Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch may surprise

USA TODAY Sports predicts two divergent winners for today's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway:

CASE FOR CLINT BOWYER:

NATE RYAN: If attitude is everything in the mentally exhausting environs of Talladega Superspeedway, forecasting the winner of today's Good Sam Assistance 500 is as uncomplicated as the pick: Clint Bowyer.

The Michael Waltrip Racing driver might be the most carefree and freewheeling personality in NASCAR's premier series, and those attributes might confer an advantage at the treacherous 2.66-mile oval than at any other

Sprint Cup track.

Poll the Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders about Talladega this week, and the fear and loathing was palpable from all except one. So what does Bowyer think of the joint and its inherently chaotic and violent ambiance?

"I love racing here," he said. "It's so much fun. That's such a thrill to be able to know that the storm is brewing and all hell is fixing to break loose, and you're fixing to be a part of it. It's a pretty neat situation to be in."

It probably helps that Bowyer has won the past two fall races at Talladega. But his sterling record here -- five consecutive top 10s -- also might stem directly from being an admittedly simple guy from Emporia, Kan., who jokes about having attention deficit disorder that precludes worrying about anything for more than 30 seconds.

After qualifying third Saturday, Bowyer ribbed Ryan Newman about his poor aim in deer hunting and cracked jokes incessantly.

It recalled what he had said Friday after being pressed repeatedly for his Talladega strategy.

"Have a damn good time all weekend," he said.

Attitude is everything here, and no driver has a better one than Bowyer.

CASE FOR KURT BUSCH:

DUSTIN LONG: Last weekend's race ended with a Busch yelling on his radio. Today's race will end in similar fashion.

This time, it will be Kurt Busch screaming -- in exultation -- as opposed to the anger vented by his younger brother, Kyle, at Dover. Yes, Kurt Busch will win today's race at Talladega.

A checkers-or-wreckers type of race fits Kurt Busch's style. While Busch has never won a restrictor-plate race, he's finished in the top 10 in 25 of 47 starts (53.2 percent). Recall that Busch was running near the front late at Talladega in May when a tap from Brad Keselowski sent him spinning.

What better way for Busch to end his run with James Finch's underfunded Phoenix Racing team than to win a plate race before moving on to Furniture Row Racing next week? Talladega also has been friendly to non-Chase drivers, who have won four of the eight races at this track since the Chase's debut in 2004.

The odds are with Busch and he'll be the one celebrating with and saying goodbye to his team in Victory Lane. What a scene it will be.

"It would be out of control,'' said Busch, the 2004 Sprint Cup champion.