| Upcoming Events in the World of NASCARNext | | | | successful weeks in a row (an 8th place |
| week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head to the | | | | finish in the Coca-Cola 600 and a 2nd place |
| "Tro-Val", as Darrell Waltrip affectionately | | | | finish at Dover), the #26 team has seemingly |
| refers to Pocono Raceway, for the Pocono 500. | | | | righted the ship and are sailing on the track |
| Pocono is always a challenging track that | | | | to success.The true test for Jamie McMurray |
| offers amazing racing. It boasts 3 | | | | will come next week at the Pocono 500. In 6 |
| straightaways, including the longest in | | | | starts at Pocono, Jamie's average finish is |
| NASCAR, with 3 sharp, road course like | | | | 20th. He will need to finish much higher, and |
| turns.Like the Coca-Cola 600 of 2 weeks ago, | | | | on a consistent level if he plans on |
| the Pocono 500 is particularly stressful on | | | | qualifying for the Chase for the |
| the engines and transmissions. Drivers have | | | | Championship!Who's Not?In the past two weeks, |
| to down shift going into the sharp, flat | | | | Jeff Gordon has been sliding down the points |
| turns. Often times, drivers will use | | | | standings and flirting with the dreaded |
| down-shifting to help brake and lose the | | | | number 11th slot (Nextel Cup teams have to be |
| enormous speeds they carry coming off the | | | | in the top ten to qualify for the Chase for |
| long straightaways. This creates more stress | | | | the Championship). There are many teams out |
| on the transmissions thus causing a few | | | | there who would give their "left lugnut", as |
| failures by the end of the race.Next week at | | | | Maynard from the movie 'Cars' says, to be in |
| the "Troval", expect Carl Edwards to continue | | | | the 11th slot.However, if you ask Gordon or |
| to make his move to qualify for the Chase for | | | | anyone else on the #24 team, and they will |
| the Championship. In two starts at Pocono, | | | | tell you 11th place flat out sucks. They were |
| Carl has 2-top 5 finishes with one of those | | | | there last year, and never plan to |
| top 5's being a win.Also expect the following | | | | return.Expect the four-time NASCAR Cup |
| drivers to do well next week:Other drivers to | | | | champion to start turning up the heat in |
| note:Jimmie Johnson - Average Finish 8th | | | | these next few races. Of all the current |
| | | | Nextel Cup drivers, Gordon is the 3rd most |
| Jeff Gordon - Average Finish 10th | | | | successful at Pocono. His average finish in |
| | | | 26 races at Pocono is 10th. For all of the |
| Mark Martin - Average Finish 11th | | | | |
| | | | Rainbow Warriors out there and for all of |
| Brian Vickers - Average Finish 11thNext | | | | NASCAR, let's hope Jeff can turn his season |
| Week's Schedule: | | | | around and qualify for the Chase!Last Week's |
| | | | HeadlinesThe Monster Mashes that occur at |
| (all times CST)Nextel Cup: @ Pocono Raceway | | | | Dover International Raceway twice a year |
| | | | offer some of the best racing on the Nextel |
| 6/10/06 - 11:05pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Pocono | | | | Cup circuit. The high-banked turns and |
| 500 Practice | | | | straightaways gives drivers multiple groves |
| | | | to race. A "grovey" race is what fans pay |
| 6/09/06 - 01:45pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Pocono | | | | money to see. They want to see cars |
| 500 Qualifying | | | | side-by-side running different grooves trying |
| | | | to out-muscle each other for the win.This is |
| 6/11/06 - 02:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Pocono | | | | exactly what happened yesterday at the |
| 500Busch Series: @ Nashville Superspeedway | | | | Neighborhood Excellence 400. I believe I saw |
| | | | some of the most exciting racing of the |
| 6/10/06 - 10:30pm NASCAR Busch Series | | | | entire season in the last 30 laps. Jamie |
| FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 300 Practice | | | | McMurray was out in front running the high |
| | | | grove. Multiple times, Kevin Harvick would |
| 6/10/06 - 04:05pm NASCAR Busch Series | | | | pull up beside McMurray in the low-grove |
| FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 300 Qualifying | | | | trying to complete a pass. No matter what he |
| | | | tried, Harvick just could not pass McMurray |
| 6/10/06 - 07:05pm NASCAR Busch Series | | | | on the inside.However, along came Matt |
| FEDERATED AUTO PARTS 300Craftsman Truck | | | | Kenseth whose car was eating the inside grove |
| Series off until 6/17 @ Michigan | | | | like Fat Back McSwain eats pork rinds. At |
| International SpeedwayWho's Hot?This week's | | | | last, 3 laps from the end, Kenseth passed |
| Who's Hot section could be dedicated to any | | | | McMurray and held on to win the race. This |
| number of people. Those at the top did what | | | | was truly some exciting racing that even left |
| they had to do to protect their current | | | | Darrel Waltrip quivering at the end.Other |
| standings. This includes Jimmie Johnson who | | | | performances to note:Kevin Harvick, Jeff |
| made an incredible come from behind run to | | | | Burton, and Kyle Busch all helped solidify |
| finish in 6th place and preserve his slot as | | | | their top 10 standing in the points race by |
| the leader in the points race.Those fighting | | | | finishing in the top 5.Jimmie Johnson |
| to get in or stay in the top 10 posted strong | | | | overcame a problematic day to finish 6th. |
| finishes to help their cause. Greg Biffle | | | | Jimmie's bad day started early by beginning |
| (finished 8th) & Carl Edwards (finished 15th) | | | | the race in 42nd position. 33 laps into the |
| each had solid finishes to help them inch | | | | race, Mark Martin overtook Jimmie putting him |
| closer to the top 10. While Kevin Harvick and | | | | one-lap down. Later in the race, Jimmie on |
| Jeff Burton each finished in the top 5 | | | | separate occasions spun out twice. However, |
| helping to solidify their top 10 | | | | in true championship form, Johnson and his |
| standings.Despite all the positives that | | | | Lowe's #48 team overcame the adversity and |
| happened at Dover, no positive was bigger | | | | finished in the top 10.This article is |
| than Jamie McMurray's finish. All season | | | | provided to you by Everything Sports, Inc. |
| long, McMurray's team has struggled to finish | | | | is owned and operated by Everything Sports, |
| anywhere in the top 10, much less come close | | | | Inc. |
| to winning a race. However, with two | | | | |