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"It is going to be a wild battle, I can guarantee you that," said Busch, currently fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings, trailing leader Tony Stewart by 437 points, but enjoying a 298 "Chase buffer points" advantage over 13th-place Kyle Busch with five races remaining till the Chase kicks in. "It's a race that offers up all the potential action that I think we'll be talking about for many weeks on down the line. I know that our sport needs to bump up our numbers with the TV ratings and with the spectator turnout. This race should really help the cause.

"Believe me when I say it; this is it," said Busch. "If I had the opportunity to be a spectator, this is the weekend that I'd be sitting in the grandstands or glued to the tube. All of the ingredients add up to some potential out-of-control action there on Sunday. We're just hoping and praying that we can wind up on the good end of things at the end of the day."

So, what makes this weekend's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen' so different from the other 15 races remaining on the 2009 Sprint Cup schedule?

"It would be easy to just point to the fact that we're racing with the double-file restarts and say that's the reason, but it goes much further than just that," said Busch. "We all saw what effect the introduction of double-file restarts did out at Sonoma (Infineon Raceway). It was about as wild as it gets, with everybody scratching and clawing for every bit of real estate that they could get. Monday's rainout race at Pocono was one of the wildest races they've ever had there.

"But this weekend, it'll be much more than just the double-file restarts that'll be responsible for the fierce action," said Busch. "To begin with, Turn 1 there at Watkins Glen is always known for guaranteed heat-of-the-battle occurrences anyhow. It's a real calamity corner. It's definitely one of the Top-five action-packed turns for the competitors. It has to be that much or even more for the fans viewing it live or on the tube on ESPN.

"Every time the green flag falls on the starting field for a Cup race at The Glen, everybody - the competitors, the fans at the track and all those dudes manning those TV cameras...everyone involved - knows to keep your eyes on Turn 1," said Busch, who will be competing in his ninth career Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International this weekend. "All you have to do is look back in the history books. That single turn is almost legendary.

"Anyone who has been around long enough has a memorable experience to talk about regarding Turn 1 at The Glen, I can guarantee you that," said Busch, who is making his 18th overall Sprint Cup road course start this weekend at The Glen. "I've passed a ton of cars there and I've been passed by more than I want to think about in that turn.

"But the biggest thing about that particular turn is that it's a place where you come in there always expecting to see the unexpected occur," Busch said. "I don't know how many times I've come flying down the front chute and gone in there too hot and overshot the corner.

"Throw the double-file restarts into the equation now and you just know it's going to get wild sooner or later. Top all that off with the fact that there's already so much pressure on the teams. You have guys trying to pick up spots to make the Chase. You have guys who already know they can't make the Chase and will be doing everything they can to win a race.

"The adrenalin is rushing at an all-time high for this season," said Busch, who started 19th and finished 10th at Watkins Glen last year. "Guys will admittedly be driving over their heads, trying to get every position and every point they can there on Sunday, I guarantee you that. It all adds up to a really tense and unpredictable situation for the drivers and teams. At the same time, it promises to be an interesting and exciting scenario shaping up for the fans there witnessing the race or watching and listening on TV and radio."

Busch's career record at Watkins Glen International shows two top-10 finishes and one pole as highlights to his eight-race entry. Those statistics don't scratch the surface as to just how competitive the 2004 NASCAR champ has been on this track.

"We've gotten stronger and stronger through the years at Watkins Glen," said Busch. "When you look back, it's pretty easy to say that we should have had a win and several top-fives in the record book to go along with that pole. It's a challenge we always look forward to and that's especially the case there this weekend.

This weekend's action at Watkins Glen International gets under way with Sprint Cup practice on Friday from 11:45 a.m. till 1:20 p.m. Sunday's 43-car starting field will be determined in Friday's 3:10 p.m. single round of Cup qualifying. Saturday's schedule boasts Cup practice sessions from 12 noon till 12:45 p.m. and from 1:20 p.m. till 2:20 p.m. Sunday's Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen' Sprint Cup race has a 2:00 p.m. EDT starting time, with ESPN and MRN Radio presenting live coverage of the 90-lap, 220.5-mile battle.