If there is anything that my mates take just as seriously as music and fast cars; it's NASCAR on the X-Box. A Championship is won and lost on any given night, and the bragging rights are unprecedented. Sometimes when my backs against the wall, I always have my go-to, where I am indomitable. It's called Hot-lanta!

It comes down to this. This is the race that separates the Fast from the Last. After this race, the list of Contenders gets shorter. With four races left till the Championship is crowned, we race at one of my personal favorites..., Calling it, Atlanta Motor Speedway doesn't give it justice!!!!

Don't even dare think this track is a cookie-cutter; she is as hot as she is fast. And take it from the Bear, 'it can't get any hotter.'

The dogleg is sharp, and comes at a bit of an up hill, making it more on the subject of instinct and gut, over experience. She is slick too, so only the auspicious survive. At a track that probably should, and will always be at debate on becoming a restrictor plate race, we drive fast. Fast in the straight, fast in the corners, fast through the front stretch. It's not all about top speed, it's about top average speed in Atlanta. And with nothing but the rulebook restricting horsepower, we drive very, very, very, very fast.

Make sure those seatbelts are strapped on tight. Welcome to Hot-Lanta, Ladies and Gentleman! No Blinking Allowed!

Racers Race: Hot-lanta!

#9 Kasey Kahne - For anybody that can't keep straight all of Kahne's wins this year, Atlanta was one of them. Maybe you missed it, a lot of people did because of the rain delay. It was the only Monday race we have had this year. He came out with what was his new EMS-128 engine at the time, and got his first of five wins with that car. From the #9's league high 6 wins this year, 5 of them are on this chassis he is racing this weekend. He will be a huge threat to win the pole, and he will be a huge threat to win the race. Kahne is -99 points off the Cup. If anyone remembers me telling them, that even after his terrible start to the Chase this year, Kasey will still make headlines as a threat by the end of it: I told you so. Just wait till Monday morning to remember that.

#11 Denny Hamlin - 'Game Boy' is in a league of his own. This year's rookie class has nothing on him. Most veteran drivers come up short as well. The kid can race anything from a Go-Kart, to a stock car. Asked for his favorite past time for his bio, Hamlin answered racing on his X-Box. Asked why he is the only rookie that purchased his own private jet plane at the beginning of the season? He answered that his credit was good. When asked how he dominated this year at Pocono without ever racing the track before in his life? He answered that he dominates the track in his online league as well. When asked how it felt to be a huge threat to win the Championship his first year in the league, being only -47 points away from history, while also being Siddhartha's Dark-Horse pick for this years Chase? He answered, 'Good!' He is full of answers. Atlanta is full of questions for the #11.

Anyone in the Chase can dominate here, and you can count on some huge moves by #48 Jimmie Johnson. JJ is coming on strong, and if he has another good week, his page is going to have to make some room for a huge exclamation mark on his astonishing year.

Don't turn your back on #29 Kevin Harvick either. He is as sly as he is fast, and this track has his characteristics all over it. RCR racing has been working hard all week to put their bad luck behind them, and show up to the track prepared to dominate and eliminate. Both the #29 and the #31 want to be a blur in Atlanta, and both know a few things about streaks.

It's been over three months now that the NASCAR Nation have been talking about it. Especially since Dover, and the beautiful win by the #31 in the second race in the Chase. Can Burton win the Cup? Seriously! And if he does, what will the NASCAR Nation do? What would be the controversy? We have talked about it enough to make our minds race. And we continue to do so.

It's been the talk of the town since he made that clean pass on Kenseth, after giving us one of the greatest shows of the season in the closing laps of Dover. He made headlines. He made heads turn. He made everybody realize how great of a season he really had. He has performed flawlessly, on a resurging team, and he made us all believe that he was the one in charge while they did it. This is the Jeff Burton we all have known and loved, but we had forgotten. The Jeff Burton that came on to the scene by storm, as a young gun, who looked liked one of the best drivers since Jeff Gordon. Now look at him. It's all still there. Within the 5 races in the Chase, he has a 7th place finish, a win, a 5th place in Kansas, a rare 27th place in Talladega, and a 3rd place finish last week at Lowes. This looks like Championship numbers to me. Even that Talladega stat is deceiving. He got 5 bonus points for leading that race. He is the current Chase leader, with a 45-point lead over Mr. Consistent. What does that make Burton? A true contender!

This is how these conversations unfold. Each time dialog is shared about the #31, it always turns really convincing. Burton looks like a Champion. The Chase is between the #31 and #17. Jeff Burton will take the Cup! That's it. It's settled.

Then there is that few seconds of silence that feels like hours pass. Jeff Burton? Really?

Here is a veteran, a class act, a good sport, somewhat of an old schooler, and a fine driver in anyone's book. Everybody would be more then happy to see him win the Championship. It would be one of the biggest justices served to NASCAR this close to Mark Martin winning the Cup. It would be one of the golden moments in NASCAR history. The #31 has what it takes to get it done! No one would have a problem with crowning Burton king of 2006.

But that's the problem. No problem. No trash talking the other fans driver. Who can trash talk Jeff Burton? Not even the media can go there. His teammates love him, his crew would throw there bodies in front of an opposing car at full speed for the guy. And my friends, the same ones that make fun of my mom, they don't have a word against him.

To outsiders of the sport, the fans are known for having their drivers, but their notorious for hating on the others. It's part of the NASCAR fans profile. It's part of a Championship run conversation. It has nothing to do with Jeff Burton. No one hates the guy. That's why we are left racing around in circles about the subject.

This is where we come out of the forth turn, back on to the front stretch. That is not how NASCAR happens. Tony Stewart wins the Cup, and half of the fans start throwing stuff. Gordon runs away with the Chase, and we are forced to hear his fans rub June Bugs name in the mud. A Busch brother wins, and we boycott next seasons Daytona 500. It is how it's always been. There is no way Jeff Burton can win the Cup.

A collective sigh is then shared every time the conversation gets to this point. Until someone breaks the mind twisting silence, and it starts all over again from the green.

Can Jeff Burton Win the Cup? Seriously!

Kahne Stands Tall In NASCAR Nation

It would seem that the new surface at Lowes is exactly what they thought it would be. Fast, slick, and tough to tame. The Busch Series on Friday the 13th proved it, and the Cup Series put an explanation point to it on Saturday night. After early wrecks made almost half the field racing from the hole, and of course the normal Chase engine failure putting some of the rest in the garage early, Kahne proved strong to overcome all elements. Again!

In an ever growing tough field of drivers in NASCAR, Kasey Kahne stands tall once again. To all the fans in NASCAR, you better get used to it.

With his 6th win of the year, Kahne has pulled away as one of the top drivers in NASCAR. Even with the win, Kahne may not have a great chance at a Championship this year, as he is still 160 points from the league leader. But I go on record once again, to make the call that next year will be the year of the Kahne.  

Kasey has dominated at the mile-and-half tracks for weekends at a time. They still have some work to do on the superspeedways, and half mile tracks, but that may not be a fault of the driver. If Evernham Motorsports can prove to have what it takes to put him into a fast car, then Kahne will drive the wheels off the thing. Evernham still has some engine work to do, to keep the #9 on the track, and help Kahne to not having to make up the points for engine failure. Kasey Kahne has proven he has what it takes. It's up to Evernham to prove they have the resources to help.

Lowes did come down to the last person standing after 500 miles, and for the 6th time this season, Kahne stood tall in Victory Lane. Even though he may come up short for the 2006 Chase for the Cup, the future looks bright for the #9 team. Kasey 'The Rain' Kahne will reign on NASCAR for years to come.

NASCAR drives home this weekend to North Carolina. For some, it feels good to sleep in their own bed. For others, there is only six more races in the the Chase, and no time for sleeping. The good news is that most of the garages are not very far down the road from Lowes Motor Speedway. The bad news is that means overtime for everyone in the shop. When home field advantage is spread equally around the garage, every second counts.

The fact that 10 drivers are still racing for a Championship, makes Lowes a sight for sour eyes. NASCAR races in it's own backyard this weekend, let's make a Saturday night out of it, and throw it under the lights. Best get ready to watch the sparks fly!

Racers Race: Lowes Sweet Lowes

Saturday, 10/14 7:00ET NBC

No doubt, Lowes is one of the biggest sponsors in NASCAR. And no doubt, Jimmie Johnson will be the favorite everytime he races here. On sponsor pride alone, the bosses open their checkbooks. But pride runs deep everywhere in the Nextel Cup, and every garage has been seen with their lights on all night long this week. Regardless of what sponsor is on the hood, a win in North Carolina gets everyone a big raise.

From the looks of the Busch series tonight, sparks are not the only thing we have to look forward to. This Saturday night, it may come down to the last person standing. Leave it all on the track. The pride, the spirit, the heart, and the glory. Welcome home, NASCAR.

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO BLOG

This is my second attempt to make a video blog. Not my best work, but I was on a time line. I hope you enjoy. And I hope that everyone let's the sparks fly at Lowes!

Burton Answers Big

Every week since 2001, Jeff Burton has had to answer the same question from the media, from his sponsors, and most importantly from himself. When, if ever, will he be back in Victory Lane?

Come Monday morning, that smile on Jeff Burtons face had indicated that there is no more room for those types of questions anymore. No one will have enough time to talk about that 5-year drought that Burton has been shut out of Victory Lane. After his impressive year this season, and this Sundays equally impressive win in Dover, all questions will be reserved for the topic of the Championship.

Class, is the first word to come to mind when the topic of Burton comes up with race fans, and there is no better word to describe his victory on Sunday. Facing off with Kenseth in the last 25 laps, could have turned ugly quick. Both drivers were racing their cars sideways through all the corners, and the slightest attitude could have resulted in intentional wreckage. Kenseth did his best to defend his lead against Burton, who had been riding his bumper for over 10 laps, and Burton could have easily stripped the lead with the bump-and-run, but stayed true to his character. With less then 5 laps left in the race, Burton made his move like he has been doing it his whole career, classy.

Burton looked great in Victory Lane, and the emotion that came with it left smiles, miles deep into the Chase for the Cup. With the question that had haunted him for five years in his rearview mirror: his windshield, along with the next question, turns its focus on the Championship.