We're heading to a repaved and reconfigured Phoenix International Raceway this weekend, but for all intents and purposes, we could be racing in Ducktown, Tennessee (yes, it really exists...look it up).  The track is completely different and past history at this track will have little bearing on performance this weekend.  Time to be brave and feel around in the dark...

THE KEEPERS

Tony Stewart.  The little reference we do have to performance at the new surface is testing.  And during the test session(s), nobody was faster than Mr. Stewart.  In addition, when there are very few notes to use as a baseline, generally speaking, the drivers with the most teammates rise to the top.  Yes, Stewart has only one "teammate" in Ryan Newman, but he has plenty of friends in the Hendrick camp who I'm sure would be more than happy to help in an effort to keep the championship in the Chevy family (especially after the Ford "team orders" rumored to have taken place at Talladega).  I know there is progressive banking at the track now, but Stewart has been great at the flat tracks as of late -- finishing second in the July Loudon race, winning there the second time around and also recovering to win at Martinsville just over a week ago.  Smoke has the momentum and his confidence is bubbling over.  He should be a force on Sunday.

Jeff Gordon.  I know past results will have little bearing on this weekend, but Gordon is the defending race winner, has a crew chief who is great at building cars for flat tracks and the four-time champion has been one of the best, if not the best, at flat tracks on the season as a whole.  He had the best car in the first Loudon race, had a great one in the Chase edition.  He bounced back from an early wreck to finish third at Martinsville.  Gordon will have some teammates who have had recent wins at Phoenix (Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin) -- and I think in putting their heads together, the No. 24 team will be stout this weekend.

Ryan Newman.  Stewart's teammate has also been good on the flat tracks, won at Loudon this year and was victorious in Phoenix's February event last year.  More than anything, if the track does yield just one groove as predicted, track position is going to be huge and Newman, although not quite what he used to be, is still one of the best in qualifying trim.

THE SLEEPER

Brad Keselowski.  This is a "feeling" call more than anything.  Few, if any, would expect Keselowski to win this weekend -- and that is typically when he does.  In addition, with track position being so vital, it could easily turn into a fuel mileage race -- something Keselowski and crew chief Paul Wolfe have down to a science.