NASCAR Sprint Cup at Texas: Matt Kenseth and 10 Drivers Who'll Be in the Mix

The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers may have a week off after Martinsville, but they will return for a full-throttle Texas shootout at the Samsung Mobile 500, an event that will continue to shakeout the contenders.

The roller-coaster ride of different tracks will settle into two 1.5-mile ovals with Texas followed by the STP 400 in Kansas.

Texas Motor Speedway is a fast, oval track with 24-degree banking in the turns. Drivers are able to get strong runs with multi-groove action.

Horsepower and balance on the car will be key to getting to the front, but fuel and tire strategy will play a considerable roll for the driver who takes the checkered flag.

The Roush/Yates engines should have the Ford drivers in the lead pack with the Roush Fenway Racing drivers earning multiple wins in Texas. Matt Kenseth was the winner of this race in 2011.

Track promoter Eddie Gossage will guarantee a show for the fans. You never know what unexpected events he will unveil, but they are always entertaining.

The drivers who will be the strongest this season are making a statement and those who are floundering in the points may be in trouble on these intermediate tracks.

In no particular order, these are the drivers who are most likely to vie for the checkered flag at the Samsung Mobile 500.

Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, won the Daytona 500 this year and sits fourth in the point standings.

Kenseth has won twice at Texas in the spring races in 2002 and last season. He has 13 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 8.7 at the track.

This is a driver who performs well on intermediate tracks, with 17 of his 22 Cup wins coming on those ovals. The Roush-Yates horsepower should keep him near the front in the Samsung Mobile 500.

Denny Hamlin

Denny Hamlin has taken his No. 11 FedEx Toyota to the winner's circle once this year and is looking to prove he is back big-time with his new crew chief, Darian Grubb.

This Joe Gibbs Racing driver won both races at Texas in 2010. He has eight top-10 finishes and an average finish of 10.2 at this track.

Hamlin is good on intermediate tracks, with 12 of his 18 career Cup wins coming on those courses.

Currently, Hamlin ranks seventh in the point standings.

Jimmie Johnson

Jimmie Johnson's 2012 season began with challenges that had him down negative points in the standings, but he has rebounded to 10th in the points.

Though he has yet to win a race this season, it is obvious the No. 48 Lowe's team is strong and ready to pounce.

Johnson won the fall race at Texas in 2007, has 12 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 10.2 at the track.

This Hendrick Motorsports driver is a contender for sure on intermediate tracks, having earned 38 of his 55 Cup wins on them.

Tony Stewart

The word that best describes Tony Stewart right now is "confidence." The reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion continues to roll with wins at Las Vegas and Fontana in 2012.

The owner/driver of the No. 14 Chevrolet has two wins at Texas and 11 top-10 finishes with an average finish of 12.6.

With wins at a 1.5-mile track and a two-mile track so far this season, it is obvious the team is going to be strong in the Samsung Mobile 500.

Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards, the pilot of the No. 99 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, has not come out of the gate in 2012 quite like he expected. Currently, he has climbed his way to 11th in the point standings.

Edwards has three wins at Texas, proving victorious in 2005 and sweeping both races in 2008. His average finish is 15.5 and he only has six top-10 finishes at this track.

Edwards is another of the RFR drivers who will have an advantage with the Roush-Yates horsepower. Since 17 of his 19 career Cup wins have come on intermediate tracks, he may be headed for a Texas win.

Kevin Harvick

Kevin Harvick has not won a race with his No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet this year and he has not won at Texas either.

Harvick does have eight top-10 finishes at this track, with an average finish of 12.9. Half of his 18 career Cup wins have come on intermediate tracks.

Harvick is looking to close the deal soon on a race and he will be a contender to win in the Samsung Mobile 500.

Currently, he is ranked fifth in the points, tied with three other drivers who are 12 points out of the lead.

Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon is pretty deep in the points at 21st and knows he has to win some races and finish well soon. He nearly won at Martinsville and you can see his sense of urgency to get to Victory Lane.

The driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet has one win at Texas from the spring race in 2009. Gordon has finished in the top 10 during 10 races and has an average finish of 16.8.

Of Gordon's 85 career Cup wins, 45 have been on intermediate tracks. The fact that this Hendrick Motorsports driver knows he has to get in the points game should have him running in the lead pack.

Greg Biffle

Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford, remains atop the point standings and heads to Texas with one win there in 2005.

Biffle has nine top-10 finishes and an average finish of 17.2 at Texas. Of his 16 Cup wins, 15 have come on intermediate tracks, which makes him a threat.

This is the third Roush Fenway Racing driver that may have an advantage with the Roush-Yates horsepower that comes on strong at the bigger tracks.

Biffle is looking good this season with more consistency and a win can't be far away.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has gotten the fire back in his eyes and is running consistently strong with his No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

Junior has been running near the front and badly wants to end his 135-race winless streak. He, like the other Hendrick drivers, wants to be the one to get the 200th Cup win for the boss.

Earnhardt won a race at Texas back in 2000, has 10 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 14.1.

The No.88 team seems to have gotten a handle on intermediate tracks. So, with Earnhardt's momentum seeming to get stronger each race, look for him to once again run with the lead dogs.

Martin Truex Jr.

Michael Waltrip Racing made sweeping changes during the off-season in hopes of becoming a major player in NASCAR.

It appears the team's two full-time drivers, Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer, are both making a statement this season with Truex taking a bit of a lead over his teammate.

Truex has finished in the top 10 four times this season with his worst finish of 17th at Las Vegas and a 12th-place finish at Daytona.

At Texas, the driver of the No. 56 NAPA Toyota has six top-10 finishes and an average finish of 16.9.

Though his Texas statistics are not as good as others on this list, Truex looks to be coming on strong as a contender to not only finish well, but win races. The new, improved MWR driver may start at Texas.

Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne hasn't had much fun with his new ride at Hendrick Motorsports this season, but at some point he will run well, not crash or lose an engine. Texas Motor Speedway might be that place.

Kahne has one win at the Texas track and four top-five finishes, but his average finish is only mid-pack at 19.6. Of the 12 career wins for this driver, 10 have come at intermediate tracks.

All the Hendrick Motorsports drivers are eager to be the one that finally gets the 200th Cup win for Rick Hendrick. After all the problems Kahne has had so far, maybe he will be the one to get that win in the Samsung Mobile 500.