FanHouse Warmup: Watkins Glen

The Essentials

Race: Heluva Good! @ the Glen

Where: Watkins Glen Int'l Raceway
Time: Monday 12:00pm/EDT
TV/Radio: ESPN, Motor Racing Network
Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing
Monday Forecast: 88 degrees, 40% Rain
Distance: 90 laps (220.5 miles)
Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2008 Winner: Kyle Busch

The Storylines

We talked a little bit about Marcos Ambrose this week on FanHouse and how he appears to be a good pick to win his first race Sunday at Watkins Glen. Well, after practice, qualifying and Saturday's Nationwide race it's become obvious: you'd be crazy to not look at Marcos Ambrose as a favorite.

Ambrose qualified fourth on Friday and led the two practice sessions in race setup on Saturday before winning the Nationwide Series race. For comparison, last year Ambrose started 43rd in the Sprint Cup race and wound up 4th.

The only thing, however, Ambrose will need to watch out for is those darn barrier walls. During his victory burnout on Saturday, the Australian pancaked the right rear of his Toyota on the frontstretch.

Carl Edwards has a theory on why the racing in the Sprint Cup Series seems to have picked up a notch in the last few weeks -- and it's got to do with job security.

"It's insane. I think it probably has to do more with people's contracts being up in the air and sponsors and everything squeezing for every bit of exposure that we can get," said Edwards. "It's like the whole economy [...] people are racing for their careers and their team's existence. I think that's why you see this type of racing."

A lot has been made this week about Jimmie Johnson never having a win in his incredibly successful Sprint Cup career at a road course. For some reason, lots of people have decided that a guy with three championships shouldn't have a resume without a road course win.

Of course, the Cup Series has raced at those tracks just 6 times in the 108 races that Johnson has raced in during those championship seasons. In half of those races, Johnson has finished in the top-10 and hasn't finished outside of the top-20.

Sure, he's not been dominant, but come on, he's been consistently good and getting better.

Johnson's biggest statement on his road course prowess this weekend at Watkins Glen? Oh, just winning the pole for Sunday's race.