| Upcoming Events in the World of NASCARNext | | | | to go out on a limb here and say that Carl |
| week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head to | | | | Edwards is a definite non-qualifier for the Chase |
| the largest sporting venue in the Northeast, New | | | | for the Championship. Currently, Carl sits 193 |
| Hampshire International Speedway, NIS. As it | | | | points out of tenth and 625 points out of |
| turns out, the friendly residents of New | | | | first.After a dazzling rookie season, many set high |
| Hampshire who live by the state creed of "Live | | | | expectations for Carl and thought he would back |
| Free or Die" are huge NASCAR fans and regularly | | | | flip his way through the 2006 Nextel Cup schedule. |
| pack the seats to the tune of 100,000+.The mile | | | | However, the careers of all NASCAR drivers can |
| long oval with its low-banked turns can be | | | | be compared to a race at Bristol. Sometimes |
| considered a close relative to Martinsville | | | | you're racing in the inside grove smoking |
| Speedway. Just like at Martinsville, the racing at | | | | everyone, sometimes you're in the outside grove |
| NIS offers hard-braking & nail-biting passing in the | | | | watching everyone smoke you, and sometimes |
| turns but with the added benefit of a second | | | | you're going around the track a$$-end first looking |
| grove. Drivers push their cars and each other to | | | | at your competitors in eye before they dip down |
| the limits as they jockey for position and | | | | to pass you. Right now, I would say Carl is |
| sometimes "lean" on each other for support.Of all | | | | definitely in the outside grove watching the world |
| current drivers with 2 or more career starts at | | | | go by.Carl's performance at Chicagoland |
| New Hampshire, Ryan Newman, who also holds | | | | Speedway left a lot on the table for a Roush |
| the track qualifying record with a speed of | | | | driver who normally dominates the 1 1/2 mile |
| 133.357mph and who sports an average finish of | | | | super speedway events. Carl's 20th place finish is |
| 8th, leads the pack.Also expect the following | | | | all drivers like Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, and Jeff |
| drivers to do well next week:Other drivers to | | | | Gordon needed to give them a chance to make |
| note:Jimmie Johnson - Average Finish 9th | | | | the Chase for the Championship.Last Week's |
| Matt Kenseth - Average Finish 11th | | | | HeadlinesThere were a number of winners at |
| Mark Martin - Average Finish 12thNext Week's | | | | yesterday's USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland |
| Schedule:Nextel Cup: @ New Hampshire | | | | Speedway. The principal winner was Jeff Gordon |
| International Speedway | | | | who had the car to beat for most of the day. |
| 7/15/06 - 10:05pm NASCAR Nextel Cup LENOX | | | | After starting 13th, Gordon rocketed his way to |
| Industrial Tools 300 Practice | | | | the front before making a pit stop that would |
| 7/14/06 - 03:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup LENOX | | | | leave him behind the leaders for much of the day. |
| Industrial Tools 300 Qualifying | | | | However, when the time was right, Gordon |
| 7/16/06 - 02:10pm NASCAR Nextel LENOX | | | | pushed his way to the front and outlasted a |
| Industrial Tools 300Busch Series: @ New | | | | gasoline starved field to take the checkered |
| Hampshire International Speedway | | | | flag.The other big winner of the day was |
| 7/14/06 - 02:00pm NASCAR Busch Series New | | | | NASCAR's "Car of Tomorrow" set to make its |
| England 200 Practice | | | | debut next year. The "Car of Tomorrow" has |
| 7/15/06 - 03:10pm NASCAR Busch Series New | | | | received lots of flack from NASCAR purists who |
| England 200 Qualifying | | | | think the car's boxy look and rear-winged spoiler |
| 7/15/06 - 03:00pm NASCAR Busch Series New | | | | make it even further removed from a stock car. |
| England 200Craftsman Truck Series: @ Memphis | | | | However, NASCAR's intentions in developing this |
| Motorsports Park | | | | car were to make for better side by side |
| 7/14/06 - 07:45pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck | | | | racing.Future races at Chicagoland, and at every |
| Series O'Reilly 200 Practice | | | | other 1 1/2 mile super speedway, will be more |
| 7/15/06 - 05:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck | | | | entertaining because the "Car of Tomorrow" will |
| Series O'Reilly 200 Qualifying | | | | allow the drivers trailing the leader to make runs |
| 7/15/06 - 08:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck | | | | at the leader. Often times during the USG |
| Series O'Reilly 200Who's Hot?It always helps when | | | | Sheetrock 400, the car in front wasn't the most |
| your Belgian supermodel girlfriend says, "I do", and | | | | powerful or the best handling car on the track. |
| it certainly has helped Jeff Gordon. Now I don't | | | | Instead, it had the benefit of breathing clean, less |
| mean to discredit all the hard work put in by the | | | | turbulent air. The cars following the leader couldn't |
| countless number of employs at Hendrick | | | | make runs or even pass the leader while bouncing |
| Motorsports and I definitely do not mean to | | | | around in his turbulent wake. Not until Matt |
| discredit Jeff Gordon's driving abilities, but the only | | | | Kenseth was slowed by Casey Mears could Jeff |
| difference between the last 3 weeks and the first | | | | Gordon make his winning move (or wrecking |
| 15 races of the 2006 season (and not to mention | | | | move as some angry fans will call it).Other key |
| all of the 2005 season) is that Jeff has a new | | | | finishes of the day were Tony Stewart (32nd) |
| future wife in Ingrid Vandebosch.I've done some | | | | who slid fast after running out of gas with two |
| research of my own, and have determined that if | | | | laps to go. Matt Kenseth fell on hard times after |
| I were to pick my very own supermodel to | | | | getting the boot from Jeff Gordon. Shortly after |
| assist in my racing career, that she would indeed | | | | in the ensuing caution, Kenseth also ran out of |
| have to be from Belgium. To no avail, I've been | | | | gas. He was able to recoup, and explode across |
| racking my brain trying to determine a clever | | | | the start/finish line in 21st place |
| way to weave Belgian supermodels back into a | | | | sideways.Kenseth's finish moved him 48 points |
| NASCAR track for success. It's just that Belgium | | | | out of first place currently occupied by Jimmie |
| is a land of beautiful people.All jokes aside, Gordon | | | | Johnson. Jimmie had a non-eventful yet typical |
| is driving like his a$$ is on fire, and it's up to the | | | | day finishing 6th after starting 5th.The big point's |
| competition to figure who or what lit it. He has | | | | mover of the day was Jeff Burton who finished in |
| won 2 of the last 3 races, and now sits in 10th | | | | 2nd place. Burton gained 3 spots in the points, and |
| position in the driver's standings. Next week at | | | | now occupies 4th.Yesterday's USG Sheetrock |
| New Hampshire International Speedway, expect | | | | 400 at Chicagoland Speedway marked the |
| Gordon to keep the fire burning. In 22 races at | | | | halfway point in the 2006 Nextel Cup season. The |
| NIS, he finishes in the top ten 55%, and in the top | | | | race featured 18 lead changes between 10 |
| five 41% of the time.Perhaps Tony Stewart, and | | | | different drivers, and 8 total cautions.This article is |
| the rest of the backsliders who are dropping | | | | provided to you by Everything Sports, Inc. is |
| down the points standings, needs to visit a few | | | | owned and operated by Everything Sports, Inc. |
| Belgium mail-order bride sites.Who's Not?I'm going | | | | |