Three-wide: What to look for in Sunday st Talladega

Three-wide: What to look for in Sunday's Amp Energy Juice 500


1. The Big One. You know it's going to happen—the inevitable multicar wreck that wipes out a significant portion of the field. In 2008, The Big One took out half the Chase drivers, but Jimmie Johnson dodged it and went on to win the title. Who gets gobbled up in the wreck and who misses it will go a long way toward determining this year's champion.

2. Harvick's big chance. After posting excellent finishes at two tracks where he had struggled recently— Charlotte and Martinsville —Kevin Harvick comes to Talladega as one of the favorites. To gain significant ground on Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin, he needs a win, and 'Dega gives him the best opportunity to get it.

3. Please remove the mask. It's Halloween, and we're likely to have a mystery winner at a track that's full of surprises. Regan Smith and Brad Keselowski are the two most recent drivers to notch their only Cup victories at the 2.66-mile behemoth. (OK, Smith won the race in our hearts, if not on the scoreboard). — Reid Spencer

"Fast cars are what it takes to even have shot at winning. You have to have a car that is capable of doing that."

The last time around: Last-lap move powers Harvick

April 25, 2010: In a race that set Sprint Cup Series records for the number of leaders (29) and lead changes (88), Kevin Harvick broke a 115-race winless streak in the Aaron's 499.

Less than a week after sponsor Shell/Pennzoil announced its departure from Harvick's No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet at the end of the season, Harvick won his first points race in the series since his first event in Shell colors—the 2007 Daytona 500.

In the third and final attempt at a green-white-checkered-flag finish, Harvick pushed 2010 Daytona 500 winner Jamie McMurray for all but the final quarter-mile of the final lap before surging past McMurray to the inside and beating the No. 1 Earnhardt-Ganassi Chevy to the line by .011 seconds.

"It really played out perfect for us today," said Harvick, who won for the first time at Talladega . "We had a plan to ride around in the back, wait 'til 50 laps to go and really push forward after that." — Reid Spencer