Practice Speeds

UAW-GM Quality 500 | Lowe's Motor Speedway

October 16, 2004 | Race 31 of 36 | Practice 2 Overview

Once the teams are at the track, practices are the only way to test a variety of
combinations in order to find the optimal setup for qualifying. Teams have a set
time limit to take to the track to check their setups. (now sortable)Related
Information

Entry List

Schedule  window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return
true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
RankCarDriverMakeSponsorSpeedTimeBehind1#6Mark
MartinFordViagra181.75729.710Leader2#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge Dealers
Mopar/UAW181.64129.729-0.0193#99Dave BlaneyFordCanteen Vending/Kraft
Foods181.62229.732-0.0224#97Kurt BuschFordIRWIN Industrial
Tools/Sharpie181.59829.736-0.0265#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline181.36029.775-0.0656#29Kevin
HarvickChevroletGoodwrench/RCR 35th Anniversary181.31129.783-0.0737#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL180.98929.836-0.1268#38Elliott
SadlerFordCombos180.97129.839-0.1299#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S. Army/G.I.
Joe180.79629.868-0.15810#48Jimmie JohnsonChevroletLowe's/HMS 20th
Anniv.180.56629.906-0.19611#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAOL/RCR 35th
Anniversary180.53029.912-0.20212#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW180.47529.921-0.21113#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC/HMS 20th
Anniv.180.37929.937-0.22714#24Jeff
  GordonChevroletDuPont/HMS 20th Anniv.180.12629.979-0.26915#31Robby
GordonChevroletCingular/RCR 35th Anniversary179.93430.011-0.30116#16Greg
BiffleFordNational Guard/Subway179.87430.021-0.31117#20Tony StewartChevroletThe
Home Depot179.70630.049-0.33918#8Dale Earnhardt
Jr.ChevroletBudweiser179.55730.074-0.36419#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force179.52730.079-0.36920#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite179.46230.090-0.38021#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt Power
Tools179.42630.096-0.38622#18Bobby LabonteChevroletInterstate
Batteries179.36630.106-0.39623#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget/SpongeBob
SquarePants179.20630.133-0.42324#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar179.09830.151-0.44125#14John AndrettiFordVB/APlus at
Sunoco179.02730.163-0.45326#40Sterling
MarlinDodgePrilosec178.87330.189-0.47927#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts178.77830.205-0.49528#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products178.76630.207-0.49729#88Dale JarrettFordUPS178.73130.213-0.50330#0Ward
  BurtonChevroletNetZero178.42430.265-0.55531#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
Service178.28330.289-0.57932#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletValvoline178.20030.303-0.59333#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide177.81330.369-0.65934#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeJasper Engines &
Transmissions177.79030.373-0.66335#43Jeff GreenDodgeCheerios/Betty
Crocker177.73130.383-0.67336#84Kyle BuschChevroletCARQUEST/HMS 20th
Anniv.177.60830.404-0.69437#09Johnny Sauter*DodgeMiccosukee Gaming &
Resorts176.70230.560-0.85038#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny176.63230.572-0.86239#251Tony
RainesChevroletMarathon Oil/Chase176.43630.606-0.89640#5Terry
LabonteChevroletKellogg's/HMS 20th Anniv.176.26330.636-0.92641#50Jeff
FullerDodgeArnold Development Companies---42#137Kevin LepageDodgeCarter's Royal
Dispos-all---43#113Greg SacksDodgeARC Dehooker/Vita Coco---* Denotes Rookie


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

Practice Speeds

UAW-GM Quality 500 | Lowe's Motor Speedway

October 16, 2004 | Race 31 of 36 | Practice 3 Overview

Once the teams are at the track, practices are the only way to test a variety of
combinations in order to find the optimal setup for qualifying. Teams have a set
time limit to take to the track to check their setups. (now sortable)Related
Information

Entry List

Schedule  window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return
true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
RankCarDriverMakeSponsorSpeedTimeBehind1#38Elliott
SadlerFordCombos182.05129.662Leader2#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite181.68429.722-0.0603#48Jimmie JohnsonChevroletLowe's/HMS 20th
Anniv.181.62929.731-0.0694#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S. Army/G.I.
Joe181.51329.750-0.0885#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot181.40929.767-0.1056#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGoodwrench/RCR 35th
Anniversary181.01429.832-0.1707#99Dave BlaneyFordCanteen Vending/Kraft
Foods181.00229.834-0.1728#31Robby GordonChevroletCingular/RCR 35th
Anniversary180.90529.850-0.1889#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide180.80229.867-0.20510#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget/SpongeBob
SquarePants180.73529.878-0.21611#97Kurt BuschFordIRWIN Industrial
Tools/Sharpie180.68729.886-0.22412#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts180.56029.907-0.24513#8Dale Earnhardt
  Jr.ChevroletBudweiser180.53629.911-0.24914#6Mark
MartinFordViagra180.49929.917-0.25515#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge Dealers
Mopar/UAW180.45729.924-0.26216#16Greg BiffleFordNational
Guard/Subway180.19829.967-0.30517#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeJasper Engines &
Transmissions180.19829.967-0.30518#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt Power
Tools180.18029.970-0.30819#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products180.07829.987-0.32520#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC/HMS 20th
Anniv.180.03029.995-0.33321#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAOL/RCR 35th
Anniversary179.97630.004-0.34222#40Sterling
MarlinDodgePrilosec179.90430.016-0.35423#43Jeff GreenDodgeCheerios/Betty
Crocker179.88630.019-0.35724#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL179.74830.042-0.38025#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW179.43230.095-0.43326#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force179.40830.099-0.43727#14John AndrettiFordVB/APlus at
Sunoco179.34830.109-0.44728#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletValvoline179.31330.115-0.45329#0Ward
BurtonChevroletNetZero179.22330.130-0.46830#24Jeff
  GordonChevroletDuPont/HMS 20th Anniv.179.21130.132-0.47031#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar178.50130.252-0.59032#113Greg SacksDodgeARC Dehooker/Vita
Coco178.34730.278-0.61633#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
Service177.93030.349-0.68734#84Kyle BuschChevroletCARQUEST/HMS 20th
Anniv.177.92430.350-0.68835#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline177.86030.361-0.69936#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny177.40430.439-0.77737#09Johnny
Sauter*DodgeMiccosukee Gaming & Resorts177.32830.452-0.79038#88Dale
JarrettFordUPS177.17130.479-0.81739#251Tony RainesChevroletMarathon
Oil/Chase177.07830.495-0.83340#5Terry LabonteChevroletKellogg's/HMS 20th
Anniv.176.82930.538-0.87641#18Bobby LabonteChevroletInterstate
Batteries176.79430.544-0.88242#137Kevin LepageDodgeCarter's Royal
Dispos-all176.40130.612-0.95043#50Jeff FullerDodgeArnold Development
Companies171.28731.526-1.864* Denotes Rookie


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Busch brushes wall in final practice at CharlotteSadler fastest, McMurray to
backup car after early wreckBy Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
October 15, 2004
08:56 PM EDT (00:56 GMT)
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CONCORD, N.C. -- Nextel Cup Series points leader Kurt Busch glanced the wall
during Happy Hour practice Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but fortunately for
him, his No. 97 Ford received little damage.
Kurt Busch Credit: Autostock
"I was just running laps -- one reason was to get in traffic and see what the
car would do," Busch said. "Second, it was my little brother (Kyle) and I wanted
to see why he was struggling. Thirdly, I forgot what I was supposed to be doing.

"So they'll have to work a little bit into the night to polish it up. It'll look
a little rough, the pretty's knocked off of it, but it'll still go fast."

Despite minimal damage to the right front and right rear, Busch returned to the
track and was able to run with the leaders. The worst damage, he said, was the
caved in right side.

That certainly doesn't assist his bid to earn a first career Lowe's Motor
Speedway top-10.

"We were loose all through that run, and that lap it just pushed so bad off of
Turn 4, I just ran out of racetrack," said Busch, who qualified 21st for the
UAW-GM Quality 500.

All said, Busch finished 11th in a Happy Hour practice session paced by Elliott
Sadler. Sadler's 29.662-second lap bested Rusty Wallace by six hundredths of a
second.
ALSO
•  Happy Hour Speeds•  2nd Practice Speeds

Jimmie Johnson, who led 501 miles here in the Coca-Cola 600, was third overall.
Last week's winner, Joe Nemechek was fourth, followed by Tony Stewart in fifth.
Mark Martin was 14th overall in Happy Hour after posting the fastest time in
Friday's first practice, but he feels confident he has a stout ride.

"This is one of those tracks that can't trick me," Martin said. "The Viagra team
has her wired in perfect."

But can he win?

"Without question," he said, flashing the A-OK sign with both hands.

Bud Pole winner Ryan Newman had a carburetor problem during the session, but got
it remedied and finished Happy Hour in 24th position. Jeff Gordon fought a loose
condition throughout the day and finished 30th.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
•  Inside the Chase•  Superstore: Chase driver gear•  Official Standings• 
Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

Kasey Kahne looks strong as well, posting the second-fastest time in the first
session before he dropped off to 15th in Happy Hour.

Jamie McMurray was sent to a backup car after he wrecked in Friday's first
practice. McMurray said the crash was the result of having driven through oil
dropped from the No. 99 Ford.

McMurray was fifth-fastest when he wrecked, and the setup from his primary car
didn't work well in the backup car. He was 35th in Happy Hour, and will start at
the rear of the field Saturday night.



andygibbsmileaneverlastingsmile@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
ALL STRESSED OUT AND NO ONE TO CHOKE!!











































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

Race Lineup

UAW-GM Quality 500 | Lowe's Motor Speedway

October 16, 2004 | Race 31 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#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL188.87728.590Leader2#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge Dealers
Mopar/UAW187.31128.829-0.2393#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget/SpongeBob
SquarePants187.27928.834-0.2444#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletValvoline186.48328.957-0.3675#38Elliott
SadlerFordCombos186.23328.996-0.4066#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts186.22628.997-0.4077#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM
Goodwrench186.14329.010-0.4208#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S. Army/G.I.
Joe186.06629.022-0.4329#99Carl EdwardsFordCanteen Vending/Kraft
Foods185.97629.036-0.44610#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide185.95729.039-0.44911#6Mark
MartinFordViagra185.31929.139-0.54912#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW185.27429.146-0.55613#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite185.22329.154-0.56414#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot185.12229.170-0.58015#77Brendan
  Gaughan*DodgeJasper Engines & Transmissions184.98229.192-0.60216#25Brian
Vickers*ChevroletGMAC/HMS 20th Anniv.184.84929.213-0.62317#16Greg
BiffleFordNational Guard184.83729.215-0.62518#48Jimmie
JohnsonChevroletLowe's/HMS 20th Anniv.184.69729.237-0.64719#31Robby
GordonChevroletCingular Wireless184.67229.241-0.65120#14John
AndrettiFordVB/APlus at Sunoco184.61529.250-0.66021#97Kurt BuschFordIRWIN
Industrial Tools/Sharpie184.52729.264-0.67422#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products184.50229.268-0.67823#24Jeff GordonChevroletDuPont/HMS 20th
Anniv.184.37029.289-0.69924#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline184.30029.300-0.71025#8Dale Earnhardt
Jr.ChevroletBudweiser184.05529.339-0.74926#50Jeff FullerDodgeArnold Development
Companies183.48029.431-0.84127#137Kevin LepageDodgeCarter's Royal
Dispos-all183.34929.452-0.86228#251Tony RainesChevroletMarathon
Oil/Chase183.31229.458-0.86829#09Johnny Sauter*DodgeMiccosukee Gaming &
Resorts183.23729.470-0.88030#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
  Service183.22529.472-0.88231#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors
Light/Prilosec183.16329.482-0.89232#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny183.07029.497-0.90733#43Jeff
GreenDodgeCheerios/Betty Crocker183.05129.500-0.91034#18Bobby
LabonteChevroletInterstate Batteries183.01429.506-0.91635#30Jeff
BurtonChevroletAmerica Online182.95829.515-0.92536#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt
Power Tools182.40829.604-1.01437#113Greg SacksDodgeARC Dehooker/Vita
Coco182.26029.628-1.03838#84Kyle BuschChevroletCARQUEST/HMS 20th
Anniv.182.25429.629-1.039 Provisional39#88Dale
JarrettFordUPS181.43329.763-1.17340#5Terry LabonteChevroletKellogg's/HMS 20th
Anniv.181.79429.704-1.11441#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force181.47629.756-1.16642#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar180.93529.845-1.25543#0Ward
BurtonChevroletNetZero182.24229.631-1.041


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Headlines
•Johnson's Nextel Cup title hopes slipping away•Chase Austin: Is 15-year-old the
next "next Gordon?"•Sadler in title hunt, but feeling no pressure•It's official:
Leffler picked for third Gibbs car•NASCAR: No penalty for Stewart, Bliss after
Kansas incident•Terry Labonte to run part-time schedule in '05 and '06
See More:
All of the headlines



Pole Winner
Newman smashes the track record on his way to the pole

Staying focused
  Gordon on his charity event and the Chase for the Cup

Fantasy Report
  Marty and Danielle preview all the action at LMS
See more: Pictures | Audio | Video
Sign up now and earn Fan Miles.
   Buy your NEXTEL Driver Phone.

Jimmie Johnson is ninth in the Nextel Cup Series standings. Credit:
AutostockJohnson's NASCAR title hopes slipping awayBy Jenna Fryer, The
Associated Press
October 14, 2004
11:13 AM EDT (15:13 GMT)
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CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- In any other season, Jimmie Johnson would be right in the
thick of the fight for NASCAR's top prize.

But this isn't any other season. It's the first year of NASCAR's new points
system, and Johnson is on target to be the biggest loser under the new format.
JIMMIE JOHNSON
•  Driver Page•  Superstore: J. Johnson gear•  Article Archive•  Gillette Young
Guns Challenge

The most dominating driver for most of the year, Johnson has limped through the
last two races of the Chase for the Nextel Cup Championship. His wreck last week
at Kansas Speedway gave him a 32nd-place finish, effectively ending any shot at
winning the title.

Johnson is now ninth in the standings, 247 points behind leader Kurt Busch.

"I've been against (the points system), but, you know, in the big picture, it
spreads the love out further throughout all the race teams," he said. "You have
more people being focused on throughout the season, more exposure for everyone
as a whole, which is only going to help our sport.

"So I see the positives to it."

Johnson has had a positive outlook since breaking into NASCAR's top series in
2002. Any speed bump in the road, Johnson attacks with grace.

So there's no reason to believe he and his Hendrick Motorsports team will give
up over the final six races of the season.
Johnson's wreck at Kansas relegated him to a 32nd-place finish. Credit:
Autostock
"All you can do is give 100 percent," he said. "If luck isn't on your side and
you have things take place on the racetrack that are out of you control, there
isn't much you can do. My guys believe in me and I believe in them 100 percent."

The tide could change for Johnson this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where
he's been the most dominant driver by far lately.

He earned his second straight Coca-Cola 600 victory here in May, leading 334 of
400 laps. He's finished seventh or better in his past five races at Lowe's, the
longest top-10 streak among active drivers.

Just to relieve a little tension, Johnson plans to run in the Busch race Friday
night.

"Its going to be something fun to do Friday night," he said. "With all the
intensity in the Chase for the Championship, getting to do something fun this
weekend is kind of nice."

Still, there's little Johnson can do to climb back into the Chase unless the
eight drivers in front of him collapse.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
•  Inside the Chase•  Superstore: Chase driver gear•  Official Standings• 
Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

So far, Busch has shown no signs of doing that. He scored yet another top-10
finish at Kansas, giving him one in all four of the Chase races.

But behind Busch are a bunch of Lowe's Motor Speedway veterans aiming to knock
him out of the points lead.

Jeff Gordon, who has four victories at Lowe's, is third in the standings and has
high motivation to gain some ground.

Gordon and his team were humiliated during the Coca-Cola 600. As Johnson, his
teammate, ran away with the race, Gordon limped to a 30th-place finish that
disgusted his entire team.

"We were embarrassed by that performance and it lit a fire underneath us,"
Gordon said. "We started running better and things just started to click."

In the nine events following that race, Gordon had three victories, four poles
and seven top-fives. In one of those races, at Chicago, he finished fourth using
the same chassis the team struggled with at Charlotte.

"We qualified well at both tracks, but the car was too loose during both races,"
crew chief Robbie Loomis said. "The longer we ran, the looser it became.

"Luckily, we were able to diagnose the problem during a caution flag at Chicago
and make the necessary adjustments to finish well."
Banquet 400
Victory Lane
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at KansasFinal laps
Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas SpeedwayChase Reaction
Chase contenders review their runs at KansasHard hit
Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at KansasMinor setback
Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141Early Caution
Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4•  Results•  Standings

Mark Martin, fifth in the standings, also has four wins at Lowe's -- three of
them in the fall race.

His 15 top-five finishes are the most of any active driver on the 1.5-mile
track. He's also got a win in the 1998 all-star race and has six victories in
the Busch series at Lowe's.

"I can't wait to get out on the track at Lowe's. I think that just about
everybody knows it is one of -- and just maybe -- my favorite track to race," he
said. " We've been to Victory Lane four times there in the past and I'd love to
get back in the Chase with a win there this Saturday night."

So would Matt Kenseth, a teammate of Martin and Busch at Roush Racing.

The reigning series champion has dropped to seventh in the standings, but could
make up ground at Lowe's, where he scored his first Cup victory in 2000 and won
the all-star race here in May.

"Lowe's has always been one of my favorite tracks on the circuit and we always
seem to run pretty good here," he said. " The Roush cars in general seem to all
run pretty good here, so I hope we can run up front and lead some laps here and
challenge for a win.

"We need more than a good finish -- we need a great finish right now, but I know
this team is capable of it here."



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Ryan Newman tied Jeff Gordon with his sixth Bud Pole of 2004. Credit:
AutostockNewman wins Lowe's pole with track recordJENNA FRYER
October 14, 2004
10:00 PM EDT (02:00 GMT)
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CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- Ryan Newman knows he'll have to be flawless over the final
six races to win the Nextel Cup title.

Newman was just that Thursday night, shattering the track record at Lowe's Motor
Speedway while winning the pole for the UAW-GM Quality 500.
UAW-GM 500
Lineup
1st Practice Speeds


Newman turned a lap at 188.877 mph in his Dodge to win the top starting spot. It
beat the track record of 187.052 that Jimmie Johnson set here in May -- a lap
that erased the record Newman had held.

"I told my wife I wanted it back," he said.

But Newman knows the track record means nothing. He needs a win Saturday night
to climb back into the Chase for the Championship.

His 33rd-place finish in Kansas last weekend dropped him to eighth in the
standings, 232 points behind leader Kurt Busch.
Kasey Kahne Credit: Autostock
"We're just going to keep our smiley face on and do the best job we can," Newman
said. "It's not easy to do by any means, but you have to forget what you can't
fix."

Kasey Kahne ran a lap at 187.311 to qualify second and Casey Mears was third to
put Dodges in the first three spots. Mears won the pole for Friday night's Busch
series race shortly before he made his Cup qualifying run.

Both Kahne and Mears are looking for their first Nextel Cup wins Saturday night,
but the focus is on the Chase for the title.

With six races left in the 10-event playoff system, it's almost turned into a
three-man race.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
•  Inside the Chase•  Superstore: Chase driver gear•  Official Standings• 
Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Gordon are battling for the lead, with the
other seven drivers hoping they slip up enough to gain some ground.

Elliott Sadler is one of them, and he qualified his Ford fifth Thursday night.
But he knows to pull within striking distance, he needs the others to make
mistakes.

"We think that Kurt Busch has been very, very consistent and we wouldn't wish
bad luck on anybody," Sadler said. "But I think he's going to have to have at
least one slip to let a couple of us back in the game."
RYAN NEWMAN
•  Driver Page•  World of Dodge•  Gillette Young Guns Challenge•  Superstore: R.
Newman gear

The slips might have been in qualifying, where the three drivers at the top were
only mediocre: Busch qualified 21st, Gordon 23rd and Earnhardt 25th.

They head into the race with Busch holding a 29-point lead over Earnhardt.
Gordon is 79 points back.

Busch wasn't rattled by the mediocre qualifying run.

"It's a good car, we haven't had any problems with it until now," he said.
"We've got to get up there and lead a lap and get those five points and make
sure we do the best job all day."

Meanwhile, the drivers trying to climb back into the Chase had strong qualifying
runs.
Video
Pole winner
Newman smashes the track record on his way to the pole

Johnson, who dominated the race here in May by leading 334 of 400 laps,
qualified ninth. He is desperate for a strong run after wrecking at Kansas last
Sunday to fall 247 points behind the leader.

Mark Martin, who announced earlier Thursday that 2005 will be his final
full-time season, qualified 12th. He's fifth in the standings, 150 points
behind.

"We have a good race team, we're back a few points but we're fifth and we've
moved up every week except for last week," Martin said. "This is a week to try
to make some hay."

Jeremy Mayfield qualified 13th, and despite being in 10th place and 257 points
back, thinks he still has a shot at the title.

"We want to run up front all night and lead laps and see what happens," Mayfield
said. "It's not over with yet. We could very easily come back."

Tony Stewart was 15th, and reigning series champion Matt Kenseth was the worst
of the Chase competitors at 36th.




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'Warehouse on wheels' supports NASCAR teamsBy Ron Lemasters Jr., Special to
NASCAR.COM
October 13, 2004
02:37 PM EDT (18:37 GMT)
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If you've been in the garage area at a Nextel Cup or Busch Series event, you've
no doubt noticed the preponderance of semi-truck transporters used by the teams
to carry their mobile race shops around the country.

The garage area at most tracks is an organized oasis of calm in a sea of
humanity, starkly contrasting the mayhem of parked cars, service vehicles and
fans just outside. Inside the gates of the garage area are a few transporters
that have nothing to do with any team, but rather all of them.

BSR Products, Hutcherson-Pagan, Racing Radios and others have trackside support
programs designed to aid NASCAR teams in the pursuit of Sunday money. Each is
equipped with various items like parts, tools and other spares for the business
of racing, and each fulfills a unique need for the gaggle of cars inside the
chain link fence.

These trailers are more than commercial concerns for the businesses that run
them, even though money does change hands at the track. They are the NASCAR
equivalent of 7-11, offering the products needed but not carried on the
transporters with the convenience of a short walk or run up the garage area.
BSR is a fully equiped Simpson Racing Products dealer
BSR, for instance, carries much of the safety items used by NASCAR teams on a
weekly basis. As a fully equipped Simpson Racing Products dealer, BSR has
helmets, seat pads, belts and hardware and mountings for various and sundry
pieces of equipment.

Butch Stevens started the company in 1982 with the idea of being the first
company to service every major NASCAR race. His trailers are a fixture at each
stop on the NASCAR tour, and inside you can find pretty much everything you need
to rebuild a race car should you crash one, or replace that part that you don't
have on the hauler. BSR offers everything from head and neck restraints (BSR is
the home of the Hutchens Device and its descendants) to Gatorade Drink Systems
to idler bearings and other parts.

Hutcherson-Pagan, founded by former racers Dick Hutcherson and Eddie Pagan in
1971, caters more toward the car itself, supplying chassis and a complete parts
inventory as well as the more mundane items like ear plugs. Many times, those in
the garage who either forget or lose hearing protection at the track can
contribute a couple of bucks to the cause and get a spare set of the little foam
ear buds that keep your ears happy inside the garage.

Dick Hutcherson, one of the many top-line racers who hail from little Keokuk,
Iowa (others include the legendary Ramo Stott) and his brother Ron developed the
idea of a "warehouse on wheels" at about the same time as BSR, and the two
trailers are seen at every race in the Nextel Cup and Busch Series.
Hutcherson-Pagan also services the Craftsman Truck Series, while BSR is present
at ARCA and Sports Car events nationwide. Both companies also have fixed
warehouses. BSR has a 34,000-square-foot retail/warehouse in Concord just down
from Lowe's Motor Speedway and a 5,000-square-foot satellite store in
Mooresville's Lakeside Business Park. Hutcherson-Pagan has its major
warehouse/retail store there too, alongside a majority of the teams.
ALSO
•  More business news and featuresHave a story idea for Ron? Click here to send
it


Racing Radios, in addition to serving the fan scanner market, has contracts with
many teams and NASCAR to provide two-way communications. Their trailer, the only
such inside the garage area, is stocked with radios and the personnel to aid
teams with radio troubles, battery issues and the like.

One of the primary duties of Racing Radios trackside is the installation and
repair of helmet kits used by drivers and teams during the race. The good thing
about having Racing Radios on-site is that if something breaks, as it sometimes
does, then technicians are there to replace it between practice sessions or
during the event.
Ford engine Credit: Autostock
The manufacturers -- Chevy, Dodge and Ford -- also have their engineering
trailers within easy distance of the garage area. From these trailers, engineers
specializing in various disciplines (chassis, engine, drivetrain, and
aerodynamics) are on hand to assist their teams with solutions and support. In
the case of General Motors, the engineering trailer is also the base of
operations for the trackside crew. It is staffed by a dedicated driver/unit
manager, who makes sure all the needs of the engineers and other GM personnel
are met.

As the traveling circus rolls from town to town, companies like BSR,
Hutcherson-Pagan and Racing Radios roll right alongside to service its needs.
This is another example of business models adapting to circumstance and taking
advantage of a need to help both themselves and the sport grow. Also, since UPS
has trackside services, it doubles the ability of such companies to serve the
race teams in a timely manner. Depending on location, it is possible to have a
problem on Friday and have the part in question there Saturday morning in time
for Happy Hour.



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brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
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Elliott Sadler wants to win a Bud Pole before the season is up. Credit:
AutostockSadler in title hunt, but feeling no pressureOctober 13, 2004
05:53 PM EDT (21:53 GMT)
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Elliott Sadler's crew has started calling him "Shaggy" because their driver
seems to have forgotten to cut or comb his hair on a daily basis.

But Sadler's latest hairdo seems to have done wonders.
ELLIOTT SADLER
•  Driver Page•  Ford Driver's Eye•  Superstore: Sadler gear•  Pedigree Pet Tips

"I like it. It's different," Sadler said. "I don't even have to comb it when I
get out of bed. Just let it go wherever it wants to go. All the guys on the team
call my Shaggy. I don't care. It's cool.

"Also I'm a little superstitious, too. I haven't had a DNF. We made it in the
top 10. We won at California. A lot of good things have happened to me since
I've gone on this streak as far as not cutting my hair. So I'm just kind of
going to let it all play out right now."

If Sadler has his way, the hair will be past his shoulders when he celebrates
winning the 2004 Nextel Cup championship. Of course, there is a lot of work to
be done before that happens.
Sadler's tumble at Talladega sent him to a 22nd-place finish. Credit: Autostock
Sadler sits fourth in the points standings after four races into the Chase for
the Nextel Cup, 143 points behind leader Kurt Busch.

"It's just been fun," Sadler said. "I just can't tell you how relaxed we are
when we get to the racetrack.

"We aren't feeling any pressure whatever. We're eighth in the points last week.
We're fourth this week. We're just going to go to Lowe's, win the race, sit on
the pole first, because I haven't got a pole yet this year.

"That's our main goal this weekend. If we do that, we're just going to have fun
for 500 miles and go from there.

Sadler had slipped to eighth in the points after finishes of 20th and 22nd but
rallied with a solid fourth-place effort last weekend at Kansas Speedway.

That was his best finish in the four Chase races.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
•  Inside the Chase•  Superstore: Chase driver gear•  Official Standings• 
Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

"I tell you, I've been through every rung on the ladder it seems like in the
first four races, from good to bad to thinking we got a break to we got a big
hole to dig out of," Sadler said.

"We've still got a big hole to dig out of. ... The best way to dig ourselves out
of the hole is to just keep going to the racetrack and keep doing the same
things we've done all year, and that is to run every single lap we possibly
can."

Sadler cited last weekend's Banquet 400 as an example. Late in the race, several
drivers came to pit road under caution to top off their fuel tanks. Sadler
wanted to do the same, but after he and crew chief Todd Parrott talked about it,
they decided to stay on the track.

They came to win the race, Sadler said, so who cares if they ran out of gas with
two or three laps left?

"It ended up giving us a fourth-place finish, which is almost like a win to us
because we outran everybody else that was in the points race with us," Sadler
said. "That's the attitude we have. I was frustrated after Talladega because I
just made one little mistake that cost us 20 or 30 points, and they're hard to
come by nowadays.

"You know what, we're going to take what it gives us. These final 10 races are a
bonus to us anyway and a bonus to our sponsors. We know we're going to New York.
I'm very happy about that.

I just hope I get to talk later in the show instead of the first one to have to
come on stage. That's kind of the way I'm looking at it right now."

So in this weekend's UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Sadler will be
gunning for the victory and won't worry about the Nextel Cup points standings.

"I think Lowe's Motor Speedway is one of the tracks that I excel at as a
driver," Sadler said. "I usually qualify good there and usually have a good
racecar. We led a bunch of laps there in the spring, were running third or
fourth there last year in the fall when we got caught up in somebody else's
stuff.

"So I've got a lot of confidence going to that track. The guys have built me a
brand-new racecar. It's a great piece. I can't wait to sit down in it Thursday
and go and just try to keep some of this momentum we got on our side, carry it
through this whole weekend."

And keep that hair growing.



andygibbsmileaneverlastingsmile@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
ALL STRESSED OUT AND NO ONE TO CHOKE!!











































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Headlines
•Trucks: Crafton won't be Harvick's driver in 2005•Glover back as Marlin's crew
chief at Ganassi•Daytona to host 2005 testing, Fan Fest•Nemechek holds off Rudd
for Kansas sweep•Notes: Busch feeling fortunate after Kansas spin•Kansas dashes
hopes of Johnson, Newman
See More:
All of the headlines

Sterling Marlin (left) with Lee McCall. Credit: AutostockGlover back as Marlin's
crew chief at GanassiOctober 12, 2004
05:09 PM EDT (21:09 GMT)
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Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates announced Tuesday that team manager Tony
Glover will act as interim crew chief on the No. 40 Coors Light Dodge starting
this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, while Lee McCall has accepted a new
shop-based crew chief position in the organization.

"Our team is about performance and the No. 40 team hasn't regained its
championship-caliber form of just two years ago," car owner Chip Ganassi said.
"Sometimes in any sport, you need to change things up in order to re-energize
the team and this is one of those times."

"We have made some other changes as well to try and help the performance of the
team for the remainder of the 2004 season," Ganassi added. "Tony and Sterling
have been working together for a long time and hopefully they can get this team
back on track.

"I guess we want to try and put the band back together."

Glover was the team manager of Team SABCO racing teams when Ganassi partnered
with Felix Sabates in 2000.

Together with Andy Graves, Glover continued his role as a team manager for Chip
Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

Since Glover's affiliation with CGRwFS, the teams have had five wins, five
poles, 32 top-fives and 62 top-10s. This is the Kingsport, Tenn. native's
seventh season with the team and his 10th season partnered with driver Sterling
Marlin.



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Daytona to host 2005 testing, Fan FestOctober 12, 2004
05:05 PM EDT (21:05 GMT)
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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Despite erroneous media reports, Daytona International
Speedway will be the site for NASCAR testing for the 2005 season as well as
NASCAR Preseason Fan Fest.

"Daytona International Speedway weathered the recent hurricanes and we're
looking forward to January testing," said Robin Braig, Daytona International
Speedway track president.

"Contrary to what fans may have read, "The World Center of Racing" will be the
place to see all of your NASCAR favorites as well as the Grand American Series."

January's testing schedule is as follows:


Jan. 7-9: Grand American Rolex 24 at Daytona (all cars)




Jan 11-13: NASCAR Nextel Cup testing (odd-numbered cars)




Jan. 15-16: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series testing (all trucks)




Jan. 18-20: NASCAR Nextel Cup testing (even-numbered cars)




Jan. 22-24: NASCAR Busch Series (all cars)




Jan. 26-27: IPOWER Dash Series (all cars)


Fan Fest dates include:



Jan. 12: NASCAR Nextel Cup Fan Fest




Jan 15: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Fan Fest




Jan. 19: NASCAR Nextel Cup Fan Fest




Jan 22: NASCAR Busch Series Fan Fest


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

Headlines
•Trucks: Crafton won't be Harvick's driver in 2005•Glover back as Marlin's crew
chief at Ganassi•Daytona to host 2005 testing, Fan Fest•Nemechek holds off Rudd
for Kansas sweep•Notes: Busch feeling fortunate after Kansas spin•Kansas dashes
hopes of Johnson, Newman
See More:
All of the headlines



Race Chatter
Listen to the best of Junior's in-car audio from Kansas!

Labonte's new role
  Terry Labonte announces a reduced schedule for 2005

NASCAR Live
  Terry Labonte joins the show to talk about his future plans
See more: Pictures | Audio | Video
Sign up now and earn Fan Miles.
   Buy your NEXTEL Driver Phone.

Last Lap: Mailing it inBy Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
October 12, 2004
08:04 PM EDT (00:04 GMT)
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When the 2004 Nextel Cup Season In Review DVD reaches the Kansas Speedway
portion, Edwin McCain or Sara Evans, or maybe some tone deaf yahoo butchering
his way through a karaoke train wreck better be singing "Could Not Ask For More"
in the background.
Marty Smith
Doesn't matter who's signing. It's the message. The Banquet 400 was everything a
NASCAR fan could ever ask for, which means it wasn't what we expected.

We anticipated boredom -- the majority of flat track competition in 2004 has
proven only slightly less enthralling than reruns of "Saved By The Bell: The
College Years" -- but we got spectacular.

We assumed a couple of championship chasing Young Guns would lead a parade to
the checkers, but we got two victory-starved veterans speeding door-to-door in
the season's closest green flag finish.

Throw in the dramatic -- MB2/MBV Motorsports has been through hell and back in
the year-plus following Jerry Nadeau's debilitating crash at Richmond, and Ryan
Pemberton had never won a Cup race in more than seven seasons as a crew chief --
and it's Hollywood material, baby.
MARTY SMITH
•  Email Marty•  Opinion Archive•  Store: 'I Agree With Marty' tee

It just doesn't get any better. How could you possibly ask for more?

Hit it, Edwin.

Way to go, Joe!!

Marty,

When was the last time one person won the Winston/Nextel pole, the Busch race,
and the Winston/Nextel race in the same weekend? Has anyone ever won both poles
and both races in the same weekend? Thanks.

Tom Blue

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

That's a negative, Thomas. Front Row/G.I. Joe has officially created a new
category in the history book.
Joe Nemechek Credit: Autostock
According to Michael Payne -- NASCAR Statistical Services' answer to Funk &
Wagnall's -- no driver has ever pulled the Busch/Cup sweep during a weekend he
also earned the Cup pole. Payne counts 19 series sweeps in NASCAR history, but
none of those drivers had ever led the field to the green flag in the Cup race
until Nemechek did so last Sunday.

No doubt Hasbro, Inc., is planning a commemorative G.I. Joe Nemechek action
figure. (Busch Series uniform sold separately).

Marty,

What's your take on the length of the race season? I feel like it's too long,
because it interferes with football season (which always wins at our house!) and
it's obvious that it's not about competition, but about the dinero from
racetracks and TV residuals. And you guys actually have to do the traveling!

Amy

Hoboken, NJ

AB-SO-LUTE-LY. If the Nextel Cup season were any longer it'd be a sentence, not
a job.

And it's not going to get any easier anytime soon, either. Considering that
NASCAR is aggressively moving forward with proposed venues in Washington state
and greater Manhattan, we'll either stay put at 36 points races or, Heaven
forbid, expand the season even further.
Homestead-Miami Speedway Credit: Autostock
Your assessment that it's about money is accurate, as well, Amy. At this point
it seems almost elementary: Everything NASCAR does is about cash flow. But the
bottom line is, while expansion and commercialism are often hard for fans to
accept, it's a business and businesses' reason for being is to make money.

Here, in my mind, is a viable remedy to the ever-evolving Nextel Cup schedule.
(This plan originally appeared in Last Lap back in July).

Stage two-day shows, each day with a morning practice, a midday 50-mile/lap
qualifying heat race and an afternoon 200-mile/lap feature. That way, fans get
to see their favorite driver race four times in one weekend and we're in and out
in two days.

Excluding Rockingham (gracious, it pains me to say that), there are currently 22
stops on the Nextel Cup tour. But add Seattle and New York, we're at 24. So if
we race everywhere once, and return only to Daytona, Talladega, Charlotte,
Bristol, Richmond, California, Texas, Vegas and New York, we'll be at 33
points-paying events, and 35 events overall with the Bud Shootout and the
All-Star race. Allow Phoenix to retain their two dates until New York is
finished.

That's an entire month off we don't currently get, and the only folks forced to
sacrifice are the owners of the Super 8 and the Days Inn. And, heck, on average
they're already raking in two grand a week for every booked room, anyway.

Hey Marty,

Listen, I was watching qualifying on Friday and I want to know why NASCAR
doesn't allow the Busch Series drivers to qualify on scuffed tires but the
Nextel Cup drivers can. Hope you can help.

Thanks

Shannon, Panama City
Credit: Autostock
You are correct, Shannon. NASCAR does not allow Busch Series teams to qualify on
scuffed tires in an effort to save teams money. Without this rule, teams would
have to test to see whether sticker tires or scuffs perform better.

With the rule in place, everyone develops the qualifying set-up for stickers.
There are exceptions to the rule, however. At tracks that are generally very
slick, NASCAR may allow teams to scuff both the qualifying and race tires.

Random Tidbit Inquiring Minds Might Appreciate: The 2004 Manufacturers'
Championship can be decided this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. If a
Chevrolet wins the UAW-GM Quality 500 Saturday, the Bowtie Brigade will clinch
the Manufacturers' Championship.

It would mark Chevrolet's 28th Manufacturers' Championship since 1952, and their
24th in the 33-year modern era (since 1972). A Chevrolet has won 17 of the 30
races in 2004. Ford has nine victories and Dodge has four.

Marty,

I know that DEI stated that they will wait until the 2006 season to put Truex in
a Nextel Cup car, but with the way that he is wheeling the Busch car around and
running away with the Busch Series, I just feel that it is too great of an
opportunity to pass up and not have him learn from Waltrip and Jr. during next
season.

What do they have to lose? Definitely not sponsorship. Sponsors are lined up
from Concord to Kalamazoo to get a piece of Truex -- and the eventual Rookie of
the year -- whenever he does enter the Nextel Cup Series. Not to mention that it
will also give Jr. another drafting partner in the restrictor plate races.
Martin Truex Jr. Credit: Autostock
VR, Bud-man

Great question, AB III. I'll agree it is slightly perplexing why Truex would run
another Busch Series season when it seems he's primed at ready to hop in the No.
1 car. But once Truex or Dale Earnhardt Jr. explain their rationale it makes
perfect sense.

Put simply, there's no hurry, no need to expedite the process.

During the qualifying rain delay at New Hampshire a few weeks back, I attempted
to coax Truex into an explanation. Here's what he told me:

"I don't know, I guess it's hard to say when you've only (raced Cup) once,"
Truex said. "If we'd done it 36 times in one year we might be saying we weren't
ready for it.

"So the biggest thing, I think, is you don't want to jump in too quick. I think
a lot of people have done that and we don't want to be like that. We've got a
lot to learn. We're learning more every week and getting better as a team every
week. I'm getting better.

"I was telling somebody earlier that there's tracks we haven't even been to yet
this year that we're still going to go to. No need to rush. We've got a lot to
learn yet."

Fooled me.

Marty,

I was just wondering about Jeremy's post race interview when he said "Hell."
Will he be fined for this or is "Hell" an acceptable word?

Kevin

No fine on this one, Kevin. NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter told me in March
that "'hell' or 'damn', depending on the context in which it's used, is sort of
acceptable."

Hunter said those two words are used in different forms as a means of expression
and that they are subjective, as long as they aren't used to in a demeaning
context. Mayfield didn't use it in such fashion, so in NASCAR's mind they're
acceptable.

Dear Marty,

I want to thank you for your quick response to my last e-mail on the Earnhardt
Jr. penalty. While I am sure someone will publish my request at the end of the
year; I am curious as to how the point standings would be if NASCAR were using
the old point system. Just from the last few races -- I have a sneaky feeling
that some of those in the top 10 would not be there under the old system.

There was much to do about how long Jimmy Johnson had been in the top 10 earlier
in the season when he briefly dropped out. How can a "run" in the top 10 be
valid when with 10 races to go -- certain drivers are locked into a top 10
position. I know NASCAR is locked into this system but it really is bogus! There
are drivers who are finishing the season strong who might have broken into the
top ten -- and the points should reward those efforts.

I thought the race at Kansas was a barnburner - a number of lead changes -- good
racing; however, BRING BACK ROCKINGHAM!!! ;-)

Chris Humphreys, Pastor, Atlantic UMC, Atlantic, N.C.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Credit: Autostock
Aside from everything having to do with certain four-letter words, Reverend
Humphreys' concern is presently one of the most popular among the fan base. Dale
Jarrett fans and Jamie McMurray fans and Kasey Kahne fans are all irritated by
the fact that their respective driver of choice cannot ascend into the top 10.

Had the point system not been changed, Jeff Gordon would hold a 1-point lead
over Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the championship standings. Kurt Busch would be
third, 184 points out, followed by Jimmie Johnson (-223) and Tony Stewart
(-271).

McMurray would be eighth and Jarrett 10th, while Ryan Newman would currently be
in 11th position, some 20 points outside the NASCAR Top 10.

You can access this information at any time on NASCAR.COM. Just click the
Unofficial Non-Chase Standings link.

Y'all be good. I'm off to Target to pre-order my G.I. Joe Nemechek figurine.



andygibbsmileaneverlastingsmile@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
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Ricky Rudd finished second Sunday at Kansas Speedway. Credit:
AutostockConversation: Ricky RuddBy Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
October 11, 2004
01:31 PM EDT (17:31 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Ricky Rudd isn't sitting at home planning a farewell tour.
He's racking his brain, trying to figure out how to run better.

All Rudd is ever done in his adult life is drive a race car. He doesn't want to
quit, especially not now, when his team is starting to recover from a disastrous
first half.
RICKY RUDD
•  Driver Page•  2004 Stats•  Ford Driver's Eye•  Superstore: Rudd gear

Rudd, of course, wasn't content with starting 35th and finishing 28th every
week. Then, he got a stroke of luck -- Michael "Fatback" McSwain became
available in July, and Rudd's team, The Wood Brothers, quickly snapped him up.

Rudd was also instrumental in bringing in Hoyt Overbaugh, the immensely talented
engineer who had worked with Rudd in the 1990s.

Progress wasn't immediate, but Rudd has come on as of late. He qualified second
at Talladega and this weekend at Kansas, he nearly won after a thrilling
last-lap duel with Joe Nemechek.

Rudd spoke with NASCAR.COM's Ryan Smithson about Terry Labonte, TV opportunities
and team chemistry.

Q: Terry Labonte is probably announcing his semi-retirement this week. What can
you tell us about racing with Terry Labonte?

Rudd: Well, Terry -- I guess the best way to word it is that Terry is a
class-act guy. What you see is what you get. He never has been one to be a TV
star.
Rudd staged a thrilling last-lap duel with eventual race winner Joe Nemechek on
Sunday at Kansas. Credit: Autostock
He is a heck of a good race car driver. Always has been. He has struggled in
recent years, but I do not think it's Terry. Nowadays, what I have seen is that
you have got to get that right driver-crew chief combination. If you don't have
it, I don't care how good you are or how bad you are. You are not going to run
very good. Terry has had his hit-and-miss races, but as far as a driver and a
person, (he's) a fine fellow. I have a lot of respect for Terry.

Q: You mentioned TV. You haven't been one to get into the booth at all. How come
you haven't really pursued that? A lot of guys your age are trying to get into
TV after they get out of the sport.

Rudd: Because I don't like it. I think that's the same thing with Terry. A lot
of ways we are similar in that respect. Either you want to do TV or you don't,
some guys are good at it and some guys aren't.

I have been offered plenty of times over the years to do some booth time and I'd
just rather not. Rather not do it.

Q: When you do retire, Ricky, are you going to quit cold-turkey or do a
semi-retirement deal?

Rudd: I haven't got a clue. I really don't. I believe in taking care of the fans
that have taken care of me over the years.
Banquet 400
Victory Lane
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at KansasFinal laps
Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas SpeedwayChase Reaction
Chase contenders review their runs at KansasHard hit
Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at KansasMinor setback
Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141Early Caution
Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4•  Results•  Standings

That will be in my mind real hard, how to handle that, how to do it gracefully
and diplomatically and take care of all the people that have supported us over
the years.

But I don't know if we have a lot of say-so how we do a farewell tour or
whatever. I am not so sure Terry was looking to do a cut-back schedule. It just
kind of worked out that way. But it makes a lot of sense. I see why guys would
do that.

When you get to our age, you have other interests and kids to think about, you
can see how a full schedule sometimes is not always the right answer.

But I really haven't thought that hard about how I am going to exit when it
comes time. I don't have another 5 to 10 years in this sport, but I am just
focusing on how to get this team running.

Q: You mentioned team chemistry earlier. A lot of people, when they finish 25th
in points, they go to Daytona and say, 'We are going to bounce back and finish
10th' and it rarely happens. But you guys seem to have a legitimate argument
that you'll push up towards the front next year.

Rudd: Well, I think you have to look at it realistically; you have to measure
yourself and measure the team's performance.

Up until four weeks ago -- it was almost getting caught up in a poverty and
welfare system, you have got to get yourself out of it and a lot of times you
don't have the control to get yourself out of it.
Rudd says his reunion with crew chief Michael McSwain has improved his team's
fortunes. Credit: Autostock
Had we not made the major changes we did with crew chief Fatback McSwain and
(engineer) Hoyt Overbaugh coming on board, we would not have dug ourselves out.
I am gauging it strictly on performance the last four or five weeks, if you look
at it and plot it on a graph, you'll definitely see a big leap.

If you look at it on paper, you'll say, "what happened here? Why all of a sudden
you see a flat curve, and all of a sudden you're on top of the mountain? What's
the deal?"

You have got to be competitive you got to be racing, you got to run good to
think about how you get out of the position we're in right now. It's based on
performance.

Q: I think I read somewhere that some of your memorabilia was damaged?

Rudd: Yeah, I had a basement flood. I had a lot of stuff in the basement. Stuff
that went in boxes, you're going to sort it one day so it's separated by years.
A lot of early stuff, a lot of old photographs got destroyed.

If you wanted to get a trophy replaced, how do you go about doing that?

Q: Do what I do, you call the racetrack promoter where you got it from, say
"Hey, let me jog your memory, I had a trophy from there three years ago."

Rudd: I had some back 20 years ago. Fortunately only about five or six of them
got damaged. I've got 23 wins or so; some of them are pole trophies and
something of that nature. Probably a total of six trophies got damaged.

Q: Parting shot: Who do you like for the Nextel Cup title?
Rudd sits 26th in the Nextel Cup Series standings heading into this weekend's
action at Charlotte. Credit: Autostock
Rudd: I don't know how to guess that, I think it will come down, I think, to who
has the least amount of trouble.

Obviously a bunch of guys can win it, but I would not know how to pick a
favorite right now. It's gong to come down to who keeps running. You can take
the guy that is performing the least and not have problems and that can be the
guy that wins it.

Q: Kind of like Kulwicki back in 1992 when he won the title even though he
didn't win a race in the last 10 races?

Rudd: Yeah, I see a similar thing shaping up. The guy with the least trouble is
going to win it.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Jeff Gordon failed to lead a lap Sunday at Kansas. Credit: AutostockGordon's
good fortune runs out at KansasTwo-time winner there struggles for 13th-place
finishBy Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
October 11, 2004
10:07 AM EDT (14:07 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A 13th-place finish Sunday at Kansas Speedway doesn't sound
too bad for Jeff Gordon, especially after he was saddled with a 30th-place
starting spot.
Banquet 400
Victory Lane
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at KansasFinal laps
Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas SpeedwayChase Reaction
Chase contenders review their runs at KansasHard hit
Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at KansasMinor setback
Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141Early Caution
Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4•  Results•  Standings

But, in actuality, there was little good for Gordon, especially when you
consider he was victorious in two of the past three Nextel Cup events there.

Gordon entered Kansas looking to eliminate a 48-point deficit to leader Kurt
Busch in the Nextel Cup standings. After all, Busch has a checkered history on
tracks like Kansas and its sister track, Chicagoland.

Instead, Busch blazed to a sixth-place finish while getting five bonus points
for leading a lap.

Gordon failed to lead a lap and fell to 79 points behind Busch with just six
races to go.

"Right now, things have not been going as good for us and we need them to win
the championship," said Gordon, who is chasing his first title since 2001. "I
don't feel we have really lived up to our full potential. I hope we start
hitting on it real soon."

Two things hurt Gordon: He qualified 30th on Friday and had to rally after his
crew left a wrench on his car during the second caution. That mistake cost him a
lap, but a good break on Lap 152 saved his day.
JEFF GORDON
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Fan Club!

Gordon got his lap back with a three-wide move on Lap 150 and got to catch up to
the field on Lap 152 when the caution came out again.

Gordon pitted on Lap 198 to take on four tires, but it didn't help much, because
his Chevrolet simply refused to handle well.

"We just could never get a handle on things all weekend," Gordon said. "The car
just never gave me the feel I was looking for.
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Still, Gordon had a shot at a top-10. He even got to as high as eighth after
several teams were forced to come in for gas. But he said Ricky Rudd's slide
through the grass killed his drive, because the field slowed up behind Rudd's
Ford.

"When Ricky got sideways going into Turn 1, it slowed us all down and all those
guys with fresh tires had the momentum," Gordon said. Once they caught us, we
were in trouble



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Elliott Sadler notched a fourth-place finish at Kansas, and teammate Dale
Jarrett also scored a top-10 finish. Credit: AutostockSadler gains ground on
strength of top-fiveBy Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
October 10, 2004
07:11 PM EDT (23:11 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Elliott Sadler shook off the disappointment of last week's
race at Talladega by playing to his strength.
Elliott Sadler Credit: Autostock
Sadler has been one of the best drivers on the 1.5-milers all season, and it
showed on Sunday at Kansas Speedway, where he finished fourth to remain in the
hunt for the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Sadler gained four spots in the Nextel Cup standings with the finish, although
he is still 143 points behind leader Kurt Busch, who finished sixth.

It was Sadler's first top-five since his win at Fontana five races ago. Some
people even wrote him off after he tumbled wildly on the final lap at Talladega
last week.

"This race is not over with," said Sadler. "I know Kurt Busch is doing a great
job, but we got to try to beat them every week. We'll keep trying."

Sadler's run proved that the newly-formed Yates-Roush engine combination can not
only generate a lot of horsepower, but also be friendly on gas.

Sadler drove the final 64 laps on one tank of fuel -- consistently gaining track
position as others were forced to re-fuel.
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"Todd made a great call there at the end to stay out," Sadler said. "We had like
an eighth- or ninth-place car all day."

Thanks to tires that had lost their grip, Sadler's car tightened up as the race
wound down, so he entertained himself by watching Ricky Rudd race Joe Nemechek
for the win.

Sadler drove for the Wood Brothers Racing -- Rudd's team -- for four seasons,
and he was hoping Rudd could get around Nemechek.

"I would have loved to see the Wood Brothers car go to Victory Lane," Sadler
said. "I let him go there at the end and wanted him to get that 01 car."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
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I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Bliss, Stewart speak with NASCAR about incidentGibbs teammates clashed during
Busch race at KansasOctober 11, 2004
09:47 AM EDT (13:47 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Mike Bliss were
summoned to the NASCAR hauler Sunday morning to explain their altercation
following Saturday's Busch Series race.
Jim Hunter
Stewart missed his first Busch victory when he made contact with Joe Nemechek
and crashed with 1 1/2 laps to go in the Mr. Goodcents 300. But by then, he was
already steamed at Bliss for racing him out of the pits earlier in the race.

He called Bliss a "hammerhead" over the radio during the race, and the two
clashed later in the team hauler.

"From what we know right now, it was kind of a family spat," NASCAR spokesman
Jim Hunter said. "There was some pushing, some shoving, some cursing."

NASCAR planned to interview more witnesses to the altercation on Monday before
making any decision on discipline, Hunter said.

"I don't see us going very hard on anyone," he said.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Ricky Rudd finished second to Joe Nemechek on Sunday. Credit: AutostockThings
coming together for Rudd, Wood Bros.Team scores runner-up finish in Kansas
barnburnerBy Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
October 11, 2004
10:04 AM EDT (14:04 GMT)
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KANSAS City, Kan. -- Ricky Rudd put an entire season of frustration into one
weekend at Kansas.

Rudd nearly won the Banquet 400 in a thrilling battle with Joe Nemechek on
Sunday. In the end, he scored his first top-five in a year.
Banquet 400
Victory Lane
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at KansasFinal laps
Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas SpeedwayChase Reaction
Chase contenders review their runs at KansasHard hit
Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at KansasMinor setback
Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141Early Caution
Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4•  Results•  Standings

But it didn't come without several heart-stopping moments for the Wood Brothers.

Rudd restarted second on lap 246 and tried to pass leader Joe Nemechek, but as
he moved to the bottom of the track, his car touched the front end of Scott
Riggs' car and slid down the apron and onto the grass. Rudd nearly spun out, but
amazingly, he regained control and lost only one spot.

Most of the field checked up behind Rudd, probably because they thought the
caution would fly. It didn't and Rudd got another caution six laps later to
regain the momentum he'd lost during the spin.

"Somebody wrecked us and hit us in the back end and turned us sideways," Rudd
said. "I didn't think we could come back. All of a sudden, the caution came out
and we got lined up good."

"That was unbelievable," said team owner Eddie Wood. "I thought we was done for.
It all worked out. Ricky drove a great race."

Rudd was instrumental in bringing Michael "Fatback" McSwain and engineer Hoyt
Overbaugh over to the Wood Brothers in mid-season.

"I really got to thank Ricky Rudd for bringing my team back," Wood said. "He
brought Fatback and Hoyt on for us. (It) made a big difference."

With McSwain and Overbaugh on board, Rudd scored his first top-10 finish of the
season in August at Watkins Glen.

And now, the near-win.
RICKY RUDD
•  Driver Page•  2004 Stats•  Ford Driver's Eye•  Superstore: Rudd gear

Rudd says he could have raced more aggressively with Nemechek, but not without
risking a multi-car pileup.

"I got under him but I slipped," Rudd said. "If I didn't check up, I might have
taken us both out. I made another run at him, but I ran out of laps."

Wood said the lapped car of Shane Hmiel helped keep Rudd from Nemechek in the
closing laps.

"I thought we had a shot at it until the 23 (Hmiel) decided to race us for about
three laps there," Wood said. "I'd expect nothing less from him."



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I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Headlines
•Kansas dashes hopes of Johnson, Newman•Things coming together for Rudd, Wood
Bros.•Bliss, Stewart speak with NASCAR about Busch Series incident•Sadler gains
ground on strength of top-five finish at Kansas•Gordon's good fortune runs out
at Kansas•Helton: Don't curse, regardless of delay
See More:
All of the headlines



Banquet 400
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at Kansas

Race Rewind
Watch a condensed version of the Banquet 400!

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Crew chief Matt Borland and the No. 12 crew try to get Ryan Newman and his Dodge
back out on the track. Credit: AutostockKansas dashes hopes of Johnson, NewmanBy
Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
October 11, 2004
10:05 AM EDT (14:05 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Chad Knaus stood outside the No. 48 hauler Sunday
afternoon, sporting a gray T-shirt that said, "We Set the Pace."

Unfortunately for Knaus and his driver, Jimmie Johnson, that's no longer the
case.
Banquet 400
Victory Lane
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at KansasFinal laps
Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas SpeedwayChase Reaction
Chase contenders review their runs at KansasHard hit
Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at KansasMinor setback
Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141Early Caution
Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4•  Results•  Standings

A couple haulers over, Ryan Newman's team had taped a target that was riddled
with holes from a shooting trip to Whiteman Air Force Base.

Newman and his team probably feel like the target.

Within minutes of one another, Newman and Johnson limped into the Kansas
Speedway garage, victims of their own mistakes in the Banquet 400.

And while both returned to the track, both saw their already slim Nextel Cup
title hopes slip away even further.

Johnson came into Sunday's race 172 points out of the lead, but after a
32nd-place finish, he's 247 behind with six races to go. Newman, who was 159
out, slipped to 232 behind leader Kurt Busch after a 33rd-place finish.

The trouble began for the two of Chase contenders on lap 210, when Newman
slipped in Turn 4 and slid into the SAFER barrier. He spun across the track and
into the grass, seemingly slipping in oil or debris.

But that wasn't the case, Newman admitted.

"I wish I could say that," Newman said. "That would've been a good story if I
did."

What happened?

"Just got loose," Newman said. "That's all there was to it. Just got out from
underneath me, and that was it."
Jimmie Johnson settled for a 32nd-place finish at Kansas. Credit: Autostock
Newman's No. 12 Dodge had heavy damage, snapping the driveshaft. His Penske
Racing team had to take the rear ear out of the car and dropped the trailing
arms to make repairs.

Moments later, Johnson's battered Chevrolet crawled into the garage after
spinning and hitting the wall in Turn 2. The Hendrick Motorsports crew ripped
off the hood, most of the front fenders and the radiator, making repairs quicker
than Newman's team.

By lap 230, 16 laps after he spun, Johnson returned to the track. Nineteen laps
after that, Newman sped out of the garage.

Neither driver spoke until after the race, and Johnson wasn't in a talking mood.

"Spun out," Johnson said as he walked briskly out of the garage area. "Spun
out."

"Crashed" was Knaus' answer.
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Johnson had led the points standings nine weeks this season, but after finishes
of 11th, 10th, 37th and 32nd, his championship dreams are all but gone.

"Nothing to think about," Knaus said. "You just go out there and race. We
haven't changed our thoughts all year long. We don't change anything. If you
change stuff, that's when you go wrong.

"Maybe we need to change something. I don't know."

Newman said his team would dig in, too.

"We'll just go to every race and try to win it," Newman said. "Just like we were
trying to do today. We just didn't do it.

"We took a double-barrel shotgun and shot ourselves in the foot. We can fight
back. We've done it before."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Kurt Busch finished sixth despite several problems Sunday at Kansas. Credit:
AutostockNotes: Busch feeling fortunate after KansasStill leading the Chase,
Busch sixth Sunday despite spinBy Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
October 11, 2004
11:30 AM EDT (15:30 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- For Kurt Busch, Sunday's Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway was
the kind of race that championship teams have during a run to the title.

Busch and his Roush Racing team turned what could have been disaster into a
top-10 finish. On Lap 152, through no one's fault but his own, Busch lost
control of his No. 97 off Turn 2 and spun down the backstretch.
Banquet 400
Victory Lane
Nemechek celebrates the weekend sweep at KansasFinal laps
Joe Nemechek takes the checkered flag at Kansas SpeedwayChase Reaction
Chase contenders review their runs at KansasHard hit
Title hopes of Newman and Johnson take a hit at KansasMinor setback
Mark Martin avoids disaster after cutting a tire on Lap 141Early Caution
Sterling Marlin encounters clutch problems on Lap 4•  Results•  Standings

He was lucky he didn't hit anything and luckier still no one hit him. But what
made Busch's race championship material was the way his team handled that bit of
adversity.

Busch fell back to 20th for the next restart, but the remaining 121 laps showed
the character of the team and the driver, as he rallied to finish sixth.

"We avoided a big pitfall just trying to get our car to handle better," Busch
said. "We tested here for two days and thought we had a great car. It was just
very nervous around other cars with fresh tires, and that's just something we
have to continue to work on.

"I knew at Kansas they have grass in the infield underneath the racetrack, and
as soon as you hit that, it's just like hitting ice, and you end up in the
inside fence, so I was very lucky to keep it on the racetrack. The damage was
minimal as well as to the other competitors, so we got our fresh tires and (crew
chief) Jimmy Fennig made that adjustment because I was still just trying to
drive too loose of a car and away we went, but it is key to dodge an event like
that today."

Busch, who has finished sixth or better in each of the first four Chase races,
saw his points lead increase to 29 over Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 79 over Jeff
Gordon.

"It feels very good to be able to be ahead by what I'm looking at is four
points, but those four are just one position out on the racetrack next week,"
said Busch, referring to the 25-point penalty of Earnhardt Jr. "We've got our
work to do. Charlotte is a great track for us to attack and try to run good on.
With the way the 48 runs there, that's the guy that we're going to be looking at
next week. He's very competitive and very fast.

"It's a feather in the crew's hat to know that we're a championship contender.
We are leading by a legitimate four points -- 29 as it stands -- so it's
something to where we want to beat him on the racetrack and not have that
circumstance that came up last week affect anything in the future."
Biffle's strong run ends up third

Had the caution flags came in a different order, Greg Biffle might have been the
guy celebrating in Victory Lane. Biffle had one of the strongest cars, leading
four times for 64 laps -- second only to Jeremy Mayfield's 72 laps led.
Biffle finished third Sunday at Kansas, his best finish of the season. Credit:
Autostock
"My car was a little bit too tight, and I hadn't run in traffic all day, except
for about three-quarters of the way through a tire run when my car was balanced
pretty good and everybody was real tight and then I'd get into lapped traffic,"
Biffle said. "When I ended up starting 15th on the grid (for a late caution), I
should have freed my car up a little bit so I could cut down toward the bottom.

"I used up a lot of tires trying to get by the lapped cars and trying to get by
like the first six, eight guys until I got up to Kurt. Then once I got by Kurt
and got in some clean air I could run down those guys, but the car, I just used
up a lot of the front tires. I was a little bit tight to catch them, but I think
given maybe six more laps, they probably would have been in trouble."

His third-place finish was Biffle's best of the season -- minus the victory at
Michigan -- but Biffle wanted more.

"Yeah, I mean, I don't want to act like a baby, but I am disappointed bad,"
Biffle said. "I'm pouting about it, but that's the way it is. It's not very
often that you get a race like that where you're just gone all day long. I mean,
it just runs like that all day long and then for something to happen and not
win, it just burns.

"It's acid in your stomach. It's unfortunate, but those are just the cards we
were dealt today. We just couldn't make it and that's the way it goes sometime."
What about TV ratings?

Dale Jarrett has a unique perspective as to why television ratings have been
down slightly compared to 2003.
Dale Jarrett finished eighth Sunday at Kansas. Credit: Autostock
"The sport is pretty popular, and it's not like we're off a lot to start with,"
Jarrett said. "We have a huge fan base as it is. Maybe it was a little
unrealistic for it to grow that much more. Sure, that would be nice, but we may
have come close to kind of our limit, especially in a situation in a time of
year when we have Major League Baseball right now, the playoffs are there, the
NFL started up and in just a couple of weeks the NBA is gonna be starting.

"So you've got a lot of competition for the sports fan and I think we have to be
careful. Sure, we would always like to have more viewers, but I think we have
quite a few as it is. If you put it in comparison, if we had 15 races on a
weekend like the NFL has 15 games, then, yeah, I think we may have to look at
trying to get more viewers, but I personally am not concerned.

"I don't run the networks, though. That's their business."
Stewart's vacation: working on his fishing lake

Tony Stewart has some property in central Indiana, near his hometowns of
Columbus and Rushville, where he goes to relax. Indiana is full of farmland, but
Stewart's land is hardly used for a farm.
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"I don't have any animals on the farm," Stewart said. "I've been working on a
lake. I've got a 10-acre lake on it. I'm kind of weird, I guess. When I bought
the house I grew up in years ago, the first thing I did was spend a week and a
half straight working on a race shop that my dad and I race go-karts out of and
never even touched the house.

"It's kind of the same thing out there. I've not done anything to the house. All
I've done is worry about making a really killer fishing lake out there. We've
had construction crews out there for three months now working on this lake.

"When they know I'm coming home, they don't book a guy to come in. They always
leave a spot open, and I'll work whatever piece of machinery they need me to
work on on Monday. That's a good enough release for me. That's like a vacation
for me to be able to do that."
That sneaky Newman

Engineers are usually innovative, and Ryan Newman is no different. Before he got
into NASCAR, Newman and his dad, Greg, would use a tricky way to get into
Daytona.
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"(We) realized after seeing people in the stands on Thursday what we needed for
Friday, Saturday and Sunday to get in," Newman said. "We went to get some
construction paper and basically matched the color up to what it needed to be
and overlapped some paper and made it look like a credential, and it usually got
us in."

That's pretty sneaky.

"It was a unique deal, but it was cool," Newman said. "I'm not suggesting that
anybody does that."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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The forgotten onesby Jerry Bonkowski, Yahoo! Sports
October 9, 2004
KANSAS CITY, Kan. – They've become the forgotten men of NASCAR – drivers who
still are unquestionably formidable foes, but for various reasons failed to make
the final 10-driver field for the inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup.
Four weeks into the 10-week Chase, veteran drivers such as Dale Jarrett, Ricky
Rudd, Joe Nemechek and nearly three dozen others have become out-of-sight,
out-of-mind in significance and prominence, though Nemechek has managed to win
the pole at the last two races.
Instead, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth,
Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler, Jimmie Johnson and Jeremy Mayfield
are the names in most of the headlines and stories.
"If people that are having good runs other than those 10 aren't talked about and
these sponsors aren't given some of their due, then they might find another
place to spend their dollars. That concerns me," Jarrett said. "This isn't a
personal issue. This is about what's best for my race team and for my sponsors
and what's best for this sport in general."
Jarrett knows well of what he speaks. In the last two races (at Dover and
Talladega) he finished fourth and third, respectively. Yet, the overall emphasis
in both those races was primarily placed upon the winning drivers – who just
happened to be Chase contestants – Newman and Earnhardt.
ADVERTISEMENT
Because the Chase was designed to focus primarily on the 10 finalists, notice
and attention to those who failed to make the Chase has been greatly decreased
in the past three weeks – particularly from the media.
"If you're outside of the top-10 and you're having a great day, like Dale had a
great run the last two weeks, we tend to look at ourselves and say, 'Well, gosh,
we had a great run. We were inside the top-10 quite a bit,' but you wouldn't
have known we were there," Rudd said.
The lack of attention that the Chase has wrought to non-qualifiers isn't felt
only by the drivers, but by crew members and sponsors, too.
"Our guys that work so hard on these cars, they need a pat on the back," Rudd
said. "We're trying to egg them on and pump them up and keep them excited. At
the same time, the sponsors have to be able to see something. They're spending
money and they at least want to see their car on TV."
As three of the elder statesmen who failed to make the Chase, Jarrett, Nemechek
and Rudd have a combined 60 years of Cup racing between them. They've seen
changes come and changes go. And while they both were against the Chase when it
was first announced in January, they've come to accept and embrace it, whether
they like it or not.
"Anything that I say is going to sound like sour grapes and I don't want it to
be," Jarrett said. "The guys that made the top-10 and are in the Chase are the
ones that deserve to be paid attention to and everybody wants to know what's
going on with them. But I know in one major publication after (the Dover race) I
finished fourth in the race, and my name was not even in the article. And it
wasn't like it was one paragraph, it was a regular article."
Admittedly, Jarrett did receive a bit more attention last week after finishing
third at Talladega, but at the same time he likely would have achieved more
notoriety had he not only been a Chase contender, but also if it hadn't been for
the whole Dale Earnhardt Jr. profanity flap that erupted.
Nemechek, who won his second consecutive pole Friday at Kansas Speedway for
Sunday's Banquet 400, certainly received attention for both of those feats. But
even after he captured the pole Friday, most of the talk among reporters was
about the lingering Earnhardt controversy.
"The network needs to take care of all the people out there," Nemechek said.
"Guys who normally don't have an opportunity to win a championship now have a
legitimate shot at it. It's good for the sport. But, if you're out of the top-10
and your sponsor is going to change because of that depending on how they fund
your team, well then maybe you only run 26 races a year if you don't make (the
Chase). That's not good for the sport."
Rudd wholeheartedly agrees that the attention given to non-Chase drivers should
be more on an even keel with their Chase counterparts, particularly if the
attention is deserved.
"If you finish fourth or third in the race and you run good like Dale did the
last two weeks, by golly, you ought to be covered," he said. "It's black and
white. Don't let the TV turn around and build a script out of this thing and cut
the guys out of it that need attention and deserve attention.
"[But] this is part of the new NASCAR that we're going to have to deal with,"
Rudd added. "There's no hard feelings, but that's the way it is."
Veteran motorsports writer Jerry Bonkowski is Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR analyst.
Send Jerry a question or comment for potential use in a future column or
webcast.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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

Nemechek holds off Rudd for victory; Busch adds to leadBy MIKE HARRIS, AP
Motorsports Writer

October 10, 2004

AP - Oct 10, 6:05 pm EDT
More Photos
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- The biggest gripe about NASCAR's new 10-man Chase for
the Nextel Cup championship was that the drivers not in the title battle would
be ignored.
Nobody could ignore Joe Nemechek on Sunday after he held off Ricky Rudd to win
the Banquet 400 and finish off a weekend sweep at Kansas Speedway.
``The guys in the championship chase have more to lose than we do,'' Nemechek
said. ``We're on the offense, not on defense.''
This one was almost as close as his half car-length victory over Greg Biffle in
the Busch Series event Saturday, with Nemechek and Rudd racing side-by-side and
bumping once with a lap to go before Nemechek took control again and beat Rudd
to the finish by 0.081 seconds -- about 1 1/4 car-lengths.
Nemechek, who did a backward victory lap on the 1 1/2 -mile oval to honor the
memory of his brother, John, killed in a truck race in Homestead, Fla., in 1997,
was relieved to win after nearly getting too conservative at the end.
``There at the end I was trying to save gas and here come Ricky Rudd out of
nowhere,'' Nemechek said. ``I was like, `Holy Moley.' I had to get back on it.
He got beside me one time, but I wasn't going to let it happen.''
ADVERTISEMENT
``The end off the race was pretty neat,'' said Rudd, who drove onto the apron
and nearly spun out on the late restart before breaking out of the pack to chase
down Nemechek.
``I got hung up in traffic and Joe had a half-a-straightaway lead on us,'' Rudd
added. ``I caught him somehow and I got to his door, but my car was slipping and
I had to ease off so I didn't take us both out. Joe and I, neither one, needed
that type of ending to a great day for both of us.''
Rudd raced to only his second top-10 finish of the year, both coming since being
reunited with crew chief Michael ``Fatback'' McSwain in August.
Nemechek was among a group of 10 drivers who stayed on track when cars ahead of
them pitted during a caution period late in the race, moving from 14th to fourth
as Biffle and Jeremy Mayfield, who were 1-2 at the time, were among the leaders
who did pit.
``I was getting really, really good gas mileage and we elected to stay out when
those other guys pitted for a splash of gas,'' Nemechek said. ``It worked out
just perfect for us.''
Another yellow flag on the ensuing restart left him in the same spot, but the
veteran racer, who started from the pole for the second straight race, charged
to the front once the green flag waved for lap 218 of the 267-lap event.
He passed Rudd and Jamie McMurray and dueled with championship contender Elliott
Sadler before grabbing the lead on lap 231, staying out front the rest of the
way for his fourth career victory and first since May 2003 at Richmond. It is
the first time since the championship battle began last month at New Hampshire
that one of the title contenders has not won.
Biffle finished third Sunday, followed by Sadler, Mayfield and Kurt Busch, who
came into the race with a 12-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Nextel
Cup standings and finished Sunday leading Earnhardt, who finished ninth, by 29
points.

AP - Oct 10, 5:51 pm EDT
More PhotosMayfield led a race-high 72 laps and Biffle was next with 64. Biffle
was particularly disappointed.
``Not very often do you get a race car that you can just go on all day long,''
Biffle said. ``For something to happen and not win, it burns. It's acid in your
stomach. But those are the cards we were dealt today.''
Jeff Gordon, who finished 13th, is third, 79 points behind after four of 10
races in NASCAR's new championship format.
Busch got a little lucky Sunday, avoiding damage when he spun midway through the
race. He came back to finish in the top six for the fourth straight race, the
only driver to accomplish that feat in every race since the 10-race playoff
began. Earnhardt, coming off a victory in Talladega a week ago, got his fourth
straight top-10 finish.
``We avoided a big pitfall today,'' Busch said. ``Our car was not very good when
we were around other cars.''
With six races remaining, Sadler is fourth in the standings, trailing Busch by
143 points, followed by Mark Martin, who finished 20th Sunday and is 150 points
behind.
Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman, the defending Kansas City winner, both had
another bad day in the championship. Each hit the wall in separate accidents,
with Johnson finishing 32nd and Newman 33rd. They are eighth and ninth in the
standings, both more than 200 points behind.
Neither television broadcaster NBC nor radio's Motor Racing Network needed to
use delays they announced earlier in the week in the aftermath of Earnhardt
using a vulgarity during a victory interview on live TV last weekend. NASCAR
fined Earnhardt $10,000 and docked him 25 points, knocking him out of first
place in the standings.
NASCAR president warned the drivers during the prerace drivers' meeting that
they are still responsible to watch their language and not count on the delay to
protect them. There were no reports of inappropriate language during the
postrace interviews.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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

Front row weekend for Nemechek
Nemechek swept at Kansas, winning both the Cup and Busch races. (AP)  There was
plenty of excitement at Kansas on Sunday, and it had nothing to do with the
Chase for the Nextel Cup. Polesitter Joe Nemecheck outdueled Ricky Rudd to the
finish to win the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway. Kurt Busch finished sixth and
extended his points lead.


kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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

Unofficial Race Results

Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods | Kansas Speedway

October 10, 2004 | Race 30 of 36Overview

Immediately following each race, NASCAR.com takes the order of finish shown on
Live Leaderboard and lists each driver's probable points, including bonus points
for laps led. Unofficial race results do not reflect any post-race changes, such
as penalties, which may be levied by NASCAR. (now sortable)Related Information

Driver Standings Unofficial

Schedule
Points System Explained 
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FinStCarDriverMakeSponsorPts/BonusLapsStatus11#01 Joe Nemechek ChevroletU.S.
Army185/5267Running212#21 Ricky Rudd FordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force175/5267Running36#16 Greg Biffle FordNational
Guard/Subway170/5267Running411#38 Elliott Sadler FordWizard of
Oz/Pedigree165/5267Running53#19 Jeremy Mayfield DodgeDodge Dealers
HEMI/UAW165/10267Running622#97 Kurt Busch FordSharpie/IRWIN Industrial
Tools155/5267Running710#42 Jamie McMurray
DodgeTexaco/Havoline151/5267Running89#88 Dale Jarrett FordUPS147/5267Running98#8
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ChevroletBudweiser138/0267Running1013#77 Brendan Gaughan
*DodgeWizard of Oz/Kodak/Jasper134/0267Running1126#15 Michael Waltrip
ChevroletNAPA Auto Parts130/0267Running122#9 Kasey Kahne *DodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW132/5267Running1330#24 Jeff Gordon ChevroletWizard of
Oz/DuPont124/0267Running1424#20 Tony Stewart
  ChevroletThe Home Depot121/0267Running1517#30 Jeff Burton ChevroletAmerica
Online118/0267Running165#18 Bobby Labonte ChevroletInterstate
Batteries115/0267Running1715#17 Matt Kenseth FordDeWalt Power
Tools112/0267Running1836#2 Rusty Wallace DodgeMiller Lite109/0267Running1925#25
Brian Vickers *ChevroletGMAC Financial Services106/0267Running2018#6 Mark Martin
FordViagra103/0267Running2119#5 Terry Labonte
ChevroletKellogg's105/5267Running2216#99 Carl Edwards FordRoush
Racing97/0267Running2331#32 Bobby Hamilton Jr.
ChevroletTide94/0267Running2438#23 Shane Hmiel DodgeBill Davis
Racing91/0265Running2533#4 Jimmy Spencer ChevroletLucas Oil
Products88/0265Running2614#10 Scott Riggs *ChevroletWizard of
Oz/Valvoline85/0265Running2732#49 Ken Schrader DodgeSchwan's Home
Service82/0265Running2823#31 Robby Gordon ChevroletCingular
Wireless79/0265Running2927#43 Jeff Green DodgeCheerios Spoonfuls of
Stories76/0262Running3035#0 Ward Burton ChevroletNetZero
HiSpeed73/0255Running3121#41 Casey Mears
  DodgeTarget/Breast Cancer Awareness75/5243Running324#48 Jimmie Johnson
ChevroletLowe's67/0239Out of Race337#12 Ryan Newman DodgeALLTEL69/5223Out of
Race3428#40 Sterling Marlin DodgeCoors Light61/0216Out of Race3529#29 Kevin
Harvick ChevroletGM Goodwrench58/0160Out of Race3637#22 Scott Wimmer
*DodgeCaterpillar55/0146Out of Race3734#84 Kyle Busch
ChevroletCARQUEST52/0136Out of Race3839#45 Kyle Petty
DodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny49/088Out of Race3920#50 Todd Bodine DodgeArnold
Development Companies46/066Out of Race4041#02 Hermie Sadler FordSCORE
Motorsports43/038Out of Race4143#194 Stanton Barrett FordAmericInn/Racer's
Edge40/030Out of Race4240#198 Larry Gunselman FordMach One Inc.37/026Out of
Race4342#172 Kirk Shelmerdine FordVote for Bush34/03Out of Race


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I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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2004 Unofficial Driver Standings

After: Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods | Kansas Speedway | Race 30 of
36Overview

Immediately following each race, NASCAR.com combines the points earned from the
order of finish shown on Live Leaderboard with the previous week's standings to
compile the Unofficial Driver Standings. A driver is eliminated when the maximum
number of points he can accumulate by race 26 is less than either what it would
require to get into the top 10 or stay within 400 points of the leader. A driver
can clinch when the minimum number of points he can accumulate by race 26 is
still greater than either what it would require to remain in the top 10 or stay
within 400 points of the leader. All projected scenarios for "clinch" and
"elimination" assume a driver will start all remaining races.Related Information

Schedule
Busch Series Standings
Craftsman Truck Series Standings
Points System Explained
window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return true;}
if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
Rank+/-DriverPointsBehindStartsPolesWinsTop 5Top 101--Kurt Busch5685
Leader30037162--Dale Earnhardt Jr.5656 -29300514193--Jeff Gordon5606
-79306512204+4Elliott Sadler5542 -14330028135-1Mark Martin5535
-15030018136--Tony Stewart5512 -17330029157-2Matt Kenseth5505 -18030028168-1Ryan
Newman5453 -23230529129--Jimmie Johnson5438 -2473014151710--Jeremy Mayfield5428
-257302151211--Jamie McMurray3736 -1949300071812+1Dale Jarrett3654
-2031300061313-1Kevin Harvick3607 -2078300041114+1Kasey Kahne*3549
-21363040101115-1Bobby Labonte3540 -214530105916--Michael Waltrip3279
-240630002917--Rusty Wallace3219 -246630013818+3Greg Biffle3182
-250330113619+1Jeff Burton3175 -251030002420-2Casey Mears3156 -252930201921+3Joe
Nemechek3124 -256130211622-3Sterling Marlin3119 -256630002623-1Robby Gordon3071
-261430002624-1Terry Labonte3052 -263330000625--Brian
  Vickers*2932 -275330200326--Ricky Rudd2893 -279230101227--Scott Wimmer*2704
-298130001228+1Scott Riggs*2629 -305630001229-1Ward Burton2628
-305730000330--Brendan Gaughan*2596 -308930001331--Ken Schrader2504
-318130000132--Jeff Green2483 -320230000033--Kyle Petty2419 -326630000034--Ricky
Craven2086 -359926000035--Jimmy Spencer1835 -385024000036--Dave Blaney1295
-439015000037--Johnny Sauter*1217 -446813000038--Derrike Cope1058
-462718000039--Morgan Shepherd851 -483417000040+1Carl Edwards844
-48418000341-1Todd Bodine826 -485917000042+1Bobby Hamilton Jr.764
-492111000043-1Kevin Lepage671 -501413000044--Hermie Sadler662
-502312000045--Kirk Shelmerdine643 -504216000046--Mike Wallace575
-51107000147--Bill Elliott498 -51875000148--John Andretti460 -52255000049--PJ
Jones316 -53695000050--Geoffrey Bodine278 -54075000051--Johnny Benson271
-54144000052--Kenny Wallace268 -54174000053--Carl Long267 -54186000054+8Kyle
Busch250 -54354000055+4Larry Gunselman248 -54375000056-2Joe Ruttman247
  -54387000057-2Tony Raines241 -54444000058-2Mike Bliss230 -54552001159-2Kerry
Earnhardt228 -54573000060+4Stanton Barrett224 -54615000061-3Boris Said223
-54622000162+4Shane Hmiel218 -54673000063-3Scott Pruett207 -54782001164-3Andy
Hillenburg206 -54795000065-2Larry Foyt194 -54913000066-1Ron Fellows170
-55151001167--Klaus Graf112 -55731000068--Tom Hubert110 -55752000069--Jim
Inglebright106 -55791000070--Andy Belmont98 -55872000071--Mike Skinner97
-55881000072--Eric McClure90 -55951000073--Ted Christopher89 -55962000074--Chad
Blount74 -56112000075+1David Green70 -56151000076-1Tony Ave70 -56151000077--Jeff
Fuller68 -56172000078--Austin Cameron49 -56361000079--Jason Jarrett43
-56421000080+1J.J. Yeley40 -56451000081-1Brandon Ash40 -56451000082--Greg
Sacks37 -56481000083+1Jason Leffler34 -56511000084-1Randy LaJoie34 -5651100


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I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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

Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods
KANSAS SPEEDWAY
267/267Checkered93903:07:37
Rank +/- Points Behind No.DriverSponsor MakePos.Laps Led 1--5685--#97Kurt
BuschSharpie/IRWIN Industrial ToolsFord 612--5656-29#8Dale Earnhardt
Jr.BudweiserChevrolet 903--5606-79#24Jeff GordonWizard of Oz/DuPontChevrolet
1304+45542-143#38Elliott SadlerWizard of Oz/PedigreeFord 425-15535-150#6Mark
MartinViagraFord 2006--5512-173#20Tony StewartThe Home DepotChevrolet
1407-25505-180#17Matt KensethDeWalt Power ToolsFord 1708-15453-232#12Ryan
NewmanALLTELDodge 3389--5438-247#48Jimmie JohnsonLowe'sChevrolet
32010--5428-257#19Jeremy MayfieldDodge Dealers HEMI/UAWDodge
57211--3736-1949#42Jamie McMurrayTexaco/HavolineDodge 71912+13654-2031#88Dale
JarrettUPSFord 8413-13607-2078#29Kevin HarvickGM GoodwrenchChevrolet
35014+13549-2136#9Kasey KahneDodge Dealers/UAWDodge 123915-13540-2145#18Bobby
LabonteInterstate BatteriesChevrolet 16016--3279-2406#15Michael WaltripNAPA Auto
PartsChevrolet 11017--3219-2466#2Rusty WallaceMiller LiteDodge
18018+33182-2503#16Greg BiffleNational Guard/SubwayFord
  36419+13175-2510#30Jeff BurtonAmerica OnlineChevrolet 15020-23156-2529#41Casey
MearsTarget/Breast Cancer AwarenessDodge 311421+33124-2561#01Joe NemechekU.S.
ArmyChevrolet 14122-33119-2566#40Sterling MarlinCoors LightDodge
34023-13071-2614#31Robby GordonCingular WirelessChevrolet
28024-13052-2633#5Terry LabonteKellogg'sChevrolet 21125--2932-2753#25Brian
VickersGMAC Financial ServicesChevrolet 19026--2893-2792#21Ricky
RuddMotorcraft/U.S. Air ForceFord 2227--2704-2981#22Scott WimmerCaterpillarDodge
36028+12629-3056#10Scott RiggsWizard of Oz/ValvolineChevrolet
26029-12628-3057#0Ward BurtonNetZero HiSpeedChevrolet 30030--2596-3089#77Brendan
GaughanWizard of Oz/Kodak/JasperDodge 10031--2504-3181#49Ken SchraderSchwan's
Home ServiceDodge 27032--2483-3202#43Jeff GreenCheerios Spoonfuls of
StoriesDodge 29033--2419-3266#45Kyle PettyGeorgia-Pacific/BrawnyDodge
38034--2086-3599#11Ricky CravenOld SpiceChevrolet -035--1835-3850#4Jimmy
SpencerLucas Oil ProductsChevrolet 25036--1295-4390#99Dave
  BlaneyRoush RacingFord -037--1217-4468#133Johnny SauterSylvaniaChevrolet
-038--1058-4627#280Derrike CopeHover MotorsportsFord -039--851-4834#89Morgan
ShepherdRacing With Jesus/Red Line OilDodge -040+1844-4841#99Carl EdwardsRoush
RacingFord 22041-1826-4859#50Todd BodineArnold Development CompaniesDodge
39042+1764-4921#32Bobby Hamilton Jr.TideChevrolet 23043-1671-5014#137Kevin
LepageCarter's Royal Dispos-allDodge -044--662-5023#02Hermie SadlerSCORE
MotorsportsFord 40045--643-5042#72Kirk ShelmerdineVote for BushFord
43046--575-5110#135Mike WallaceGary Keller RacingChevrolet -047--498-5187#91Bill
ElliottMcDonald'sDodge -048--460-5225#1John AndrettiKraft FoodsChevrolet
-049--316-5369#50PJ JonesArnold Development CompaniesFord
-050--278-5407#198Geoffrey BodineMach One Inc.Ford -051--271-5414#09Johnny
BensonMiccosukee Gaming & ResortsDodge -052--268-5417#1Kenny
WallaceAaron'sChevrolet -053--267-5418#200Carl LongBuyer's Choice Auto
WarrantiesChevrolet -054+8250-5435#84Kyle
  BuschCARQUESTChevrolet 37055+4248-5437#98Larry GunselmanMach One Inc.Ford
42056-2247-5438#09Joe RuttmanMiccosukee Gaming & ResortsDodge
-057-2241-5444#251Tony RainesLee JeansChevrolet -058-2230-5455#180Mike
BlissConAgra/Hunt's KetchupChevrolet -059-2228-5457#133Kerry EarnhardtBass Pro
Shops/TrackerChevrolet -060+4224-5461#94Stanton BarrettAmericInn/Racer's
EdgeFord 41061-3223-5462#136Boris SaidCentrix FinancialChevrolet
-062+4218-5467#23Shane HmielBill Davis RacingDodge 24063-3207-5478#39Scott
PruettCoors LightDodge -064-3206-5479#137Andy HillenburgQuality EquipmentDodge
-065-2194-5491#14Larry FoytA.J. Foyt RacingDodge -066-1170-5515#1Ron
FellowsNutter Butter/Nilla WafersChevrolet -067--112-5573#59Klaus GrafSEM/Color
HorizonsDodge -068--110-5575#172Tom HubertFreddie B'sFord -069--106-5579#30Jim
InglebrightAmerica OnlineChevrolet -070--98-5587#02Andy
Belmontshowcontrol.comPontiac -071--97-5588#133Mike SkinnerRCRChevrolet
-072--90-5595#04Eric McClureYokeTV.com/77sports.comChevrolet
  -073--89-5596#280Ted ChristopherCommercial Truck & TrailerFord
-074--74-5611#06Chad BlountMobil 1Dodge -075+170-5615#127David GreenTimber
WolfChevrolet -076-170-5615#280Tony AveCommercial Truck & TrailerFord
-077--68-5617#50Jeff FullerArnold Development CompaniesDodge
-078--49-5636#261Austin CameronMcMillin Homes/NAPA Auto CareChevrolet
-079--43-5642#02Jason JarrettThe FanZCarChevrolet -080--40-5645#102Brandon
AshAsh Racing EnginesFord -081--40-5645#11J.J. YeleyVigoro/The Home
DepotChevrolet -082--37-5648#113Greg SacksARC Dehooker/Vita CocoDodge
-083+134-5651#160Jason LefflerHaas AutomationChevrolet -084-134-5651#280Randy
LaJoieCommercial Truck & TrailerFord -0


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Lap by Lap: Banquet 400October 10, 2004
05:12 PM EDT (21:12 GMT)
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if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;





Here is a lap-by-lap account of the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway:

Lap 267: Checkered flag. Joe Nemechek holds on to win the Banquet 400.

Lap 266: White flag.

Lap 265: Ricky Rudd and Joe Nemechek battling for the lead.

Lap 263: Ricky Rudd has moved up to second place.

Lap 260: Joe Nemechek has built a considerable lead.

Lap 255: Green flag. Joe Nemechek leads, pursued by Elliott Sadler.

Lap 250: Caution for Robby Gordon spinning.

Lap 246: Green flag. Joe Nemechek leads.

Lap 243: Several drivers elect to pit. Joe Nemechek is still the leader.

Lap 242: Caution. Kasey Kahne gets loose and spins out into the grass.

Lap 231: Pole-sitter Joe Nemechek reclaims the race lead.

Lap 230: Elliott Sadler takes the lead from Jamie McMurray.

Lap 217: Green flag. Jamie McMurray is still the leader.

Lap 214: Caution is out. Jimmie Johnson spins and hits the wall hard.

Lap 213: Green flag. Jamie McMurray is the leader.

Lap 210: Most of the leaders come in for pit stops. This could be the last
round.

Lap 209: Caution. Ryan Newman hits the wall and spins through the grass.

Lap 208: No. 49 Ken Schrader is off the pace.

Lap 203: Green flag. Restart.

Lap 201: Greg Biffle is the leader after pit stops cycle through.

Lap 198: The rest of the field comes in to pit under yellow.

Lap 197: Casey Mears hits the wall hard while running in the top five, bringing
out caution.

Lap 196: Greg Biffle and a few others on pit road for scheduled stops.

Lap 173: Greg Biffle takes the lead once again.

Lap 161: Kevin Harvick is off the pace. Looks like his engine is going. No
caution.

Lap 159: No. 41 Casey Mears passes Jeremy Mayfield for the lead.

Lap 156: Green flag. Restart. Jeremy Mayfield leads.

Lap 152: Caution. Kurt Busch spins out and Jimmie Johnson gets turned around in
the aftermath.

Lap 150: Restart. Jeremy Mayfield is the leader.

Lap 144: Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch pit again. Jeremy Mayfield
is now the race leader.

Lap 142: Caution. No. 84 Kyle Busch brushed the wall. Mark Martin has to pit
again for a tire.

Lap 141: After green-flag pit stops, Kasey Kahne is the leader.

Lap 137: No. 23 Shane Hmiel spins out in the Pit Road entrance.

Lap 131: Leader Greg Biffle and a few other take pit stops.

Lap 121: Kasey Kahne makes his scheduled pit stop.

Lap 111: Greg Biffle takes the lead from Kasey Kahne.

Lap 81: Kasey Kahne is now the race leader, followed by Greg Biffle and Jeremy
Mayfield.

Lap 74: Green-flag pit stops begin in earnest.

Lap 64: Greg Biffle passes Jeremy Mayfield for the lead in traffic.

Lap 59: Kasey Kahne goes in for a scheduled pit stop.

Lap 29: Sterling Marlin is back out on the track.

Lap 24: Matt Kenseth's car is smoking. Possible tire rub after contact with
Kevin Harvick on pit road.

Lap 20: Jeremy Mayfield passes Kasey Kahne for the lead. Jeff Gordon has to pit
again -- crew left equipment on the car.

Lap 19: Green flag. Restart. Kasey Kahne leads.

Lap 17: Jeremy Mayfield and several others decide to pit. Mayfield goes for fuel
only. Kasey Kahne is the race leader.

Lap 16: Caution. No. 99 Carl Edwards spins out alone, but avoids the wall.

Lap 13: No. 43 Jeff Green off the pace. Heads to the pits.

Lap 9: Evernham Motorsports teammates Jeremy Mayfield and Kasey Kahne now run
one-two.

Lap 5: Jeremy Mayfield has taken the lead from Joe Nemechek.

Lap 4: Green flag. Restart.

Lap 2: Caution for debris from Sterling Marlin. Pole-sitter Joe Nemechek leads.

Lap 1: Green flag. Sterling Marlin already in trouble. Loses his transmission.



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I love you Laz and Leslie!!






































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Practice Speeds

Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods | Kansas Speedway

October 10, 2004 | Race 30 of 36 | Practice 2 Overview

Once the teams are at the track, practices are the only way to test a variety of
combinations in order to find the optimal setup for qualifying. Teams have a set
time limit to take to the track to check their setups. (now sortable)Related
Information

Entry List

Schedule  window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return
true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
RankCarDriverMakeSponsorSpeedTimeBehind1#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge Dealers
HEMI/UAW176.10230.664Leader2#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW176.06830.670-0.0063#38Elliott SadlerFordWizard of
Oz/Pedigree175.89030.701-0.0374#48Jimmie
JohnsonChevroletLowe's175.85630.707-0.0435#88Dale
JarrettFordUPS175.28530.807-0.1436#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force175.16030.829-0.1657#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite174.93830.868-0.2048#01Joe NemechekChevroletU.S.
Army174.91030.873-0.2099#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot174.89330.876-0.21210#0Ward BurtonChevroletNetZero
HiSpeed174.74030.903-0.23911#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL174.65030.919-0.25512#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide174.58230.931-0.26713#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAmerica
Online174.54830.937-0.27314#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline174.44730.955-0.29115#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM
  Goodwrench174.44130.956-0.29216#6Mark
MartinFordViagra174.35730.971-0.30717#97Kurt BuschFordSharpie/IRWIN Industrial
Tools174.32930.976-0.31218#18Bobby LabonteChevroletInterstate
Batteries174.31730.978-0.31419#8Dale Earnhardt
Jr.ChevroletBudweiser174.18831.001-0.33720#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt Power
Tools174.05331.025-0.36121#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar174.04231.027-0.36322#41Casey MearsDodgeTarget/Breast
Cancer Awareness173.93031.047-0.38323#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
Service173.90231.052-0.38824#24Jeff GordonChevroletWizard of
Oz/DuPont173.82931.065-0.40125#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeWizard of
Oz/Kodak/Jasper173.82431.066-0.40226#16Greg BiffleFordNational
Guard/Subway173.70631.087-0.42327#99Carl EdwardsFordRoush
Racing173.61131.104-0.44028#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts173.60531.105-0.44129#31Robby GordonChevroletCingular
Wireless173.55031.115-0.45130#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors
Light173.46031.131-0.46731#50Todd BodineDodgeArnold Development
  Companies173.31031.158-0.49432#84Kyle
BuschChevroletCARQUEST173.29431.161-0.49733#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC
Financial Services173.24331.170-0.50634#5Terry
LabonteChevroletKellogg's172.89431.233-0.56935#43Jeff GreenDodgeCheerios
Spoonfuls of Stories172.24931.350-0.68636#23Shane HmielDodgeBill Davis
Racing171.61931.465-0.80137#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products171.54331.479-0.81538#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny171.41831.502-0.83839#10Scott
Riggs*ChevroletWizard of Oz/Valvoline171.36931.511-0.84740#02Hermie
SadlerFordSCORE Motorsports170.44931.681-1.01741#198Larry GunselmanFordMach One
Inc.166.40032.452-1.78842#172Kirk ShelmerdineFordVote for
Bush163.19133.090-2.42643#194Stanton BarrettFordAmericInn/Racer's Edge---*
Denotes Rookie


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I love you Laz and Leslie!!




































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Practice Speeds

Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods | Kansas Speedway

October 10, 2004 | Race 30 of 36 | Practice 3 Overview

Once the teams are at the track, practices are the only way to test a variety of
combinations in order to find the optimal setup for qualifying. Teams have a set
time limit to take to the track to check their setups. (now sortable)Related
Information

Entry List

Schedule  window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return
true;} if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;        
RankCarDriverMakeSponsorSpeedTimeBehind1#38Elliott SadlerFordWizard of
Oz/Pedigree175.09230.841Leader2#77Brendan Gaughan*DodgeWizard of
Oz/Kodak/Jasper175.05830.847-0.0063#12Ryan
NewmanDodgeALLTEL174.83130.887-0.0464#21Ricky RuddFordMotorcraft/U.S. Air
Force174.62230.924-0.0835#48Jimmie
JohnsonChevroletLowe's174.48130.949-0.1086#9Kasey Kahne*DodgeDodge
Dealers/UAW174.00831.033-0.1927#19Jeremy MayfieldDodgeDodge Dealers
HEMI/UAW173.84631.062-0.2218#30Jeff BurtonChevroletAmerica
Online173.84631.062-0.2219#16Greg BiffleFordNational
Guard/Subway173.53331.118-0.27710#22Scott
Wimmer*DodgeCaterpillar173.45531.132-0.29111#32Bobby Hamilton
Jr.ChevroletTide173.40531.141-0.30012#42Jamie
McMurrayDodgeTexaco/Havoline173.33831.153-0.31213#2Rusty WallaceDodgeMiller
Lite173.24431.170-0.32914#20Tony StewartChevroletThe Home
Depot173.11031.194-0.35315#01Joe
  NemechekChevroletU.S. Army172.99431.215-0.37416#18Bobby
LabonteChevroletInterstate Batteries172.82231.246-0.40517#5Terry
LabonteChevroletKellogg's172.64031.279-0.43818#97Kurt BuschFordSharpie/IRWIN
Industrial Tools172.62331.282-0.44119#6Mark
MartinFordViagra172.61831.283-0.44220#24Jeff GordonChevroletWizard of
Oz/DuPont172.59031.288-0.44721#49Ken SchraderDodgeSchwan's Home
Service172.55731.294-0.45322#0Ward BurtonChevroletNetZero
HiSpeed172.36431.329-0.48823#88Dale JarrettFordUPS172.35331.331-0.49024#50Todd
BodineDodgeArnold Development Companies172.30431.340-0.49925#41Casey
MearsDodgeTarget/Breast Cancer Awareness172.27631.345-0.50426#8Dale Earnhardt
Jr.ChevroletBudweiser172.22731.354-0.51327#15Michael WaltripChevroletNAPA Auto
Parts172.22131.355-0.51428#29Kevin HarvickChevroletGM
Goodwrench172.14431.369-0.52829#84Kyle
BuschChevroletCARQUEST172.09031.379-0.53830#25Brian Vickers*ChevroletGMAC
Financial Services171.98031.399-0.55831#31Robby GordonChevroletCingular
  Wireless171.95331.404-0.56332#17Matt KensethFordDeWalt Power
Tools171.70131.450-0.60933#40Sterling MarlinDodgeCoors
Light171.63631.462-0.62134#99Carl EdwardsFordRoush
Racing171.45031.496-0.65535#4Jimmy SpencerChevroletLucas Oil
Products171.39631.506-0.66536#10Scott Riggs*ChevroletWizard of
Oz/Valvoline171.16831.548-0.70737#23Shane HmielDodgeBill Davis
Racing170.95131.588-0.74738#45Kyle
PettyDodgeGeorgia-Pacific/Brawny170.84831.607-0.76639#43Jeff GreenDodgeCheerios
Spoonfuls of Stories169.90731.782-0.94140#02Hermie SadlerFordSCORE
Motorsports168.37132.072-1.23141#194Stanton BarrettFordAmericInn/Racer's
Edge167.63932.212-1.37142#198Larry GunselmanFordMach One Inc.161.05533.529-2.688


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brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!




































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Jeff Gordon will have to climb out of a 30th-place start to have a good finish
at Kansas Credit: AutostockMayfield, Gordon reverse trends at KansasBy Ron
Lemasters Jr., Special to NASCAR.COM
October 9, 2004
10:49 AM EDT (14:49 GMT)
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There have been just three NASCAR Nextel Cup races at Kansas Speedway, so the
number crunching is a bit more basic when it comes to analyzing starting and
finishing positions. What was evident from Friday's Bud Pole qualifying session,
however, is that when you need a good run, you can throw numbers right out the
window.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
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Jeremy Mayfield, who crashed last week at Talladega and finds himself 10th of 10
in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, put together a stellar run late in qualifying
to take third starting spot from Jimmie Johnson, another Chase ace who had
trouble in Alabama.

Mayfield, who was 10th in practice, picked up .121 seconds on his qualifying run
to bump Johnson from third. Mayfield's previous best start here was 14th in 2002
and his average here is 22.3, so it was a monster lap for the Kentucky driver.
Still, he has a statistical hurdle to overcome on Sunday: his average finish is
16.0.

Johnson, whose starting average here is an absurd 1.5 -- he won the pole here
last year before crashing in practice and dropping to the tail of the field in a
backup car for the start and was second in 2002. Coming off an overheating
problem at Talladega, Johnson was .004 off his third-best practice time of
30.156 and will take the green from outside row two.

Ryan Newman was seventh fastest in his Dodge, a tick faster than Dale Earnhardt
Jr., who will start eighth. Newman is pretty good on Friday at Kansas, averaging
a 10.3 start, but he's really good on Sunday, with an average finish of 1.67. He
was seventh fastest in practice, so he backed up what he ran in the morning when
it counted. As the defending race champion, this should be a good place for him
to get back into the Chase for real.

Earnhardt Jr., coming off a victory at Talladega and a loss in the court of
NASCAR opinion, was fourth fastest in the morning practice and slowed just a
little in qualifying to rest eighth. Traditionally, Earnhardt has qualified well
(9.6 average start. Including the pole in 2002) but hasn't finished all that
well (19.0 average). He'll try to reverse that trend so he can make up the 25
points he lost in Victory Lane last week.
Jeremy Mayfield qualified third at Kansas. Credit: Autostock
For Elliott Sadler, 11th starting spot is almost an upset. The Ford driver has
an average start of 26.6 and an even bleaker 27.6 average finish here, but he
was fifth in practice before settling just outside the top 10 for Sunday.

It might be important to note, for the record, that no Kansas winner has started
worse than 11th.

Matt Kenseth wound up 15th in his Ford, another minor upset considering his
numbers here in the past. Kenseth was 29th in practice, despite testing here
earlier in the season, but picked up nearly two-tenths of a second in
qualifying. He and Mayfield were the only two Chasers to better their practice
times, and Kenseth did so by a greater margin (.188 seconds). The defending
series champion has an average start of 25.6 and an average finish of 25.0 here.

Mark Martin, the sentimental favorite to win the title, ended up 17th for
Sunday, which is about where he practiced (15th). His best start here was ninth
in 2002, and his best finish was a sixth in the inaugural 2001 event. His
performance will increase his average start from his present 23.3, and he hopes
to improve upon his 17.0 average finish.

The point leader, Kurt Busch, is another driver for whom Kansas has been a
struggle. His 22nd-place qualifying effort is just two better than his average
(24.6) and if he hits his average finish (26.6), there will likely be another
driver atop the standings on Sunday night. Busch was 17th in practice, but lost
.05 seconds on his timed lap.

Tony Stewart, finally coming to a Chase event with a solid finish under his
belt, wound up 24th in his Chevrolet. He was 19th in practice, but dropped a tad
in qualifying to end up on the outside of row 12. His numbers over the first
three races have been pretty solid and consistent. His average start is 9.6 and
his average finish is a credible 6.6. He's finished fourth, eighth and eighth in
the three races here, and his best start is seventh in 2002.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the qualifying session was to be found in 30th
spot, where Jeff Gordon wound up when all was said and done. Gordon, who won the
first two races here in 2001 and 2002 and finished fifth a year ago, dropped
nearly two-tenths of a second in qualifying after practicing 13th. It was the
first time Gordon has not made the top 10 in qualifying here. Gordon has an
average start of 6.3 and an average finish of 2.33, so he's a good bet to be
back near the front despite Friday's debacle.



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!




































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Notebook: Kahne picks up where Elliott left offBy Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
October 8, 2004
08:01 PM EDT (00:01 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Bill Elliott was strong in last year's race at Kansas
Speedway, leading four times for 115 laps and finishing second. The only reason
he didn't win was because Ryan Newman played the fuel-mileage game and won.
Kasey Kahne
Elliott has since semi-retired and isn't driving this weekend. But the No. 9
Dodge is back in the capable hands of rookie Kasey Kahne.

Kahne put the car on the outside of the front row after a fast lap of 179.253
mph, edging Evernham Motorsports teammate Jeremy Mayfield.

"Bill kept a couple of his cars from last year, and that was one of them," Kahne
said. "That was his favorite car. It's his Brickyard car, and he loved that
thing. It's a different car but it's the same car that we came close with at the
Michigans, the Californias, Vegas, and Texas. It's a good one."

Kahne is still looking for his first Nextel Cup victory after finishing second
five times this season.

"I can't wait for Sunday," Kahne said. "I watched the race in review last
Thursday and watched Bill Elliott kick ass all day long and end up running
second. I'm really excited to go racing here."

If Jeremy were king

Mayfield said the first thing he'd change if he were in charge of NASCAR would
be to put the top 10 drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup on their own points
system. That way, if a driver had trouble, he would lose points to only nine
drivers and not 42.
Jeremy Mayfield
The other thing would be to shuffle the last 10 races around, removing
Talladega, Martinsville and New Hampshire from the final 10.

"I think I'd have Kansas, Chicago, Darlington, I'd even bring Rockingham back,
California, Charlotte, Phoenix, Homestead and I'd run two Richmonds," said
Mayfield, who won at Richmond last month. "You can go around and get all the
drivers' personal preferences for racetracks. I betcha wouldn't see any
Talladegas except Junior. He'd be the only one there and we'd all be somewhere
else.

"You wouldn't see Loudon or Martinsville, but I bet Kansas would be there.
Michigan is great. California is great. Pocono, we'd run two or three Poconos
and Darlington. It'd be Pocono, Richmond and California would be the only ones
we'd run. That would be about all I'd change, and I don't know if I would take
points away for cussing. Every once in awhile I let one slip, and I don't want
to lose 25 points."

Gordon doesn't feel sorry for Junior
BANQUET 400
•  Lineup•  Photo Gallery•  1st Practice Speeds•  Complete Race Coverage

Jeff Gordon won't feel sorry for Earnhardt Jr. if Gordon were to win the
championship by fewer than 25 points over Junior.

"I would hate it for him," Gordon said. "I'm not even thinking about that.
That's not my situation. It's theirs. I hate it for them, but it is what it is.
(NASCAR) made their decision, and everybody's going to have to live with it. Our
job is to win the championship."

Earnhardt Jr. was docked 25 points for inappropriate language after winning last
weekend at Talladega.

"I'd like to do it to make Junior feel better," Gordon said with a smile. "I'm
thinking of him."

Rudd slows from practice

Ricky Rudd was fastest in Friday's practice but qualified only 12th. What went
wrong? He wasn't sure.
Ricky Rudd
"We won practice and that was great, but I'm really disappointed," Rudd said. "I
just couldn't get a hold of the racetrack like I did early on. We were on the
borderline earlier in the day of not having enough grip, and I don't know if it
was just the heat in the racetrack or what.

"It was about 8-10 degrees hotter, and I just couldn't get a hold of it. It's
not like it did anything wrong, it just didn't stick like it did in practice.
It's unfortunate. We had a real fast racecar and still have a fast racecar, but
we just didn't quite get it figured out for qualifying. From that aspect it's
pretty disappointing."

Still, Rudd's 12th-place was his second-best non-plate qualifying effort of the
season.

"I'm disappointed in one respect, but really just tickled to death," Rudd said.
"We're disappointed that we didn't win the pole, whereas early in the year we
were disappointed because we might have used a provisional. We've come a long
way."



kylepettyrocks@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!




































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Newman's worst finish in three Cup starts at Kansas is second. Credit:
AutostockNewman not taking Kansas for grantedBy Lee Montgomery, NASCAR.COM
October 9, 2004
10:52 AM EDT (14:52 GMT)
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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Being the good engineer he is, Ryan Newman can crunch
numbers with the best of them.

When he adds up the numbers of his history at Kansas Speedway, he needs a
micrometer.

The first time he was here, he finished second. The second time ... another
second. And last year? Newman went to Victory Lane.
RYAN NEWMAN
•  Driver Page•  World of Dodge•  Gillette Young Guns Challenge•  Superstore: R.
Newman gear

That's two, two, one. Not bad, eh? He must be the man to beat in Sunday's
Banquet 400.

"Statistically and numbers-wise, yeah," Newman said. "But anything can happen.
We're not going to go into Sunday thinking we're the odds-on favorite. We're
going to go into Sunday thinking we can do the best job we possibly can."

Newman also knows another guy has a pretty good record at Kansas. Jeff Gordon
has two victories at the 1.5-mile track, with one fifth-place finish.

The average finishing position for those two drivers is second.

But being the practical engineer, Newman knows those numbers are only trends and
don't guarantee future success.

"That could change," Newman said. "We could be 43rd and 42nd on Sunday."

Chances are good that won't happen. Gordon and Newman have a firm grip on
Kansas.
Credit: Autostock
"When you get it right, you can usually keep it right," Newman said. "The cars
the last the three years didn't go through much transition. But this year, the
cars have gone through a big transition with cutting the spoilers off.
Hopefully, we can keep up."

Keeping up usually isn't a problem for Newman, often acknowledged as one of the
most talented drivers in the garage. But after three races in the Chase for the
Nextel Cup, Newman is in seventh place, 146 behind leader Kurt Busch.

He got behind mostly because of a blown engine at New Hampshire. Meanwhile,
Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon have avoided trouble that has struck
most of the other Chase drivers.

But after a quick check of the math, Newman doesn't agree that Busch will have
to have problems for Newman to catch him. Gaining 20 points a race is a noble
goal.

"Somebody's going to have some problems," Newman said. "There are seven races to
go. All it takes is a little (bad luck). Like at Michigan, we had a valve cap
stuck in our tire on pit road at the start of the race. Things you never expect,
sometimes they just pop up."

Besides, Newman's target isn't Busch ... or anyone else, for that matter.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
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Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

"I'm not racing them," Newman said. "I'm racing myself."

Newman has been a vocal opponent of NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup, and even
after three races in, his stance hasn't varied. He still dislikes his locked-in
position in the top 10, saying it's unfair to the other drivers.

"From a marketing standpoint, if it works out great, that's fine," Newman said.
"But I think there's more to our sport than marketing. The competitors should
have some influence on that."

But if Newman has anything to do with it, his influence will be felt on the
track. Despite his position in the points, the strategy hasn't changed.

"We go all out no matter what," Newman said. "A lot of people think that just
because the points system is different this year, people race different. We
still race for the win, we still race every lap to be the best we can, whether
it's third place or fifth place."

At Kansas, though, it's usually for first place.



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brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
I love you Laz and Leslie!!




































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