| Upcoming Events in the World of NASCARThe | | | | Richard Childress Racing has always been a |
| weeks are rolling by and the race for the | | | | quality team with quality drivers and |
| Chase is nearing its end. NASCAR has to be | | | | sponsors. It just so happens that in the |
| ecstatic with the standings heading into | | | | ultra competitive world of NASCAR, teams have |
| Watkins Glen next week. Currently, the two | | | | to constantly evolve to stay on top. |
| biggest names in NASCAR, Jeff Gordon and Dale | | | | Following the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt, |
| Earnhardt Jr, sit in 8th and 10th place | | | | there was an internal reluctance at RCR to |
| respectively. As you recall, both drivers | | | | change the way things were done in the past. |
| missed the 2005 inaugural Chase for the | | | | It took the hiring of an outspoken, veteran |
| Championship.Other drivers in the top 10 | | | | driver like Jeff Burton to come in and shake |
| include previous champions Matt Kenseth (2nd | | | | things up. And my, what a difference that has |
| place), Tony Stewart (who resurged from a | | | | made!Who's Not?Kasey Kahne was riding high |
| multi-week skid and sits in 9th place), and | | | | after winning at Michigan International |
| fan favorite Mark Martin (6th). Given this | | | | Speedway in the 3M Performance 400 presented |
| star-studded cast who has everything to lose, | | | | by Post-it Picture Paper where he captured |
| next week's AMD at The Glen is building up to | | | | his 4th win of the season. That win pushed |
| be a can't miss race!Of all current drivers | | | | Kasey up to 3rd in points with over a 200 |
| with 2 or more career starts at Watkins Glen | | | | point cushion between him and 10th place.What |
| International, Mark Martin has had the most | | | | a difference a month and a half's worth of |
| success. In 18 starts at the Glen, Mark has | | | | races makes. In the 6 races following |
| an average finish of 6th.Also expect the | | | | Michigan, Kasey has an average finish of |
| following drivers to do well next week:Tony | | | | 26th. An average finish that low in NASCAR's |
| Stewart - Average Finish 7th | | | | Nextel Cup Series only guarantees one thing, |
| | | | that you won't be racing for the championship |
| Kevin Harvick - Average Finish 9th | | | | at the end of the season.The recent string of |
| | | | bad finishes has moved the driver once locked |
| Robby Gordon - Average Finish 10th | | | | for the Chase to the dreaded 11th place |
| | | | finisher who gets nothing more than a good |
| Jeff Gordon - Average Finish 12thNext Week's | | | | spectator seat in December at the awards |
| Schedule:Nextel Cup: @ Watkins Glen | | | | banquet. Can Kasey rebound and overcome the |
| International | | | | 34 point deficit between him and 10th place |
| | | | driver Dale Earnhardt Jr? Only Kasey knows |
| 8/11/06 - 02:40pm NASCAR Nextel Cup AMD at | | | | the answer to that. But given the fact that |
| The Glen Qualifying | | | | he ranks 8th for current drivers at Watkins |
| | | | Glen compared to 15th place ranking for Dale |
| 8/12/06 - 10:05am NASCAR Nextel Cup AMD at | | | | Earnhardt Jr, I would say Kasey's future is |
| The Glen Practice | | | | in his hands.Last Week's HeadlinesAny race at |
| | | | historical Indianapolis Motor Speedway is |
| 8/13/06 - 01:35pm NASCAR Nextel Cup AMD at | | | | special, and yesterday's Allstate 400 was no |
| The GlenBusch Series: @ Watkins Glen | | | | exception. The last 5 of 8 NASCAR winners at |
| International | | | | the "Brickyard" have gone on to win the |
| | | | Nextel Cup championship. Jimmie Johnson can |
| 8/11/06 - 05:30am NASCAR Busch Series Zippo | | | | only hope that history rings true and that |
| 200 Practice | | | | his win at Indy will help cap off a near |
| | | | perfect season for the #48 Lowe's team with a |
| 8/12/06 - 11:05am NASCAR Busch Series Zippo | | | | championship.Jimmie's win yesterday wasn't |
| 200 Qualifying | | | | easy. Early race tire troubles moved Johnson |
| | | | way back in the field of 43 drivers. |
| 8/12/06 - 02:10pm NASCAR Busch Series Zippo | | | | Patiently, Johnson weaved his way back to the |
| 200Craftsman Truck Series: @ Nashville | | | | front. Late in the race, Jimmie claimed the |
| Superspeedway | | | | lead only to relinquish it on second to last |
| | | | caution of the day. Jimmie restarted 8th |
| 8/11/06 - 04:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck | | | | after taking 4 tires in the caution and made |
| Series Toyota Tundra 200 Practice | | | | quick work of the 7 cars in front of him who |
| | | | either took 2 tires on the final stop or |
| 8/12/06 - 12:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck | | | | didn't stop at all.One of those drivers, Dale |
| Series Toyota Tundra 200 Qualifying | | | | Earnhardt Jr, made the most tactical move of |
| | | | the day by deciding to stay out on the second |
| 8/12/06 - 04:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck | | | | to last caution. He restarted 2nd, and was |
| Series Toyota Tundra 200Who's Hot?While it | | | | able to hold on with a 6th place finish. That |
| would be easy to name the winner of the | | | | move put Jr in 10th place in points and a |
| Allstate 400 and current point's leader | | | | potential qualifier for the Chase for the |
| Jimmie Johnson the man (which he is), I think | | | | Championship. If Earnhardt had stayed out, he |
| it's important to note the not-so obvious. | | | | would have finished in the high 20's and |
| Richard Childress Racing is making a massive | | | | possibly low 30's; a finish that low would |
| resurgence in 2006 and is giving the Hendrick | | | | have completely wiped out his chances of |
| Motorsports and Roush Racing teams a new | | | | qualifying for the Chase.Other drivers to |
| competitor each Sunday.Not since the days of | | | | note from yesterday's Allstate 400 were Jeff |
| Dale Earnhardt has RCR had the success it's | | | | Burton, Kevin Harvick, and Clint Boyer. All |
| seeing in 2006. In yesterday's Allstate 400, | | | | three Richard Childress Racing drivers posted |
| both Kevin Harvick and rookie Clint Boyer | | | | strong finishes and helped secure Burton |
| finished in the top 4. Let's not forget Jeff | | | | (3rd) and Harvick's (4th) positions in the |
| Burton who led the most laps of the day but | | | | points standings.Jeff Gordon had a rough day |
| got shuffled back in pit stops late in the | | | | that started early with mechanical problems. |
| race to finish 12th. Sunday's successes were | | | | The 4-time Cup champion managed to battle |
| not a one week miracle. For much of this | | | | back and finish 16th. The 16th place finish |
| season, both Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick | | | | moved Gordon up to 8th in points.This article |
| have been in the top 10 in points. Currently, | | | | is provided to you by Everything Sports, Inc. |
| the drivers sit 3rd and 4th in the points.Is | | | | is owned and operated by Everything Sports, |
| the resurgence of RCR one of the greatest | | | | Inc. |
| comebacks in NASCAR's history? Not at all! | | | | |