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Thursday, May 12, 2005
STANDINGS
How the top 10 stack up this week
NEXTEL CUP
Follcming the Dodge Charger 500
1. Jimmie Johnson
1,519; previous: 1
2. Jeff Gordon
1,392; previous: 3
3. Greg Biffle
1,371; previous: 4
4. Kurt Busch
1,290; previous: 2
5. Eliiott Sadier
1,267; previous: 5
6. Mark Martin
1,226; previous: 11
7. Tony Stewart
1,222; previous: 6
8. Jamie McMurray
1,217; previous: 10
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
1,212; previous: 9
10. Ryan Newman
1,205; previous: 15
A top-five finish
in the Dodge
Charger 500 at
Darlington lifted
Ryan Newman
five spots into
the top 10 of
the Nextel Cup
standings.
THE RACING 411
NEXTEL CUP
Race; Chevy American Revolution 400
Where: Richmond International Raceway,
Richmond, Va.
Race distance: 400 laps, 300 miles
When: Saturday 7:45 pm., ET
Defending champion: Dale Earnhardt Jr held off
Jimmie Johnson and Bobby Labonte to win his third
race of the 2004 season.
Race record: Dale Jarrett, 109.407 mph; SepL 6,1997.
Qualifting record: Brian Vickers, 129.983 mph; May
15, 2004.
Fast fact: Richmond International Raceway has been
part of the schedule since 1953 when the race winner
was Lee Petty
DODGE CHARGER 500 REVIEW
BUSCH SERIES,
Race: Funai 250
Where: Richmond International Raceway
When: Friday 7:45 p.m., ET
Defending champion: Kyle Busch won the
pole, then led 236 laps in earning his first
Busch victory
Race record: Dale Jarrett, 104.928 mph; Sept.
8.1995.
Qualitying record: Kyle Busch, 129.348 mph;
May 14,2004.
Fast fact: Approximately 3.6 million house
holds tuned to Fox to watch the Aaron’s 312
at Talladega Superspeedway, an increase of
63 percent over the 2004 race.
Milestone: Sterling Martin made his
650th career Cup start Saturday at
Darlington Raceway.
BUSCH SERIES
Follcwing the Diamorxl Hill Plywood 200
1. Carl Edwards
1,612; previous: 1
2. Clint Bowyer
1,469; previous; 2
3. Reed Sorenson
1,456; previous: 3
4. Martin Truex Jr.
1,430; previous: 4
5. Ashton Lewis
1,328; previous: 5
6. Kenny Wallace —
1,321; previous; 10
7. David Stremme
1,304; previous: 6
8. Denny Hamlin
1,295; previous: 8
9. Greg Biffle
1,224; previous: 12
10. Jon Wood
1,205; previous: 9
Biffle tames 'the lady’
with four fresh tires
Kenny Wallace
climbed to sixth
place in the
Busch standings
foltawing a
second-place
run in the
Diamond Hill
PlywMd2W^^^
CRAFTSMAN TRUCK ^
Following the Dodge Ram Tough 200
1. Ted Musgrave —
796; previous: 3
2. Bobby Hamilton
783; previous; 1
3. Ricky Craven
748; previous; 2
4. Jimmy Spencer
745; previous: 5
5. Todd Bodine
678; previous: 6
6. Ron Hornaday
660; previous: 4
7. Dennis Setzer
648; previous: 14
8. Johnny Benson
643; previous; 8
9. Chad Chaffin
633; prevbus: 11
10. MattCrafton
631; previous: 7
Points leader
Ted Musgrave
finished second
to Jack Sprague
in the standings
in 2001 and has
been a close
third in each of
the past three
years.
!■ ON TV
M times
Eastern
NEXTEL CUP
Chevy American Revolution 400
7 p.m., Saturday
BUSCH SERIES
Funai 250
7:30 p.m., Friday
CRAFTSMAN TRUCK
UAW-GM Ohio 250
2 p.m., Sunday
■ COMMENTARY
FX
FX
By RICK MINTER
Cox News Service
Darlington, S.C,
A new set of tires made the dif
ference as Greg Biffle stormed
from third to first on the next-
to-last lap and sped away from a fend
er-banging gaggle of cars to win the
Dodge Charger 500 in front of a
cheering capac ity crowd at
Darlington Raceway.
Biffle had led 174 laps throughout
the race, but Ryan Newman took the
top spot from him on Lap 323 and was
a half-straightaway ahead when a
spin by Mark Martin on Lap 363
wiped out Newman’s big lead and set
up a green-whlte-checkered-flag dash
to the finish.
Newman and Ken Schrader stayed
on the track, while Carl Edwards
took just two tires and Biffle and the
rest got four
When the green flag flew for the
final time, Newman seemed to be
slow in getting up to speed, and that
set off a mad scramble behind him.
Biffle took off like a rocket, drove
past Edwards, Schrader and Newman
and was never challenged on the
final lap while It turned into total
chaos behind him.
Jeff Gordon finished second ahead
of Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin and
Newman.
Biffle said the decision to make a
pit stop tor tires for the two-lap dash
to the finish was an easy one, espe
cially since he lost at Bristol when he
didn’t get tires.
“There was no question we were
coming for tires,” Biffle said. “We
were coming no matter what.”
But he sympathized with Newman,
who was forced to choose between
keeping the lead or surrendering it to
get tires. “That’s a tough choice,”.
Biffle said.
Newman said he did what he
thought was best. “I don’t think it
was a bad decision,” he said, adding
RACE STATISTICS
Time of race: 4 hours, 6 minutes, 29 seconds
Margin of vtctory: 0.990 seconds
Caution flags: 12 for 48 laps
Lead changes: 30 among 13 drivers
Lap leaders; Kasey Kahne, 1-11; Greg Biffle, 12-40; Jeremy Mayfieid, 41; Mike
Wallace, 42; Biffle, 43-76; Jimmie Johnson, 77-81; Matt Kenseth, 82; Johnson,
83-96; Kevin Lepage, 97; Biffle, 98-100; Jeff Gordon, 101 -102; Biffle, 103-108;
Gordon, 109-126; Johnson, 127-154; Carl Edwards, 155-158; Johnson, 159-161;
Biffle, 162-195; Kahne, 196; Steriing Marlin, 197; Biffle, 198-206; Johnson, 207;
Joe Nemechek, 208-209; Biffle, 210-231; Johnson, 232-235; Kahne, 236-283;
Brian Vickers, 284; Biffle, 285-317; Ryan Newman, 318; Biffle, 319-322;
Newman, 323-368; Bjtfle, 369-370.
NASCAR
Greg Riffle’s decision to lake four fresh tires for the two-lap
dash to the finish was crucial in the No, 16 team’s victory.
that if some of the other drivers on
the lead lap had stayed out, too, he’d
have had a cushion between himself
and the challengers with new tires,
“But that didn’t happen,” he said.
“We had a car that should have won
but didn’t.”
Gordon said he lost the race when
Biffle beat him out of the pits, and
then it got really hairy on the track
as the leaders scrambled for position.
“The restart was the wildest part,”
Gordon said. “It was wild and crazy
out there.”
One of the most incredible per
formances was by Carl Edwards,
who veered nearly into the wall after
contact flrom Gordon but recovered
to finish ninth.
“That was one of the best saves
I’ve ever seen in my life,” Gordon
said. “I’m sofry I hit him,”
Jimmie Johnson silenced his crit
ics with a stirring performance In the
race.
Just days after Dale Earnhardt Jr.
called him an “idiot” In describing
Johnson’s tactics at Talladega the pre
vious Sunday, the series points leader
relied on some skillful driving to
recover from what could have been a
major setback midway through the
race.
Johnson led four times for 50 laps
and was In the lead pack for most of
the race, but he rolM into the pits on
Lap 259 with a problem with the left-
rear wheel on his No. 48 Chevrolet.
After his unscheduled stop, he
rejoined the race In 23rd place, one
lap behind the leaders.
He didn’t stay lapped for long.
Rookie Kyle Busch, who was run
ning In the top five for much of the
race, brought out the caution on Lap
282 when he blew a tire and hit the
Turns wall.
Busch’s misfortunes were a break
tor Johnson, his Hendrick
Motorsports teammate who rejoined
the lead lap at that point as a result of
getting the “lucky dog” free pass that
goes to the first driver one lap or
more down when the caution comes
out.
He restarted 19th and moved to 13th
by Lap 295.
On Lap 308 he motored past Tony
Stewart to get back into the top 10 and
wound up seventh.
CRAnSMAN TRUCK
Race: UAW-GM Ohio 250
Where: Mansfield Motorsports Speedway,
Mansfield, Ohio.
Track length: .44 miles
Race distance: 250 laps, 110 miles
When: Sunday 2:30 p.m., ET
Defending champion: Jack Sprague won
last year’s Inaugural UAW-GM Ohio 250.
Race record: Jack Sprague, 54.706 mph; May
16,2004.
Fast fact Carolina Panthers Mike Mlnter,
Mike Rucker and Stephen Davis will serve as
grand marshals for the Quaker Steak & Lube
200 on May 20 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Feud intensifies
for \A^trip, Green
By JEFF GLUCK
Cox News Service
Darlington, S.C.
F or two drivers from the same
hometown, Michael Waltrlp
and Jett Green don’t seem to
think much alike.
Waltrlp thinks Green wrecked him
for no reason in Saturday’s Dodge
Charger 500. Green would certainly
differ if he had stopped to talk to the
media after both drivers were called
to the NASCAR hauler.
As It was, only Waltrlp put In his
two cents following NASCAR’s lec
ture.
“It’s a good thing that It’s Mother’s
Day because my mama said don’t
talk bad about people,” Waltrlp said.
“NASCAR says stay away from each
other That’s cool with me.”
Waltrlp and Green, both from
Owensboro, Ky, have gotten together
In several Incidents recently. At
Martinsville, the two collided and
the feud seemed to pick up steam.
After Green wrecked Waltrlp
Saturday, the cars got together dur
ing a pass roughly 100 or so laps
later.
At the time, NASCAR warned
Waltrlp to settle down. Apparently,
he didn’t listen. Waltrlp bumped
Green again on Lap 207. NASCAR
officials penalized Waltrlp by park
ing him in his pit stall for a few laps.
But Waltrlp said he didn’t start the
feud.
“I’m baffled,” Waltrlp said. “I was
running down the straightaway
under the first lap of green and he
ran me over and wrecked me The
sad part is he doesn’t pay any price
and I get my car tore all to pieces.”
Busch penalized
Kurt Busch disobeyed a NASCAR
directive and was called to the
hauler after the race.
Busch lined up In the wrong place
on the track during a caution, and
refused an order from NASCAR to
stop his car to allow the field to pass.
As a result, Busch was penalized two
laps.
The defending Nextel Cup champi
on was In no mood to spend time
with the media requesting a com
ment after the race.
“Why don’t you guys go cover a
real sport?” he said while walking
away
Eamhardt unhappy
Dale Earnhardt Ju was displeased
when his crew chief, Pete Rondeau,
told him not to take tires during one
pit stop.
“We should have come In,”
Earnhardt told his orew chief.
“It was only three laps (on the
tires),” Rondeau replied.
“You don’t understand what three
laps is out here,” said Earnhardt,
raising his voice. “Three laps here Is
like 20 laps anywhere else.”
Insiders: Steroids offer no advantages in NASCAR
By JEFF GLUCK
Cox News Service
C oi^ess has already started
snooping around In Major
League Baseball and the NFL,
looking for any evidence of steroid
use in those sports.
But a pair of NASCAR Insiders
both said they haven’t seen signs of
steroid use around the track,
“I don’t think there are steroids In
NASCAR, and I’d be surprised If
there ever was,” said Tim Goad, the
pit crew coach fcr Ken Schrader’s
Nextel Cup cat
Goad would know A 10-year NFL
veteran. Goad played with the New
England Patriots, Cleveland Browns
and Baltimore Ravens following a
college career at the University of
North Carolina,
While at UNC, Goad said he did a
research paper on steroids, which
was enougji to keep him tax away
from the drugs during his NFL days.
“Steroids don’t make you
stronger," he said. “They just let you
work out longer and help your
recovery time so you can work out
more often.”
With that in mind, there are only
so many places steroids could help
someone involved with NASCAR.
Driving, with an emphasis on
endurance and not strength, certain
ly Isn’t one of them.
“Maybe the jackman or catch-can
man,” Goad said. “Then again, it’s
not a help there. Jacking a car Is
more technique than it is strength,
• Hey, 20 years ago, strength was a big
thing. 'These days, It’s almost all
technique.
“A lot of muscle buUd-up not only
wouldn’t help you, It would probably
slow you down and, when It did that,
become a hindrance,"
But Chad Knaus, the well-respect
ed crew chief for Jimmie Johnson,
said steroids could help pit crew
members.
“When you’re using steroids, if I
remember back to my wrestling and
football days back In high school,
what that would do Is just kind of
Increase your burst of energy and
your short-term ImpacL” Knaus
said. “Obviously, that’s what you’re
doing In a 12-second pit stop.”
Still, Knaus said It’s doubtful
steroids have ever aided anyone In
NASCAR.
“Honestly, I don’t think there’s
any of that out there,” he said. “If
there is, then I will be surprised.”
NASCAR’s testing policy consists
of testing anyone at any time, based
on reasonable suspicion. An official
told Dustin Long of the Greensboro
News & Record that NASCAR has
given drug tests (not necessarily for
steroids) 40 to 45 times over the past
two years, Fifteen of those tests
“I don’t think there are steroids in NASCAR, and
I’d he surprised if there ever was. ”
TIM GOAD
pit crew coach for Ken Schrader
were given to driver Shane Hmlel,
who was suspended in September
2003 for an unspecified substance,
Long reported.
While NASCAR’s policy wouldn’t
work In the NFL or Major League
Baseball (there are too many play
ers), It’s perfect for stock-car racing.
There are no secrets In NASCAR,
and plenty of rumors. That means
NASCAR can test on a rumor-only
basis anytime officials feel like It.
If baseball had used NASCAR’s
drug-testing policy In the past,
Barry Bonds would have been tested
a long time ago. And all of the NBA’s
suspected druggies would get caught
by the league Instead of the police.
In the meantime, NASCAR’s test
ing policy Is just fine. There’s just no
advantage to using steroids In
NASCAR, which Is why no one does,
“If they come up with something
that makes you move faster, you
might want to get out the test tubes.
But until then, I don’t think steroids
are a problem here,” Goad said.
Jgf Gluck writes about NASCAR
for Cox News Service.
Kenseth dominates
Darlington Busch race
By RICK MINTER
Cox News Service
Darlington, S.C.
M att Kenseth, who has had a disap
pointing season so far on the Nextel
Cup Series, gave himself something
to brag about by winning the Diamond Hill
Plywood 200 Busch Series race Friday night
at Darlington Raceway.
Kenseth, who Is 24th In Cup points with a
single top-10 finish, ran his career Busch
Series win total to 18 with a dominating run
in the first Busch race under the lights at
Darlington.
He started 24th and led 50 laps. Including
the final 27 to take the checkered flag ahead
of Kenny Wallace, Martin Truex Jr., Greg
Biffle and Jeff Burton.
“I’m always so close,” said Wallace of his
second runner-up run of the season. “I just
got beat at the end. There Is no excuse.”
Wallace, who hasn’t won since 2001 at
Rockingham, said he made a poor choice on
adjustments to his car’s suspension. “I was
just too loose at the end,” he said.
Third-finishing Truex said his oar, a win
ner In the previous race, was Just a little off
this week, but his crew made It better with
each pit stop. “One more pit stop and it
would have been just about perfect,” he said.
Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate for Cox News Service, (800) 255-6734, ‘For release the week of May 9, 2005,