Victory Lane Prediction Sure To Go Wrong: Atlanta

Kyle Busch's late mishap last weekend in Las Vegas secured my prediction to go wrong last week. What will unfold this weekend in Atlanta for my pick this week?

My pick this weekend for the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway is the No. 99 car, Carl Edwards.

Carl hasn't been in victory lane in forever and a day. His dominance in the Nationwide series hasn't translated to the Sprint Cup Series so far the past two seasons. However this week Carl returns to a track that he loves.

Carl has three wins in 11 career Sprint Cup races at Atlanta. His average finish position for those 11 races is 13th, which ranks him fifth among current drivers. Three (or four counting Stewart) Hendrick cars rank ahead of him in that category, but they have had nine more races to compile those stats.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has the pole for Sunday's race, and he won here in 2004. While he only has the one victory, he has eight top five finishes in the last 20 races at Atlanta.

Winning from the pole is rare enough, but add to the fact that it's Dale Jr, and you are almost assured he will not win on Sunday.

If Jimmie can pull off another victory this Sunday, he will have won three of the first four races, putting an exclamation point to the beginning of his season. The other two guys to watch will be Gordon and Stewart, who are both capable of winning here, as they have done multiple times before.

Just look for that green Scott's No. 99 to run up front, and cross the finish line first, as he takes the victory. I'm sorry Carl, but you are my choice for this week's Victory Lane Prediction Sure to Go Wrong.

Daytona 500 pick: Kurt Busch - finished 23rd

California pick: Juan Montoya  - finished 37th

Las Vegas pick: Kyle Busch  -  finished 15th