1. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch -- Defending Sprint Cup champion and comeback athlete of the year in a near must-win race at Dover in order to advance to the next round. If there were ever two drivers to watch in one race, this is it.
3. Joe Gibbs -- His drivers have won both Chase races and, with Toyota, will have a technical alliance with the No. 78 Furniture Row team next season.
4. Del Worsham and Antron Brown -- Winners of the first two NHRA Countdown events in Funny Car and Top Fuel, respectively.
6. Jeff Gordon -- Officially becomes NASCAR's "ironman" with 789 consecutive starts. But needs a good finish at Dover to secure his place in the second Chase round.
7. Donny Schatz -- Wins 30th World of Outlaws feature of the season, the most since Steve Kinser in 1992.3. Joe Gibbs -- His drivers have won both Chase races and, with Toyota, will have a technical alliance with the No. 78 Furniture Row team next season.
4. Del Worsham and Antron Brown -- Winners of the first two NHRA Countdown events in Funny Car and Top Fuel, respectively.
6. Jeff Gordon -- Officially becomes NASCAR's "ironman" with 789 consecutive starts. But needs a good finish at Dover to secure his place in the second Chase round.
8. Gene Haas -- Driver announcement for his Formula One team coming this week.
9. Jeg Coughlin Jr. -- First NHRA driver ever to win national events in seven different eliminator categories: Pro Stock, Stock and Super Gas, Comp, Super Stock, Top Dragster and Stock.
10. Tracy Hines -- Winner of more than 90 USAC national events and a Silver Crown and sprint car series champion, Hines will stop full-time racing next year to become NASCAR Truck series' ThorSport Racing's competition director. Hines leads the USAC midget series standings.
[ more next week . . . ]
