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Speed Addicts: The Next Edition


Hi ho, Silver! Welcome back to the home of cheap heat and NASCAR brown-nosing here at the Pulse. If you’re new to this column, then allow me to direct you to the 900 columns I’ve posted over the last few weeks as a preview of what you’re in store for today. To those who referenced this in their columns over the last few days (Patrick “God” Nguyen, this Bud is for you), allow me to explain: first, there is no one else at the Pulse that writes for NASCAR, and few that could given the general nature of NASCAR and other sports out there. Granted, I’m no Pulitzer Prize winner, but I stand a better chance of writing about racing than most due to my Southern roots (Redneck Heat!). Secondly, I’ve got no life. I had plenty of time to write a bunch of columns over the past two weeks, but it was for a good cause. The Daytona 500, whether for better or worse, has become one of the biggest sporting events of the year, which we’ll get into in a moment. I hope every other sports writer here understands why I was churning out columns like a madman this week: there’s a handful of guys who could cover the Super Bowl, but there’s only one who covered the 500. Feedback was evenly split between negative emails and positive ones, so I guess I did my job ok.

Nevertheless, Daytona is in the past, California is here, as Oscar Weekend kicks off. Nothing like a racing column to brighten your day, eh? But first, a couple of headlines and closing Daytona notes before we move on…

Racing News & Headlines
Daytona in Primetime – We’re only five days removed from the 2005 Daytona 500, but NASCAR is already looking ahead to next year’s Great American Race. In 2006, NASCAR is contemplating moving the start time of the Daytona 500 to 5:00 PM, with a Primetime finish to try and attract viewers ala the NFL and Super Bowl Sunday. I’m not saying that NASCAR is planning on getter Super Bowl numbers, but we all know that Primetime is a huge market for sporting events, and NASCAR could find a goldmine there. This news story broke on Monday (I first caught it on Pardon the Interruption), and is seeming more and more like a done deal as time goes on. Neither NBC nor FOX is in a position to shoot down a primetime Daytona 500, considering that A: It means more in potential viewership and revenue for the networks and B: NASCAR is the last major sport that NBC has right now. With NBC entering the final year of their contract with NASCAR, there’s no way in Hell that they’ll block this move to the primetime.

As a NASCAR columnist here at the Pulse, my feelings are mixed on this one. Firstly, it makes it really hard for me to get anything up on the site after the race, which is pretty much the problem with wrestling Pay Per Views as well, unless you’re a night owl. Secondly, there’s just something that rubs me the wrong way with running the 500 at night. Maybe I’m a traditionalist, but after 47 years of running this race at the day, it kind of feels awkward to run it at night. But as a fan of NASCAR, I say… bring this shit on, baby! Nothing like night racing, and with the added wackiness that goes into the 500, it should be rather neat to see the Big One under the lights.

NBC/ABC Looking Ahead to 2006 – This little bit will become very important as we get closer to next year’s Daytona 500 (everyone catching on as to why Daytona is so important now?) In 2006, NBC will be entering into the final year of their contract with NASCAR, and it is a known fact that ABC is stepping up its effort to land half of the NASCAR schedule beginning 2007. It’s virtually assured that FOX will get an extension on its deal with NASCAR, but right now the remaining half of the schedule is very much up in the air. Before making any sort of judgment, let’s look at both networks that cover the sport right now, and then we’ll see what ABC has to offer.

FOX Sports right now, outside of ESPN, is generally regarded as the premiere sports network among the big four (ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX). Of course, one could argue that FOX Sports is all that is keeping that piece of crap network afloat as it is, but that’s rubbing salt into an open wound. If you look at this year’s Daytona 500 rating, you’ll understand why: the broadcast nationally scored a 10.9 rating, which ties it with the 2002 Daytona 500 as being the highest rated NASCAR race in history, and is up 3% from NBC’s coverage of last year’s 500. 18.7 Million viewers tuned in to the Daytona 500, but that masks the estimated 35.3 MILLION Americans that caught all or part of the race itself. The 10.9 rating will increase as local market ratings are tallied, and NASCAR has historically done very well in small markets (the highest percentage rating in the U.S. for the Daytona 500, for instance, was in Greensboro, North Carolina). Also, this year’s Bud Shootout outdrew the NFL Pro Bowl for only the second time in history. Not a major accomplishment, but it is noteworthy nonetheless. The Shootout launched FOX to the top of the networks in ratings that Saturday. But aside from being one of the major American sports now, NASCAR fits into the FOX Sports schedule amazingly well. With the completion of the 2005 Daytona 500, FOX completed its best 12-month period in network history. Beginning last year with the NASCAR race at Rockingham (remember, NBC had the 2004 Daytona 500), FOX was host to half of the NASCAR schedule, including premiere NASCAR events at Bristol and Talladega, the Nextel All Star Challenge, the Coca-Cola 600, one of only two Road Courses on the circuit, and the Pepsi 400 from Daytona. In addition, FOX Sports covered regular season Major League Baseball, the 2004 MLB All-Star Game, and all of the historic MLB Playoffs (the Red Sox World Series win is pretty big, if you haven’t heard by now); regular NFL coverage on Sundays, the now-traditional Thanksgiving game(s), all of the NFC Playoffs and Super Bowl XXXIX just a few short weeks ago. The total number of viewers over that period? An estimated 11.3 BILLION. That right there is all that needs to be said.

NASCAR is a perfect fit into the FOX Sports monster, but NBC has been reduced to X-Games knockoffs and Arena Football outside of NASCAR. As noted elsewhere, the major three sports broadcasts available to NBC (year-round) are the Kentucky Derby, Notre Dame football, and NASCAR (outside of an Olympic year, that is). The Derby is dissipating in importance, Notre Dame is a wreck right now, and AFL will never flourish while the NFL is alive and kicking. With NBC scheduled to host the 2006 Daytona 500, it will be interesting to see if the network has enough on the table to get the contract extension that will take them through two more years.

Enter ABC Sports into the mix. ABC Sports President George Bodenheimer wants NASCAR badly, and the dogfight should commence sometime later this year, with an announcement possibly coming as early as January. There are several things going for ABC, the main of which is having a little network in Bristol called ESPN. Having broadcasts on ESPN is much more preferable then TNT, considering the clientele NASCAR is reaching for. Another interesting point to note is ABC’s coverage not only of F1 and CART (occasionally), but the IRL and a little race called the Indianapolis 500. This issue is two-fold; NASCAR may not want to move onto a network where its biggest racing competitors find a home. On the other hand, it would be preferable to move to a network that has experience in covering auto racing. And could you imagine the coverage you’d get from ABC and ESPN? The NBA, Monday Night Football, the PGA, NASCAR and IRL/CART/F1, not to mention the X Games? That isn’t half bad, really.

I think it’s obvious where my loyalties like here. Having Dr. Jerry Punch back in the broadcasts on ABC would pretty much seal the deal with me. I hate NBC Coverage anyway, and find it difficult to watch their coverage sometimes. We’ll get into this more as the season progresses.

The Daytona 500… Coming to a Theatre Near You?!??! – This one is too good to pass up. NASCAR has announced their intentions to air the Daytona 500 in both New York and Los Angeles in the High Definition format. The caveat to this headline? They’re planning on doing it in movie theatres! The Regal Union Square Stadium 14 in New York and the Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 in Irvine, California will play host to the Daytona 500 in HD format. Show cars at the theatres, free passes to NASCAR events and other promotions will all be apart of the experience. That’s just… weird.

You think we’re done with Daytona yet? Foolish mortal, I will break your spirit yet!

Craftsman Truck Series: Good! – This one does my heart good, folks. The Florida Dodge Dealers 250 race from Daytona last Friday night scored a 2.1 rating, which is both the highest for the Craftsman Truck Series and the Speed Channel on which it aired. Hopefully, the series can keep up its momentum when the series resumes in a few days. Finally, it looks like we’re clear of Daytona for the foreseeable future… just kidding! [Credit All: GNEXTINC.com]

The Daytona 500: One Week Later
The NASCAR season is underway (thank God), as Race 1 of 36 is in the books. Looking back, the race itself was very, very good. If you were watching NASCAR for the first time on Sunday, you got treated to a pretty good race. It is by no means the best of all time, or close to it, but the finish was off the charts. Nine lead changes in the final laps? Yikes. There were a few sad stories in the race, though, as 2003 Cup Champ Matt Kenseth, 2000 Cup Champ Bobby Labonte and personal Hero Michael Waltrip all posted DNF’s after losing their engines. Talk about a sucky feeling… until you look at the underlying fact. Two of the past three NASCAR Winston/Nextel Cup Champions have lost their engines early on in the Daytona 500.

* Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon both had generally positive things to say on Monday following the 500 on Pardon the Interruption. Wilbon even claimed to be planning on watching the next race in California, which I’ll believe when I see. The problem with California is that it races a lot like Michigan, which can be explained because California is an exact COPY of Michigan. Michigan can be a very exciting place to race, but it also has the ability to bore the Hell out of you when everyone runs single file like at Loudon (New Hampshire). Nevertheless, let’s hope that Mike sticks with it, because I don’t know if I can take much more from Jay Mariotti and his jackass-nature on Around the Horn.

All in all, it was a fairly good weekend for Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports. Chevrolets dominated the race, Speed Weeks, and the world in general (despite the fact that I myself drive a Ford, so huzzah). Gordon and teammate Jimmie Johnson have won four of the nine races held at California, which makes it pretty much obvious that they would be the favorites heading in.

NASCAR Nextel Cup Top 10 Standings (Through Daytona)
1. Jeff Gordon (185 Points/ 1 Start/ 1 Win/ 1 Top Five/ 1 Top Ten/ $1,559,600 in Earnings)
2. Kurt Busch (170 Points/ 1 Start/ 0 Wins/ 1 Top Five/ 1 Top Ten)
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (170 Points/ 1 Start/ 0 Wins/ 1 Top Five/ 1 Top Ten)
4. Scott Riggs (160 Points: -25 Leader)
5. Jimmie Johnson (160 Points: -25 Leader)
6. Tony Stewart (156 Points: -29 Leader)
7. Mark Martin (150 Points: -35 Leader)
8. Sterling Marlin (142 Points: -43 Leader)
9. Kevin Lepage (138 Points: -47 Leader)
10. Rusty Wallace (134 Points: -51 Leader)

Track Profile: California Speedway
Date Opened: June 20th, 1997
Location: Fontana, California (40 Miles East of Los Angeles)
Inaugural Nextel Cup Race: California 500 (June 22nd, 1997 – Won by Jeff Gordon)
Inaugural Nextel Cup Pole: Joe Nemechek
Nextel Cup Race Record: 155.012 MPH (June 22nd, 1997 – Jeff Gordon)
Fastest Qualifying Time: 187.432 MPH (Ryan Newman – 2002)

Track Configuration
Track Length: 2.0 Miles
Track Shape: D-Oval
Front Stretch: 11 Degree Banking / 3,100 Feet Long
Back Straightaway: 3 Degree Banking / 2,500 Feet Long
Banking/Turns: 14 Degrees
Track Composition: Asphalt track surface and pit lanes
Pit Road: 2,200 Feet Long w/ 44 Pit Spaces
Closely Resembles: Michigan International Speedway

Track History
California Speedway, owned today by the International Speedway Corporation, was first announced on April 20th, 1994 by Penske Motorsports and Kaiser Ventures. The track itself would first have test runs completed in January of 1997, and would see its official opening ceremony take place just days before the California 500 on June 22nd, 1997. The race, which to date is the fastest race ever held at California, was won by Jeff Gordon, beginning a trend of dominance for Gordon and his teammate Jimmie Johnson, who together have combined to win four of the nine races ever held here. Seven drivers have gone to victory lane at California, including Jeff Gordon (3), Elliott Sadler, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace, Jeremy Mayfield, and Mark Martin. The track races much like its sister track, Michigan International Speedway, and is one of the fastest circuits on the track.

Race #2 of 36: California
Date: Sunday, February 27th, 2005 from Fontana, California
Time: 2:00 PM on FOX
Pole Sitter: Kyle Busch (188.425 MPH – Youngest Driver Ever to Win a Pole)
Distance: 500 Miles (250 Laps – 2.0 Mile Track)
2004 Winner: Jeff Gordon (Race Ran 05/02/04)
Busch Race Winner: Mark Martin

There’s quite a buzz in Fontana this week over the rules changes that will be taking place (we’ll get into those changes more with the RaceDay Pulse Recap of California, due tomorrow on fine web browsers near you!) The big surprise, aside from Junior continuing to have problems with his qualifying speeds (and his apparent dislike for California/Michigan) is how badly Jeff Gordon qualified for this race. Despite winning the Daytona 500, Gordon struggled to qualify in 28th Starting Position, which is quite odd considering how dominant he’s been here in the past. Still, my money is on one of the Hendrick boys today, whether it be Gordon, Johnson… or pole sitter Kyle Busch, who ran very, very fast all week here. Despite a so-so showing in the 500, Kyle Busch is proving now why he deserves to be at the big show. Now that I’ve said that, watch him blow up on Lap 2.

Predicted Finish:
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Ryan Newman
3. Kurt Busch
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Kevin Harvick

Nextel Cup Qualifying Results From California
1. #05 Kyle Busch (Carquest Chevrolet)
2. #25 Brian Vickers (GMAC Chevrolet)
3. #19 Jeremy Mayfield (Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)
4. #01 Joe Nemechek (U.S. Army Chevrolet)
5. #16 Greg Biffle (Post-it/National Guard Ford)
6. #17 Matt Kenseth (USG Sheetrock/DeWalt Ford)
7. #88 Dale Jarrett (UPS Ford)
8. #48 Jimmie Johnson (Lowe’s Chevrolet)
9. #12 Ryan Newman (ALLTEL Dodge)
10. #00 Mike Bliss (NetZero Best Buy Chevrolet)

11. #44 Terry Labonte (Kellogg’s Chevrolet)
12. #10 Scott Riggs (Valvoline Chevrolet)
13. #40 Sterling Marlin (Coors Light Dodge)
14. #18 Bobby Labonte (Interstate Batteries Chevrolet)
15. #42 Jamie McMurray (Texaco/Havoline Dodge)
16. #41 Casey Mears (Target Dodge)
17. #09 Kasey Kahne (Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)
18. #06 Mark Martin (Viagra Ford)
19. #99 Carl Edwards (Office Depot Ford)
20. #97 Kurt Busch (Sharpie/IRWIN Industrial Tools Ford)

21. #21 Ricky Rudd (Motorcraft Genuine Parts)
22. #91 Bill Elliott (Stanley Tools Dodge)
23. #02 Rusty Wallace (Miller Lite Dodge)
24. #14 John Andretti (VB/ APluse at Sunoco)
25. #07 Robby Gordon (Harrah’s Chevrolet)
26. #32 Bobby Hamilton Jr. (Tide – Give Kids The World Chevrolet)
27. #22 Scott Wimmer (Caterpillar Dodge)
28. #28 Jeff Gordon (DuPont Chevrolet)
29. #20 Tony Stewart (The Home Depot Chevrolet)
30. #15 Michael Waltrip (NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet)

31. #29 Kevin Harvick (GM Goodwrench Chevrolet)
32. #31 Jeff Burton (Cingular Wireless Chevrolet)
33. #04 Mike Wallace (Lucas Oil Products Chevrolet)
34. #34 Randy LaJoie (Mach One Inc. Chevrolet)
35. #77 Travis Kvapil (Kodak/Jasper Engines Dodge)
36. #45 Kyle Petty (Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge)
37. #43 Jeff Green (General Mills Whole Grain Dodge)
38. #49 Ken Schrader (Schwan’s Home Service Dodge)
39. #11 Jason Leffler (FedEx Express Chevrolet)
40. #08 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Budweiser Chevrolet)

41. #38 Elliott Sadler (Pedigree Ford)
42. #07 Dave Blaney (Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet)
43. #37 Kevin Lepage (Carter’s Royal Dispos-all Dodge)

Inside Pulse NASCAR Power Rankings [2/20-2/26]
If you recall in the first edition of Speed Addicts, we had gone through the projected top ten finishing order in the 2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup. Well, we like to keep things interesting for you here at the Pulse, so we’ll be keeping you up to date with the top ten drivers during a given week. This week includes the qualifying results from California, and, of course, the Daytona 500!

1. Jeff Gordon
Retire? RETIRE? Ha ha, that’s funny, really funny. Jeff Gordon just won his third Daytona 500, and is most likely going to finish very, very well at California this week, poor qualifying run aside. Maybe I wasn’t so crazy when I predicted a Championship for Gordon this year, eh?

2. Tony Stewart
Tony the Tiger had a great run going in the 500 until Dale Jr. backstabbed him (and then got praised by the commentators as being the greatest driver to ever live, yes sir!) He’s got a kind of status quo going at California, but we here at the Pulse don’t let good driving go unnoticed!

3. Mark Martin
Watching Mark win the Busch series race yesterday was a great, great feeling. With a terrific run in the Daytona 500, and now this Busch series win, let’s all hope that Martin gets in the Top 5 today. He’s done it before, you know.

4. Scott Riggs
What is it about Daytona that lets rookies and sophomores finish in the Top 5?

5. Kurt Busch
Ah, so the walking penis managed to finish second? Thank God Gordon was there instead of Travis Kvapil or Mike Skinner, eh?

6. Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie “MILF Master” Johnson had a good run at the 500, though not as good as I’d expected. What I expect today is nothing short of a victory for the #48 Lowe’s Team. Take that one to the bank.

7. Kevin Lepage
I have nothing witty to say, so I’ll leave this one at “good job, Mr. Lepage”.

8. Kyle Busch
At nineteen, he becomes the youngest driver to win a Bud Pole Award. On Sunday, he finds out how vicious the boys can be when you’re taking it up the tailpipe.

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Wow, two poor qualifying runs and a terribly mediocre 500 run until the last ten laps? Yikes, Mr. Junior, what do you have to say about sending for Rondeau now?

10. Rusty Wallace
Krusty Wall-Ass: Scott Steiner’s Wrestling Instructor!

KNOW YOUR NASCAR
This section is geared more towards international readers as opposed to American readers, who probably know a bit more about NASCAR racing by sheer osmosis. Each week, we’ll drive headlong into a facet of Stock Car Racing here in the United States, whether it be a bit about the sport itself, its personalities, or its history. This week, we’re taking a look at some terminology and jargon that you may hear on the televised broadcasts. And, as always, I may make reference to the “modern era” several times from here on. The Modern Era of NASCAR includes everything from 1972 to the present, just for reference.

The Big One – A crash, usually associated with Daytona International Speedway or Talladega Superspeedway, that involves more than six cars. It is not uncommon to see a car flip, or roll in “the Big One”.
Black Flag – A flag thrown when a car on the track is endangering the cars around him. A driver that is black flagged must return to his pit stall for repairs, or else his laps will not be counted by NASCAR.
Blocking – A situation where one car will move low or high to keep another car from passing. This move can be disastrous if used carelessly. Blocking/passing below the Yellow Line (bottom of the racing surface) is illegal.
Blue/Orange Stripe Flag – A flag thrown when a slow car is impeding the progress of lead cars or contenders. Usually precedes the black flag if the car fails to yield.
Car Setup – How the crew of a car sets up the chassis, air pressure in the tires, etc. for a race. Car set ups vary depending on the track, the conditions, and the circumstances.
Catch Can – A small can that is placed in a valve on the back of car in order to catch any excess gasoline.
Drafting – A situation where two cars run nose to tail, cutting the wind resistance between them and driving faster as a result.
Green/White/Checker – A situation where, when a caution comes out within three-five laps of the finish, NASCAR will allow the race to continue for two additional laps (NASCAR’s equivalent of overtime). Green/White/Checker finishes can only be instituted before the white flag flies on the advertised distance.
Losing an Engine – This refers to a car “blowing up”, or a vital part of the car breaks, keeping the motor from running. These occurrences are 99.9% terminal for drivers.
Loose Car – When a car’s tail end is sliding while turning, the car is said to be loose. Spinouts are usually associated with a loose car.
(Car) Make – A car make involves which manufacturer has built the car: Chevrolet, Dodge, or Ford.
Pace Car – The car with lights on the top that leads the field around before the race and during cautions.
Pit Crew – The members of a car team that work on the car during a pit stop. There is a gasman, a catch can holder, two tire changers, two tire carriers, and a jackman.
Pit Wall – The wall that pit crews must remain behind during the race.
Provisional – A provisional is given to a driver when his qualifying times are not fast enough to enter the field. Provisionals are usually given to popular/good drivers, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Matt Kenseth.
Rubbin’ – A term coined in Days of Thunder that involves one car bumping into a car in front of him. If done down a back stretch, this could also be considered “bump drafting”.
Tight Car – When a car does not want to turn in the corners, it is considered to be tight. Cars hitting the wall are usually associated with a “tight” car.
Timing Line – Points on the track where NASCAR time the race cars.
White Flag – A flag thrown when one lap remains in the race.

NASCAR Q & A
This is an experimental feature that I’ve been working on for awhile now. I was planning on adding this in with Know Your NASCAR, but the questions that I was coming up with really deserved their own little section. From now on, readers are welcomed to (and encouraged to) send you questions in, and I’ll answer any and all of them that I get, so long as I don’t run out of questions to answer. This week, we take a look at a couple of interesting FYI facts that you may find helpful.

Q: What does NASCAR stand for?
A: NASCAR stands for the (N)ational (A)ssociation for (S)tock (C)ar (A)uto (R)acing.

Q: How many races are in a NASCAR Nextel Cup Season?
A: Though the number of races have varied over the years, there are currently 36 points races on the NASCAR Schedule. The first race is the Daytona 500 from Daytona Beach, Florida and the final race is from Homestead-Miami, Florida. The “Chase for the Cup” begins in Loudon, New Hampshire. During the course of a season, there are four races on the Nextel Cup Series that are not points races: the Bud Shootout, the Twin Gatorade Duel 150s, and the Nextel All-Star Challenge from Charlotte.

Q: What kind of tracks does the Nextel Cup Series race on?
A: The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series runs a variety of races across the country, and while there are many different track configurations out there, you can generally break them down into six categories: short tracks, mile-long tracks, cookie cutters/sister tracks, the Carolina tracks, super speedways, and road courses. Short tracks are all racing circuits that are generally under 3/4ths of a mile in length. These tracks are known for their numerous wrecks, door-to-door racing, and exciting finishes. There are three true short tracks on the Nextel Cup Series right now: Bristol, Martinsville, and Richmond.

Mile-long tracks are racing circuits that are approximately one mile in length, and usually have a traditional/symmetrical shape. Mile long tracks are a paradox, for they feature the speeds of large tracks, but the tight racing grooves of the short tracks. The most famous mile long track on the Cup Series is undoubtedly Dover International Speedway, which has earned the nickname, “the Monster Mile”. Phoenix and New Hampshire are also mile long tracks.

Cookie Cutters and Sister Tracks are tracks that generally range from 1.5 Miles – 2.0 Miles long. The Cookie Cutters are a series of tracks that are designed to look identical to each other, for whatever reason. These tracks are newer tracks that have only come into NASCAR in the past ten years, and they include Las Vegas, Kansas, and Chicagoland. The Sister Tracks are ingeniously designed tracks that either have a distinctive “Quad-Oval” design or a “D-Oval” design. The Quad-Oval tracks are all roughly 1.5 miles long, and feature some of the most exciting races on the Cup scene. They include Atlanta, Charlotte, and Texas Motor Speedway. The D-Ovals are roughly two miles long, and include Michigan and California.

The Carolina Tracks fit into their own category due to the variations found therein. These tracks are often touted as being the “home tracks” of most NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers. As of 2005, there are only two Carolina tracks left: Charlotte and Darlington. Charlotte has the distinction of falling in both the Sister Track and the Carolina track categories. Darlington is a 1.366 Mile Oval that has a broad right side and a narrow left side of the track, making it the oddest shaped oval on the Cup Series. At one point in time, the Carolina Tracks included Charlotte, Darlington, Rockingham, and North Wilkesboro, Raleigh and Columbia.

Super Speedways are racing circuits that are usually over 2.5 Miles in length. Speeds at these monsters generally exceed 190 MPH regularly, though speeds over 200 MPH can be achieved at places like Pocono and Indianapolis. At Daytona and Talladega, restrictor plates are used to keep speeds under 195 MPH in order to help prevent deadly crashes that have occurred here in the past. There are four “Super Speedways” on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series: Daytona, Talladega, Pocono, and Indianapolis. Only Talladega has the term “Super Speedway” in its name.

Road Courses are unique from any other circuit on the Cup scene. These tracks can range from 2.0-2.5 Miles in length, but the tracks themselves feature odd-ball turns, short chutes, hills and rumble strips. Road Courses are the only tracks in NASCAR that have Right turns on them, and only at road courses can you find sand traps to keep drivers from crashing into the walls. Road courses are regarded as the closest NASCAR comes to racing on an international-style circuit. As of 2005, there are only two road courses on the Cup Schedule: Infineon Raceway in California, and Watkins Glen in New York. NASCAR has raced at other road courses in the past, including Riverside Raceway in California, and the legendary Suzuka Racing Circuit in Japan.

Q: What is the longest circuit in the Nextel Cup? The Shortest?
A: The longest circuit in the Nextel Cup is at the Talladega Superspeedway , which clocks in a 2.66 Miles long. The shortest track is actually Martinsville at 0.526 Miles, not Bristol (0.533 Miles) as most people think. The longest track ever raced by NASCAR is the Suzuka Racing Circuit in Japan at a staggering 3.068 Miles long, although that race (which has since been scrapped) was never a points race.

Q: Why can Stock Cars not race in the rain?
A: The main reason why stock cars cannot race in the rain is due to the fact that, unlike regular street cars, these race cars do not have any tread on their tires, which enables us to drive relatively safely in the rain. While racing at such high speeds on a banked surface, there would be no way to get any grip with your tires in a stock car, and thus the surface would just be too dangerous to race on. There are a few cosmetic problems otherwise, such as the cars having no headlights or windshield wipers that would make it rather difficult to see for the drivers.

Q: What is the closest finish in NASCAR history?
A: It is difficult to gauge the closest finish in the history of NASCAR, since officials did not use electronic timing at the finish line until 1993. Generally, most people assume the closest finish in NASCAR history to have occurred at the 2003 Carolina Dodge Dealers 400 in Darlington, where Ricky Craven edged the 2004 Nextel Cup Champion Kurt Busch at the line by .002 seconds.

Q: Why is NASCAR referred to as a “Redneck” sport?
A: NASCAR was created in the South, bred in the South, and for most of its existence, run in the South. NASCAR was first created in Daytona Beach, Florida and ran races at places like Charlotte, Darlington, Columbia, Atlanta and Savannah. Despite an attempt to “nationalize” the sport over the past four years, NASCAR is still very much a concentrated southern sport.

Q: Why was Rockingham taken off the schedule? Rockingham was a great race!
A: Money. It all comes down to money. NASCAR could make more money buy giving the Rock’s races to California and Phoenix than it could to keep it in the Carolina countryside. So they took it away.

Q: Who has the most victories at Daytona International Speedway?
A: If you are speaking about the Daytona 500, then Richard Petty is your man; he won the Great American Race an unprecedented seven times! Otherwise, most might be shocked to know that Dale Earnhardt is among the best in Daytona history, capturing numerous Shootouts, IROC Races, Pepsi/Firecracker 400s… and one Daytona 500 in his legendary career.

Q: What does the Blue flag with the Orange stripe mean?
A: The blue/orange stripe flag is basically NASCAR’s way of telling a slow/lap-down car to move out of the way of the leaders, or other contenders. You will see this flag come out when a crippled car is trying to turn a few laps for points and get in the way of the leader.

Q: What is the longest race in the Nextel Cup?
A: Not to be confused with the longest track, the longest race in the Nextel Cup takes place every May at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (Charlotte). The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is perhaps the longest race in North America sans endurance races. Last year, a big deal was made over the fact that the Coca-Cola 600 was starting to eclipse a historically larger race taking place on the same day: the Indianapolis 500.

Q: What does it mean to pull “double duty” during the Coca Cola 600?
A: Pulling double duty at the Coca-Cola 600 refers to a driver that raced in both the Indianapolis 500 early in the day, and the Coca-Cola 600 that night. It is regarded by most as the toughest challenge in auto racing today, and is next to impossible to complete successfully (ie win both races). Recently, Robbie Gordon and Tony Stewart both have pulled double duty on the Memorial Day weekend race.

Q: I’m new to NASCAR. What race would you recommend seeing live?
A: Sadly enough, the best races to watch live are the races that have five-year long waiting lists for tickets. Bristol is regarded by most as the most exciting race to watch live, because of its intimacy and, well, door to door racing. Unless you plan on going to Charlotte, Indianapolis or Daytona for the 600/Indy 500/Daytona 500, try looking for tickets to Martinsville, Richmond, Phoenix, and Bristol (and if you find Bristol tickets, send one my way, please.)

Q: On the flip side, which races would you recommend to avoid seeing live?
A: Being at a race usually ensures you that you’ll never be bored, just because of the atmosphere, but that isn’t always the case when watching at home on television. While watching races at Talladega and Daytona are great fun, it can be awful hard to see the cars when they race down the back straightaway. The same can be said for Watkins Glen and Infineon, as the layout of the track just makes it impossible to see the cars at all times. Another track infamous for its bad seating is Darlington, although that depends on where you’re sitting. On TV, New Hampshire and any of the Cookie Cutters are usually the worst races to watch.

Q: What is the “Polish” victory lap, and why is it important?
A: While most drivers to doughnuts and burnouts to please the crowd, the Polish Victory Lap is where the driver turns his car around and drives around the track in the wrong direction. The move was made famous by Alan Kulwicki, the 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Champion who was killed in a plane crash in 1993, not too long before Davey Allison died in a helicopter crash. (Note: NASCAR legend Neil Bonnett would die just months after Allison in 1994, marking the close to a tragic period in NASCAR). So, when someone takes a Polish victory lap, they’re paying tribute to “Special K”, Alan Kulwicki.

Remembering the Miracle on Ice
United States – 4 Soviet Union – 3

Look for a special piece on this game tomorrow afternoon with the posting of the RaceDay Pulse!

Victory Lane
We’ve got thirty minutes until the start of the race, and my Chinese is getting really, really cold. I’m out, but look for the RaceDay Pulse recap tomorrow afternoon. Until them, enjoy California, and damn the Oscars! Peace.