daytona 500, and eighth again last week at Fontana. He sits fourth in the standings, and feels he has both the car and the team that his impressive break from the gate will not sour.

A wreck last year saw him finish last at Las Vegas, but he has raced well at this track. In 10 Cup starts, he has four top-fives, and six top-10s.The desert seems to bring about some of his better racing, and it will prove the latest test for this new organization.

Kyle Busch had a great shot to win the Daytona 500, but got caught up in a wreck initiated by Dale Earnhardt Jr. But if any driver has momentum coming into Las Vegas, it’s Busch, who last weekend at Fontana won both the truck race and the Nationwide Series race, and finished third in the Cup event.

Slideshow   2009 drivers Take a look at each of the drivers planning to compete in the 2009 Sprint Cup season. more photos

Las Vegas is Busch’s hometown, and he'd like nothing more than to sweep away the field, and get to Victory Lane. He had the pole for this event last year, and wound up 11th. In five Cup starts at this oval, he has two top-fives, and three top-10s. His average start is ninth, and his average finish is 13.2.

The first two races of the season have been won by Matt Kenseth, and don’t be surprised if he makes it three in a row. He should be a surefire top contender on Sunday, given how well he has run at Las Vegas in his career. In nine Cup starts, he has two wins, four top-fives, and five top-10s. His average start isn’t so hot (17.8), but he has an average finish of ninth. His wins at this track came in 2003 and 2004.

Kenseth’s extremely strong start to the season has come about with a new crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, who is credited by both driver, and the owner of the No. 17 Ford (Jack Roush), for bringing magic to the team. Kenseth and Blickensderfer have clicked, and it’s happened overnight. Roush can’t ask for anything more than that.

It was a second-place result for Jeff Gordon last week at Fontana. He could go one better this weekend as he won at Las Vegas in 2001. In 11 Cup starts at this track, he has five top-fives, and five top-10s. His average start is 13.5, and his average finish is 14.9. He had strung together three straight top-five finishes at Las Vegas before a wreck in last year’s race left him 35th.

My dark horse is Jamie McMurray, who has shown he can run well at Las Vegas. His best finish at this oval was fourth in 2004. He was also 10th in 2007.

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