He was a Cougar before Eva Longoria made it cool.

He was a Mellencamp before most of us were born.

He was a Cougar Mellencamp when he became famous enough to force the record company to add his real last name.

John “Insert whatever name you want right now” is the pride of Indiana, where the Brickyard 400 just so happens to be this Sunday. He also sold a song to Chevy for one of the most overplayed set of commercials ever. And with me down a fake 325 dollars, I needed some American music to get me motivated. 

10 fake dollars on Tony Stewart at 10/1: Probably throwing away my money. Oh well. The Burger King commercial is funny.

10 fake dollars on Kevin Harvick at 12/1: Harvick won at Talladega and Daytona. Indy isn’t a superspeedway, but I think it’s close. And it’s my fake money; so, I’m sticking with Chevy.

10 fake dollars on Carl Edwards at 25/1: Maybe not.  This is what some in the gaming industry call “A likely waste of money that will build my profit margin.” I’m calling it a hunch.

10 fake dollars on Jamie McMurray at 30/1: Juan Montoya has the better track record at this track. McMurray has done well at full throttle tracks. And I am writing an American themed column.

10 fake dollars on Brad Keselowski at 100/1: I may be American, but I’m getting all Swiss on this Edwards-Keselowski feud.

 

Cougars, Mellencamps, Jack and Diane may think differently. But this is our country. These are my picks. Here’s what The Spread thinks, and insert random catchphrase here.  

 
Jimmie Johnson 7/2
Denny Hamlin 8/1
Jeff Gordon 8/1
Kyle Busch 8/1
Tony Stewart 10/1
Juan Pablo Montoya 10/1
Kevin Harvick 12/1
Kurt Busch 12/1
Jeff Burton 15/1
Clint Bowyer 20/1
Kasey Kahne 20/1
Matt Kenseth 25/1
Carl Edwards 25/1
Greg Biffle 25/1
Jamie McMurray 30/1
David Reutimann 30/1
Mark Martin 30/1
Joey Logano 35/1
Martin Truex Jr 35/1
Ryan Newman 40/1
Dale Earnhardt Jr 40/1
AJ Allmendinger 75/1
Travis Kvapil 100/1
Bobby Labonte 100/1
Scott Speed 100/1
Paul Menard 100/1
Regan Smith 100/1
Elliott Sadler 100/1
Sam Hornish Jr 100/1
Marcos Ambrose 100/1
David Ragan 100/1
Reed Sorenson 100/1
Brad Keselowski 100/1
Field (Any Other Driver) 100/1