From the May, 2006 issue of Stock Car Insider

Stock Car Insider - May 15th Issue

Upcoming Events in the World of NASCAR

May in Charlotte is a beautiful! The azaleas are in bloom, the temperature is mild, and the delivery trucks are delivering the port-o-jons by the thousands. That's right, the whole town is gearing up for two action packed weeks of racing with the NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star race and the Coca-Cola 600.

Thousands of people will be coming to town for the next two weeks to witness the longest NASCAR race, the Coca-Cola 600, making it the second largest sporting event in America.

This year's All-Star and 600 races will once again be nail biting terrific. Lowe's Motor Speedway's track was recently re-paved. The levigating days of last year are history, and the officials at Lowe's Motor Speedway are guaranteeing this year's races will be just as fast as last year's and safer.

However, despite what the track officials are saying, folks in and around the garages as well as Goodyear reps are saying the speeds this year will actually be slower. For the 2006 races at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Goodyear is supplying a stiffer compound tire which will ensure less blow outs on the track. What the drivers gain in safety, they lose in speed. Stiffer tires do not grip the track as well as a softer tire. Less grip means the drivers cannot carry as much speed in the turns which will also affect the top end speeds on the straightaways.

Some in the garages are nicknaming the stiffer tires, "restrictor tires". The tires will rob the cars of speed like the restrictor plates used at Daytona and Talladega rob the cars of horsepower. However, fans do not be dismayed. I very seriously doubt that we will perceive a 2-5 mph difference in speeds. The action, like every weekend in NASCAR, will be heart-pounding dramatic!

Expect Jimmie Johnson to have lots of fun the next two weeks. Of the current drivers with 5 or more starts at Lowe's Motor Speedway, he has the highest average finish of 7th.

Other drivers to note:

Tony Stewart - Average Finish 12th
Bobby Labonte - Average Finish 13th
Jamie McMurray - Average Finish 14th
Jeff Gordon - Average Finish 16th

Next Week's Schedule:
(all times CST)

Nextel Cup: @ Lowe's Motor Speedway
5/19/06 - 12:05pm NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge Practice
5/19/06 - 07:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge Qualifying
5/20/06 - 07:30pm NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge

Busch Series - off until 5/27 at Lowe's Motor Speedway

Craftsman Truck Series: @ Lowe's Motor Speedway
5/19/06 - 10:50pm Quaker Steak & Lube 200 Practice
5/19/06 - 04:15pm Quaker Steak & Lube 200 Qualifying
5/19/06 - 08:45pm Quaker Steak & Lube 200

Who's Hot?

With so many variables affecting NASCAR drivers each week, all one needs is a little luck to catapult him to the top.

Take Greg Biffle for example, 2005 was a tremendous year. He finished the season 2nd in points and compiled 6 wins. Roll the tape forward to the 2006 season, and Biffle's name hasn't graced the top 5 in any race until last week at Richmond. What's the difference from last year and this year? Luck! Biffle's still attacks every race like a rabid dog, his crew is the same, and Roush Racing still churns out some of the best equipment in NASCAR.

It seems in the past two week's, Biffle has grabbed Lucky the Leprechaun and taped him to his dashboard. Last week, Biffle finished 4th in Richmond, and this week romanced the Lady in Black with a win. Perhaps Biffle's string of bad luck (running out of gas at Phoenix, getting wrecked by Kurt Busch at Texas) is finally over. He currently sits 97 points away from qualifying for the Nextel Cup Chase for the Championship, and excels at a number of the upcoming tracks.

I hate to pick on Carl Edwards, I really do! The guy is such a winner in so many ways. Everything he does in life, he does it to the extreme and never once doubts himself.

His 2006 season to date has not gone as Carl wished. He currently sits in 17th spot, 125 points out of qualifying for the Nextel Cup Championship race. It seems the luck Greg Biffle recently found has been lost in Carl Edward's pits.

However, unlike Biffle, I'm not sure we can fault luck for Carl's lack of success in 2006. Carl's crew chief from last year and the early part of 2006, Bob Osborne, was shuffled over to help jump start Jamie McMurray's team. Obviously, the shuffle has not gone as planned. Both Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray (currently 20th in the points) stand a strong chance of not qualifying for the championship race-off at the end of the season. Jack Roush and the rest of management at Roush Racing will soon have to decide whether to leave Bob with Jamie; or re-unite him with Carl to form the successful duo that shocked the world of NASCAR in 2006.

Who's Not?

I hate to pick on Carl Edwards, I really do! The guy is such a winner in so many ways. Everything he does in life, he does it to the extreme and never once doubts himself.

Last Week's Headlines

Recap of the Carolina Dodge Dealers 500 at Darlington Raceway:

Once again, Darlington Raceway offered up at incredible race! The oldest track in NASCAR manages to keep us young at heart with incredible racing action. The gritty Darlington asphalt shreads even the stiffest tire compounds after just a few laps leaving drivers no other option but to lean on each other or against the wall.

Twenty drivers earned their Darlington stripe Saturday night. There is only one driver I know of who likes to drive with a car sliding up the track, and that's Greg Biffle. Biffle, who also won last year at Darlington, dominated the Carolina Dodge Dealer's 500 leading 170 of 367 laps.

Other drivers in the top 10 didn't fair so well. Casey Mears fell from 10th to 11th in the points with a 17th place finish. Kevin Harvick fell 4 sports from 5th to 9th with a 37th place finish, and the pole sitter, Kasey Kahne dropped a spot moving from 7th to 8th with a 21st place finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr continued on his hot streak finishing 5th, and jumping one spot from 6th to 5th in the points standings. Jeff Gordon moved up 3 spots from 9th to 6th with a 2nd place finish. And the current points leader, Jimmie Johnson, extended his lead to 93 points over Tony Stewart with a 4th place finish.