NASCAR returns to Sundays as Casey Mears looks to get Hendrick Motorsports back in victory lane "where racing lives" as he defends last year's win at the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowes Motor Speedway Sunday night at 5:30.

While Mears won it on fuel last year we are more likely to see HMS teammates (and three time Coca-Cola 600 winners) Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson waving the checkered flag.

NASCAR has had to deal with criticism regarding last weekend's vapid All-Star Race. And while NASCAR tweaks things yet again, we turn our attention back to Charlotte, a Heineken Mini-Keg Memorial Day weekend, and picking the winner of one damned long race.

Who will win the Coca-Cola 600?

There are perhaps a handful of drivers that have a realistic shot at winning this four-hour plus race-a-thon this weekend; Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Tony Stewart, etc. There is nothing better than home cooking. Especially if you've been having a tougher-than-expected first quarter of the season and your name is Jimmie Johnson and you're coming home to your sponsor's home track.

If there are two drivers you almost have to bet on in this race you can't ignore the combined six LMS wins between HMS teammates Jeff Gordon and Johnson. Johnson ran off a string of three-consecutive Coca-Cola 500 wins from 2003-2006.

Gordon has never won this race. On the other hand, he won at the October 2007 Bank of America 500, at LMS. You'd have to look all the way back to The Winston in 2001 for his last win at Charlotte. Moreover, Gordon has not done well at the Coca-Cola 600 during the last three years. He recorded a 41 place in 2007, 36 in 2006, and a 30th in 2005.

One quarter of the time Johnson races at LMS he is in the lead, which translates to 1,134 laps led in 4,477 laps raced. Of 13 starts he has five wins, eight top-five, and 11 top-10 finishes and an average finish of 6.77!

Pick! Jimmie Johnson, No. 48. (8/1)

Coca-Cola 600 Solid Gold Picks

Sportsbook.com has listed many matchups on the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the NASCAR season, this weekend. Last week, I won one unit on my Square Tire Pick backing -1.05 'dawg Jimmie Johnson to finish ahead of Carl Edwards (-1.25). Johnson finished the race in fourth place while Edwards, at one point in position to win the snooze-fest, took on two new tires and finished 10th for the effort. This brings my record Over-the-Wall to 8-8 with -1.80 units on the season as I've moved up a few positions in the money grid after 11 of 36 races (the All-Star Race doesn't count in the Sprint Cup standings) on the Sprint Cup circuit.

Long Odds Value Pick

Betting long shots (like betting favorites) in NASCAR all the time is a risky proposition and is a great way to watch your bankroll vaporize. Sometimes I'm asked what I am looking for when I consider the long odds value pick. While I don't expect the long shot to pay I do expect to get some 'entertainment value' for my bet. If I'm dropping a Jackson on the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday's four-hour race, I have two criteria for my driver; avoid a DNF and stay competitive the entire race. That way if my pick finishes the race it will cost me about five bucks an hour. Entertainment-wise that is far less than, say, going to the Multiplex. This week a driver that meets my criteria is David Ragan. Consider that after 11 starts in 2008 Ragan has already duplicated the numbers he did in 2007 after 36 races; two top-five and three top-10 finishes with only one DNF to date. Ragan has only finished out of the top-five once in the past four races and in Rousch Fenway Racing's Ford he should stay competitive the entire race and avoid a DNF.

Pick! David Ragan 40/1

Square Tire Pick

Mark Martin (-1.55)/Kasey Kahne (+1.25)

I believe this is a matchup that falls into the "marquee name" category and is designed to trap the casual NASCAR sports investor. Martin is a perennial favorite and has raced very well this year, causing what I see as an inflated line. Perhaps the oddsmakers are expecting a $1 million hang-over. But I don't see it happening. Sure, Kahne had no business winning the race, but due to the weird four-segment format the All-Star Race was anyone's to lose (and they did!). Despite last weekend's win there are a few reasons why I like Kahne in this matchup. Head-to-head in this race in 2006 Kahne led for 158 laps and won this race while Martin finished fourth leading for 20 laps. Certainly Martin has had more success at LMS given his longevity, but they both have recorded two wins. Martin beat's Kahne in most top-five (12) and top-10s (14) and average finish (10.3), but the numbers again belie the age between the two drivers. The other factor I am looking at is that I think these are two teams going in different directions and ultimately by backing Kahne I'm saying I believe that Gillett Evernham Motorsports will bring a better package for the long haul than DEI.

Pick! Kasey Kahne, No. 9, (+1.25)

*Coca-Cola 600 Odds
Lowe's Motor Speedway, NC
Sun, May 25th (5:30pm EST)

Bobby Labonte 100/1
Brian Vickers 100/1
Carl Edwards 5/1
Casey Mears 30/1
Clint Bowyer 22/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8/1
Dave Blaney 100/1
David Gilliland 150/1
David Ragan 40/1
David Reutimann 100/1
Denny Hamlin 8/1
Elliott Sadler 80/1
Greg Biffle 12/1
J.J. Yeley 150/1
Jamie McMurray 80/1
Jeff Burton 25/1
Jeff Gordon 9/1
Jimmie Johnson 6/1
Juan Pablo Montoya 65/1
Kasey Kahne 16/1
Kevin Harvick 25/1
Kurt Busch 30/1
Kyle Busch 11/2
Mark Martin 28/1
Martin Truex Jr. 30/1
Matt Kenseth 12/1
Michael Waltrip 100/1
Paul Menard 125/1
Reed Sorenson 100/1
Ryan Newman 30/1
Sam Hornish Jr. 80/1
Scott Riggs 100/1
Tony Stewart 8/1
Travis Kvapil 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 40/1

*Odds courtesy of Bodog.