Gordon will repeat without controversy at speedway

There probably wouldn't be anyone at Chicagoland Speedway - regardless of favorite driver - who would be disappointed if the final laps of the USG Sheetrock 400 unfolded with Jeff Gordon leading and Matt Kenseth a close second.

Jeff Gordon used a late bump-and-run on Kenseth to win at Joliet last year. Knowing how things shake out in racing, it wouldn't be a bit of a surprise to see those two back at the front again this year.

The roles will be reversed this time, but the outcome the same. Jeff Gordon will win on defense, not offense, and defend his USG Sheetrock title.

Here's how the top 10 will look on July 15:

1. Jeff Gordon: Last year's win was his fourth top-5 at Chicagoland. Jeff Gordon has a 277-point lead in the standings, and this season is by far the best he's looked since 2001, when he won his fourth championship.

2. Matt Kenseth: He easily could have won the last two Chicagoland events, but instead was second and 22nd. He's been fourth, third, second and 12th in starts on 1.5-mile track this year, and will have one of the best cars again this year.

3. Jimmie Johnson: He's done everything but win a Cup race at Chicagoland. His sixth-place last year was his worst finish in five starts, and his average finish is 3.6. He's won twice on 1.5-mile tracks this year. The Minooka family of interim crew chief Ron Malec would love a win, but will have to settle for another top-5.

4. Denny Hamlin: The second-place driver in the standings has been very consistent this year, including three top-10 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks. He was 14th last year in his first Chicagoland Cup start.

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: He was actually much better last year while finishing fifth than in his 2005 fuel mileage win. He ran on the high side better than anyone, and at one point Jeff Gordon told his crew it didn't look like anyone would catch the No. 8. This could be his last start here in that number.

6. Tony Stewart: It's been hit-or-miss for him here. Stewart finished 32nd last year and 33rd his first year at Joliet. It's been all top-5's in between, with a win in 2005. Stewart has come to Chicagoland off Daytona wins the last two seasons, but, surprisingly, went through the first half of the 2007 schedule without a victory.

7. Mark Martin: He's a part-time driver this year, but still has seven top-10s, including three on 1.5-mile tracks. He has only one top-10 at Joliet in his last four starts. This is his first Chicagoland start in a Chevy.

8. Carl Edwards: He has struggled in two Cup starts at Chicagoland (39th and 20th), but Edwards has been solid lately, with only finish below 15th in the last nine races.

9. Jeff Burton: It's been another quietly consistent season for the veteran who is fifth in the standings, and finished second here last year. This is the first non-restrictor plate race for the new combined engine department of Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc.

10. Kevin Harvick: He hasn't been better than 21st on a 1.5-mile track this year, but it's hard to imagine him struggling at Chicagoland where he has two wins and four top-10s, including last year's fourth.

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