| Next stop on the Nextel Cup Schedule is Michigan | | | | Some say NASCAR officials favor Gordon. Instead, I |
| International Speedway | | | | believe Jeff & company went down to the |
| Next week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head | | | | cross-roads and made a deal with a higher power. |
| west, or mid-west to be more exact, to the 2 mile | | | | Bill France Jr Remembered |
| tri-oval at Michigan International Speedway. MIS has | | | | While Big Bill France is credited with starting one of |
| been the model by which other D-shaped oval tracks | | | | today's hottest sports, it is his son, "Little Bill" as Bill |
| were built. But after nearly 40 years or racing, it has | | | | France Jr. would known as, brought it to the |
| maintained its own unique personality that no single | | | | forefront of the American sports culture. |
| driver has been able to dominate. Unlike other | | | | When Bill France Jr took the helm in 1972, NASCAR |
| speedways, Michigan has yielded 11 different winners | | | | was a small sanctioning body relegated to promoting |
| over the last 14 races. | | | | races mainly to the South. But Jr quickly helped |
| Don't run to the store or sit on the toilet too long | | | | transform the sport by bringing big sponsors and big |
| next Sunday. The races at Michigan tend to go by | | | | money to the table. |
| very fast!!! Of the D-shaped oval tracks currently on | | | | In 1973, Little Bill signed a deal with RJ Reynolds |
| the Nextel Cup circuit, Michigan holds the fastest | | | | which led to a 30yr + sponsorship of NASCAR's top |
| average race speed clocking in at just over 174mph. | | | | Winston Cup Series. The deal helped push the total |
| Only Daytona and Talladega have faster average | | | | point's payout at the end of each year from |
| speeds. | | | | $750,000 to $2,000,000. Later deals were made with |
| Next week at MIS, expect Reed Sorenson to | | | | Anheuser-Busch to sponsor what is now the Busch |
| continue to make a name for himself. In two starts | | | | Series. |
| at Michigan, Reed has an average finish of 6.5. | | | | Along with the big sponsors, Bill helped bring NASCAR |
| Also expect the following drivers to do well next | | | | to all Americans by signing a deal in 1979 to televise |
| week: | | | | the Daytona 500 on CBS. The drama-laced finish that |
| Matt Kenseth - Average Finish 7.9 | | | | included Richard Petty taking the checkered flag while |
| Carl Edwards - Average Finish 8.6 | | | | Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough duked it out in |
| Greg Biffle - Average Finish 9.6 | | | | the infield brought huge ratings. The following season, |
| Kasey Kahne - Average Finish 9.8 | | | | NASCAR was televised on the newly formed ESPN. |
| Next Week's Schedule: | | | | By 1989, Americans could view every NASCAR |
| Nextel Cup: @ Michigan International Speedway | | | | Winston Cup Race from the comfort of their own |
| 6/15/07 - 03:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Citizens Bank | | | | homes. |
| 400 Qualifying | | | | During his time, Bill France Jr transformed a rural sport |
| 6/16/07 - 01:20pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Citizens Bank | | | | into a national one that is rivaled only by the NFL. |
| 400 Practice | | | | The leadership and foresight that Bill displayed in his |
| 6/17/07 - 02:00pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Citizens Bank | | | | near 30 years at the helm is awe-inspiring, and will be |
| 400 (coverage on TNT) | | | | sorely missed. |
| Nextel Cup: @ Kentucky Speedway | | | | Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway Recap |
| 6/15/07 - 05:00pm NASCAR Busch Series Meijer 300 | | | | Only rain could dampen the season that Jeff Gordon |
| Presented by Oreo Practice | | | | is having. Or could it? Had it not been for Mother |
| 6/16/07 - 03:00pm NASCAR Busch Series Meijer 300 | | | | Nature, Ryan Newman would have taken the |
| Presented by Oreo (coverage on ESPN2) | | | | checkered flag in place of Jeff Gordon at yesterday's |
| Craftsman Truck Series: @ Michigan International | | | | Pocono 500. |
| Speedway | | | | With Gordon's brakes and patience failing by lap 101, |
| 6/15/07 - 01:50pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | | | | it was only a matter of seconds before Newman |
| Practice | | | | could capture the lead and a win that has eluded him |
| 6/16/07 - 11:05am NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | | | | since 2005. But a brilliant pit strategy on behalf of |
| Qualifying | | | | Gordon's crew put Gordon up front when it counted |
| 6/16/07 - 02:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | | | | most. |
| Race (coverage on Speed TV) | | | | With the hopes that rain would shorten the race, |
| Gordon Captures 79th Career Win! | | | | crew chief Steve Letarte called the #24 car into the |
| Jeff Gordon keeps inching his way up the record | | | | pits for early service. The pit stop sent the #24 back |
| books. By capturing his 79th career victory in | | | | deep into the field, but later returned to the front |
| yesterday's Pocono 500, Gordon has moved to | | | | while other teams made their stops. On lap 101, the |
| within 4 wins of Cale Yarborough. | | | | race was called due to rain, and Gordon captured his |
| While yesterday's win was not exactly a photo finish; | | | | 79th career victory. |
| it was a lesson on strategy. With rain threatening to | | | | Other drivers to note: |
| stop the race, crew chief Steve Letarte and other | | | | Jimmie Johnson had an uncharacteristic 42nd finish |
| team members elected to have Jeff pit early to | | | | yesterday. On lap 91, the #48 Lowe's Chevy blew his |
| ensure that he could run until the half way point of | | | | left front tire causing damage to the undercarriage. |
| the race. As you may know, NASCAR will not call a | | | | After heading to the garage to make repairs, |
| race until it has reached the halfway mark. | | | | Johnson returned to the track to finish in 42nd. |
| The move temporarily set Jeff Gordon back, but put | | | | Jimmie is currently 4th in points. |
| him out front when it counted most. Such is the way | | | | Kurt Busch followed up his most exciting |
| Gordon has won all four of his races this year. In | | | | performance ever in last week's race at Dover with |
| each win, the #24 Dupont car was by far not the | | | | an 8th place finish in Pocono. Although the 8th place |
| fastest, but it was in the right position to capitalize | | | | finish wasn't as dramatic as last week's, he was able |
| on other teams' misfortunes. | | | | to recapture some of the 100 points that NASCAR |
| In the end, Mother Nature poured her blessings in the | | | | docked him for running into Tony Stewart's car on pit |
| form of rain allowing Jeff Gordon to capture the win | | | | road. Busch now sits 16th in points. |
| on lap 101 when the race was officially stopped. | | | | |