Here's an idea - Let's take a restrictor plate race track like Talladega Superspeedway - already known for huge multi-car pileups - and hold a race with a new car configuration that's never run on this or any other restrictor plate track before. As an added touch, let's make it an impound race, so there won't be any practice sessions after qualifying and the cars that start in the front will be the ones that usually race in the back.

That might sound like a scheme conjured up by a mad scientist, but it is actually NASCAR's plan for this weekend's race at Talladega.

And let's not forget that this is race number four in NASCAR's Chase for the Championship, adding a much greater sense of urgency for the 12 drivers competing for the Nextel Cup.

Only five of 36 races this year are classified as impound races, which feature two practices on Friday, qualifying on Saturday, and racing on Sunday. A normal race weekend provides a morning practice session on Friday, qualifying Friday afternoon, a final practice session on Saturday, and the race Saturday night or Sunday.

The only impound races on the schedule this year are two each at Talladega and Richmond, and the summer race at Daytona. The term "impound" refers to the fact that NASCAR does not allow teams to work on the cars between the end of qualifying and the start of the race. Impounding creates a clear dichotomy between the top 35 teams that are locked into the race and the so-called "go-or-go-home" teams that have to race their way in based on qualifying time. We will see the result of these differing agendas in qualifying. But more on that in a moment.

There were two practice sessions at Talladega Friday and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Tony Stewart paced them both. Stewart posted fast laps of 49.118 seconds/194.959 mph in the first practice, and a slightly slower lap of 49.347 seconds/194.054 mph in Happy Hour, leading all drivers.

Rounding out the top 5 in the morning were Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, Robby Gordon, and Kyle Petty. In the second practice, the four drivers following Stewart were Paul Menard, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and Jamie McMurray. Jeff Gordon opted not to participate in Happy Hour.

The incredible dominance of Chevy as a manufacturer at Talladega, winning 16 of the last 17 races, was seen in Happy Hour as well, as eight of the top 10 cars were Chevys. The two non-Chevys were Kurt Busch in a Dodge and Jamie McMurray in a Ford.

Of particular note, JGR driver Denny Hamlin was parked by NASCAR for excessive bump drafting in the first practice session, and also had to sit out the beginning portion of the second session. Hamlin complained that NASCAR was singling out Gibbs' drivers regarding the slam drafting concern, and said that there was plenty of it going on among all the cars. NASCAR countered that Hamlin was parked for failing to obey a NASCAR directive regarding aggressive driving.

Ryan Newman was the slowest car in Happy Hour with a 52.613, while Jimmie Johnson was the slowest Chase driver, turning a 51.510. The results of Saturday's qualifying session clearly point up the vastly different agendas for drivers locked in the show and drivers needing to make the show on time.

Because of the impound schedule, drivers in the top 35 were primarily qualifying in race trim, since their cars won't be adjusted after qualifying. Meanwhile, drivers outside the top 35 were in qualifying trim, since all that matters to them is making the race.

As a result, Sunday's race will start off with the top 11 cars, and 13 of the 15, being so-called go-or-go-homers - drivers outside the top 35 who needed to race their way into the field.

In what is obviously the highlight of a very trying season, Michael Waltrip put his No. 55 MWR Toyota on the pole with a of 50.648 second, 189.070 mph lap, giving him just his fourth pole in 686 career Cup starts. As Waltrip has missed 18 races this season for failing to qualify, the importance of the pole can not be overstated. Overall, there are five Toyota's and four Dodges on the top-10 starting grid, with Joe Nemechek the lone Chevy, qualifying the No. 78 Furniture Row car in fourth.

Following Waltrip in the top 5 were Dave Blaney, Brian Vickers, Nemechek, and Waltrip's rookie teammate David Reutimann. Tony Stewart led all Chase drivers in qualifying at 11th, with Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Jimmie Johnson the only other Chase drivers to make the top 20.

A few Chase drivers will be starting deep in the field, including four whose positions were set by owner points: Jeff Gordon (34), Kyle Busch (36th), Kevin Harvick (37th), and Kurt Busch (41st). The qualifying time of Kurt Busch's No. 2 Penske Dodge was disallowed after the car failed post-race, forcing Busch to the rear of the field.

Drivers failing to make the race are A.J. Allmendinger, Boris Said, Scott Riggs, Sam Hornish Jr., Jeremy Mayfield, Sterling Marlin, Ward Burton, and Kevin Lepage.

Of course, with all the go-or-go-homers starting up front, Chase drivers in the rear of the field might be better positioned than those mid pack or higher in terms of avoiding early trouble. A big wreck early on could spell disaster for drivers like Stewart, currently the betting favorite at 4:1, Truex Jr. (18:1), Hamlin (10:1), and Jimmie Johnson (6:1), if they follow the lead pack too closely, since the starters will still be in qualifying trim.

Included in that lead pack is Jacques Villeneuve (100:1), the open-wheel driver who qualified sixth. Villeneuve and his team owner have faced criticism for choosing a tricky restrictor plate track as the site of his first Cup start.

Kevin Harvick is a bit of a surprise at his current 15:1 nascar odds, as the Chevy driver has respectable numbers here, including seven top 10s in 13 races and an average finish of 13.1. Harvick has a restrictor plate win this season at Daytona and should be able to stay out of the early fracas with a starting spot of 37th.