Stock Car Insider - July 3rd Issue

Upcoming Events in the World of NASCARversion of General Hospital started to play out.
Next week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head willAs you remember during last week's Dodge
bring their tornado like speeds to the windy city ofSaveMart 350, a small attraction formed between
Chicago. Chicagoland Speedway is a young NASCARBoris Said and Tony Stewart. Excuse me for
track still coming into it's own. NASCAR has beenunderstating the love between these two drivers.
hosting Nextel Cup races at Chicagoland since 2001NASCAR drivers express their love in oh so many
with the hopes of capitalizing on the die-hard autoways. Watching Boris and Tony's mating dance is kind
racing fans of the midwest in the 3rd largest mediaof like watching tigers mate in the jungle. There's a
market in the US. So far, the initial gamble has paidwhole lot of beating, banging, swearing, and finger
of.waving.
Of all current drivers with 4 or more career starts atIn the end, Boris succumbed to Tony's advance with
Chicagoland, Jimmie Johnson (average finish of 3rd)only a few laps remaining, and finished 4th. I'm sure
leads the pack.Boris, and the other 7 employees at his No Fear
Also expect the following drivers to do well nextsponsored race team, will take 4th anytime! Fans get
week:ready. The more success Boris has, the more you're
Other drivers to note:going to see him.
Tony Stewart - Average Finish 8thWho's Not?
Matt Kenseth - Average Finish 9thThis week's Who's Not is once again dedicated to
Kevin Harvick - Average Finish 10thJeff Gordon. After an unfortunate wreck in the Pepsi
Next Week's Schedule:400 with 14 laps to go that was by no means his
Nextel Cup: @ Chicagoland Speedwayfault, Jeff Gordon found himself out of the race and,
7/08/06 - 10:35pm NASCAR Nextel Cup USGonce again, out of the top ten in driver's points. In
SHEETROCK® 400 Practicethe 3 restrictor plate races thus far of the 2006
7/07/06 - 04:35pm NASCAR Nextel Cup USGNextel Cup season, Gordon has yet to finish in the
SHEETROCK® 400 Qualifyingtop ten.
7/09/06 - 02:35pm NASCAR Nextel USGSuch is the luck of successful super speedway
SHEETROCK® 400drivers. Both Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr have
Busch Series: @ Chicagoland Speedway Speedwayhad immense success at Daytona and Talladega. The
7/07/06 - 05:10pm NASCAR Busch Series USGmain side effect of success at restrictor plate races
DUROCK® 300 Practiceis that no one wants to team up with you on the
7/08/06 - 11:40pm NASCAR Busch Series USGrace track. As a result, for Gordon to win or even be
DUROCK® 300 Qualifyingcompetitive, he has to have the best car on the
7/08/06 - 03:05pm NASCAR Busch Series USGtrack come race day.
DUROCK® 300Needless to say, Gordon had a top 5 car, but
Craftsman Truck Series: @ Kentucky Speedwaydefinitely not the best car this past Saturday night.
7/07/06 - TBA NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series BuiltWith driver positions 8-12 separated only by 61
Ford Tough 225 Presented bypoints, it's anyone's guess as to who will be in the
The Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers Practicetop when the field for the Chase for the
7/08/06 - 04:30pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck SeriesChampionship is set. However, if Gordon can duplicate
Built Ford Tough 225 Presented byhis win at Infineon in the upcoming race at Watkins
The Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers QualifyingGlen, he may distance himself enough from the
7/08/06 - 08:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Seriescompetition to qualify for the Chase.
Built Ford Tough 225 Presented byLast Week's Headlines
The Greater Cincinnati Ford DealersLet me paint you a picture Thomas Jefferson would
Who's Hot?even be proud of. Hot summer night, July 4th holiday
Who's Hot? Obviously, we could dedicate this wholeweekend, fireworks in the air, and 43 thundering
section to Tony Stewart who, if you recall, made ourmachines rumbling around America's beloved 2 1/2
Who's Not section last week. However, there weremile speedway near the beaches of Daytona. What a
other drivers at Daytona who also turned our heads.way to celebrate the birth and progress of our great
Ever hear of Boris Said?nation!
For those of you faithful fans who leave the TV onSaturday night's race was void of the "big one" that
during a road course race, I'm sure you've knowntypically dooms many drivers at restrictor plate races.
about Boris for several years. He is a road courseHowever, that does not mean the race was void of
gun slinging ace who's always for hire anytime a roadexcitement! There were numerous lead changes with
course race comes to town. This year, however, he'sdrivers cycling through the complete field. In the end,
no longer for hire. Through a deal Boris worked outunfamiliar faces like Boris Said's were at the front
with Roush Racing, he can field his own team usingmixing up the normal restrictor plate shuffle.
Roush equipment and technical assistance inSome of the biggest movers in the race were Kyle
exchange for training drivers like Carl Edwards, MattBusch (who jumped 4 spots to enter the top 10 in
Kenseth, and Greg Biffle on the finer points of roadthe eight position), Dale Earnhardt Jr (who
racing.leap-frogged Kasey Kahne to take over 3rd), and
In a car that Greg Biffle raced in this year'sTony Stewart (who ended his multi-week slide down
Budweiser Shootout, Boris not only qualified for thethe top 10).
race, but he took the pole! This is simply,Perhaps the most important outcome of the Pepsi
jaw-droppingly amazing considering Boris has never400 is that Matt Kenseth is now only 8 points behind
sat behind the wheel of a restrictor plate car. What'sthe ever dominant Jimmie Johnson. Johnson's crash
even more amazing is that by using the same go forinto Bobby Labonte with 12 laps remaining end his
broke attitude that he's always used at road courses,day and left him out of the race in 32nd position.
Boris found himself out front followed by Tony withMatt Kenseth, on the other hand, had a strong top 5
only a few laps to remaining in the Pepsi 400. That'sfinish at a track where Roush drivers are typically
when NASCAR's very own testosterone fueledhappy to walk away with a top 15 finish.