FanHouse Warmup: Checker 500

The Essentials

Race: Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500

Where: Phoenix Int'l Raceway
Time: Sunday 3:15 PM ET
TV/Radio: ABC, MRN Radio
Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing
Forecast: Mostly sunny, High 60s
Distance: 312 laps (312 miles)
Pole Winner: Martin Truex Jr.
2008 Winner: Jimmie Johnson

The Storylines

What makes any NASCAR finish exciting, and any sporting event for that matter, is when the unexpected happens. A last-second shot, a last-second touchdown, an underdog felling a Goliath and even a last lap pass -- yes, even Jimmie Johnson smacking the wall last week at Texas -- all create the unanticipated result that feeds into creating the rush of a sporting event.

Unfortunately, the most recent data we have from Phoenix International Raceway doesn't leave a lot of hope that we'll be seeing the unforeseen Sunday afternoon at the 1-miler.

Not to be a downer, but the three most eligible drivers to make history in 2009 with a a Sprint Cup title are the Hendrick Motorsports trio of Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon. Coincidentally, they are also the three drivers who have scored the most recent wins at PIR.

Gordon got the ball rolling with a win in 2007 until Johnson won three straight in '07 and 2008. Mark Martin capped the Hendrick ownership of Phoenix earlier this year when his No. 5 drove to victory in the April event.

So unless one of them, say, gets a nudge from Sam Hornish Jr. on or around lap 3 on Sunday, it seems like we'll be seeing more of the same: a Hendrick car out front.

So. Exciting.

Carl Edwards won Saturday's Nationwide Series race at PIR and in the process left Kyle Busch to wait until he makes the start at Homestead next week to clinch the series title.

That, though, wasn't the most exciting feature of the race -- and not the one that might carry over to Sunday's Cup action.

Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski, as we know, aren't exactly best friends after a string of on-track incidents. After Saturday's race, it didn't get any better.

Needless details aside, Hamlin bumped Keselowski for position during the race and Keselowski, in turn, spun Hamlin.

Denny wasn't so happy about it and promised to take the matters into his own hands after the incident. They even had a heated argument outside of the Nationwide Series hauler.

What does that mean? Well, I can't say we know when Keselowski will get the payback, but both he and Denny will be Sunday's race.