Mark Garrow

  (4:00 PM)

Good afternoon everyone..I guess it's time to get this partay started...

Ed (Petersburg, WV)

Mark, besides the Roushketeers, who else should be heavily favored to finish in the top 10? Does much change from this Michigan race to the earlier race at Michigan? Thanks.

Mark Garrow

  (4:02 PM)

Here's the top-15 from pre-race rankings..maybe that will help you here..1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Kyle Busch 3. Tony Stewart 4. Carl Edwards 5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 6. Kasey Kahne 7. Matt Kenseth 8. Denny Hamlin 9. David Ragan 10.Brian Vickers 11.Kurt Busch 12.Kevin Harvick 13.Greg Biffle 14.Jeff Gordon 15.Mark Martin

Eric (Wautoma, WI)

Hey Mark...I made the Hero pick of the year in my weekly pick em league last week (Marcos Ambrose) and rode it to 1st place for the week...This week I pick 10th & 11th and would like your thoughts on who I can look at at those positions...I want to win 2 in a row!!!!

Mark Garrow

  (4:04 PM)

I think A.J. Allmendinger is going to be very tough this week...and congrats on the Ambrose things..I knew he would be fast but think he'd be able to finish because I thought he would be let down by the car..he had no brakes or clutch but he did manage to finish and great job!

Jason:Alabama

Hey Mark: For my SCC game, what about 48,20,17,9,84;and also, what happened to the 24? they were horrible, i know that they are in decent shape for the chase(maybe), but something just isn't right.

Mark Garrow

  (4:07 PM)

Jason, I think going in to Michigan this will be a pretty strong team..may need to find a way to get the 18 or 99 in there somehow..but this group pretty strong..as for the 24 when they're bad ..they are really, really, really, really BAD!

Kendrick: Floriday

Hey Mark; For my scc game; For the last 4 races, what about this team; 48,20,17,9,84; the 84 seems to be doing alot better; The two gordon's killed me last week, what happened to them? Do u think that the 24 and the 5 need to swap crew chiefs, i know that is extreme but the 24 and the 5 are just missing something, i don't see how the 24 is even in the top 12.

Mark Garrow

  (4:11 PM)

Hey Kendrick...you and Jason got something going on...both of you with the same team with questions back to back..what's that all about...lol...Robby Gordon killed a lot of folks last week you have my sympathy..24 isn't that far off..the five is on another planet however and needs more than a crew chief swap..Hard to say what's going on at Hendrick 88 has been most consistent..48 starting to come one...after that not much..

John (Arlington, VA)

Lesson learned from last week's race for me, forget the road course ringers and go with solid drivers who have good momentum and are racing well (e.g. 17, 9, 84).

Mark Garrow

  (4:13 PM)

I hear that..but Ron Fellows did put up a solid number just like I predicted..I also had Allmendinger rated highly Sunday..missed the boat though on Ambrose and didn't give Montoya enough props..I know I'm swearing off talking good about Robby Gordon anymore that's for sure..

Kevin Detroit MI

Mark Ford has always done well at Michigan, will this continue? What Fords do you see wining or do the Dodge's have a shot at a win and if so who?

Mark Garrow

  (4:15 PM)

Kevin, I see most if not all of the Roush cars performing strong and Travis Kvapil finished high the last time they were there earlier this year..If a Dodge wins it will be Kahne..no one else over there capable of winning right now..Sadler, Newman and Busch should be pretty good but not good enough to win.

Mike-Woodridge,Ill

Hey Mark. Assuming I CANT use the 88, 11, 48, 99, 24, 20, or the 18 this weekend, which two drivers would you pick to have the best finish. However, only one of the two drivers can be from last years top ten at Michigan. Thanks.

Mark Garrow

  (4:17 PM)

I'd say look at the 83 or the 19..who performed very well on the two-mile track earlier this year and should be strong again..And David Ragan impressed the fire out of me in that race as well.

Cam, Houston

Mark, do you see this race coming down to fuel millage? Do you think a car that is not the fastest will win again due to pit strategy or fuel millage? Thanks for your help.

Mark Garrow

  (4:17 PM)

Cam, it could happen and Michigan is always a good candidate for arace like that..big and wide you can go a long time in between yellow flags..

doug(wi)

mark or (goru?)...that wa some really poor info on m.ambose last week!! it really costed me by not taking him intead of r.gordon in more ways than one!!!

Mark Garrow

  (4:20 PM)

Doug...guilty man...I blew the call on Gordon totally...but again going on what the garage had to say..I needed however to keep reminding myself there was a reason he was that low in the points and constantly shoots himself in the foot on road courses..Ambrose almost got that one right..don't get me wrong I was glad he finished third for the Wood Brothers..but I said the car might let him down and when the race was over his clutch was gone and he had no brake pedal..but again my apologies..and I'll try to make it up to you this week...Goru out.

ray GORDON REID ANN ARBOR MI 48104

QUESTION TO ESPN/NASCAR GURU THE MARK GARROW AT 4.05 PM HI MARK WHO;S IT GONNA BE SUNDAY

Mark Garrow

  (4:24 PM)

Hey Ray..good to hear from you again..I think Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch are going to duke it out Sunday at Michigan..take man talk to you Sunday morning again..

Joe (Philly)

Guru, what happened to Robby last week? He was a hot mess!

Mark Garrow

  (4:25 PM)

Joe, all I can say is that I heard the crew chiefs but I also should have listened to that little birdie in my ear that said "yeah Gordon's fast...but he won't finish as well as he'll run"...Hey I've been whipping myself with wet noodles all week over that one..

Mike (Los Angeles)

Time for the weekly A.J. Allmendinger question... What's your outlook for him this week?

Mark Garrow

  (4:27 PM)

I think he runs 12 to 18th, another solid outing..this team has basically turned into a group you can count on to run somewhere close to 15th on a weekly basis and the price is still right.

David Fuller (Marion, NY)

Do you think Bowyer will miss the Chase?

Mark Garrow

  (4:29 PM)

He could be the odd man out..Michigan is not one of the best tracks for RCR and if Bowyer has a bad day..shut out the lights and the party's over unless he gets some big time help from some guys already in the top-12..Bowyer has to worry about being overtaken by David Ragan too..Michigan will be a good track for him...07 team has certainly lost their mojo and I think its shaken their confidence.

Mark Garrow

  (4:29 PM)

He could be the odd man out..Michigan is not one of the best tracks for RCR and if Bowyer has a bad day..shut out the lights and the party's over unless he gets some big time help from some guys already in the top-12..Bowyer has to worry about being overtaken by David Ragan too..Michigan will be a good track for him...07 team has certainly lost their mojo and I think its shaken their confidence.

Mike (Los Angeles)

Mark, to follow up on Jason's team, which do you prefer: 48-20-17-9-84 or 99-48-17-2-84?

Mark Garrow

  (4:31 PM)

Mike, I like the first team a little better because the 2 is just so darn inconsistent..48,20,17 and 9 should all have a chance to run top-five..probable top-10 locks..84 goes 15th or better and you're got a hit record baby!

Stan (ATL GA)

Fellows did OK last week but how did R. Gordon go a lap down on a road course early in the race? Thats hard to do.

Mark Garrow

  (4:32 PM)

It is hard to do and leave it up to Robby Gordon to figure out how to do that...never again..swearing off Gordon..

Joe (Philly)

Ragan is mighty high on your list this week, what gives?

Mark Garrow

  (4:34 PM)

Joe, Michigan is a very good race for the Roushketeers and I think Ragan will run top-10..You had Kenseth, Edwards, Ragan and McMurray top-10 there earlier this year..with Biffle 20th but he ran way better than that.

Stan (Oklahoma City)

does it go without saying that there's no way I should trade Kyle Busch the rest of the way?

Mark Garrow

  (4:41 PM)

Every time I drop the boy..he burns me baby and he burns me bad...he's a little up and down but bad fast wherever he goes.

Ted (New Jersey)

How many more wins can you see Kyle getting?

Mark Garrow

  (4:42 PM)

At this pace 14..but right now they can go for it, take some chances they won't be able to do if they are fighting for the championship. I can see him winning two or three more..

Neal (Washington)

Where do you think Kyle's season will rank among some of the best ever by the time it's all done?

Mark Garrow

  (4:44 PM)

Given he's won Truck races, Nationwide and Cup races..if he caps it off with a Sprint Cup championship it will have to be ranked as one of the best all-time..probably double digit wins in Cup..one of the best in the Modern Era no doubt about it...I said when Rick Hendrick let Busch go I could understand the business side of it but he was going to give Hendrick some sleepless nights and he has and he will..I bet regrets just a little bit that maybe he should have let Mears go instead of Busch.

Jake (Philly)

did everyone always think that kyle was the more talented of the two brothers?

Mark Garrow

  (4:45 PM)

From what I hear from their early days in Vegas..some predicted that because he was little more fiery and would drive just a little harder..but remember this Kurt doesn't have the car his brother has right now...not by a long shot especially under the hood.

Rickey (Chicago)

what do you think the strategy for Kyle is the rest of the way? Push it and see how many they can win and get the bonus points for the chase or start tinkering with things to get everything just right for the rest of the season?

Mark Garrow

  (4:47 PM)

I think he pushes to win another race or two before the regular season cut..If he can start 50-70 points ahead of everybody else that will be quite an advantage..There's no penalty now to push it and they will..and they'll still be able to try some things they won't be able to once the Chase starts./

Frank (DC)

is it safe to say that at least in terms of wins, this season hasn't been that great for Junior?

Mark Garrow

  (4:48 PM)

I said before the start of the year Junior would win three to five races and with an break at all he'd be right there now..He's been pretty consistent.sure he'd like to have won more races but this season is hardly a "bust"..He's going to make the Chase easily and he'll be a contender too you can count on that.

Evan (Phoenix)

Do you let weather conditions determine who you put in your starting lineup?

Mark Garrow

  (4:49 PM)

Evan...no not really it's pretty much the same for everyone...if I have a close call I will think about which crew chief I think would be smartest to play the weather strategy..but that's about it.

Glenn (NJ)

Anyone running well right now that no one's talking about that you think could still get a win or two before the season's over?

Mark Garrow

  (4:51 PM)

Glenn, I think Greg Biffle could grab a win before the season's over ..and could a Martin Truex, Jr. or a David Ragan get into victory lane before the year's out..I believe again Dale Jr. will win a couple of more before its over as well.,.

keith (NJ)

what kind of racing do we see this weekend?

Mark Garrow

  (4:52 PM)

I think it's going to get spread out and there won't be many yellow flags, which will not make for the most exciting race..Could turn into a fuel mileage deal too..

Will (Oregon)

should I hold on to Stewart? Do you think he'll continue to put his all in even though he's moving on to another team next year?

Mark Garrow

  (4:52 PM)

Stewart is on his typical late season roll right now..So I say hold and count the big points!

Christian [Homestead]

How do you think Jr. is going to do this year? Also, how will Tony Stewart do next year?

Mark Garrow

  (4:54 PM)

Junior finishes no worse than top-five in the Chase..Next year, Stewart is going to struggle a little bit..no way for him to miss some of the new team "blues"..in the end, however, he's got the "racer" mentality and he'll be successful...eventually.

Janet (Ascutney VT.)

Hi Mark, I can use Jr. and the Biff only 1 time each for the rest of the year. Do you think this is the track to use them up or is there a better track to save them for? If so which ones. Thanks.

Mark Garrow

  (4:59 PM)

Janet..hope things are good at the base of Mount Ascutney..I think you can save those guys this week because there will be some other drivers who should perform pretty close to the same..This might be a week to try a David Ragan, who was top-10 this year in the first race..A Vickers..maybe Elliott Sadler and Jamie McMurray as well..they were both top-10 in June..

Mark Garrow

  (5:00 PM)

Well folks that's going to do it.."chat" with you again this Sunday morning at 10:30 eastern..Until then have a great week!