In the third race of the Chase last year, most drivers were wishing they weren’t in Kansas anymore. Rain washed over the 1.5-mile tri-oval, delaying the race and wiping out more than a few cars in wrecks following a long weather delay.

Tony Stewart — who won at Kansas City in 2006 after coasting across the finish line on an empty tank of gas — was running on fumes and leading the race when the first drops of water hit the track. But following a restart wreck, the 20 car had to settle for a 39th, finishing 174 of 210 laps.

In fact, no one finished the race. For the first time in the seven-race history of the event, the 401-mile race was cut short — to 315 miles — due to darkness.

Although controversy surrounded the victory, Greg Biffle finally won after finishing second in 2005 and third in ’04. He may have been out of gas and pulled over in the grass before crossing the line, but Biffle was given credit for his only race win of the season and his first in K.C.

The only driver to take two checkered flags on the plains is Jeff Gordon, who won the first two runs in 2001 and ’02. Since then, Gordon has two top-5 finishes (’03 and ’07) along with a top 10 in 2005.

Kyle Busch (’07), Kevin Harvick (’06) and Kasey Kahne (’05) have all won on the Nationwide Series in the Sunflower State but have had limited success at the track on the Cup circuit.

FANTASY STALL
Looking at Checkers
Provided his Toyota is racy enough, Stewart remains the safe pick.
Pretty Solid Pick

Jimmie Johnson
Good Sleeper Pick
Casey Mears
Runs on Seven Cylinders
Surprisingly, Matt Kenseth.
Insider Tip
Fuel mileage comes into play here more often than not.

KEEP AN EYE ON...
Clint Bowyer The Kansas native thought he had won the Lifelock 400 last year when Greg Biffle fell off the pace under caution, allowing Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson to go by. Much to Bowyer’s chagrin, though, NASCAR ruled he would have to wait yet another season for that home-state win.

Jimmie Johnson Johnson led a race-high 105 laps at Kansas in 2006 but lost out to Tony Stewart in a fuel-mileage duel. The CoT at Kansas should treat this bunch well.

Matt Kenseth Kenseth led 49 laps last year and seemed to be in line for a top 5 — if not a win — before being collected in a wreck on a late restart.

Casey Mears Runs of fourth (’07), second (’06) and eighth (’05) prove Mears may be in the same position as his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Johnson when the CoT rolls out in K.C.