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Race Rewind
Watch a condensed version of the Pop Secret 500!

Victory Lane
Elliott Sadler celebrates his second win of 2004

Second...Again
  Kasey Khane on his 2nd place finish at California
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 34th on Sunday, 19 laps down. Credit:
AutostockNotebook: Junior's night goes from bad to worseAlready in the Chase,
Earnhardt Jr. happy to leave FontanaBy Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
September 6, 2004
03:14 AM EDT (07:14 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't look back on the inaugural Pop
Secret 500 with much fondness.

"I'm glad we're clinched because it was a nightmare," Earnhardt said. "It was
just a real frustrating night."
Earnhardt Jr. has already earned a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Credit:
Autostock
Starting 12th, Earnhardt immediately began losing spots, dropping back to 29th
by Lap 40. He got into the top 10 for the first time by Lap 200 but 18 laps
later, he spun out in Turn 4, starting a series of events that turned his night
from bad to worse.

"We pretty good at one point but the left rear tire went flat and I spun out on
it," Earnhardt said.

Earnhardt was then assessed a time penalty when NASCAR ruled he passed several
cars on his way into pit road. Then he had nowhere to go when Ken Schrader's
engine dumped oil and water on the track directly in front of Earnhardt on Lap
233, leaving Junior with a wrecked car and a 34th-place finish.

"I got back there behind Kenny when he blew up and got in some oil and tore the
car up," Earnhardt said. "It's not a real good finish for us, but I was really
kind of pleased with the way the guys were working and how the car was getting
better all night."
Fun in the California sun

Carl Edwards had tire problems on Lap 45 but battled back to finish sixth in the
No. 99 Ford.
Carl Edwards finished sixth Sunday night. Credit: Autostock
"We didn't panic," Edwards said. "I was hoping they'd throw the yellow and they
did. We got really fortunate there and that saved us. That was big."

Edwards was battling with Ryan Newman during the final 10 laps of green-flag
racing.

"Ryan Newman didn't want me to work him over too hard because he's racing for
that tenth spot in points, but I wasn't gonna cut him any slack," Edwards said.
"I could see how nervous he was.

"He kept holding his finger out like, 'Yeah, we're cool, we're cool.' I was
thinking, 'Man, I'm gonna try my hardest to pass you, but yeah, we're cool.'
That was fun."
Talking trash?

Food wrappers and newspapers were a constant problem early in the running, with
several cars overheating with trash stuck in their grilles. One of those was
Dale Jarrett, who wound up eighth.
VIDEO
Victory Lane
Elliott Sadler celebrates his second win of 2004 in the Pop Secret 500Final Laps
In a Texas flashback, Kahne chases Sadler to the checkersDale Jr. Done
Dale Jr. wrecks after sliding on Ken Schrader's oilTrouble at the Top
Jeff Gordon's engine expires and Dale Jr. spins on Lap 219Getting Loose
Kurt Busch gets aero-loose and spins but avoids hitting trafficTwo in the Grass
As Biffle dodges a loose Spencer, he spins Shane HmielBiffle Blows a Tire
Biffle blows a tire, damaging his car as well as the Nos. 24, 17 and 88Early
Trouble
J.J. Yeley spins, collects Brendan Gaughan on Lap 33•  Unofficial Results• 
Unofficial Standings•  "Bubble" Standings•  "Clinch" Standings

Workers picked up many of the papers by hand along the frontstretch during one
caution period.

"I guess a lot of fans were eating a lot of stuff," he said. "We'd prefer that
they throw their wrappers in a trash bag next time. I got a piece on my grille
and made the car run a little hot one time, but that's just part of the game."
Getting out the check-up book

The track temperature at the start of Sunday's race was 125 degrees and it was
30 degrees cooler by Lap 200, something Ryan Newman said contributed to some
wild racing.

"It was definitely hairy running three-wide there at the start of the race
because the track was so greasy," Newman said. "There at the end it was hairy
again and the track was stickier. Guys were running a lot harder and there was
less give and take.

"I know I had to check up a few times and a few times people had to check up for
me."
Hotter when the sun goes down

Jamie McMurray obviously is a night owl. With 75 laps to go, he was 18th and
advanced to fourth at the checkered flag.

"We had to make huge adjustments (after the sun went down)," McMurray said. "Our
first run, we were great. The next run was pretty good and then I couldn't
believe how tight the car got. We made huge changes."
Barely able to Cope

Derrike Cope had to have known that his night was doomed from the very
beginning.

Cope's No. 96 Ford failed to take the green flag because the crew was trying to
solve an electrical gremlin, finally getting on the track 12 laps later.

Cope's car then briefly caught fire on pit road during a stop. The night ended
on Lap 169 when Cope slammed into the Turn 1 wall.

He was evaluated and released from the infield medical center.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Bobby Labonte hasn't scored a top-10 finish since Daytona. Credit:
AutostockHarvick, Labonte free-fall in Chase standingsNewman, Kahne, Martin jump
two spots each at FontanaBy Elliott Gordon, NASCAR.COM
September 6, 2004
03:13 AM EDT (07:13 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- And then there was one.

When the green flag flies at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night,
nine drivers will be battling for the final four positions in the Chase for the
Nextel Cup.
Kevin Harvick has finished out of the top 15 in each of the last two weeks.
Credit: Autostock
Unfortunately for Kevin Harvick and Bobby Labonte, they have become the
outsiders looking in after disappointing runs in the Pop Secret 500.

After finishing 28th and 20th, respectively, Harvick and Labonte were supplanted
in the standings by rookie Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin. Now, only 76 points
separate drivers from positions eight through 15th.

Harvick was penalized the most by his performance, dropping seven positions in
the standings to 15th. Fifty-six points behind 10th-place Martin may not be
insurmountable, but Harvick has only two top-10 finishes at Richmond dating back
to 2001.

"The car just got loose there at the end and I couldn't pick up any spots,"
Harvick explained. "We had a pretty good car all day and had good pit stops, but
our motor just wasn't good.

"I'd get passed on the straightaways all night off the corners. That wasn't fun
at all. It just really sucks that we fell out of the top 10, but hopefully we
can get it all back in Richmond."

Labonte was clearly just as frustrated by his performance as Harvick.
VIDEO
Victory Lane
Elliott Sadler celebrates his second win of 2004 in the Pop Secret 500Final Laps
In a Texas flashback, Kahne chases Sadler to the checkersDale Jr. Done
Dale Jr. wrecks after sliding on Ken Schrader's oilTrouble at the Top
Jeff Gordon's engine expires and Dale Jr. spins on Lap 219Getting Loose
Kurt Busch gets aero-loose and spins but avoids hitting trafficTwo in the Grass
As Biffle dodges a loose Spencer, he spins Shane HmielBiffle Blows a Tire
Biffle blows a tire, damaging his car as well as the Nos. 24, 17 and 88Early
Trouble
J.J. Yeley spins, collects Brendan Gaughan on Lap 33•  Unofficial Results• 
Unofficial Standings•  "Bubble" Standings•  "Clinch" Standings

"Obviously, that's not the result we wanted tonight. It was just a really
frustrating night, because we couldn't get the car to do what we needed to do,"
Labonte said.

"We fell out of the top 10 and that's frustrating, but we've still got one more
race to try and get back in (to the Chase). It's tough, but that's where we're
at. We'll do our best to get back in at Richmond."

Outside pole-sitter Jeremy Mayfield had a strong car early on, leading for nine
laps, but faded as the race went on. He eventually finished 16th, dropping him
one position (to 14th) in the standings.

"Sixteenth ain't bad man, but what are you going to do?" Mayfield said after
exiting his car. "It is a good thing that I am still in the hunt, but we have
one more race to prove it."

Talk about having something to prove. Just three races ago Ryan Newman had slid
back to 13th in the standings, but after his fifth-place run Sunday, he gained
back two more positions and moved up to eighth.

"We're still as much on the bubble as we were before," Newman cautioned. "We're
going to Richmond to win. We can still be 13th or 14th after Richmond, but we've
got two shots now.

"We're eighth and 404 out of the lead, so if we can just finish in front of the
points leaders we might still have a decent opportunity no matter how everybody
else does eighth to 12th."

Newman may have the best shot at solidifying his position for the Chase, but
Dale Jarrett, even after gaining a spot in the standings, seemed a bit wary
about his chances.

"There's not much to talk about. You go to Richmond and do what you can do,"
Jarrett said after posting an eighth-place finish. "That's basically where we're
at. We'll go and get as many points as we can there and see what shakes out.

"I'm sure at the end of the race they'll tell me where I'm at. If we're in the
top 10, great. If not, we'll race for 11th and see what we can do."

Jarrett will go into Richmond trailing 10th-place Martin by 43 points.
Jeremy Mayfield led nine laps, but he faded to a 16th-place finish. Credit:
Autostock
After starting the season dead-last in the points following the Daytona 500,
Martin made his first appearance of the season in the top 10, and for his team,
it couldn't have come at a better time.

"The real focus is on making the top 10," Martin said. "It's a dogfight to get
in. We've been fighting an uphill battle. If we don't get in, we'll just go out
and win some races."

Kahne finished just ahead of Martin, notching his fifth second-place finish of
the season.

"We're ninth, so that's an improvement. We did what we needed to do here today,"
Kahne said. "It would have been nice to win, but second is darn good. We led
some laps and got five points there. We'll go on to Richmond, keep all the
fenders on it and hopefully finish in the top 10. Then we'll have a shot at
making that top 10."

Back in May, Kahne finished 28th at Richmond after starting 39th.

So with just 400 laps to go before the field is set for the Chase for the Nextel
Cup, the drivers who still have a shot at it -- especially Martin in 10th --
know one very important thing: "It's not over."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Kasey Kahne (left) spent more laps in the top 10 than anyone else. Credit:
AutostockFaster cars of Kahne, Martin can't catch SadlerBy Mark Aumann,
NASCAR.COM
September 6, 2004
03:11 AM EDT (07:11 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- If Sunday's Pop Secret 500 had been about 252 laps instead of
250, there might have been a different driver celebrating in Victory Lane.

Kasey Kahne was faster than eventual winner Elliott Sadler on longer runs -- and
Mark Martin was faster than either of them.
Mark Martin (left) races Kahne heading into Turn 1. Martin led 65 laps. Credit:
Autostock
But in a 10-lap shootout to the checkered flag at California Speedway, Sadler
was able to protect his spot up front on the final restart, build a comfortable
advantage and hold off the charge of the two challengers.

"Those last two cautions put a hurting on us," Martin said. "I was hoping we
could run all the way. The cautions gave us the short end of the stick, but we
held the hammer.

Not surprisingly, Kahne felt the same way.

"A few more laps, it would have been a three-car race," Kahne said. "We were
right around with Elliott most of the race."

Sadler took the lead from Robby Gordon on Lap 190 but four laps later, Kahne
went by. Martin was coming as well, and caught Kahne on Lap 217.
VIDEO
Victory Lane
Elliott Sadler celebrates his second win of 2004 in the Pop Secret 500Final Laps
In a Texas flashback, Kahne chases Sadler to the checkersDale Jr. Done
Dale Jr. wrecks after sliding on Ken Schrader's oilTrouble at the Top
Jeff Gordon's engine expires and Dale Jr. spins on Lap 219Getting Loose
Kurt Busch gets aero-loose and spins but avoids hitting trafficTwo in the Grass
As Biffle dodges a loose Spencer, he spins Shane HmielBiffle Blows a Tire
Biffle blows a tire, damaging his car as well as the Nos. 24, 17 and 88Early
Trouble
J.J. Yeley spins, collects Brendan Gaughan on Lap 33•  Unofficial Results• 
Unofficial Standings•  "Bubble" Standings•  "Clinch" Standings

However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought out a caution three laps later when he spun
in Turn 4. That brought the leaders in for their final stops.

"We just did air pressure," Kahne said, "to try and free up the car more and
make it cut through the corner better."

"We loosened the car up, just barely, with air pressure and hoped for a
miracle," Martin said.

Brian Vickers acquired the lead on Lap 221 but Sadler repassed him three laps
later and was never headed, despite two more yellows, the final one coming when
Ken Schrader blew an engine and collected Earnhardt Jr.

That set up the 10-lap dash, in which Sadler's No. 38 Ford built a lead of as
much as .889 seconds on Kahne's No. 9 Dodge, only to have the lead cut to .263
at the checkered flag.

Kahne was the fastest car on the track on laps 248 and 249, while Martin's No. 6
Ford was quickest in four of the final six.

"On the restart, I was hoping to get on the outside," Kahne said. "Elliott, he
moved up a little bit and blocked me from going to the outside and put me at the
bottom. I couldn't run on the bottom because it was too tight. He did a good job
by moving up.

"It just killed all the momentum and gave him the win."

Martin agreed.

"All throughout the race, the No. 9 car could outrun me for 10 to 20 laps and
the No. 38 could a little bit," he said. "He sat up in the seat there at the
end, Elliott Sadler did, and we just didn't have enough time.

"My car just didn't handle on a 10-lap run."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Sadler wins race, clinches spot in ChaseAfter second 2004 win, Sadler in Chase
with start at RichmondBy Mike Harris, The Associated Press
September 6, 2004
03:22 AM EDT (07:22 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. (AP) -- Elliott Sadler raced to his second victory of the season
and all but wrapped up a spot in the NASCAR's new championship playoff Sunday
night at California Speedway.

Sadler won for the third time in his Nextel Cup career, easily holding off
rookie Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin at the end of the 250-lap Pop Secret 500 with
the help of a couple of late caution flags that slowed the two challengers.
POP SECRET 500
Victory Lane
Elliott Sadler celebrates his second win of 2004 in the Pop Secret 500Final Laps
In a Texas flashback, Kahne chases Sadler to the checkersDale Jr. Done
Dale Jr. wrecks after sliding on Ken Schrader's oilTrouble at the Top
Jeff Gordon's engine expires and Dale Jr. spins on Lap 219Getting Loose
Kurt Busch gets aero-loose and spins but avoids hitting trafficTwo in the Grass
As Biffle dodges a loose Spencer, he spins Shane HmielBiffle Blows a Tire
Biffle blows a tire, damaging his car as well as the Nos. 24, 17 and 88Early
Trouble
J.J. Yeley spins, collects Brendan Gaughan on Lap 33•  Unofficial Results• 
Unofficial Standings•  "Bubble" Standings•  "Clinch" Standings

But Kahne, who finished second for the fifth time this season, and Martin both
climbed into the top 10 in the points with only next Saturday night's race at
Richmond Va., remaining before NASCAR pares the championship battle to the top
10 drivers for the last 10 races of the season.

Kahne is now ninth and Martin 10th, nine points behind. Jamie McMurray finished
fourth in the race and moved into 11th, 25 points behind Martin.

All Sadler has to do is start the race at Richmond to secure his place in
NASCAR's new Chase for the Nextel Cup.

"The cautions were definitely helping me, but my car was unbelievable the last
10 laps," said Sadler, whose last win came early in the season at Texas. "After
we got the checkered (flag), I told (team owner) Robert Yates 'This is a dream
come true. This is the reason I came to Robert Yates Racing."'

Martin appeared to have the strongest car through much of the race. But he
couldn't seem to get his car up to top speed for 10 to 20 laps after each of the
11 caution flags in the race that began in 99-degree heat of the late afternoon
and ended in the cooler temperatures after dark under California Speedway's new
lights.

"We had a fast race car on the long greens, but I can't help that the cautions
came out and my car just didn't shine on a 10-lap run," Martin said.

Both Bobby Labonte, who finished 20th, and Kevin Harvick, who was 28th, fell out
of the top 10, but still have a shot at getting into the Chase at Richmond,
along with Dale Jarrett and Jeremy Mayfield. Harvick fell to 15th, 56 points out
of 10th.

Martin, who led a race-high 65 laps, took the lead from Kahne on Lap 217, but a
spin by Dale Earnhardt Jr. brought out a caution flag on the next trip around
the 2-mile oval and brought the leaders to pit road.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 34th, 19 laps down. Credit: Autostock
Rookie Brian Vickers took only two tires and grabbed the lead, with Martin,
Sadler and Kahne right behind. On the restart on Lap 230, Sadler drove high on
the banking and raced to the lead. He stayed there the rest of the way, holding
off Kahne and Martin on one last restart with 10 laps to go after a crash
involving Earnhardt and Ken Schrader. The winner led a total of 59 laps in the
race.

Sadler said that crew chief Todd Parrott decided on a tire pressure change on
his last pit stop, which didn't sit well with the driver at first.

"I didn't agree with it. I told him, 'I don't think we should do that,' and he
did it. That's the reason he's the winningest active crew chief in the garage.
He got the car perfect for those last 12 laps and I drove my heart out."

Jeff Gordon, who won the race here earlier this year, ran over debris and
damaged his car early in the race and wound up finishing 37th after his engine
blew. Jimmie Johnson, his teammate, finished 14th but took over the series
points lead from Gordon by 50 points.

The points won't matter much after the Richmond race, though, with NASCAR
separating the top 10 by five-point increments and starting the final 10 races
with the contenders only 45 points apart.




kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Pop Secret 500Preview | Qualifying | News | Results
  Results OrderDriver (No.)CarLaps FinishedLaps LedWinnings 1Elliott Sadler
(38)Ford$0 2Kasey Kahne (9)Dodge$0 3Mark Martin (6)Ford$0 4Brian Vickers
(25)Chevrolet$0 5Jamie McMurray (42)Dodge$0 6Carl Edwards (99)Ford$0 7Ryan
Newman (12)Dodge$0 8Jeff Burton (30)Chevrolet$0 9Joe Nemechek (01)Chevrolet$0
10Dale Jarrett (88)Ford$0 11Rusty Wallace (2)Dodge$0 12Kurt Busch (97)Ford$0
13Scott Riggs (10)Chevrolet$0 14Jimmie Johnson (48)Chevrolet$0 15Jeremy Mayfield
(19)Dodge$0 16Scott Wimmer (22)Dodge$0 17Terry Labonte (5)Chevrolet$0 18Kyle
Busch (84)Chevrolet$0 19Bill Elliott (98)Dodge$0 20Kevin Harvick (29)Chevrolet$0
21Ricky Rudd (21)Ford$0 22Tony Stewart (20)Chevrolet$0 23Robby Gordon
(31)Chevrolet$0 24Matt Kenseth (17)Ford$0 25Bobby Labonte (18)Chevrolet$0 26Jeff
Green (43)Dodge$0 27Sterling Marlin (40)Dodge$0 28Michael Waltrip
(15)Chevrolet$0 29Casey Mears (41)Dodge$0 30Boris Said (136)Chevrolet$0 31Ward
Burton (0)Chevrolet$0 32Jimmy Spencer (4)Chevrolet$0 33Ken Schrader (49)Dodge$0
  34Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8)Chevrolet$0 35Kyle Petty (45)Dodge$0 36Jeff Gordon
(24)Chevrolet$0 37Greg Biffle (16)Ford$0 38Bobby Hamilton Jr. (32)Chevrolet$0
39Shane Hmiel (23)Dodge$0 40Derrike Cope (198)Ford$0 41J.J. Yeley
(11)Chevrolet$0 42Brendan Gaughan (77)Dodge$0 43Jeff Fuller (50)Dodge


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Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Crash with Yeley ends Gaughan's day earlyAngry former Truck Series star suffers
sixth DNF in a rowBy Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
September 5, 2004
09:47 PM EDT (01:47 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- Brendan Gaughan has to wonder if he'll ever see the checkered
flag again.

For the sixth straight race, Gaughan's No. 77 Kodak Dodge wasn't around for the
finish after he T-boned open-wheel star J.J. Yeley's out-of-control No. 11
Vigoro Chevrolet early in Sunday's Pop Secret 500 at California Speedway.
VIDEO
Early Trouble
Yeley spins, collects Gaughan on Lap 33

"It wasn't our fault," Gaughan said. "(Yeley's) going to blow by the cameras and
blow it off, act like it didn't happen, but some of us are out here not driving
Sprint cars, trying to drive Nextel Cup cars, and it's going to hurt us."

The whole incident started on Lap 33, when Yeley went high in Turn 1 and caught
the outside barrier. Yeley's car rode the wall for several hundred yards, then
suddenly veered toward the infield before Yeley caught it and turned back to the
outside.

Everyone else in the field went low -- except Gaughan, who suddenly had a front
window full of Yeley. He hit Yeley's Chevy just behind the right front tire,
which crushed the Dodge's radiator.

"The guy shouldn't have been out there," an angry Gaughan said. "(Nextel Cup
director) John Darby said it for years to all the rookies, if you go up to the
wall and hit it, and if you've got it caught, keep it up there. He had it up
there and I watched him and thought, 'OK, I'll go underneath him.'

"I started to go low and he goes low, he goes back above me, for some reason
corrects again and comes back in front of us. Another one of those days when the
Kodak gets to say it had a great car but it didn't have a great finish."

Yeley, making his Nextel Cup debut, took responsibility for the accident, but
wondered aloud why Gaughan was the only one who chose the high line around his
spinning car.

"I went into the same groove I had in the previous lap and the car got a little
bit loose and chased up the racetrack," Yeley said. "I thought I had that thing
saved for a long time up against the wall. There was just a point there where I
knew I was going to lose it and I definitely didn't want to spin down in front
of other cars.

"I locked up the brakes and tried to keep the thing against the wall. I spun
around in the last second and I thought it was in the clear and still on the
brakes and then comes the 77 and hit me in the front tire there and just killed
our chances of getting back out.

"You know, I think if he might have been able to slow down and go to the bottom
like some other cars, we could have just fired up and put some new tires on it
and gone back out."

Gaughan now has eight DNFs in 25 races and hasn't finished in the top 20 since
the first Michigan race.

His current luckless streak started at Pocono, where he was involved in an
accident. A crash sidelined him at Indianapolis, the transmission gave out at
Watkins Glen and the engine expired at Michigan before another wreck put him out
at Bristol.

Both drivers were released after a trip to the infield medical center.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
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Lap 250: Elliott Sadler WON

Lap by Lap: Pop Secret 500September 5, 2004
11:09 PM EDT (03:09 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- Here is a lap-by-lap account of the Pop Secret 500 at
California Speedway:

Lap 234: Caution out for Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ken Schrader crash

Lap 230: Green flag. Elliott Sadler leads

Lap 226: Elliott Sadler scored as leader

Lap 225: Caution out for Kyle Petty's blown engine

Lap 224: Green flag. Brian Vickers leads

Lap 220: Leaders on pit road, Brian Vickers takes lead with two-tire stop

Lap 219: Caution out for Dale Earnhardt Jr. spin

Lap 217: Mark Martin takes lead from Kasey Kahne

Lap 213: Robby Gordon begins round of pit stops

Lap 209: Jeff Gordon's engine blows

Lap 208: Jeff Gordon makes unscheduled pit stop

Lap 196: Michael Waltrip makes unscheduled pit stop due to cut tire

Lap 194: Kasey Kahne takes lead from Elliott Sadler

Lap 190: Elliott Sadler takes lead from Robby Gordon

Lap 185: Robby Gordon takes lead from Elliott Sadler

Lap 181: Green flag. Elliott Sadler leads

Lap 178: Caution out for Kurt Busch spin

Lap 177: Green flag. Robby Gordon leads

Lap 175: Robby Gordon scored as leader

Lap 174: Shane Hmiel to the garage

Lap 174: Leaders on pit road. Elliott Sadler scored as the leader

Lap 171: Caution out for Derrike Cope crash

Lap 167: Kasey Kahne takes lead from Shane Hmiel

Lap 162: Ryan Newman pits, gives up lead to Shane Hmiel

Lap 160: Jimmie Johnson pits, gives up lead to Ryan Newman

Lap 159: Mark Martin pits, gives up lead to Jimmie Johnson

Lap 156: Green flag pit stops begin

Lap 154: Mark Martin takes Kasey Kahne by 3.392 seconds

Lap 135: Mark Martin takes lead from Kasey Kahne

Lap 129: Kasey Kahne takes lead from Elliott Sadler

Lap 125: Elliott Sadler takes lead from Kasey Kahne

Lap 122: Kasey Kahne takes lead from Elliott Sadler

Lap 120: Green flag. Elliott Sadler leads

Lap 116: Caution out for Jimmy Spencer, Shane Hmiel crash

Lap 115: Greg Biffle returns

Lap 113: Green flag. Elliott Sadler leads

Lap 106: Leaders on pit road, Elliott Sadler scored as leader

Lap 105: Caution for debris

Lap 103: Rusty Wallaces makes unscheduled stop

Lap 97: Mark Martin leads Elliott Sadler by 2.701

Lap 87: Greg Biffle to the garage

Lap 82: Mark Martin takes lead from Brian Vickers

Lap 78: Green flag. Brian Vickers leads

Lap 74: Leaders on pit road, Brian Vickers win race off pit road

Lap 73: Dale Jarrett makes unscheduled pit stop

Lap 73: Jeff Gordon makes unscheduled pit stop

Lap 72: Caution out for Greg Biffle's spin

Lap 67: Casey Mears makes unscheduled pit stop

Lap 62: Mark Martin takes lead from Michael Waltrip

Lap 59: Michael Waltrip leads Mark Martin by 1.027 seconds

Lap 52: Michael Waltrip takes lead from Kurt Busch

Lap 48: Green flag. Kurt Busch leads. Brian Vickers restarts 13th.

Lap 47: Bobby Hamilton Jr. to the garage

Lap 46: Kurt Busch stays out, retains lead

Lap 45: Leaders on pit road

Lap 44: Caution out for Carl Edwards' flat tire

Lap 43: Kasey Kahne passes Jimmie Johnson for second place

Lap 39: Green flag. Brian Vickers leads

Lap 33: Caution out for Brendan Gaughan, J.J. Yeley crash

Lap 31: Green flag. Brian Vickers leads

Lap 30: Matt Kenseth pits, gives up lead to Brian Vickers

Lap 30: Matt Kenseth scored as leader

Lap 29: Leaders on pit road

Lap 27: Caution out for debris

Lap 19: Brian Vickers takes lead from Jeremy Mayfield

Lap 17: Jeremy Mayfield leads Brian Vickers by 1.496 seconds

Lap 12: Derrike Cope returns

Lap 10: Jeremy Mayfield takes lead from Brian Vickers

Lap 6: Jeff Fuller to the garage

Lap 1: Derrike Cope to the garage

Lap 1: Brian Vickers leads from the Bud Pole



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Date Race NamePole WinnerRace WinnerStarting Pos.Make05/02/04 Auto Club 500Kasey
KahneJeff Gordon16Chevrolet04/27/03 Auto Club 500Steve ParkKurt
Busch16Ford04/28/02 NAPA Auto Parts 500Ryan NewmanJimmie
Johnson4Chevrolet04/29/01 NAPA Auto Parts 500Bobby LabonteRusty
Wallace19Ford04/30/00 NAPA Auto Parts 500Mike SkinnerJeremy
Mayfield24Ford05/02/99 California 500 presented by NAPARained OutJeff
Gordon5Chevrolet05/03/98 California 500 presented by NAPAJeff GordonMark
Martin3Ford06/22/97 California 500Joe NemechekJeff Gordon3Chevrolet


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brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Zoom
Multimedia
Photo Gallery
Video ZoomTrack Facts
Banking/Turns: 14
Distance: 2.0 miles
Shape: D-shaped oval


Nextel Cup Race Record
Jeff Gordon 155.012 06|22|97

Busch Race Record
Hank Parker Jr. 155.957 04|28|01

Truck Race Record
Ted Musgrave 145.926 09|20|03



Nextel Cup Qualifying Record
Ryan Newman 187.432 2002

Busch Qualifying Record
Kevin Harvick 183.9409 2003

Truck Qualifying Record
Kurt Busch 177.388 2000

2003 Race Results

Nextel Cup Series
2003 Auto Club 500
04|27|03 Kurt Busch


Busch Series
2003 1-800-PIT-SHOP.COM 300
04|26|03 Matt Kenseth


Craftsman Truck Series
2003 American Racing Wheels 200
09|20|03 Ted Musgrave


Cup Historical Race Winners Nextel Cup Series
05|02|04 - Auto Club 500
09|05|04 - Pop Secret 500

Busch Series
05|01|04 - Stater Bros. 300 presented by Gatorade
09|04|04 - Target House 300

Craftsman Truck Series
10|02|04 - American Racing Wheels 200
California Speedway
Situated on the site of the former Kaiser Steel mill approximately 40 miles east
of Los Angeles, California Speedway is a great place to watch a race and
experience the thrills of NASCAR. It is one of the premier auto racing venues in
the country, hosting six major racing weekends, which includes the largest
attended sporting event in the state.Contact Information
9300 Cherry Avenue
Fontana, CA 92335
(800) 944-7223



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brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Headlines
•Labonte uses Busch race as Nextel Cup test session•Late slip keeps Busch from
gaining on Truex in points race•Dark Darlington: Labor Day race goes
West•Vickers gets the gold star after Fontana qualifying•Gordon, Johnson to face
F1's Schumacher in Nations Cup•Notes: Rusty hopes to wake up from California
nightmare
See More:
All of the headlines



Victory Lane
Greg Biffle celebrates his season sweep at California Speedway

Final Laps
  Late cautions set up a duel between Biffle and Mears

Near-Miss
Sadler spins, almost collects Jeff Gordon during Happy Hour
See more: Pictures | Audio | Video
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   Buy your NEXTEL Driver Phone.

Jeff Gordon said his team has struggled in final practice before and he's
confident the team will get it together. Credit: AutostockNotebook: Gordon not
pleased with carBy Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
September 4, 2004
07:15 PM EDT (23:15 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- Jeff Gordon has been as close to perfection as a driver can
be at California Speedway.

In eight previous races at the two-mile oval, the three-time winner has
completed all but two of the 4,000 miles and has led 412 laps. In fact, Gordon
has never finished worse than 16th at Fontana and was involved in the two
closest finishes, winning one and finishing second in the other.
JEFF GORDON
•  Driver Page•  Article Archive•  Superstore: Jeff Gordon gear!•  Join Jeff's
Fan Club!

However, he wasn't happy with his car after Saturday's two practices.

"Happy Hour was not happy," Gordon said. "We weren't as good as we need to be.
We went through this same thing the last time we were here.

"We really weren't that good in practice but we were great when they dropped the
green flag. I'm hoping for the same thing (Sunday)."
Right to the point
TARGET HOUSE 300
Victory Lane
Greg Biffle celebrates his season sweep at California SpeedwayTop Finishers
Mears, McMurray, Truex Jr. on their Target House 300 finishesFinal Laps
Late cautions set up a duel to the checkers between Biffle and MearsEnd of the
Road
Sterling Marlin drops an engine at the midway point of the race•  Unofficial
Results•  Unofficial Standings

Sterling Marlin's No. 1 Dodge made it exactly halfway through Saturday's Busch
Series Target House 300 before it expired with engine problems.

"It blew up, just blew up," Marlin said.
When it's not your day

Tina Gordon's No. 39 Ford was flagged after 40 laps for being too slow, but she
said speed might have been the least of her troubles.

"It just had a bad oil leak from the beginning," she said. "I felt a vibration
on pit road. I felt something loose in the transmission."
We want a pitcher

Busch Series veteran David Green will be making his first Nextel Cup appearance
of the season next weekend at Richmond, but he was more nervous about a recent
trip to the pitcher's mound at Edison Field, home of the California Angels,
where he hrew out the first pitch.

"Everyone thinks it's going to be easy," Green said. "The toughest part was to
make sure I got that ball across the plate."
Hey Jimmie, remember me?

A trip to California Speedway is a homecoming of sorts for Jimmie Johnson, who
grew up in the San Diego area. But that also creates more trouble, as Johnson
said sometimes he's hounded for free tickets.
Jimmie Johnson
"I've been doing this long enough now that I've worked through all of those
issues and just get to see my close friends here," Johnson said.
Trying to reason with hurricane season

Greg Sacks is expecting to attempt to qualify for next weekend's race at
Richmond, if his Nextel Cup car makes it through Hurricane Frances.

Daytona Speed, Inc. employees boarded up the shop in Daytona Beach this week and
were prepared to ride out the storm.

"What can you do? We're not in an evacuation area, so we boarded up the windows
and got everything inside that was outside -- the same things everybody is doing
at home," Sacks said. "After that, all you can do is wait and hope and pray --
for ourselves, and for everybody else who is being affected by the hurricane.

"Racers are racers, man. They don't think about anything else. If Dorothy had
been a racer, instead of holding Toto in the tornado in 'Wizard of Oz,' she
would have been yelling at somebody to check the camber one more time.

"So we're just going to check the camber one more time, and be ready to go at
Richmond next week. We can't do anything about the storm, so we're concentrating
on the things we can control."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Headlines
•Labonte uses Busch race as Nextel Cup test session•Late slip keeps Busch from
gaining on Truex in points race•Dark Darlington: Labor Day race goes
West•Vickers gets the gold star after Fontana qualifying•Gordon, Johnson to face
F1's Schumacher in Nations Cup•Notes: Rusty hopes to wake up from California
nightmare
See More:
All of the headlines



Victory Lane
Greg Biffle celebrates his season sweep at California Speedway

Final Laps
  Late cautions set up a duel between Biffle and Mears

Near-Miss
Sadler spins, almost collects Jeff Gordon during Happy Hour
See more: Pictures | Audio | Video
Sign up now and earn Fan Miles.
   Buy your NEXTEL Driver Phone.

Changing conditions all race long will have teams tweaking their cars throughout
Sunday's race at Fontana. Credit: AutostockAdjustments key to California
successLate-afternoon start will have crews guessing all day at FontanaBy
Elliott Gordon, NASCAR.COM
September 5, 2004
09:15 AM EDT (13:15 GMT)
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The glare, wind and hot track temperatures will keep drivers and crews guessing
all afternoon in Fontana, but mid-race adjustments to the changing conditions
could be the deciding factor on Sunday.
Brendan Gaughan says some drivers will make their adjustments later in the day
and just hope to hang on through the race's early laps. Credit: Autostock
"This place is going to start out 100 degrees and the track temperatures will go
to 80 and end up about 75," said Brendan Gaughan, driver of the No. 77 Kodak
Dodge. "Some guys may be able to stay ahead all race, and some of us are making
plans for adjustments in the late stages of the race and just hold on the first
half of the race."

Gaughan wasn't the only driver in the garage concerned about setting up his car
properly for race conditions. Ricky Rudd, who found some speed during final
practice and posted the eighth-fastest time (after qualifying 20th) wanted to be
careful not to dial his car out.

"Happy Hour practice was much more reflective of what the race is gonna be like,
so I'm hoping we don't miss our setup," Rudd said. "It's a difficult race we're
coming in to because we've done all our practicing with a real cool
temperature."
VIDEO
Near Miss
Elliott Sadler spins and almost collects Jeff Gordon during Happy Hour•  Happy
Hour Speeds•  Notebook: Gordon not happy with car in final practice

"The track is going to be probably 130 (degrees) when we're racing, so we've got
to be real careful not to get ourselves dialed out."

While Rudd was fast in final practice, polesitter Brian Vickers paced the field
and is apparently using the desert winds to his advantage.

"I'm not going to give away all my secrets but one thing I have learned is that
you really have to pay attention to the wind at the big tracks," Vickers said.
"They can dramatically affect how you have to approach the entry and exit of
each corner."

Some drivers may find the wind an advantage, but the late afternoon sun in Turn
3 could pose a problem during the late stages of the event.
Jeremy Mayfield says qualifying on Friday gave teams a hint of what to expect
Sunday. Credit: Autostock
"I noticed from practice until the time I went out to qualify (Friday) the
backstretch was already starting to be a little delusional back there I guess
you'd say," Jeremy Mayfield said following final practice. "Everything started
to blend in with the sun."

"We're used to that stuff, sunshine in our eyes and the windshield getting all
blasted up. We'll adapt to it somehow."

Adapting to the changing weather conditions is going to be the key to getting
into Victory Lane, but Mayfield's teammate, Bill Elliott, summed it up in one
simple sentence:

"He who has the best adjustability is the guy who is going to be able to win."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Bill Elliott ran McDonald's colors from 1994-2000, when he raced for himself
under the Ford banner. Credit: AutostockElliott hopes to increase schedule in
2005Veteran surprises with third-place starting spotBy Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
September 4, 2004
10:54 AM EDT (14:54 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif., -- The "old man" of NASCAR nearly pulled off the run of the day
Friday at California Speedway.

Bill Elliott, back in McDonald's colors for the first time this season,
surprised nearly everyone -- including himself -- with a lap of 186.307 mph
around the two-mile California Speedway oval, a speed that was surpassed only by
polesitter Brian Vickers and Elliott's teammate, Jeremy Mayfield.
Bill Elliott
It would have been Elliott's 100th front-row start in his 736th career NASCAR
event, except that Mayfield was told by his crew, "Don't that let old man beat
you."

"We unloaded and we were really bad and you ask yourself what's wrong," Elliott
said. "Then you go out and qualify and run decent and it puts it all in
perspective.

"I kinda of surprised myself. I asked (team director Sammy Johns) what we ran
and he told me and I thought he was kidding."

In actuality, Elliott had no thoughts of winning the Bud Pole. He was just
trying to make sure the No. 98 Dodge made Sunday's Pop Secret 500 as one of the
top 38 qualifiers.

"For me not having any points and everything you've got to struggle through each
and every week, especially when you come back on a limited deal," he said. "It
was good. I was really impressed. These guys do a heck of a job. To go from so
far back to so far forward ...."

Elliott said running only a handful of races this season after so many years of
being full-time driver has its ups and downs.
Pop Secret 500
Lineup
1st Practice Speeds


"I think you've got to look at it as a two-fold deal," said Elliott, ninth on
NASCAR's all-time list with 44 career victories. "We stay fresher by running a
limited deal, but you lose a little sharpness from not running every week.

"On the other side, you've got Jeremy and Kasey (Kahne) running every week and
you can keep up with what's going on. This stuff don't change that much from the
standpoint of week-in and week-out."

Elliott said the key to running part-time is getting enough seat time to stay
familiar with what the car can do.
Nextel Cup Series
•  Results•  Standings•  Schedule•  Best 25 Over Last Six Races•  Best Starts• 
Best Finishes•  Complete Race Coverage

"I just get maybe a little bit rusty, but I've been trying to run a lot," he
said. "We've been testing a lot and that's kinda gotten me back where I need to
be.

"It may take me a little time to figure out the particulars, like coming here
and not running here in the spring trying to see where I am as far as the setup
goes for (Saturday morning)."

Knowing what he now knows about being "partially retired," Elliott said he'd
like to increase the number of races on his 2005 calendar.

"Ten to 12 races is still what my goal is," he said. "I don't know that I want
to do any more than that. For this year, I've not really done enough. We've
tested a good bit the last few weeks and I've got comfortable with the car."

With McDonald's on board for California and Atlanta, that put a little more
pressure on Elliott to perform -- especially knowing that the No. 98 had no
provisionals.

"This is my first race back with McDonald's in a number of years and having them
on the car, I'm really proud of that association," said Elliott, named NASCAR's
most popular driver 16 times. "I wanted to do them some good.

"I didn't want to get in the position where we didn't make the race or had to do
something else. I just went out there and said, 'I've got to go.' That's what we
ended up with, and I don't know what we could have done to be any better."

It doesn't sound like Elliott is trading a steering wheel for shuffleboard
equipment any time soon, and that bodes poorly for all those "young guns" on the
Nextel Cup circuit.

"I'm just proud for all the guys and for McDonald's to be back for this race and
Atlanta in about six weeks," he said. "I'm looking forward to doing them some
good. Hopefully we can turn things around and put things better in sight for
next year."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

1#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC Financial Services182.60739.429Leader2#30Jeff
BurtonChevroletAmerica Online182.60739.429Leader3#6Mark
MartinFordViagra182.17239.523-0.0944#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW181.69939.626-0.1975#88Dale
JarrettFordUPS181.31939.709-0.2806#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide181.25139.724-0.2957#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW181.20139.735-0.3068#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force181.04139.770-0.3419#12Ryan NewmanDodgeALLTEL/Sony
Handycam180.99139.781-0.35210#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline180.80539.822-0.39311#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM
Goodwrench180.71439.842-0.41312#31Robby GordonChevroletCingular
Wireless180.49639.890-0.46113#91Bill
ElliottDodgeMcDonald's180.06839.985-0.55614#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletValvoline179.69040.069-0.64015#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors
Light179.64140.080-0.65116#17Matt KensethFordSmirnoff
Ice/DeWalt179.61440.086-0.65717#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts179.55640.099-0.67018#99Carl EdwardsFordShop
  Rat179.39940.134-0.70519#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot179.31440.153-0.72420#43Jeff GreenDodgePop
Secret179.29240.158-0.72921#5Terry
LabonteChevroletKellogg's179.23440.171-0.74222#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite179.09140.203-0.77423#38Elliott SadlerFordM&M's178.98940.226-0.79724#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCAT Dealers178.88640.249-0.82025#97Kurt BuschFordIRWIN Industrial
Tools/Sharpie178.81540.265-0.83626#48Jimmie JohnsonChevroletLowe's Tool
World178.70040.291-0.86227#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeKodak
EasyShare/Jasper178.44740.348-0.91928#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny178.41240.356-0.92729#16Greg BiffleFordNational
Guard178.38640.362-0.93330#18Bobby LabonteChevroletWellbutrin
XL178.24440.394-0.96531#24Jeff GordonChevroletDuPont178.11640.423-0.99432#01Joe
NemechekChevroletU.S. Army178.08140.431-1.00233#0Ward
BurtonChevroletNetZero/Fear Factor178.06840.434-1.00534#49Ken
SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home Service178.04240.440-1.01135#84Kyle
BuschChevroletCARQUEST177.68140.522-1.09336#41Casey
  MearsDodgeTarget House177.64640.530-1.10137#8Dale Earnhardt
Jr.ChevroletBudweiser True Music/Dave Matthews177.64240.531-1.10238#23Shane
HmielDodgeBill Davis Racing177.08740.658-1.22939#136Boris SaidChevroletCentrix
Financial176.19040.865-1.43640#11J.J. YeleyChevroletVigoro/The Home
Depot176.03940.900-1.47141#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products175.42141.044-1.61542#198Derrike CopeFordMach One Inc.171.33542.023


kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

RankCarDriverMakeSponsorSpeedTimeBehind1#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM
Goodwrench184.20939.086Leader2#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW184.10139.109-0.0233#38Elliott
SadlerFordM&M's184.10139.109-0.0234#16Greg BiffleFordNational
Guard183.56639.223-0.1375#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC Financial
Services183.18839.304-0.2186#48Jimmie JohnsonChevroletLowe's Tool
World183.15539.311-0.2257#88Dale JarrettFordUPS183.05239.333-0.2478#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline182.95039.355-0.2699#22Scott Wimmer*DodgeCAT
Dealers182.88539.369-0.28310#6Mark
MartinFordViagra182.71339.406-0.32011#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts182.67239.415-0.32912#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAmerica
Online182.56539.438-0.35213#8Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletBudweiser True
Music/Dave Matthews182.52839.446-0.36014#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite182.36639.481-0.39515#12Ryan NewmanDodgeALLTEL/Sony
Handycam182.27939.500-0.41416#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S.
Army181.95139.571-0.48517#17Matt KensethFordSmirnoff
  Ice/DeWalt181.88339.586-0.50018#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW181.69039.628-0.54219#24Jeff
GordonChevroletDuPont181.65839.635-0.54920#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot181.65339.636-0.55021#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors
Light181.24239.726-0.64022#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletValvoline181.14639.747-0.66123#97Kurt BuschFordIRWIN Industrial
Tools/Sharpie181.13739.749-0.66324#31Robby GordonChevroletCingular
Wireless180.89539.802-0.71625#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force180.83239.816-0.73026#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeKodak
EasyShare/Jasper180.71439.842-0.75627#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget
House180.65539.855-0.76928#99Carl EdwardsFordShop
Rat180.55539.877-0.79129#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide180.34339.924-0.83830#18Bobby LabonteChevroletWellbutrin
XL180.16239.964-0.87831#23Shane HmielDodgeBill Davis
Racing179.59640.090-1.00432#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
Service179.48440.115-1.02933#91Bill
ElliottDodgeMcDonald's179.48440.115-1.02934#45Kyle
  PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny179.37740.139-1.05335#5Terry
LabonteChevroletKellogg's179.20740.177-1.09136#43Jeff GreenDodgePop
Secret179.06940.208-1.12237#0Ward BurtonChevroletNetZero/Fear
Factor178.76640.276-1.19038#136Boris SaidChevroletCentrix
Financial178.71840.287-1.20139#84Kyle
BuschChevroletCARQUEST178.46140.345-1.25940#11J.J. YeleyChevroletVigoro/The Home
Depot177.74740.507-1.42141#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products177.37040.593-1.50742#50Jeff FullerDodgeArnold Development
Companies174.58341.241-2.15543#198Derrike CopeFordMach One Inc.---


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Credit: APDark Darlington: Labor Day race goes WestSeptember 4, 2004
03:28 PM EDT (19:28 GMT)
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DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) -- Longtime NASCAR fan Will Folderman brought his children
to watch history at Darlington Raceway last week. He wishes he were doing it
again this week at the Southern 500.

"We would've been here," said Folderman, a Sumter resident whose father used to
work for Petty Enterprises. "It's a shame we won't be at a race for Labor Day."

Folderman, his 7-year-old daughter, Cassie, and 6-year-old son, Frankie, were on
hand when the 55-year-old "Lady In Black" turned on its multimillion-dollar
lighting system Aug. 24. He usually was around the track on Labor Day weekend,
when Darlington's Southern 500 was the center of NASCAR's world.
David Pearson Credit: AP
But this year, the track will stay quiet. It's nearby restaurants and hotels
will have to wait for their sought-after crowds. NASCAR officials shuttled
Darlington's signature race to the West Coast to run under the prime time lights
of California Speedway.

"I'm still so upset about it, I don't know what to say," said "Silver Fox" David
Pearson, Darlington's all-time winner with 10 victories here.

"I guess, it's just a little reminder that nothing lasts forever," said
Darlington Mayor Tony Watkins.

Darlington held its first NASCAR race in 1950. Since 1960, it has hosted two
events each year, including Southern 500, which was long considered a crown
jewel of the sport.

But when NASCAR's appeal blossomed outside the Southern region, Darlington's
smallish capacity (about 60,000 seats) couldn't hold up against the larger,
glitzier racing Taj Mahals that sprung up coast-to-coast.

When Darlington began capital improvements about a decade ago, it already had
been lapped in its race to keep two NASCAR weekends. It's simple economics,
experts and officials say: How could NASCAR leaders justify a pair of stops at
Darlington when, before this year, larger venues like Texas Motor Speedway
(154,861 seats), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (137,000) and California (92,000) only
had one.

Darlington's final Southern 500 comes in November. Next year, the track hosts
one Nextel Cup event, a Saturday night race on Mother's Day weekend.

It promises to be a subdued holiday weekend for a Pee Dee town whose history has
been tied to the track ever since Harold Brasington dug it out of farmland
nearly six decades ago. "I guess they'll just cancel Labor Day," said Cale
Yarborough, a NASCAR great who grew up around Darlington.

The track is an economic engine for the region. A study by the University of
South Carolina found Darlington's two races brought in about $50 million. Take
away half, said former Darlington president Andrew Gurtis, and that's a serious
drain that's hard to replace.
Credit: AP
Harold King, a longtime raceway ambassador who often leads the pre-race prayer,
figures he has seen nearly every Southern 500. He's not sure what he'll do with
himself come Sunday. "It promises to be a very sad day," he said.

The lighting project is expected to breathe new life into the old raceway. New
Darlington president Chris Browning expected about 4,000 people to show for the
free night exhibition, but more than three times that many filled the stands.

"This sends a very strong message about what we've got here," said Browning, who
headed NASCAR's now defunct North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham before moving
South this spring.

Jeff Gordon, among the drivers who ran under Darlington's lights, understands
why NASCAR leaders changed Darlington's schedule. But he also thinks there's a
place for the old country track.

"This place has been so good to me," said Gordon, who shares the track mark of
five Southern 500s with Yarborough. "I always want to come here and I hope that
always continues to be the case."

This year's change will barely register with drivers accustomed to NASCAR's
expanded travel, said Ken Schrader. The switch to California will help the
circuit grow, he said.

"I think if we did everything in our sport like we used to, our sport would be
just as big as it used to be and not as big as it is now," Schrader said. "It's
like everything, times change."

Folderman says cutting Darlington's schedule, along with the recent moves that
eliminated NASCAR races at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) and Rockingham make it harder
for fans like him to attend their favorites sports -- let alone what it might
mean to budding fans like his children. "It's as if they're trying to take away
Southern traditions," he said.

Browning is charged with making sure that won't happen. He says if fans buy
tickets early, he can push NASCAR and International Speedway Corp., Darlington's
owners, for capital budget improvements like additional seats.

"I think people will respond to what we're doing here," he said.

Watkins, the city's mayor, agrees. "The changes are almost traumatic for us, but
we're excited about night racing," he said.

That showed last week. "I think this will keep people coming back," said Bill
Elliott, a longtime NASCAR fan from Durham, N.C., who shares his name -- listed
as William Thomas Elliott on his driver's license -- with the famous racer.

Yarborough, who christened Darlington's lights along with Gordon, Pearson and
truck star Bobby Hamilton, regrets the schedule changes at his hometown track
but knows it's ultimately in the sport's best interests.

And while the area might reel this weekend from losing their beloved event,
Yarborough says "maybe the community should have thought about that before all
this."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Shane Hmiel's wrecked Dodge sits outside the garage area at Fontana. Hmiel will
start the Pop Secret 500 from the rear. Credit: AutostockSadler, Hmiel spin
during practicesBy Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
September 4, 2004
03:47 PM EDT (19:47 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- In the two incidents during Saturday's Nextel Cup practices
at California Speedway, Elliott Sadler got away without a scratch.

But Shane Hmiel wasn't as lucky.

Sadler lost control of his No. 38 Ford exiting Turn 2 during Happy Hour, doing
two complete revolutions down the backstretch before getting the car under
control.
Pop Secret 500
Happy Hour Speeds
2nd Practice Speeds
Lineup
1st Practice Speeds


Sadler put up a huge cloud of tire smoke, but the rest of the competition was
able to slow down without incident.

Sadler was able to return to the track and ran a total of 15 laps, putting him
23rd on the speed chart.

Hmiel was forced to go to his backup No. 23 Dodge after hitting the wall
entering Turn 3 during the first of Saturday's two 45-minute practices.

The entire right side and rear of the car was damaged when Hmiel spun around and
collected the outside barrier.

"It was just a little loose," Hmiel said. "I was catching some good cars and it
just got out from under me."

Hmiel made 16 laps during Happy Hour, finishing 38th.
VIDEO
Near miss
Elliott Sadler spins and almost collects Jeff Gordon during Happy Hour

"The backup's OK but there are things that are a little different on this one,"
Hmiel said. "We've just got to get it better driving for me."

Brian Vickers, who will lead the field down for the green in Sunday's Pop Secret
500, showed that his car lost little speed from the previous day. Vickers topped
Happy Hour with a speed of 182.607 mph. Jeff Burton and Mark Martin tied for
second, followed by Kasey Kahne and Dale Jarrett.

Kevin Harvick, eighth in the point standings, was pleased after setting fastest
time in the first practice. But Bobby Labonte, currently ninth, was 30th in both
sessions.

All 43 cars practiced during the morning, but Derrike Cope's No. 96 Ford sat out
the first practice and Jeff Fuller's No. 50 Dodge missed the second.



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Fontana fall debut crucial for Chase hopefulsBy Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
September 3, 2004
02:37 PM EDT (18:37 GMT)
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Race for the Chase coming down to the wire

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR couldn't have planned this any better. With two races
left until the Chase for the Nextel Cup, eight drivers are in a fierce battle
for three spots -- eighth through 10th -- to lock down a spot in the Chase.
POP SECRET 500
•  Entry List•  'Bubble' Standings•  'Clinch' Standings•  Bristol race further
tightens Chase picture•  Complete Race Coverage

Kevin Harvick is in eighth place, but his position is hardly safe. After a rough
race at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he had to get out of the car because his
arm was going numb, Harvick is only 31 points ahead of 11th-place Kasey Kahne.

Kahne was 10th last weekend -- knocking teammate Jeremy Mayfield out of that
spot -- but lost it at Bristol to Ryan Newman. Tenth place has changed hands in
each of the last six races.

Newman is hardly in a safe position, as he's 26 points ahead of Kahne. Five
drivers, in fact, are within 45 points of Newman. Besides Kahne, Mark Martin and
Mayfield are 35 points out of 10th, with Dale Jarrett and Jamie McMurray 45
points behind.

To say this weekend's Pop Secret 400 at California Speedway is a crucial race to
those Chase contenders is obvious. Have a bad race Sunday, and chances are good
you won't be able to make it up at Richmond. Have a good race, and you still
have a chance.

A driver-by-driver look at the contenders for the Chase for the Nextel Cup:
Kevin Harvick
No. 8, Kevin Harvick, 2,923 points

Harvick has the fewest top-five finishes of anyone in contention (three), but
he's raced into the top 10 based on consistency. His only DNF all season was a
blown engine at Pocono, and he he's finished in the top 20 in all but six races.

One of those was last week at Bristol, when he had to get out of the car and
ended up 24th. But Harvick's arm is a "lot better," he said.

"It was pretty much back to normal once I got out of the racecar and had a
chance to relax a little bit and get some fluids back in me," Harvick said. "I
was sitting in the same position for so long and my seat kept pinching a nerve
under my left arm and it eventually fell asleep during that long green flag run.

The way the race went I never got a chance to wake it up, and there was no way I
could continue once it went numb."

No. 9, Bobby Labonte, 2,919

Four points behind Harvick is Labonte, who's been a bit of an enigma this
season. Labonte was as high as fourth in the points earlier this season and
seemed a lock for the top 10.
Bobby Labonte
But Labonte hasn't finished higher than 11th in the last seven races and is
limping toward to the Chase. A change in crew chiefs probably didn't help, and
Labonte knows the pressure is on.

"We need a good run this week in order to stay in the top-10," Labonte said.
"We've struggled recently, and I can't put my finger on it. I know it's not
anybody's fault. The guys are doing a great job. (Crew chief) Brandon (Thomas)
is doing a great job. Chris (Gayle), our engineer, is doing a great job.
Everybody on our race team is doing a great job.

"We've got great racecars, I just can't seem to find speed out of the racecar
right now, and that's one thing that hurting me. I just wish I could find it. I
know we're going to test our tail off, and we're going to do all sorts of things
to figure it out."

No. 10, Ryan Newman, 2,918

Newman snuck back into the top 10 with a second-place finish at Bristol, jumping
three spots. That was his first top-five in four races, but Newman isn't showing
any pressure.
Ryan Newman and crew chief Matt Borland
"The points battle is really tight, but we as a team don't put any pressure on
ourselves," Newman said. "We do all we can every weekend. That's all I can ask
of these guys. If we put in a sincere effort, the points will work themselves
out."

Newman's team is bringing a new car to California, and he admitted that it's a
"mystery." But the last time Newman drove a new car, he won at Michigan.

"We'll see how it is during practice on Friday I guess," Newman said. "We took a
brand new car to Michigan earlier this year, and that worked out pretty well for
us. Hopefully the same will happen on Sunday."

No. 11, Kasey Kahne, 2,892

Kahne can't seem to put together a string of good finishes to put him solidly in
the top 10. Maybe that's the inconsistency of a rookie driver, but this is not
the time of the season to be inconsistent.

Kahne won the pole for the first California race but finished 13th after running
out of gas.
Kasey Kahne
"We'll have the same car," Kahne said. "Hopefully, we can duplicate the
performance we had earlier this year and maybe even run a little better. We were
strong early and then the car got a little tight. We were going to run about
fourth but ran out of gas. This time, I think we will definitely be better.

"We need to run up front, lead some laps and try to get the win. We want back in
that top 10. We're going to continue to do the things we've been doing and hope
we make it."

No. 12, Mark Martin, 2,883

Martin may be the most feared driver outside the top 10. If he gets in the
Chase, Martin has shown plenty of performance lately to contend for the
championship.

He's finished second twice and third once in the last five races and ran well in
the other two events.

"We are just going to go out and try our best to do what we've been doing,"
Martin said. "We've been trying to win races for as long as I've been here, and
we are going to keep trying to win races. We'll try our hardest at California to
win we'll try just as hard at Richmond.

"But you know what? Even if we don't make this top-10 thing, we are going to try
just as hard to win the next week at Loudon and the next week at wherever we go
after that. That is what we do -- we try to win. Don't get me wrong, I want to
be in that top 10 and I want to be able to race for the championship -- who
doesn't?"
Jeremy Mayfield
No. 13, Jeremy Mayfield, 2,883

Mayfield lost two spots in the Race to the Chase with a 22nd-place finish at
Bristol. No one is happier to see California Speedway.

"I'm glad we're getting away from that little half-mile track and headed to a
two-mile track," Mayfield said. "I can't wait to get to California. It should be
a good week for us."

He'll need it, for since getting in the top 10 after Watkins Glen, Mayfield has
finished outside the top 10 in the last two races.

"Whether we get in the top 10 for the chase or don't, we have to remember where
we were a year ago and know that we have a great race team," Mayfield said.
"We've come a long way, and we have a great future ahead of us. That's the good
thing about it. If we get in, it's a bonus to all of us. If we don't, that means
we're going to be hungrier to be in it next year."

No. 14, Dale Jarrett, 2,873

Like Martin, Jarrett has run well down the stretch. He's finished 10th or better
in five out of the last seven races to get close, but there's still work to be
done.
Dale Jarrett
"It's not impossible," Jarrett said. "We've just got to have two good races.
We'll concentrate on California this week, and if we can have a good race this
weekend then we will have a chance going into Richmond in two weeks."

No. 15, Jamie McMurray, 2,873

McMurray was 133 points out of 10th only four races ago but has finished fourth,
seventh twice and 14th since. Now, he's got a chance at the top 10.

"California is going to be the race we need to get through," McMurray said. "We
struggled there in the spring. We ran in the top five in both Michigan races,
and usually that's a good sign for Fontana since the tracks are similar. We're
taking the same car we finished fourth with in Michigan two weeks ago, so the
Texaco/Havoline Dodge should be a contender this weekend.

"If we can just not have any DNFs in the next two races, I think we can make the
top 10."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are getting BIGGER!!!


























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Race Lineup

Pop Secret 500 | California Speedway

September 5, 2004 | Race 25 of 36Overview

Once qualifying is over, the field is set using a combination of timed laps and
provisionals. The fastest 38 cars earn a place on time, while positions 39-43
are determined by a process which may include last season's final owners
standings, current owners standings and former champions. The provisionals are
assigned in descending order, beginning with the highest ranking owner in the
standings. The lone exception is the Daytona 500, which uses two qualifying
races to determine the field. (now sortable) Related Information

Driver Standings Official

Schedule  window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return
true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
Pos.CarDriverMakeSponsorSpeedTimeBehind1#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC Financial
Services187.41738.417Leader2#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW186.36438.634-0.2173#98Bill
ElliottDodgeMcDonald's186.30738.646-0.2294#97Kurt BuschFordSharpie/IRWIN
Industrial Tools185.95538.719-0.3025#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW185.81638.748-0.3316#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget
House185.80238.751-0.3347#16Greg BiffleFordNational
Guard185.77338.757-0.3408#24Jeff
GordonChevroletDuPont185.65838.781-0.3649#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletValvoline185.55738.802-0.38510#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S.
Army185.55338.803-0.38611#6Mark MartinFordViagra185.52938.808-0.39112#8Dale
Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletBudweiser185.26638.863-0.44613#43Jeff
GreenDodgeCheerios/Betty Crocker185.26138.864-0.44714#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL/Sony Handycam185.18038.881-0.46415#5Terry
  LabonteChevroletKellogg's184.81038.959-0.54216#48Jimmie
JohnsonChevroletLowe's184.77238.967-0.55017#38Elliott
SadlerFordM&M's184.43139.039-0.62218#84Kyle
BuschChevroletCARQUEST184.37439.051-0.63419#99Carl EdwardsFordShop
Rat184.36039.054-0.63720#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force184.19539.089-0.67221#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts184.15339.098-0.68122#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeKodak/Jasper
Engines184.10639.108-0.69123#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline184.09139.111-0.69424#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide184.07339.115-0.69825#88Dale
JarrettFordUPS183.93239.145-0.72826#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite183.89939.152-0.73527#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM
Goodwrench183.73439.187-0.77028#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny183.67339.200-0.78329#23Shane HmielDodgeBill
Davis Racing183.61339.213-0.79630#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt Power
Tools183.58939.218-0.80131#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors
Light183.48639.240-0.82332#11J.J. YeleyChevroletVigoro/The Home
  Depot183.24339.292-0.87533#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot183.20639.300-0.88334#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAmerica
Online182.98739.347-0.93035#31Robby GordonChevroletCingular
Wireless182.78839.390-0.97336#136Boris SaidChevroletCentrix
Financial182.77839.392-0.97537#18Bobby LabonteChevroletWellbutrin
XL182.74139.400-0.98338#22Scott Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar182.55139.441-1.024
Provisional39#0Ward BurtonChevroletFear
Factor/NetZero182.13139.532-1.11540#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
Service181.36939.698-1.28141#4Jimmy
SpencerChevroletMorgan-McClure182.20939.515-1.09842#50Jeff FullerDodgeArnold
Development Companies180.99139.781-1.36443#96Derrike CopeFordMach One Inc.---
Did not Qualify44#89Morgan ShepherdDodgeRacing With Jesus/Red Line
Oil178.19140.406-1.98945#172Kirk ShelmerdineFordFreddie
B's176.59240.772-2.35546#02Hermie SadlerChevroletSCORE
Motorsports179.73040.060-1.64347#137Kevin LepageDodgeCarter's Royal
Dispos-all180.59139.869-1.45248#135Mike WallaceChevroletGary Keller
  Racing179.36840.141-1.724


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Vickers earns second Bud Pole of yearSeptember 3, 2004
07:58 PM EDT (23:58 GMT)
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Brian Vickers earned his second Nextel Cup Series Bud Pole of the season Friday,
taking the top starting spot for Sunday's Pop Secret 500 at Fontana.

Vickers toured the 2-mile oval in 38.417 seconds at a speed of 187.417 miles per
hour. Jeremy Mayfield was second at 38.634/186.364.

Bill Elliott, Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top five.



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Qualifying Order

Pop Secret 500 | California Speedway

September 05, 2004| Race 25 of 36Overview

NASCAR officials use a qualifying draw to determine the qualifying order. The
qualifying draw usually take place the morning of qualifying day. Each team
sends a representative to draw a number from a spinning ball, starting with the
team whose owner is highest in the owner point standings. When every team has
drawn, the qualifying order is set. (now sortable)Related Information

Driver Standings Official

Schedule  window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return
true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
OrderCarDriverMakeSponsor1#0Ward BurtonChevroletFear Factor/NetZero2#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL/Sony Handycam3#02Hermie SadlerChevroletSCORE
Motorsports4#42Jamie McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline5#20Tony StewartChevroletThe
Home Depot6#32Bobby Hamilton Jr.ChevroletTide7#48Jimmie
JohnsonChevroletLowe's8#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAmerica Online9#2Rusty
WallaceDodgeMiller Lite10#38Elliott SadlerFordM&M's11#15Michael
WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto Parts12#6Mark MartinFordViagra13#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar14#10Scott Riggs*ChevroletValvoline15#50Jeff
FullerDodgeArnold Development Companies16#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S.
Army17#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM Goodwrench18#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt Power
Tools19#96Derrike CopeFordMach One Inc.20#98Bill ElliottDodgeMcDonald's21#11J.J.
YeleyChevroletVigoro/The Home Depot22#97Kurt BuschFordSharpie/IRWIN Industrial
  Tools23#89Morgan ShepherdDodgeRacing With Jesus/Red Line Oil24#172Kirk
ShelmerdineFordFreddie B's25#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors Light26#88Dale
JarrettFordUPS27#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air Force28#43Jeff
GreenDodgeCheerios/Betty Crocker29#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC Financial
Services30#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget House31#136Boris SaidChevroletCentrix
Financial32#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home Service33#31Robby
GordonChevroletCingular Wireless34#24Jeff GordonChevroletDuPont35#5Terry
LabonteChevroletKellogg's36#23Shane HmielDodgeBill Davis Racing37#18Bobby
LabonteChevroletWellbutrin XL38#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletMorgan-McClure39#137Kevin
LepageDodgeCarter's Royal Dispos-all40#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeKodak/Jasper
Engines41#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge Dealers/UAW42#99Carl EdwardsFordShop
Rat43#8Dale Earnhardt Jr.ChevroletBudweiser44#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny45#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW46#16Greg BiffleFordNational Guard47#84Kyle
  BuschChevroletCARQUEST48#135Mike WallaceChevroletGary Keller Racing


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brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Chase for top 10 takes California spotlightBy MIKE HARRIS, AP Motorsports Writer

September 3, 2004

FONTANA, Calif. (AP) -- No question that Jamie McMurray is a fine race driver.
His math could use a little work.
``I'd say we've got 15 top 10 teams,'' said McMurray, one of 15 drivers battling
for a spot in NASCAR's new ``Chase for the Nextel Cup'' championship format.
ADVERTISEMENT
With just two races remaining in what has been dubbed the ``Race for the
Chase,'' five drivers are still within striking distance of a top 10 position in
the points that would make them eligible for the playoff-style title battle.
The top 10 drivers in the standings after the race next week in Richmond will be
the only ones allowed to compete for the season championship over the final 10
races of the season.
Going into Sunday's Pop Secret 500 at California Speedway, the five drivers
closest to 10th-place Ryan Newman are bunched within 45 points of that coveted
spot. Adding to the drama, Bobby Labonte is just one point ahead of Newman, and
eighth-place Kevin Harvick is just five points out of 10th.
Even Elliott Sadler, solidly entrenched in seventh, 101 points ahead of Newman,
is a little nervous.
``We made up a lot of ground in the Chase last week at Bristol with a
fifth-place run,'' Sadler said. ``I know I didn't win that race, but I sure felt
like I did.
``Our goal for this weekend is to maintain our position in the standings and put
ourselves in a good position for a solid finish. ... With just two races left
until the playoffs, I know I will also be a little more conscious on restarts
and try not to put myself in a bad situation.''
Sadler still has vivid memories of a flat tire last month at Michigan that cost
him dearly in points.
``That's just part of racing,'' he said. ``You can do everything perfect on some
days and still not have the good outcome you expect.''
That thought isn't comforting for any driver racing for a top 10 spot.
McMurray, docked 25 points early this season when his team brought a car with an
unapproved rear window to Bristol, also has failed to finish six races this
season and considers himself lucky to still be in the running for a playoff
berth.
``If I could just have 10 points for each of my six DNFs (did not finish), we'd
be in the top 10,'' McMurray said. ``It's all about finishing. The points system
rewards guys that are consistent. If you cant do that, you don't deserve to be
there anyway.''
And last year's top rookie figures that isn't going to change at California or
Richmond.
``I think it's going to come down to who doesn't have trouble in these next two
races,'' he said. ``Of those seven cars from eighth to 15th, someone is going to
have trouble. Whoever doesn't is who is going to be in the top 10.''
Newman, who fell out of the top 10 last month and has barely managed to get back
in, is trying not to put too much heat on himself or his team.
``The points battle is really tight, but we, as a team, don't put any pressure
on ourselves,'' Newman said. ``We do all we can every weekend. That's all I can
ask of these guys. If we put in a sincere effort, the points will work
themselves out.''
Jeremy Mayfield, tied with Mark Martin for 12th, just 35 points behind Newman
and nine behind teammate Kasey Kahne, is trying to look at the big picture.
``This team is so far ahead of where we were a year ago. If we get in, it's a
bonus to all of us,'' Mayfield said. ``If we don't, that means we're going to be
hungrier to be in it next year. Either way, there are great things in the future
for our team.''
That doesn't mean he is conceding anything, though.
``Our goal over the next two races is to get both of our team cars in the top
10. I think we can do it,'' Mayfield said.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Local Look: FontanaCompiled by Mark Spoor, NASCAR.COM
September 3, 2004
10:19 AM EDT (14:19 GMT)
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Events: Pop Secret 500, Target House 300

Local papers covering: Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News

NASCAR drivers get the acting 'bug'
Kevin Harvick
The deal: Tim Haddock of the Los Angeles Daily News says move over Dale
Earnhardt Jr. Here comes Herbie.

The Volkswagen Bug is being resurrected by Walt Disney Pictures for a summer
2005 release of a movie titled "Herbie: Fully Loaded."

Lindsay Lohan, Matt Dillon and Michael Keaton are among the actors cast in the
newest Herbie chapter.

NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers Earnhardt Jr., Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray,
Kevin Harvick and Rusty Wallace are scheduled to make cameo appearances in the
movie.

Why we care: Harvick has an especially busy week with the NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series in town for the Pop Secret 500 at California Speedway on Sunday. The
driver of the No. 29 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing is also taping episodes
for NASCAR week on the "Family Feud." His team competed against Jeremy
Mayfield's team for $20,000 to donate to charity.
ALSO
•  More from the NASCAR.COM Newswire•  Complete Race Coverage

Before the race Sunday night, Harvick also has some scenes he has to shoot for
the Herbie movie.

"I think everyone grew up watching all the different Herbie movies," said
Harvick, a driver from Bakersfield.

For more news about Harvick, click here.

Busch is riding on family fast track

The deal: Shav Glick of the Los Angeles Times says when Kurt Busch emerged two
years ago as one of the hottest young drivers in NASCAR, the word out of his
home base in Las Vegas was, "If you think Kurt's something special, wait until
you see his kid brother."
Kyle Busch
The kid brother, now 19, has arrived.

Why we care: Kyle Busch, driving a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, has won
five races in his rookie season in the Busch series and is second in the points
race as NASCAR's second-most popular circuit prepares for the Target House 300
on Saturday at California Speedway in Fontana.

The slender teenager trails Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s protege, by
78 points after winning at Indianapolis Raceway Park and Michigan and finishing
third at Bristol, Tenn., in his last three races. In those three races, he made
up 64 points.

For more NASCAR news on Kyle Busch, click here.

McMurray gives Cribs a tour

The deal: Tim Haddock of the Los Angeles Daily News says once the California
Speedway race is over, driver Jamie McMurray has some housecleaning to do.

That's a little unusual considering McMurray just purchased a new home in
Statesville, N.C. But then again, it's not every day MTV is expected over to
shoot an episode of "Cribs."

Why we care: McMurray and Casey Mears will be featured on "MTV Cribs" starting
in November. Filming for each episode will be going on this month.
Jamie McMurray
NASCAR drivers can be seen on TV racing every weekend on Fox, NBC, FX, TNT and
Speed Channel. But lately, they have been showing up on unexpected channels.

Brian Vickers has been a guest on MTV's "Total Request Live" (TRL for those in
the know). Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on an episode of "MTV Diary." McMurray was a
presenter during a Country Music Television awards show.

For more NASCAR news on McMurray, click here.

Mears a driving force in play for TV

The deal: Tim Haddock of the Los Angeles Daily News says Casey Mears, nephew of
racing legend Rick Mears, not only is one of NASCAR's rising talents, he is at
the center of a push by the sport for a piece of the entertainment mainstream.
Casey Mears
"He has a great personality," Sarah Nettinga, NASCAR's television liaison, told
the paper. "He's a single, good-looking, talented NASCAR driver. What more could
they want?"

Why we care: Mears, currently 16th in the Nextel Cup standings, also has spent
time on the sets of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Jimmy Kimmel
Show." He is the first NASCAR driver to appear on the soap opera "Days Of Our
Lives." He soon will be on a NASCAR edition of MTV's "Cribs" and has a spot on
the movie "Kirby" that will be filmed at California Speedway.

"I've been in front of the camera my whole life so it's not really a big deal,"
he said.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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For the second consecutive year, Matt Kenseth finds himself in the thick of the
hunt for the NASCAR championship. Credit: AutostockEven under new system,
Kenseth stays consistentBy Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
September 2, 2004
10:03 AM EDT (14:03 GMT)
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Matt Kenseth used consistency to win his first NASCAR
championship. His strategy was so boring, the sanctioning body changed the rules
to prevent a repeat.

Kenseth, though, didn't change his style.
Nextel Cup Series
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Now, in the ultimate revenge, Kenseth sits smack in the middle of the current
points standings and well within striking distance of a second Nextel Cup
championship.

"That would be cool," Kenseth said. "That's what our goal has been all year ...
to come back and try to win the championship under this new format."

The race for the championship lacked drama last year as Kenseth, using a
cautious and steady style, had a series-high 25 top 10 finishes in 36 races.
Although he won just one race, he practically locked up the title in July.

Sure, other drivers were mathematically within reach of Kenseth, but with just
two DNF's all season and a knack for finishing somewhere around fifth place
every week, he basically ran away with the title.

Because the stretch run of the season meant very little in terms of crowning a
champion, NASCAR radically overhauled the points system it had used since 1975.
The No. 17 team sits fifth in the Nextel Cup Series standings. Credit: Autostock
Under the new formula, NASCAR will take the top 10 drivers and reset their point
totals after 26 races. The eligible drivers will be separated from first through
10th in five-point increments and compete for the title in a 10-race playoff
format.

NASCAR denied Kenseth's boring title run was the reason for the change. He
believes otherwise.

"NASCAR said they didn't change it because of us, but they did," he said. "It's
more of a compliment than anything. We did that good and the team did such a
good job of being consistent and not dropping out.

"We just didn't make a lot of mistakes last year, and it's hard to do it all
season long."

With just two races to go before the field is reset, Kenseth is in fifth place
in the standings. If the playoffs began tomorrow, he'd be 20 points behind
leader Jeff Gordon.

No one is sure what the correct strategy will be to win a title under the new
format. Some drivers will be aggressive, going all out to try to win all 10
races. Others will just try to stay out of trouble, fearful that one accident,
one broken part, will instantly ruin their chance at a title.

Jack Roush, Kenseth's car owner, is pretty sure his driver will do the same
thing he's always done.

"He doesn't practice real hard, he doesn't run real hard early in the race
except to get track position, and then he hangs around the front until it's time
to go," Roush said. "When it is time to go, he goes and tries to close the
deal."

Kenseth believes that is how the championship will be won this year.
MATT KENSETH
•  Driver page•  2004 Stats•  Driver vs. Driver•  Gillette Young Guns Challenge•
Ford Driver's Eye

"I think the guy who wins this thing is going to be the guy who can run fourth,
fifth, sixth, seventh every week and doesn't have any DNF's," Kenseth said. "I
don't think it's going to be the guy who wins two or three races and drops out
of two or three races.

"It's still going to be the guy who is most consistent."

It's not exactly what NASCAR had in mind when it overhauled the system.

Then again, it's not exactly the way Kenseth wants to win titles, either.

He much prefers the old system, when the points leader is hunted by the other 42
teams in the garage. Being mentally strong and able to hold off the challenge
week in and week out was an important part of earning a championship.

"I'm a traditionalist, I liked the points the way they were before," he said.
"It used to be you had pressure all year from Daytona to Atlanta. Now, there is
pressure to get into the top 10. Then, it's only the top 10 who have the
pressure."

Still, it's hard to believe Kenseth and his No. 17 team didn't start the season
feeling just a little heat to turn things up a notch. After winning just one
race all of last season, they opened this year by winning two of the first three
events.

Kenseth later added a victory in the annual all-star race.

But it's been a series of top 10 finishes since then, and Kenseth wants to ride
them right into the playoffs.

"No matter what, you don't want to go into the last few races without any
momentum," Kenseth said. "So more than thinking about making the top 10 these
last two races, we're thinking about running good and trying to get to Victory
Lane and carry some momentum into the last 10."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Rusty Wallace: "This is an event that we really think we can win. You need a ton
of horsepower and good downforce in order to win there. We definitely have both
of those." Credit: AutostockMcMurray, Rusty have high hopes for FontanaBy Lee
Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
September 2, 2004
11:05 AM EDT (15:05 GMT)
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Busch Series races that run in conjunction with Nextel Cup
events always attract a handful of Cup drivers. Heck, Greg Biffle is trying to
run every race on each schedule.

This weekend at California Speedway, though, 10 Nextel Cup drivers are entered
in the Target House 300. That means almost a quarter of the field won't be Busch
Series regulars.
JAMIE MCMURRAY
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McMurray gear

In addition to the usual stable of Cup drivers like Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Kevin
Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Joe Nemechek and Michael Waltrip, several other Cup
drivers are entered.

Bobby Labonte will drive a No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet, Casey Mears is in
Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 41 Dodge and Jamie McMurray is entered in Rusty
Wallace's No. 66 Dodge. To complete the Ganassi trio of Cup drivers is Sterling
Marlin, who is in Phoenix Racing's No. 1 Dodge because Mears and McMurray
already had rides.

McMurray hooked up with Wallace's team in July, and the No. 66 team has been
among the contenders since. McMurray won the pole at New Hampshire, while
Wallace drove the car from 42nd to sixth at Michigan.

McMurray was back in the car at Bristol last weekend, qualifying seventh and
finishing 23rd.
Jamie McMurray Credit: Autostock
But this weekend's race could bring more to Rusty Wallace Inc. Former driver
Billy Parker struggled mightily in the car before he was let go, but Parker was
solid in the first race at California.

Parker qualified 11th and led five laps in the Stater Bros. 300 before an
ill-handling chassis and contact with another car sent Parker to a 22nd-place
finish.

But with McMurray behind the wheel, things could be different this time around.

"When we looked at the schedule at the beginning of the year, we had California
Speedway circled," Wallace said. "This is an event that we really think we can
win. You need a ton of horsepower and good downforce in order to win there. We
definitely have both of those. Penske-Jasper Engines has some of the best power
in the garage, and I'm sure they'll give us a real bullet for this weekend."
Busch Series
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Best Finishes

The cars have been solid since he joined the team, McMurray said.

"I knew it had a ton of potential," McMurray said. "Rusty is a great car owner
and doesn't do anything that isn't first-class. The cars are really good. We
haven't even yet started to scratch the surface of this team's potential. We've
had a pole and a top-ten in the past three weeks, but that should really be more
like a pole and three top-fives, with maybe a win thrown in there."

Part of the problem recently has been pit stops. McMurray would be fast on the
track, but once he hit pit road, things slowed down. At a high-speed track like
the two-mile California Speedway, time lost in the pits can spell doom to your
race.
Credit: Autostock
"We have the speed to win races," McMurray said. "We just have to put all of the
pieces together. We've been having problems with pit stops lately, but I feel
confident that (crew chief) Blake (Bainbridge) has all of those problems figured
out. If we can hold our own on pit road and not make mistakes, we're definitely
going to be one of the teams to beat on Saturday."

His car owner has similar high hopes.

"This team had a great run going here last time with Billy," Wallace said.
"Circumstances didn't work out quite right, but we showed that we can be a
contender at California. We've just got to concentrate on making good strategy
calls and not making mistakes on pit road.

"Jamie McMurray's been driving the heck out of this race car. If we don't let
him down in the pits, I feel sure that he's going to be up there when it counts
on Saturday."

Up there among all the other Cup drivers, too.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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With the assistance of NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Ken Schrader, Kyle
Petty and Dave Blaney, Sharon Speedway in Hartford, Ohio, says it has raised
more than $40,000 for the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The money was raised by
the track's Aug. 21 benefit night that also included a raffle for tickets to
last weekend's NASCAR races at Bristol Motor Speedway. Petty and his wife,
Pattie, founded the camp for children with life-threatening illnesses.


kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Matt Kenseth prefers to qualify his Busch car on Thursdays -- he says it helps
clear his schedule to qualify his Cup car on Fridays. Credit: CIA Stock
PhotoTrack Smack: FontanaSeptember 1, 2004
10:53 AM EDT (14:53 GMT)
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Has your opinion on the Chase for the Nextel Cup changed since the Daytona 500?

Matt Kenseth: I think we'd have a pretty good points race this year even if they
didn't have the playoff thing. We're only 260 points out right now with 12 races
to go and I think they've got a pretty good point race under any system. Most of
it, I think there's a lot of good things to the Chase, it just needs to be
tweaked a little bit.

Lee Montgomery: I think absolutely my opinion of the Chase has changed. At this
point in the season versus past seasons, we have no idea who's going to win this
championship right now -- none whatsoever. Last year we all knew Matt was going
to win it because he was so far ahead. He deserved it and I'm not taking
anything away from his championship effort at all, but it's so cool to see so
many guys with a shot, and all the different scenarios that could happen in the
last 10 races, and I love it.

Ryan Smithson: I liked it from the beginning, but the good thing is, and I
didn't think this was going to happen, but when you say that anyone could win
it, that's true. You've got a guy like Elliott Sadler, who's only won one race,
but he's been up front all year long, hasn't had many DNFs -- I think only one
-- but then you've got guys like Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who have been
winning the majority of the races, but yet with the problems they've had,
they're still in contention, and that's good.

Dave Rodman: Like I've been saying right along, I had to get all my old school
NASCAR blood transfused out of me over the course of time this season, and it's
hard to swallow that what once was just pure racing, is still pure racing, but
it's been positioned as entertainment, and modified to allegedly improve its
entertainment value -- as if it wasn't good enough, before. But I think the
excitement and the drama is just great.

Marty Smith: It needs to be tweaked a little bit, I'll agree on that. One kind
of idea that we've tossed around is to maybe give a guy who wins a race in the
Chase a 500-point bonus right there for his first victory in the Chase, because
that assures that a guy that wins the championship will have won a race in that
final 10-race playoff. I don't care that NASCAR doesn't want us to call it a
playoff -- that's what it is.
EMAIL
Lee
Dave
Ryan
Marty


Lee Montgomery: Winning one race or not, I don't see how that's an issue. And
people are going to look back and compare the full season points versus the last
10 races -- which is kind of crazy because in baseball, if the team with the
best record in the regular season doesn't win the World Series, nobody compares
their overall record, including the playoffs, to the team that won the World
Series -- that's nuts. So I don't see that making any difference.

Matt Kenseth: There's certain things about it I think that are going to be great
and are going to generate excitement and all that. But to try to compare it to
the World Series or to compare it to another sport doesn't work. It's
incomparable. In any other sport, it's one team against another, while each
weekend we're one team against 42, and that's a lot different. There still has
to be a way of ranking all that, I think.
Track Smack Audio
Too lazy to read Track Smack? We understand. Simply click below to listen to it.
Track Smack: Matt Kenseth

Dave Rodman: Last year, as we got to be about this point of the season, you
didn't care about anybody from about fourth in the points, to the end of the
field. They were already preparing for next season -- along with maybe trying to
win races. But now, there's all kind of excitement there, not only coming up to
this cutoff race, but also looking at the final 10, so I think it's a big plus.

Lee Montgomery: I understand some of the arguments against changing the format,
but I also think there's too many positives as far as the Chase goes, and that
mostly revolves around having so many guys being able to run for the
championship in the last 10 races. That creates a lot of excitement and a lot of
things for us to talk about and write about -- and that's good.

Matt Kenseth: I think the hardest thing about is if someone is 600 or 700 points
behind and has gotten the lucky dog thing a bunch of times to get free laps back
and hasn't had a good year, to put them almost even with Jeff Gordon, who's won
however many races he's won and done so great all year and has one DNF at the
end and loses the championship, I don't know if that's fair.

Lee Montgomery: If you win the championship under the system that's in place
then you're the champion. There's no argument against it.
Riding in the back of the golf cart -- as opposed to the front -- is 10 times
more fun.
Matt Kenseth: There's another thing that might be kind of weird that somebody
brought up to me, and I don't if it'd make any sense or not, but if they're only
having the top-10 drivers eligible anyway, start 'em all out at zero and give 10
points for the winner and one point for whoever finishes last out of those 10
cars. That way, if you have a DNF and finish 43rd you're not totally out of it.

Marty Smith: Exactly.

Matt Kenseth: Just rank the top-10 against each other. Don't rank them by how
they finish against everybody else, who isn't running in the Chase. The way this
point system is set up, it's supposed to reward winning races and not
necessarily so heavy on consistency. In my book, for these last 10 it's almost
more weighted on consistency because the guy who has one problem and gets his 38
points or whatever it is for last, compared to the guy who finishes fifth or
sixth every week, is going to have a real problem beating that guy, so I think
it's still really weighted on consistency over the last 10.

Marty Smith: I could not agree more. Jeff Gordon could win three of the Chase
races, but if he wrecks out of four of them he's still going to lose out to a
guy who finishes fourth every single week and doesn't win once.

Matt Kenseth: If he drops out of even one or two of them he's going to lose to
that guy.
Our only photo of Ryan McGlynn Credit: Autostock
Marty Smith: That's one of my biggest beefs on this deal is that when NASCAR
announced the Chase they had built up so much hype of how they were going to
reward winning races. Whatever. You get five points for winning a race right now
and that's not going to change any once we get into the Chase. What kind of
reward is that? When you really boil it down, it's nothing, essentially.

Ryan Smithson: I just hope that when we get to Talladega we don't get someone
taken out in the Big One and it wasn't even his fault, and that's why he loses
the title.

Dave Rodman: That's racing and that's part of it.

Matt Kenseth: There are some funny things about it that could work out, too. The
guy that's 10th in points after all them races could go to the Bahamas for two
months and still walk up on stage at the banquet and be 10th in points, and the
guy who was 11th could win all 10 races in the Chase and not make the top-10.

Matt Kenseth: There are definitely some weird things about it.

Guys, with Rusty Wallace's announcement this week that he's retiring after next
season make you think that the retirement age for drivers might get lower?

Matt Kenseth: I think it is for sure. It's definitely changing a lot right now.
I don't know if, or when that would stop. For me, at my age I should try to talk
NASCAR into making a rule that you can't start driving until you're 25, or
something. That would help people like me.

But when you see Rusty retire, and when you see Jeff Burton get out of the 99
car and go to the 30, the first thing you want to do is replace him with Carl
Edwards, who is -- I don't know how old Carl is, but he's not very old.

If Terry Labonte gets out of the 5, the first thing they'll want to do is
replace him with a 19-year-old, so I think the retirement age is definitely
going to be getting younger, if they keep giving younger drivers opportunities
to get into the cars.
Scott Riggs, with goatee on Friday..... Credit: CIA Stock Photo
Dave Rodman: I think as the current crop of veterans gets out of the sport, the
opportunities for guys not only to stick, but to have rides in the first place
is going to be shrinking up. Just look at guys like John Andretti -- who's a
winner in this league. It may be the classic case of early retirement, with no
buy-out option -- or no choice.

Ryan Smithson: Marty, last week you wrote that somebody like Jimmie Johnson
would retire at about age 40. Do you really think he'll only have like 12 more
years to drive? That just doesn't seem like that long to me.

Marty Smith: He'll be done at 40. Jeff Gordon will be done at 40. Guaranteed.
They love to race, that's why they're here; but the thing is that they'll be
financially stable enough to where they don't have to do this circus any more.

Dave Rodman: I wonder to what degree the better financial picture in this day
and time figure into that? Guys used to have to race a long career in the
attempt to make enough to be able to live the rest of their lives. That's not
the case today, so I wonder how that figures into it?
And clean-shaven on Saturday, when he was the top rookie. Credit: Autostock
Matt Kenseth: I don't think that figures into it at all, really. I think that it
used to be -- probably at least a little before I got here -- but when I used to
watch the races and pay attention to it, when there was a ride that opened up or
you needed a substitute driver, they'd keep using the same people, that were
recycled.

They were proven veterans -- maybe not people that were winning races or who had
even won races -- but people that have just been around forever. And if there
was somebody that had just won a race, he could stay around pretty much forever
and float back and forth and keep finding jobs and getting opportunities.

But it's just not like that anymore. The owners and sponsors and everybody are
so willing to gamble, on youth -- no matter if it's proven youth or not. If it's
somebody that's young, they're willing to gamble on that, first. So I don't
think it's necessarily going to hang in the future on whether it's your choice
to retire.

I think it will be more like the owner wants to drive you out of there when
you're younger and put somebody a lot younger in the car.

Marty Smith: If Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Gordon wants to do a one-off race, that's
fine -- they can do that. If they want to go race a soda truck out in the desert
in the middle of Phoenix somewhere they can do that. If Jeff Gordon wants to go
race a USAC Sprint Car, he can do that. They're going to be financially stable
enough to do it on their own terms.

This is kind of the first generation where that is the case. Guys that are Jeff
Gordon or Matt's age, Jimmie Johnson or Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. -- that class of
driver can do it on their own terms.

Dale Jarrett and guys of his era could not. They are now getting to where they
are wealthy enough that they could retire, financially stable, but they were
racing to put food on the table. Matt and those guys don't have to do that.

Matt Kenseth: I think we all started racing because it's fun. That's why we all
do it. I think what you're saying about Jimmie and Jeff and some other guys (is
true). When it gets to be too much of a pain, and it's not fun any more, then
they are financially well off enough to be able to retire, quit or just not do
it all the time -- if it becomes more of a pain than it is fun.

Marty Smith: It seems like back in the day, guys like Dale Jarrett had to pay
dues, and pay dues and pay dues. They didn't get into good equipment until they
were 34 or 35 years old. Now, Brian Vickers is 20 and Kyle Busch is 19 and
they're getting into the best equipment.

But at the same time, those young kids come into this sport with so much work
put on them, and so many responsibilities to sponsors, etc. -- that that wears a
driver out, I would think.

Matt Kenseth: If you're starting at 20 years old, I could maybe see them wanting
to be retiring younger, but for a guy like me, I grew up racing in Wisconsin and
didn't get my first chance in a Busch car until I was 25 or 26 -- or however old
I was.

So I can't see me wanting to get out when I'm 40 years old. But the way the
sport's going right now, I might be forced out when I'm 40 years old, or 42 or
43 -- something like that. But I don't know if you'll want to be out by then.
It's hard to say.

Dave Rodman: Matt, you got to wear the young gun hat when Bill Elliott put you
in his car at Dover for your debut, but now you're wearing the veteran's hat as
the Cup champion. Which do you like the feel of, better?

Matt Kenseth: That's a hard thing to say. Everything changes, and it's fun, but
it's a different kind of fun. I can't think of very many times in my life, or
anything I've done, where I've had more fun than that day that I drove Bill
Elliott's car at Dover.

That was just fun, because there were no expectations, there really wasn't any
pressure. I mean, there was but there wasn't because I didn't have any idea what
I was doing or what I was getting into or how big a deal it was that we ran
sixth with that car, that day.

To just have so much fun with Mike Beam, who was a legendary crew chief that I
used to watch on TV all the time, was totally unexpected and a lot of fun.

Ryan Smithson: I'm glad Rusty is going out at a good time. He didn't do the
Darrell Waltrip thing where he goes eight or nine years without winning. Rusty's
already won a race this year and he probably will next year.

Marty Smith: I agree with you, Ryan, in that Rusty's going to do it the right
way. It's kind of like the Michael Jordan kind of deal. He's going to go out and
people are going to remember him as a champion. John Elway kind of did the same
thing in football. Rusty is going to get out, rather than hold on too long.

Dave Rodman: I would question, to a great degree, whether a lot of today's fans
even remember that Rusty won a championship or that he as the damned man at one
time. Just like DW was, in his day. At least they know Rusty is a competitive
son of a buck and one hot sketch, too.

Matt Kenseth: Is Rusty going to come back like Jordan?

Marty Smith: Man, I hope not. Maybe he'll switch sports and go try baseball.

Lee Montgomery: Rusty going out the way he is, is perfect. He probably might be
able to win his last race next year, sometime. But as far as going to other
sports, it would be cool to see Rusty up on the senior circuit in golf. Though,
I don't know if he's good enough.

Matt Kenseth: I would never say Rusty's a senior.

Ryan Smithson: Rusty looks young for his age.

Lee Montgomery: He looks young and he acts young. He's always been that way. He
acts like he's 16 years old sometimes. But that's what's so cool about Rusty.
He's always been wide open and optimistic and that's cool.

Matt Kenseth: That is cool. It's cool to see all that energy and he's not always
complaining about something -- he's always happy, you know? He's always looking
forward to going to the track and he always believes, in his head that he's
going to win that weekend.

Dave Rodman: Rusty sure cusses like he was 16. If you pick your spots, I like
that. Of course, he slipped up and uttered a finable word on the live TV shot.
Lucky it weren't live.

Marty Smith: Rusty is doing it the right way. Like Bill Elliott did. Bill
Elliott left everyone wanting for more. He almost won his last full-time race in
Cup racing. All those Bill Elliott fans know that he still belongs in that seat,
and that's got to feel good.

Matt Kenseth: That's cool to see how good Rusty runs and to be able to retire
with some dignity is pretty cool.

Dave Rodman: Too bad corporate America doesn't feel as strongly about Bill as
the fans. He wasn't retired, last time I checked, but like Matt said, if no one
steps up to pay the bills, you might be, like, put out to pasture.

Going to Fontana this weekend for a hot, afternoon into early evening 500-mile
race. What do you see happening in the points and the race itself?

Matt Kenseth: At California, you kind of always get kind of a Michigan race. The
track is turning more into what Michigan is, though it is not quite as good as
Michigan, for how wide that it is. But it's a good track with a lot of room to
move around and I think whoever you saw strong at Michigan last month are going
to be the cars that will run good at Fontana.

Marty Smith: So in other words, you're saying the Roush cars will run good?

Matt Kenseth: You know, I forgot about that but I hope so. I didn't run so good
compared to the rest of them so I wasn't really thinking of that. But basically
our stuff is pretty close. Kurt Busch won Michigan and California one year and
ran the same car and did all that, so I think that the tracks are very similar
and you can run a lot of the same stuff. I hope that's the case and I'm glad you
brought it up.

Lee Montgomery: Matt, what effect will it have in 90-degree heat, going from the
day into the evening? I don't know how much it will cool off, but I imagine it
will cool off some. Do you think it will be like Charlotte, or Richmond?

Matt Kenseth: I don't know. The race starts at 4 o'clock. Will it even be dark
before it's over? I don't think it will even be dark, so I don't know?

Ryan Smithson: Hey Matt, remember how hot it was there in the spring?

Marty Smith: It was unbearable. I honestly think this might be a weekend where
the Evernham cars break through, because I remember Kasey was really, really
good at California in the spring. Bobby Labonte might be good, but I think this
might be the time that Kasey Kahne really makes a statement and a push towards
his qualification for the Chase for the championship.

Ryan Smithson: And Ray said that, too. He knows that when they get to Richmond
they better have some cushion or they're really going to be in trouble.

Marty Smith: This is going to be a pivotal race as far as Dodge, overall is
concerned. You've got Ryan Newman who, right now is 10th in the standings and
clinging on by a thread. If he doesn't fare well at California and the Evernham
cars don't fare well at California, then Dodge may get shut out of the Chase,
and by golly that's NASCAR's worst nightmare, to have to answer to a
manufacturer who gets shut out of that deal.

Dave Rodman: Well, for one thing, I wouldn't totally sell Jamie McMurray that
short. He's driving a Dodge, too. And it won't be NASCAR's fault if no Dodges
fail to get into the Chase.

Marty Smith: Are you kidding me, Rodman? Don't be naive. C'mon, man -- what are
you talking about? Are you trying to tell me that Chrysler, or Dodge ain't gonna
raise all 40 kinds of Hades if one of their cars isn't in that thing?

Dave Rodman: They ought to raise it with their race teams, not with NASCAR.

Lee Montgomery: I'm with Dave on this one. I can't believe I'm saying that, but
no.

Dave Rodman: Lee, two weeks in a row, buddy. I appreciate the support!

Lee Montgomery: It's tough. That's why they call it racing. I don't see how it
would be any different. What's NASCAR supposed to do in that situation? They
can't play favorites?

Marty Smith: Who has the new shock rule hurt the most? The 9, 19 and 12 -- all
Dodges. Are they not going to go to NASCAR and voice that opinion? C'mon boys,
where are you?

Lee Montgomery: That's a completely different subject, about changing rules. I
don't see how that's an argument. Has it hurt the other Dodge teams, too? Has it
only hurt Dodge?

Marty Smith: They sucked anyway.

Dave Rodman: If they were smart enough to get there, they should be smart enough
to deal with it.

Matt Kenseth: Marty's had too much coffee this morning.

Marty Smith: It's good for yah, Matt. There's nothing like a couple strong cups
of Java to hook you up.

Matt Kenseth: I don't think it's NASCAR's problem. On the competition side,
NASCAR has kept everybody extremely even the last couple years, and you know,
when Dodge first came in and they couldn't win a race, NASCAR kept giving them
more offset on their nose and kept giving them concessions until they won.

That's when they used to change rules all the time in the middle of the year.

Thank goodness at least from the competitors' side the last two years, even if
you think your manufacturer has a small disadvantage, at least they're not
changing the rules so you're working with the same car all year and everybody's
under the same blanket, basically.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Tracks turn pavement into profitBy Ron Lemasters Jr., Special to NASCAR.COM
September 1, 2004
11:53 AM EDT (15:53 GMT)
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Sports in America originally began as the playground of certain well-off
families and businessmen looking to enter a world they could not join
athletically, but could control through the ownership of franchises or leagues.
In the years since, the trend has shifted away from its roots toward public
ownership, or selling stock to create capital for such an undertaking.
Talladega Superspeedway
One of the first to partake of this for sporting purposes was, ironically, Big
Bill France, who created the International Speedway Corporation for the purpose
of building Daytona International Speedway in the 1950s. ISC, controlled by Big
Bill and his wife, Annie, sold shares of stock for $2 to finance the
construction.

If a person had bought 2,000 shares of ISC stock at its first issuance and held
onto it until today, that person would have a stock portfolio worth more than $1
million. There have been several splits and conversions along the way as the
company grew and diversified.

"It's one of the great American capitalist stories," said Chris Economaki,
editor and publisher emeritus of the venerable National Speed Sport News. "ISC
was the first publicly traded company with motorsports as its underpinnings."
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•  More business news and featuresHave a story idea for Ron? Click here and send
it.


Since ISC broke the IPO barrier to finance Daytona's construction, it was quite
a while before the current boom of public ownership returned to motorsports. The
next to do it was Bruton Smith with Speedway Motorsports. Fred Wagenhals of
Action Performance took that company public based on the NASCAR die-cast
business boom, and finally Dover Downs International Speedway formed a group
that includes Dover, Gateway International and the new Nashville Superspeedway.

ISC began with Daytona, which opened in 1959, and has since bought or built
Darlington, Talladega, California, Richmond, Michigan, Chicagoland (in
partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corp.), Kansas, Phoenix and
Homestead. ISC also owns half of Martinsville and recently sold North Carolina
Motor Speedway to Smith and SMI once it was stripped of its lone remaining
NASCAR date. ISC has 19 of the 36 points events on the Nextel Cup schedule, as
well as the Bud Shootout at Daytona.
Bristol Motor Speedway
The flagship of the SMI empire is Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, with
Texas, Atlanta, Bristol, Infineon Raceway in Sonoma and Las Vegas alongside. SMI
has 10 Nextel Cup events plus the Nextel All Star Challenge. Smith owns
Rockingham and North Wilkesboro (or at least half of it), giving SMI three
tracks in North Carolina that are part and parcel of the history of the sport.

Dover Downs controls its two races on the schedule, while Joe Mattioli at Pocono
and Bob Bahre at New Hampshire have two events each, and Indianapolis owns its
Brickyard 400 date.

Why do publicly traded corporations own so many race tracks? First and foremost,
the resources available among the tracks are formidable. Routinely, ISC and SMI
shift personnel back and forth among their tracks to help cover race weekends,
and the money generated by the sale of stock is used as leverage to purchase
more dates, more land or make improvements.

The trouble with owning so many tracks, as ISC has addressed in the past few
months with the announced closing of both Rockingham and Nazareth, is that in
order to be profitable -- which means offering shareholders a decent return --
the tracks have to be constantly in use.

Humpy Wheeler, who runs SMI for Smith, once said that his tracks needed to be in
use something like 300 or so days a year to be profitable. That's not to say
that a race has to be held every weekend, but it's close. In order to make money
and translate property and infrastructure into dividends, organizations like SMI
and ISC are constantly on the lookout for car clubs, driving schools, swap meets
and other special events to put fannies in seats.
Infineon Raceway
To use Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte as an example, there are the three
NASCAR weekends, in May and October, at the big track and a schedule at The Dirt
Track @ Lowe's Motor Speedway that runs around 15-20 races. The World Karting
Association, located just off the backstretch, hosts a huge karting meet there
each year, and the INEX Legends Car Series runs races on the frontstretch oval,
the road course and the small paved oval outside the Turn 3 tunnel.

Add to that a pair of AutoFair car meets, which draw thousands of fans with
their cars and equipment and you have the basis for a season schedule at the
1.5-mile oval. Both the Richard Petty Driving Experience and Andy Hillenburg's
Fast Track Driving School hold classes at LMS, and testing takes place on a
regular basis. The Porsche Club, BMW club and several other auto enthusiast
clubs have scheduled days there as well.

One other aspect of income for the speedways that are publicly owned is
commercials. The ads you see on Sundays during NASCAR races are filmed at
Charlotte, Homestead-Miami, California and other tracks on the circuit, and that
translates into rental days for the speedways.

In the coming weeks, we'll examine exactly what it takes from a business
standpoint to put on a NASCAR weekend. The amount of money and time involved
will likely surprise you



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Walker, Kahne to share seat of No. 38 Busch car in 2005From Team Press Release
September 1, 2004
03:46 PM EDT (19:46 GMT)
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Akins Motorsports owners Doug Stringer and Brad Akins named
World of Outlaws standout Tyler Walker as the driver that will share duties with
Kasey Kahne behind the wheel of the No. 38 Great Clips Dodge during the 2005
NASCAR Busch Series season.

"I'm very excited about this opportunity with Akins Motorsports and Great
Clips," said Walker. "I can't wait to work with Paul Andrews and the entire
team. I know that I've got a lot of learning to do, and I'm fortunate that I'll
have Kasey to give me a ton of feedback. That will be a big advantage for me
because he'll be able to relay information to me that normally you don't get
unless you go out and test for 500 miles. I'm grateful to everyone at both
organizations for giving me this chance, and hopefully we'll be able to take the
Great Clips Dodge to the front as soon as the season starts."

Walker, 23, has fielded the No. 38 Great Clips Dodge this season in the Goulds
Pumps/ITT Industries 250 at Pikes Peak International Raceway where he started
eighth and finished 27th after experiencing mechanical problems. In addition,
Walker practiced and qualified the Great Clips Dodge at Nashville Speedway and
Kentucky Speedway for Kahne in both events.

Walker, a native of Los Angeles, Calif., will again get behind the wheel for
Akins Motorsports in the upcoming Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park on
October 23, while Kahne will stay at Martinsville Speedway for his Nextel Cup
obligations.

"I'm thrilled that we have the opportunity to align ourselves with another
open-wheel standout such as Tyler," said Stringer. "With these two drivers and
Paul Andrews at the helm, I hope to think it's inevitable that we'll be
competitive all season long and challenge for the owner's championship next
season. We look forward to having Tyler on board, and can't wait for the 2005
season to begin."

Kahne will compete in the NASCAR Busch Series season opener at Daytona
International Speedway next season with further races yet to be determined in
addition to his full-time Nextel Cup duties.

"I'm real excited for Tyler," said Kahne. "I know that he'll do a good job for
Great Clips. I'll be able to help him with some things that took me awhile to
learn, and I'm hoping that we'll be able to test together next year. Ultimately
our goal is to bring home the NASCAR Busch Series owner championship for Great
Clips and Akins Motorsports, and we feel that it's within our reach."

Throughout the years, Kahne and Walker have competed against each other in open
wheel. Because of that relationship, Kahne hired Walker to race his No. 19 Curb
Records/Brown & Miller Dodge Mopar Silver Crown entry this season.

This past Sunday, Walker not only led the final 20 laps of the Bully Hill
Vineyards 100 at Nazareth Speedway but also took the checkered flag for the
first time in his 28th start in the USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series.

"It's pretty exciting to get my first win as a car owner," said Kahne. "I won
this Silver Crown event last year at Nazareth, so it's pretty cool to have
back-to-back wins there. I give all the credit to Tyler, Willie (Kahne, crew
chief) and the guys on that team. They did an awesome job, so congratulations
goes out to them."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Headlines
•Walker, Kahne to share seat of No. 38 Busch car in 2005•Momentum the goal for
points leader Gordon•Conversation: Rusty Wallace•Rusty's 'Last Call' is
2005•NASCAR Preseason Thunder 2005 test schedule released•Conversation: Greg
Biffle
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Brendan Gaughan is looking to return to the top 10 at California. Credit:
AutostockQ&A: Brendan GaughanFrom Press Release
September 1, 2004
02:41 PM EDT (18:41 GMT)
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FONTANA, Calif. -- It's not surprising Brendan Gaughan is homesick for a trip
out west.

For one, his hometown is Las Vegas. For another, his best finish of the season
was a sixth in the spring race at California Speedway.

He answered questions from the media during a teleconference this week.

"I'm excited to be going back to California. Any time we get a chance to go back
west I'm excited. It was our best finish. It was one of the few times this year
we got a new car, and I believe we're taking the same car back out there. I'm
real excited about that because it worked pretty good last time.

"We've had some changes on the team since then. The team is working even better
than before. Everything is looking pretty good. We just got through with a good
test at Memphis (for Richmond). The last five weeks we've had motors and
transmissions and things go wrong, but we've had some great runs. We've been in
the top 15 and top five, top 10 most of the time. The guys are pretty pumped.

"I got to go home (Las Vegas) for a couple of days and get to go see my nephew's
first day of school today. Any time I get to go home and see my family and do
stuff like that, it's real special to me. I get to see my nephew go practice
soccer and start his first day of school. I don't know who's going to cry more,
him or me. We're going to see which happens first."

Can you comment on your team's performance at Bristol?

"It's one of those deals where we put it in the wall when we qualified and we
wanted to keep that car, so we didn't get any Happy Hour. Shane Wilson and Matt
Lucas, my crew chief and engineer, respectively, made a great starting call. We
started and ended up coming in on the first pit stop 14th. We gained three
spots.
Brendan Gaughan had a tough time at Bristol, finishing 35th. Credit: Autostock
"We were good enough to stay in the top 10. Unfortunately, we had a mechanical
failure on the pit stop. One of our air guns broke and we ended back in 30
something and when you're back there at Bristol dangerous things happen. They
happen up front, and when you're in 30th even more things happen.

"We got into a wreck. I think 10 of us or six of us or whatever got smashed up
in there. We had to go to the garage. We gained 10 spots by going back out.

"You never quit in this sport. You've got to keep going. Unfortunately at
Bristol it's tough to hide. You've got to drive really hard to stay out of the
way. The guys put a front bumper back on to make it safe and we got everything
back running and ran 15.8s. That was fast enough to be in the top 20.

"We ran around and tried to stay out of people's way and tried to do the
respectable thing. I just wanted to make sure I didn't get in anybody's way.
It's a tough deal. We had the Punisher there the first time and it looked so
good. We took the same Dodge back, but it was a typical Bristol thing. I'm not
mad at anybody. I'm not angry about anything. It's Bristol."

Can you comment on Rusty Wallace's retirement announcement?

"I'm excited about it. Rusty has been in this sport a long time. I don't know if
he said it was going to be fulltime or just do a race here or there. Knowing
Rusty I don't see him staying away totally. You've got the Busch team with
Duraflame and they're having a pretty good run lately with Jamie Mc(Murray) and
him driving.

"It's real exciting. I grew up being a Rusty Wallace fan when I started racing.
Me and coach Briggs from Georgetown used to tape it and come back from
basketball games and watch and root for Rusty. Miller is probably going to have
a real busy year probably scheduled for him. If he chooses to go out knowing he
can still win, I'd love to see him go out maybe trying to chase that
championship."

What grade would you give yourself and your team this year?

"A personal grade, I went through about four or five races that I was pretty
bummed out and cost myself a lot of spots running the way we were running for a
few races and really struggled for a few races just getting all bummed out
running where I was.
Brendan Gaughan Credit: Autostock
"I forgot about just finishing as high as you could finish and got all tied up
in trying to finish in the top 10. That hurt us. We put a little too much
emphasis on those races. Other than that, I've been driving the heck out of
things. I got back to driving as good as the car can drive. From there we just
had some bad deals.

"We had a couple of penalties on pit road, coming in at the wrong time for the
Lucky Dog and things like that. Engines and transmissions ruined some pretty
good runs. I've always said you create your own luck. We go to Pocono and we're
in the top 10 and then we have a penalty. We go to the back and get back on the
lead lap twice and now we're trying to charge through the field and we get in a
wreck.

"That's creating your luck. You go to a place like last week at Bristol and have
a bad pit stop and put yourself back there. You created that luck. You go to
Michigan and have good pit stops, take a couple of good chances and you end up
in the top five and run in the top 10 most of the day and you blow a motor. It's
a tough sport.

"Personally, I'd give myself a B or B-minus. I don't think I hurt us as much
this year as we've had other problems go wrong. As a team we're still way
behind. We only have one new Penske chassis. That's all we've used all year. As
far as newer cars we've only had about six of them.

"It's been a long road to hoe. I still see a lot of good things. We have a new
Penske chassis coming for Kansas I believe. We're going to use a couple of new
chassis in a couple of weeks, a couple of new Hopkins. The new car we just
tested at Memphis worked really good. The team is improving. I'm pretty excited
about that."

Are driver appearances a distraction?

"To me that's not a distraction. To me that's what this sport is about. It's
fun. I ran for the last year and a half with no sponsor except the Orleans
Casino, and that really wasn't a sponsor. That was the family business. I really
didn't have to do appearances except for Dodge, the few times Dodge asked me to
do stuff.

"For me it was exciting. To be able to go back and have a sponsor and be able to
do things for Kodak that's the most enjoyable, seeing all the Kodak people
pumped up about their race program again and the stuff we've done with them as
been exciting.

"Jasper Engines is another program where people are pumped up about their racing
program. It was fun to be able to go out and do things. We've had 24 races, and
I've been out to the trailer to sign autographs every race. That's fun to me.
That's a distraction from the tough stuff."

What's it like being on the same team as Rusty Wallace?

"It's pretty awesome. This is a guy, the second test of the season we went to
was Rockingham. Here's a rookie driver that's kind of a teammate but not really
a teammate yet. We haven't gotten into things. We're both vivacious people,
always loud and aggressive and always pretty happy.
Brendan Gaughan shares a moment with Rusty Wallace. Credit: Autostock
"I'm struggling at the test and this guy has a Dodge all painted up. He's got
Miller Lite and all the sponsors on it and he says it's the best Dodge he's
tested at Rockingham in six years. 'Get in it and drive it.' Here's a guy who's
great at Rockingham. That was one of his tracks.

"We talked about it earlier in the season. That about knocked me on my butt. I
jumped in it and went faster than he did. That makes you feel good when you know
how good Rusty Wallace is. We went to the Brickyard and struggled again. Things
weren't going all that good. Rusty got in and made a few adjustments and then we
went faster than he did in our car.

"That makes you feel good. Even though we've been struggling, I've got one of
the 50 greatest drivers in NASCAR history, and he can come over and help me out
and make us faster. On a personal level, he's just a fun guy. His family has
been nice to me, him and his wife Patti and his kids, Greg and Stephen.

"He's a really neat guy, fun to hang out with. It's one of those deals like
coach Thompson man. You've got to have respect for a guy who's been around that
long. To be able to be a part of it has been special."

Have you been surprised by anything this season?

"I knew very well what we were getting into. Nothing really blindsided me much.
It blindsided me it's taken this long to get some of the equipment we wanted. I
thought we would be able to have a few more pieces of equipment that would at
least be more competitive. That has been a little bit of a shock it took so
long. The team and guys, got to be friends with them just like the Orleans team.
No, nothing has really surprised me."

Has your patience been tested?

"Absolutely. I've never been a very patient man. Look how I ran when I was in
the back at Texas those two times. I'm not patient, and that's what hurt us in a
couple of races. I quit being patient and saying this is a 15th place car today
and we're going to finish 15th. I kept pushing things and cost us a valuable
spot, but I got back inside the deal and got back calmed down.
Credit: Autostock
"Once I got back inside myself and never lost faith in Shane Wilson and the guys
because they've been working their tails off. We have a great team. The over the
wall guys have been awesome and Shane Wilson, you know how much I love Shane
Wilson. Once I got back and got settled down and said, 'OK, don't worry about
those things, just do what you can do.' It's been OK."

Is there a chance you'll run a Craftsman Truck?

"No, my contract with the Penske-Jasper team says I won't drive anything but the
Nextel Cup car. Besides that, the equipment we have there, we have to give Steve
Park the best stuff. I'm not going to be able to do anything that Steve Park
can't do. Steve is a great driver and doing a great job. I think in the last
eight races we have six top 10s or something and five top fives. He's had some
great runs.

"Last week at Bristol he was the man. He came from the back in the last 20 laps
(finished ninth). It was awesome. I was in the pits going nuts. We're also
running Scott Lynch at the end of the year. We've got him tabbed to take over
that truck seat and be the future of Orleans Racing, so I've got to leave all
the equipment and the work they're doing for Scott and Steve. I'm not going to
try to interfere with that stuff."

Is your family still involved in off-road racing?

"Both my brothers still race fulltime, still race in the desert fulltime. My
brother John, I haven't got to spend time with him in years, came and spent the
whole week with me before Bristol, hanging out in North Carolina with me. He got
to see the shop and meet the guys.

"Now everybody knows I'm not the most wired guy in the family. My brother makes
me look calm. It was the first time in years. I had both of my brothers on pit
road with me during the National Anthem. I can't remember the last time the
three of us had been at a race together. That was pretty special to me.

"They still race the desert. My brother Mike won the class 10 championship last
year, and my brother John owns the team. I don't know how they're doing in
points this year. They've still got a few races left, so I wouldn't be allowed
to race it (Baja 1000). It's the same week as Homestead, so I'll be a little
busy. That kinda bums me out.

"Even if I couldn't race it I'd be down there watching it, but I have a little
scheduling conflict. I wouldn't jump in. I have too much respect for Me. Penske
and Mr. Bawel. They've done a lot for me, and I'm not going to do anything to
ruin that relationship. I'd definitely go down there and chase and help out and
have a good time. I speak too much Spanish and lived there too much of my life
to not go down there and have a good time at the Baja."

How do you think the Chase for the Cup will affect the television broadcast?

"I think it's a good thing because you're going to keep more viewers. You're
going to keep more viewers during the NFL football season, which is what we're
competing against. We do have a little bit of a fear that NBC is going to focus
on them (drivers in top 10).
Brendan Gaughan had engine troubles at Watkins Glen. Credit: Autostock
"You watch the races they focus on the 8 car enough no matter where he is.
They're going to put him in. The company car always gets shown. The only thing
we ask, you know a couple of weeks ago the Kodak Dodge is leading Watkins Glen.
We were up front at Michigan. We've been up front in four races. With NBC's
coverage, the fans have been a little suspect about it anyway, are they going to
give us equal coverage?

"That's a question that's an unknown. I can't answer that because we haven't
gotten there yet. It's an unknown. I hope the Kodak team has good runs these
last 10 races so we can get equal coverage. The chase is not supposed to change
the way the race is televised.

"It's supposed to keep viewers and change the aspect of the competitiveness of
the sport. As long as NBC stays true, and if I'm having a good run that day and
they show the Kodak Dodge up there, or the Jasper Dodge if we're running that
scheme that day, then great. I've got no problem with it."

How have the fans been this season?

"I knew kinda what to expect. Fans for the most part are pretty cool. Fans cheer
for their driver. They're doing their stuff. They're pretty amazing. The only
thing that bugs me about fans, maybe they're a little drunk at the racetrack and
drivers have places to go some days. They get a little belligerent when a driver
walks by and doesn't stop.

"That bothers me because I'm a guy who tries to make all of the fans happy. At
Pocono I signed for about 300 people walking out and I'm about 10 cars away from
qualifying. I've got to stop and run down to my car. I've got two fans who say a
few dirty words to me. I'm like, 'come on guys.' I go running down there and
somebody crashes and we've got a 10-minute break cleaning up the track.

"I walk back over to another section of fans and keep signing because I like
doing that stuff. When I turn around and have to walk away and don't sign this
guy's autograph, speak up for me. I've had fans speak up for me. I spent six
hours in Texas signing autographs and as I'm walking away three guys come
running up late and they're already closing the doors.

"They start yelling at me. I had a couple of fans take up for me, and that makes
you feel good. Fans are what have made this sport so great. Ninety-nine percent
of them are awesome, and I enjoy spending time with them. That's why I like
going out to my trailer every race and signing for three or four hours. It's
just fun."

What do you think fans like most in a driver?

"I'm a fan myself. I'm a fan of Jimmie Johnson and Rusty Wallace and Ryan
Newman. Most fans like to see their driver win it. I think that's what they all
like. All fans aren't the same. Some fans like you because you're from their
hometown. Some fans like you because they like your attitude. Every fan has
their own feel about why they like a driver. I get to hang out and talk to them.
I love the kids that come. I love the parents that bring the kids."

Are there any concerns that teammates might interfere in the last 10 races?

"This is not Formula One. We don't pull over for each other and we don't block
for each other and things like that. The only thing I'm going to continue to do
is if Rusty or Ryan are driving a better racecar than me, the same as when
Jimmie Johnson goes to pass me or anybody else, I am not going to be -- insert
your favorite driver who's not going to get out of the way here -- and be the
guy that everybody says 'what is that jerk doing in that position?'

"If I've got a racecar that can go and compete for a win, I'm going to go and
compete for a win. Earlier this year at California Speedway, I was fifth and he
was sixth with Matt Kenseth breathing down his neck with 10 to go. I was
blocking the hell out of him because I wanted a top five. The only teams orders
we got there just don't take each other out.

"That's the only team orders we were given -- just don't wreck each other. I
don't see any team orders like that coming into play. As far as other teams, I
can't speak for them. For the Penske organization, Rusty and I are trying to go
out there and win. The best way we can help Ryan now is to steal the most
points. If I win and take away points from Kasey Kahne to help Ryan Newman stay
in, that's the best way I can help, to go out there and finish the best I can."

If you're fifth and Ryan is sixth on Sunday, what would you do?

"Same thing. I drive for Kodak and Jasper. I don't drive for ALLTEL or some of
his sponsors. We are teammates, but at the same time, I have to represent my
guys. If we're fifth and sixth, and it comes down to the last lap, I'm driving
the wheels off the thing man.

"I haven't been told to pull over or stop. I've got to have good finishes for
our guys, and a top five is a good finish. I'm not going to wreck him, and I
don't think he's going to wreck me, but we're going to have a dogfight."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!

























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Old system - he would have no chance! (I agree I don't like the new system BUT
come on!!)

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Ryan Newman has never liked NASCAR's new points
system. Now that he finds himself outside the top 10, and almost out of
contention for the championship, he's a little angry with the entire format.

"It's ridiculous, it's not even a good system and everybody wants to talk about
it," Newman said. "Everybody talks about it because it's not a good system."
Newman is currently 13th in the standings, 34 points out of the 10th position.
He qualified fourth for Saturday night's race

He's not out of it - with three races to go he could get back into eligibility.
But so could several other drivers, including Dale Jarrett and Jamie McMurray,
who are 14th and 15th in the standings.

Newman refused to credit the last-minute dramatics in setting the field to the
new points system.

"It's just a coincidence because of the way the points are working out this year
as far as competitiveness," he said.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbforever@yahoogroups.com
Cheyanne and Travis are great!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!!!!!
























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