Denny Hamlin

It's nickname is the Monster Mile, but it's Jimmie Johnson that has been a monster at Dover. The five time champ is a seven time winner at the mile long track. That's bad news for the field this weekend as Johnson also come in this weekend as the points leader. “The intensity you have to drive that track with. It really fits my style," said Johnson. It's the closest track we have to being airborne each lap with the drop off into turns one and three. It's just cool you've got to bring your big boy pants every lap there and I love it.” JJ won when NASCAR was at Dover back in June.

The Chase is on, and all bets are off. The only thing about this of year, is nothing predictable. I mean, don't ask me whose going to win, I picked Carl Edwards to win it all in the preseason. Brad Keselowski jumped out to the early lead after winning at Chicagoland on Sunday. But it is just one race. "There's still nine weeks left," said Keselowski. "Any time you win, it's a bit of a mission accomplished for that particular weekend, but the Chase isn't about one particular weekend, it's about 10, and there's a long road to hoe. " And anything can happen it one race.

Kevin Harvick took the lead by dodging a caution caused by leader Kurt Busch, then pulled away on a restart with 17 laps to go and won the Nationwide Series race Friday night at Richmond International Raceway. The victory snapped a 30-race winless streak in the series for Harvick, whose last victory came in this race two years ago. It was his 38th victory in the series, and fifth at Richmond. As he had done for much of the race, Harvick pulled away as if he had an extra gear when the race went back to green on lap 234, leaving championship contender Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Busch to battle for second.

In NASCAR a lot of the success is about timing and getting hot at the right time can be the difference between 10th place in the standings and a title. Just ask Tony Stewart or Kyle Busch. Both know all to well but for different reasons. The driver of the hour is now Denny Hamlin. In a sport where fans and media want to crown the champion after every lap of every race (I mean that is why my twitter feed is constantly littered with the if the chase ended today standings right?). Hamlin is smoking hot. Back to back wins have a way of doing that.

Just when you thought Tony Stewart had become some docile owner type, like manna from heaven...he's back! And as a fan who loves it when people stir the pot, it feels good. Even it you don't get my vague 90's reference (Tony, Toni, Tone', Google them), you had to have loved the fact that the helmet throwing finger wagging Bristol appears to be back, even if it is for one night only. "I saw him lingering, kind of waiting with his gear," said Jimmie Johnson. "I figured something was going to happen.  I heard he had a good toss on it. " Nailed the 17 dead on did Stewart and then vowed to wreck Matt Kenseth ever chance he gets.

NASCAR heads to the home of horse power this weekend Detroit, Michigan. Okay, technically it's Brooklyn, but its close enough that this a big deal for all the manufactures, as they are racing in the shadow of the big 3. The track went through a repaving before the June race and it had mixed results. "There was virtually no passing, and there was only one groove," said Kevin Harvick. Kasey Kahne agreed, but has hope for this weekend's return, "The repaving made the groove a lot narrower.

If you are asking yourself, "weren't we just in Pocono?"  The answer is almost. It was just seven races ago that NASCAR visited Pocono, by far the shortest time between visits to the same race track. And according to Joey Logano that makes coming back to Pocano, that much easier. "When the races are closer, your notes relate a lot better than it is coming to a racetrack a whole year later, because a lot of things can be different a year later," said Logano. "Your general set up of a car usually changes a lot throughout a year.  Your chassis usually changes and your bodies are different.  It's hard to go back on what you have and improve on that.  Usually come with a whole different package.

Denny Hamlin didn't win on Sunday. But his team may have been the biggest winner coming out of New Hampshire. It was almost as if his team knew something everyone else didn't after a mistake in the pits lead to a second place finish. "You're going to have days like this.  It's part of racing," said Hamlin. "That's why it's such a team sport.  It's the pit crew, the driver, the car, the crew chief, all those things put together.  We just had a slight miscommunication, that one little mistake will magnify and take a win away from you. " Slight miscommunication?