Fantasy Preview: Phoenix (cont'd)

That was proved by Juan Montoya at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this summer in the Brickyard 400 when he finished second on the 2.5-mile flat track and he reasserted the claim at Martinsville a few weeks ago with his first short-track top-10 on that flat half-miler. Keep these three drivers in mind during practice and if their average speed is in the top 20, they just may finish there.

More traditional dark horses may come in the form of short-timers Johnny Sauter and Tony Raines. Both of these drivers are in danger of being left without a seat when the game of musical chairs ends at the end of the season and they need to prove their strength in order to capture a good Nationwide or Craftsman Truck Series ride next year. The Gene Haas and Hall of Fame Racing teams have operated as satellites for Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, respectively, and those have been the two biggest powerhouses in the Car of Tomorrow events. That strength has trickled down to their associates and Sauter, Raines and the inactive Jeff Green have each finished in the top 15 on the short, flat tracks this year. Also keep an eye on Jeremy Mayfield. He has secured his ride for next year in one of Haas' cars, but he's no less determined to run well.