Younger Busch coming home to Vegas on a roll (cont'd)

In The Loop: Vegas

Most of the stories this weekend will revolve around one central figure -- Johnson. The topic will either be A) Can Johnson win his fourth consecutive race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway? Or B) Who can knock off Johnson from the Las Vegas pedestal?

As tough as it would seem, Johnson absolutely can pull off the incredible four-in-a-row feat. He's been phenomenal during his streak: A driver rating of 133.7, an average running position of 5.1, 149 fastest laps run, average green flag speed of 163.075 mph, 749 laps In the top 15 and 197 laps led. All those numbers are by far the tops in the series at Las Vegas in the last three races.

Numbers: Vegas

Jimmie Johnson is looking for his fourth consecutive win at LVMS. The last driver to win four in a row at one track -- Johnson, at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 2004 and 2005.

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But there are four other drivers who own Las Vegas driver ratings that eclipse the 100-point barrier. And three own at least one Sprint Cup title -- Gordon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth.

Gordon, who finished second in last season's race, might have the best shot at ending the No. 48 team's dominance. He has a driver rating of 114.1 (second-best), an average running position of 8.1 (third), 66 fastest laps run (second) and 748 laps in the top 15 (second). He leads the series in quality passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green) with 153.

Another Las Vegas contender is Stewart, who finished seventh last year and has two top 10s in the last three Vegas races. Stewart has a driver rating of 100.9 (fifth) and an average running position of 9.7.

Also watch for Kenseth to have a strong run. Kenseth, always a threat on 1.5-mile layouts, is the last driver not named Jimmie Johnson to win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He won in both 2003 and 2004, and since then has three consecutive finishes in the top 10. Kenseth has an average running position of 12.7 (eighth), a driver rating of 104.5 (fourth) and 39 fastest laps run (tied for fourth).

Arguably, Busch has been the strongest driver the first two races of the 2008 season. That consistency should continue at Las Vegas, where Busch has three consecutive top-10 finishes -- including results of second (2005) and third (2006).

At Vegas, Busch has a driver rating of 108.7 (third), an average running position of 7.1 (second), 49 fastest laps run (third) and 746 laps in the top 15 (third).

Off The Track

Given that one of the world's entertainment hubs sits just a few miles south of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, fans should expect to see -- and hear -- stars this weekend.

The quiet stars of the Cup Series lead off, with team haulers scheduled for a Thursday parade down Las Vegas Boulevard, known as "The Strip."

Transporter drivers will stage their trucks at 5:30 p.m. ET just south of the Russell Road-Las Vegas Blvd. intersection, parading north for five miles in the middle lane. A left turn on Sahara Avenue takes them to Interstate 15 for the short drive to the track.

Carol Linnea Johnson, who stars in "Mamma Mia!" at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, will sing Sunday's national anthem.

Blue Man Group, which can be seen at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, will perform Saturday and Sunday in the Neon Garage; also during Sunday's pre-race show.

Country music artist Jason Michael Carroll will perform Sunday morning in the midway behind the main grandstands.

And as they did prior to the 50th Daytona 500 two weeks ago, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, from next-door Nellis Air Force base, will perform Sunday's flyover.

Clock ticking for some

Tick, tick, tick ...

For those Cup teams residing in the proximity of the 35th position in car owner points, the pressure is already being felt.

For the first five races of the 2008 season, the top 35 teams in the final 2007 owner points are assured starting spots. Beginning with this season's sixth race, March 30 at Martinsville Speedway, the 2008 points determine the weekly top-35 guarantees. Teams outside the top 35 will have to qualify based on pole day

This week, the 35th spot belongs to the No. 40 Dodge team owned by Felix Sabates, with driver Dario Franchitti, last year's winner of the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar Series championship. The No. 77 Dodge team owned by Roger Penske, is 33rd. That team's driver is Sam Hornish Jr., who won the Indy 500 in 2006 and the IndyCar Series title in 2001, '02 and '06.

NASCAR Media contributed to this story