Dreaming of My Picks for Phoenix

Get ready...get set...let's see some action!

Like all of you, I hope this season's race Saturday night will be full of excitement. Hopefully we can get these guys to wear their hearts on their sleeves. 

I long for the old days when drivers pushed and bullied their way to the front. What I wouldn't do to see some helmets and fists flying.

Hey, I can dream a little, can't I?

I guess all the numbers and momentum by the 48 team is probably a given, but I'd like to see someone else win. Yes, I like the 48 team as well as all the teams, but I'd like to see someone who actually races his way to a win.

Coming either from a penalty or from back in the pack, let's see someone ruffle a few feathers to get to the front and win.

I'm tired of the pit road winner going out to dominate for a few or not, and then the first five drivers going on to win.

I think my picks will be the usual subjects. The following are my top 10: 48, 33, 29, 18, 11, 2, 14, 99, 31, and 88, along with wild numbers 5, 17, 83, and 96.

Who knows? Maybe a deep, dark horse and first-time winner would be nice. We need some heartwarming and tear-jerking in today's world. It would be a tear to my eye because of a really memorable moment in NASCAR's history. Senior's 500 win and all the pit teams congratulating him on pit road was a memorable moment. 

Michael Waltrip's first Daytona 500 and all the crying that day for Michael was memorable, too, not to mention DEI's first 500 (only to lose Dale, thought it was comforting knowing he was seeing his driver and son take a one, two sweep, with Steve Park winning at the Rock and Kevin Harvick's pressure to be in Dale's seat).

I guess I need a good cry and a good race. Just a little wishful thinking and longing for days of old. Good luck this week, guys.