Duel #1
Winner: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Does anyone really expect that going to the back is going to affect Junior all that much? He's going to have two dance partners in Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears, and he's got the added benefit of Johnson being already locked into the pole position.
Who's in: Kurt Busch's presence makes this extremely difficult to predict. Busch is guaranteed a spot in the race with the past champions' provisional, but is still considered an outside-the-top-35 car, and would open up that provisional if he was to snag one of the first duel's two transfer spots. That's a given. Therefore, that leaves one transfer spot, which I think goes to Brian Vickers. Joe Nemechek is already locked in, and since Busch takes the first transfer spot, Boris Said is the beneficiary because of his qualifying time.
Heartbreak Hotel: AJ Allmendinger, Bill Elliott, Carl Long, Sterling Marlin, Kenny Wallace. Allmendinger and Elliott start the season behind the 8 ball in the top 35, as the other three aren't running a full season. Elliott is third in line for the past champion's provisional, and while it is feasible that he could get in because Busch and Dale Jarrett have been pretty quick, I don't think that it's going to happen.
Duel #2 Winner: Tony Stewart. Much like Dale Jr., Stewart's move to the back of the line won't be an issue. Stewart has been ridiculously successful in the duel races, and with both his teammates in the second duel with him, this race should be no different. Barring a catastrophe, look for all three Gibbs cars to finish in the top 5.
Who's in: Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann start first and second, and are already guaranteed positions based on Sunday. Since Boris Said will lock himself into the show in the first race, Patrick Carpentier will be automatically locked in before this race starts, but will still get one of the transfer spots. But Reutimann will be in one of those transfer spots, and Dale Jarrett uses the past champion's provisional.
Heartbreak Hotel: Jacques Villenueve, Ken Schrader, Stanton Barrett, Eric McClure, John Andretti. Villenueve makes a silly mistake and will scrape the wall, and while Schrader will get up on the wheel, his equipment won't be good enough to get him in the field.
Winner: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Does anyone really expect that going to the back is going to affect Junior all that much? He's going to have two dance partners in Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears, and he's got the added benefit of Johnson being already locked into the pole position.
Who's in: Kurt Busch's presence makes this extremely difficult to predict. Busch is guaranteed a spot in the race with the past champions' provisional, but is still considered an outside-the-top-35 car, and would open up that provisional if he was to snag one of the first duel's two transfer spots. That's a given. Therefore, that leaves one transfer spot, which I think goes to Brian Vickers. Joe Nemechek is already locked in, and since Busch takes the first transfer spot, Boris Said is the beneficiary because of his qualifying time.
Heartbreak Hotel: AJ Allmendinger, Bill Elliott, Carl Long, Sterling Marlin, Kenny Wallace. Allmendinger and Elliott start the season behind the 8 ball in the top 35, as the other three aren't running a full season. Elliott is third in line for the past champion's provisional, and while it is feasible that he could get in because Busch and Dale Jarrett have been pretty quick, I don't think that it's going to happen.
Duel #2 Winner: Tony Stewart. Much like Dale Jr., Stewart's move to the back of the line won't be an issue. Stewart has been ridiculously successful in the duel races, and with both his teammates in the second duel with him, this race should be no different. Barring a catastrophe, look for all three Gibbs cars to finish in the top 5.
Who's in: Michael Waltrip and David Reutimann start first and second, and are already guaranteed positions based on Sunday. Since Boris Said will lock himself into the show in the first race, Patrick Carpentier will be automatically locked in before this race starts, but will still get one of the transfer spots. But Reutimann will be in one of those transfer spots, and Dale Jarrett uses the past champion's provisional.
Heartbreak Hotel: Jacques Villenueve, Ken Schrader, Stanton Barrett, Eric McClure, John Andretti. Villenueve makes a silly mistake and will scrape the wall, and while Schrader will get up on the wheel, his equipment won't be good enough to get him in the field.
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