Driver Chassis Selections at Watkins Glen

Edwards had a strong Sonoma race finishing third behind Jeff Gordon

1. Carl Edwards: Won the pole and finished fifth last season; Finish was fifth consecutive top 10; Has yet to lead a lap in six starts; Fifth-best average finish (10.6) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 758) that he finished third with at Infineon Raceway in June.

2. Jimmie Johnson: Coming off first finish (28th) outside the top 20 in last six races; Best finish, and third top five, came in 2007 in third; Fourth-best average finish (10.4) and third is in laps led (59) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 543) that he finished seventh with at Infineon Raceway in June.

3. Kyle Busch: 2008 winner; Has finished ninth or better in last five starts; Second-best average finish (5.8) among all drivers that have competed in all of the last five races; Second in laps led (67) in the four races with the COT; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 305) that he finished 11th with at Infineon Raceway in June.

4. Kurt Busch: 9.8 average finish in five starts with Penske Racing; Coming off three consecutive top 10s; Second-place finish last season is best in 10 starts; Won at Infineon in June; Sixth-best average finish (11.4) and most laps led (100) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 742) that he led 76 laps en route to victory at Infineon Raceway in June.

5. Kevin Harvick: Winner of the 2006 race; 22.0 average finish in the four races with the COT; Sixth-place finish in 2008 was last of five top 10s in 10 starts; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 321) that he finished 11th with at Watkings Glen International last season.

6. Matt Kenseth: 12.8 average finish in the four races with the COT; Last of three top 10s, in 11 starts, came in 2004; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 771) in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.

7. Jeff Gordon: Four-time winner; Last win came in 2001; Best finish in last nine starts came in 2007 in ninth after leading 51 laps; Ninth-best average finish (12.6) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen).

8. Ryan Newman: 16.5 average finish in two starts with Stewart-Haas Racing; Scored three top 10s with Penske Racing; 18.0 average finish in the four races with the COT; 10.0 average finish in last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen).

Tony Stewart's day at Sonoma was cut short late by Brian Vickers (Getty)

9. Tony Stewart: Leads all drivers with five wins; Last win came in 2009 after leading 34 laps; Leads all drivers with a 2.6 average finish in the last five races; Seventh-best average finish (11.6) and fifth in laps led (50) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen).

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Led 33 laps and finished 22nd in first track start with Hendrick Motorsports in 2008; Finished 39th and 26th in last two starts with HMS; Posted three top 10s with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. in eight previous starts.

11. Denny Hamlin: 37th-place finish last year was first outside the top 10 in five starts; Best finish came in 2007 in second; 13.4 average finish.

12. Clint Bowyer: Ninth-place finish in 2009 in only top 10 in five starts; 18.8 average finish; Has yet to lead a lap; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 300) that he last finished fourth with at Infineon Raceway in June.

13. Greg Biffle: Fifth-place finish in 2009 is best in eight starts; Only other top 10 (10th) came in 2007; 15.0 average finish in the four races with the COT; Has yet to lead a lap since 2003.

14. Paul Menard: Coming off best finish in seven starts in 16th; 23.9 average finish; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 361) in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.

15. Mark Martin: 21.0 average finish in two starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Posted 16 top 10s in previous 19 starts with Roush Racing; Won three-straight in the 90s; Has yeat to lead more than three laps in one race since 1996.

Kasey Kahne has proven strong on the road courses lately

16. Kasey Kahne: Has yet to finish in the top 10 in seven starts; Finished 17th in last two events; Will make first track start with Team Red Bull; Ninth-best average finish (11.8) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen).

17. AJ Allmendinger: 9.3 average finish in three starts; Finish fourth last season; Third-best average finish (10.0) in the last five road course events (Sonoma and Watkins Glen); Will return in the same car (chassis No. 760) that he finished 13th with at Infineon Raceway in June.

18. Brad Keselowski: Finished 20th in first track start last season; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 741) in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.

19. David Ragan: Has yet to finish in the top 20 in four starts; 27.8 average finish; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 762) in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen.

20. Joey Logano: 24.5 average finish in two starts; Best finish came in 2009 in 16th; Will return in the same car (chassis No. 306) that he won the pole and finished sixth with at Infineon Raceway in June.

- Compiled by Jeff Wackerlin, MotorRacingNetwork.com