It’s this Sunday too.

Race 15 of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will be held this weekend June 14th at the Michigan International Speedway, for the LifeLock 400.

The Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile intermediate D-Shaped track, and is often referred to as one of NASCAR’s many ”cookie-cutter” tracks. This D- shaped oval will be the home for the finest drivers in the world this Sunday and you can bet that each of these guys will be gunning for the win.

First off is Tony Stewart, who is coming his first win as an owner-driver. He has literally smoked the competition in recent weeks with 2043 total points. With Hendrick Motorsports equipment below him, Stewart is leading the points and entering his favorite time of the year, summer. Summer is Stewart’s season, and is when things typically get on a role for the two-time champion.

This year, however, Stewart has hit his stride already, and could easily knock off a few wins between now and September, when the Chase starts. Stewart’s record is one win, nine top fives, 13 top 10s, and an average finish of 12.5 at MIS. In NASCAR’s Loop Data, Stewart has an Average Running Position of 14.6 (10th-best), a Driver Rating of 94.5 (eighth-best), 52 Fastest Laps Run (11th-most), 570 Green Flag Passes (seventh-most), an Average Green Flag Speed of 173.455 MPH (sixth-fastest), and 1,024 Laps in the Top 15 (66.7 percent, seventh-most).

He is closely followed by Jeff Gordon at second with 1972 total driver points. Gordon, who will drive a specially painted No.24 DuPont/National Guard Chevrolet this weekend, has ”only” two wins at MIS. But he has run well at the two-mile facility since his 1993 rookie season in NASCAR’s top division. In two starts at MIS that year, Gordon posted top-five finishes in each event including a second-place finish behind then teammate Ricky Rudd in the June event.

His success continued at the track, albeit without a victory, as Gordon scored eight top-fives in his first 11 starts. His maiden victory occurred in the August event of 1998.

Gordon’s second win at the Irish Hills track came in 2001, and it marked Hendrick Motorsports’ 100th victory in NASCAR’s premier series. Along with two victories, the four- time NASCAR Cup Series champion also has five poles, 15 top-fives and 20 top-10’s in 32 starts at MIS. He is also one shy of 900 laps led at the Michigan track.

Expect Gordon to give Stewart a tough day in Michigan.

Who will win the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Lifelock 400 this weekend? SPORTSBETTING.com has the odds.

Jeff Gordon 8-1

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 40-1

Jimmie Johnson 5-1

Carl Edwards 6-1

Want more odds? Visit SPORTSBETTING.com for more NASCAR betting odds. Want to watch NASCAR live? Get sporting events tickets online now.

NASCAR Lifelock 400