Fearless Predictons - Charlotte

As Sunday's double dose of auto racing approaches, it's time to offer another set of predictions for the top 10 finishers, this time for the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule. Last week's predictions went 4-6, leaving us with a season record of 51-59.

1. Jimmie Johnson. This seems to be about the time of year when the No. 48 team starts to exert its will on the rest of NASCAR.

2. Kyle Busch. Some drivers seem to do their best when they are ticked off at the rest of the world.

3. Denny Hamlin. And some seem to tick off the rest of the world when they are putting up their best results.

4. Ryan Newman. Here's a driver who must like the home cooking. He's on the pole for this race for the second year in a row.

5. Kurt Busch. Another driver enjoying the NASCAR home stand in Charlotte. He won the Sprint All-Star Race, and he's on the front row with Newman.

6. Kasey Kahne. The good folks at Yahoo Sports tell us that Kahne has finished in the top 10 in the last five races here.

7. Joey Logano. The 600-mile race is supposed to favor the veterans, but Logano finished in the top 10 in both Charlotte races last season.

8. Greg Biffle. 12 races, eight finishes in the top 10. Lather, rinse, repeat.

9. Kevin Harvick. Oh, did we mention the Sprint Cup points leader?

10. David Reutimann. Yes, he's in our medium-to-long-shot slot this week. But he is, for better or worse, the defending champion of this race. Yes, he got an assist from Mother Nature, but he still had to put himself in position to get that assist.

Oh, and here's a bonus prediction: Look for Dario Franchitti to win his second Indianapolis 500.

We'll be back with race results.