| Upcoming Events in the World of NASCARWe | | | | average Gordon finishes in the top 10 in over half |
| NASCAR fans are patriots at heart. And there's | | | | the races. If Gordon wants to qualify for |
| no better way to celebrate the birth of our nation | | | | NASCAR's Nextel Cup Chase for the |
| than at the most beloved track in all of NASCAR, | | | | Championship, he'll need to maintain his average at |
| Daytona International Speedway. The beaches of | | | | Daytona and finish with another top 10.Who's |
| Daytona were already a destination for motor | | | | Not?The dates have changed, but the faces have |
| sports enthusiasts before Bill France Sr decided to | | | | not in this week's Who's Not section. Suffering |
| host the first NASCAR event there in 1947. | | | | from mechanical failures late in the race, Tony |
| Twelve years later, the track that we all know | | | | Stewart gave up position after position to finish |
| and love, Daytona International Speedway opened | | | | 28th in yesterday's Dodge/Save Mart 300. The |
| and hosted its first event drawing 41,000 | | | | 28th place finished booted Tony further down in |
| people.Next week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup | | | | the points to 7th place only 23 points in front of |
| teams head to Daytona to perform their craft in | | | | Jeff Gordon and 70 points in front of 10th place |
| front of a crowd of 175,000+. Expect the | | | | driver Kevin Harvick.There can't be anything more |
| Hendrick boys to dominate. Of all current drivers | | | | frustrating for a driver than running in the top 5 |
| with 4 or more career starts at Daytona, Jimmie | | | | for much of the day to end up with a mechanical |
| Johnson (average finish of 6th) and Jeff Gordon | | | | failure that seals your fate in the race. While |
| (average finish of 13th) both lead the pack.Also | | | | yesterday's 28th place finish wasn't Tony's fault, it |
| expect the following drivers to do well next | | | | can't help to boost the driver's nor the team's |
| week:Other drivers to note:Dale Earnhardt Jr - | | | | confidence. Let's face it, the Home Depot team |
| Average Finish 14th Kevin Harvick - Average | | | | has been on a backwards slide since the All-Star |
| Finish 16th Dale Jarrett - Average Finish 16thNext | | | | break. In 4 of the last 5 races, the #20 team has |
| Week's Schedule:Nextel Cup: @ Daytona | | | | finished 25th or worst. That's hardly satisfactory |
| International Speedway (all times in EST) 6/29/06 | | | | for a team coming off of a 2005 championship |
| - 2:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Pepsi 400 Practice | | | | season.However, Tony didn't earn the nicknames |
| 6/30/06 - 04:35pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Pepsi | | | | "Smoke" or "Tiger" for lying down and giving up. |
| 400 Qualifying 7/01/06 - 07:55pm NASCAR | | | | He is still in the top 10 (barely), and has plenty of |
| Nextel Pepsi 400Busch Series: @ Daytona | | | | time to get back on track before the Chase for |
| International Speedway (all times EST) 6/29/06 - | | | | the Championship. All teams go through a dry-spell |
| 05:10pm NASCAR Busch Series Winn-Dixie 250 | | | | in any season. I'm sure Tony prefers having his |
| presented by PepsiCo Practice 6/30/06 - 01:05pm | | | | dry-spell now while he still has time to |
| NASCAR Busch Series Winn-Dixie 250 presented | | | | recover.Last Week's HeadlinesI know what you're |
| by PepsiCo Qualifying 6/30/06 - 08:00pm | | | | thinking, why is NASCAR at a road course? |
| NASCAR Busch Series Winn-Dixie 250 presented | | | | Because road courses do not offer up the same |
| by PepsiCoCraftsman Truck Series: @ Kansas | | | | passing lanes as an oval track, some NASCAR |
| Speedway (all times in Central) 6/30/06 - | | | | fans are bored by road course racing. What these |
| 12:30pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | | | | fans fail to recognize is that road course races |
| O'REILLY AUTO PARTS 250 Practice 6/30/06 - | | | | help vindicate NASCAR drivers to the rest of the |
| 05:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | | | | racing world.I find it interesting to see how the |
| O'REILLY AUTO PARTS 250 Qualifying 7/01/06 - | | | | gun-slinging road course mercenaries like Boris |
| 02:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | | | | Said stack up to the NASCAR Nextel Cup |
| O'REILLY AUTO PARTS 250Who's Hot?We've | | | | regulars like Jeff and Robby Gordon. Make no |
| been ragging on Jeff Gordon hard of late. Of | | | | doubt about it, the gunslingers come to Infineon |
| course, he's probably been ragging on himself too. | | | | Raceway hungry! Many see the typical NASCAR |
| After a lackluster start to the 2006 season that | | | | driver as a lame duck maneuvering blindly through |
| had him 11th in points, Gordon finally has tasted | | | | the twists and turns of the course waiting to be |
| victory lane for the first time in yesterday's | | | | overtaken by an aggressive Boris Said with a |
| Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. | | | | "nothing to loose" attitude.Despite the expert |
| Gordon's win yesterday is his 9th career win at a | | | | talent of the hired help, it always seems the top |
| road course making him the most decorated road | | | | NASCAR regulars always prevail. Yesterday's |
| course driver in NASCAR's history.After starting | | | | Dodge/Save mart 350 was no exception. The last |
| 11th, Gordon was able to rocket himself through | | | | portion of the race was completely dominated by |
| the field and take over the top position in just 50 | | | | NASCAR drivers Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, and |
| laps. The entire #24 DuPont team was solid | | | | Tony Stewart. While Boris Said flirted with the top |
| throughout the entire race. Jeff never missed a | | | | 5, he and the other road course veterans never |
| mark, never spun out, restarted perfectly after | | | | challenged for the lead.Other notable finishers |
| every caution while his team posted some of the | | | | were Carl Edwards (6th) and Greg Biffle (4th). |
| fastest times of the day on pit road. This kind of | | | | Each needed solid finishes to make a run at the |
| a performance is reminiscent of Gordon during his | | | | top 10 in points. Biffle currently sits in 9th place |
| previous championship seasons.The big question is | | | | and Edwards is 73 points out of 10th.Terry |
| can Gordon and his team maintain this | | | | Labonte posted a team best 3rd place finish for |
| championship form as they head into the | | | | Hall of Fame Racing. By using clever pit strategy, |
| remaining 10 races before the Chase for the | | | | Terry worked his way to the front. He held the |
| Championship? Next week, NASCAR heads to | | | | top position for 16 laps before succumbing to race |
| Daytona for the Pepsi 400 where Jeff Gordon | | | | winner Jeff Gordon. Labonte was passed late in |
| has been dominate. In 28 races at Daytona, Jeff | | | | the race by Ryan Newman, but managed to hold |
| has 6 wins, 11 top 5 finishes, and 16 top 10 | | | | onto the 3rd place before crossing the start finish |
| finishes. For the math challenged, that means on | | | | line for the final time. |