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