| | | | | |  | | CIA Stock Photo | Terry Labonte is back in Michael Waltrip’s No. 55 Toyota, and you’ll see a long list of other names you’ll never find on the ovals. | | | | FAN CHEATSHEET | Countdown to the Chase: Race 22 | Here's your spotter's guide to Centurion Boats at The Glen |
| | By Reid Spencer & Bill Marx / Sporting News Wire Race No. 22 means the cut is only 5 races away. Our Sporting News experts break it down.
ON THE HOT SEAT: DALE JR.
Yeah, he was here last week, too. So the guy goes out and runs second at Pocono – and loses a spot in the standings. Now Junior is 13th, on the outside looking in, because Kurt Busch, one spot behind him last week, won at Pocono. Go figure. Junior needs another strong finish ... but this time ahead of Busch, which will be tough.
THREE-WIDE: WHAT TO LOOK FOR AT WATKINS GLEN
1. First road course win: The nominee is Kurt Busch, whose hopes were snatched away last year by a hard-luck pit road penalty.
2. Road course ringers: Terry Labonte is back in Michael Waltrip’s No. 55 Toyota, and you’ll see a long list of other names you’ll never find on the ovals.
3. Right-side refueling: At Watkins Glen, the cars seldom turn left, and the fuel receptacle is on the right side. Finding the proper balance on these mirror-image cars is crucial.
RACING REWIND: LAST YEAR'S 22nd RACE
No driver dropped out of the top 10 after the AMD at The Glen. Tony Stewart, seventh in the standings after the race, gave himself more cushion with a second-place finish. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 18th and Kasey Kahne 22nd, giving Junior (10th in points) a 54-point lead over Kahne (11th).
Kevin Harvick picked up his first Nextel Cup road race win after a fierce late-race duel with Stewart.
The story of the day was Kurt Busch’s bad luck. He was headed to the pits when the caution came out. The timing was awful. He was only a few feet from the commitment line and didn’t have time to pull back onto the track. A resulting penalty forced him to the back of the pack, and he finished 19th. That penalty cost Busch, 12th in points, a win or a top five finish and at least 60 points, ending any hopes he had of challenging Earnhardt for the 10th spot.
The top 10 in points after race No. 22: Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Harvick, Jeff Burton, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt.
QUOTE FOR THE RACE
“Guys you wouldn’t typically think would run well on road courses can run well here because it’s so fast. The turns are just a lot more forgiving.” – Jeff Gordon | | Posted August 10, 2007 , 6:59 am EST
Last Updated August 11, 2007 , 5:00 am EST | | | | | | | | | | |
