| Upcoming Events in the World of NASCARNext | | | | This year's rookie class has been compared to |
| week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head | | | | the same rookie class that yielded Jimmie Johnson |
| west, or mid-west to be more exact, to the 1 1 | | | | & Ryan Newman. Is Denny Hamlin on the same |
| 2 mile tri-oval at Michigan International Speedway. | | | | level as Jimmie & Ryan? Time will only tell, but |
| Initially, MIS was modeled after the other great 1 | | | | what we do know is that he is a serious big-time |
| 1/2 mile speedway, Lowe's Motor Speedway. But | | | | competitor.Denny started his season with a bang |
| after nearly 30 years or racing, it has developed a | | | | by winning the Budweiser Shootout in Daytona. |
| personality of it's own that no single driver has | | | | Since then, Hamlin has posted a 4th place finish at |
| been able to dominate. Unlike other speedways, | | | | Texas Motor Speedway in the Samsung |
| since the 2000 season there has never been a | | | | Radioshack 500, a 2nd place finish at the |
| single driver to win consecutive races at | | | | Richmond International Raceway in the Crown |
| Michigan.Don't run to the store or sit on the toilet | | | | Royal 400, and a win in this past weekend's |
| too long next Sunday. The races at Michigan tend | | | | Pocono 500 at Pocono International Raceway. |
| to go by very fast!!! Of the tri-oval tracks | | | | Along the way, his average finish of 16th has |
| currently on the Nextel Cup circuit, Michigan holds | | | | been enough to catapult him into the top 10 in |
| the fastest average race speed clocking in at just | | | | driver's points.The rest of the NASCAR world is |
| over 174mph. Only Daytona and Talladega have | | | | starting to see what Joe Gibbs & Co. have known |
| faster average speeds.Next week at MIS, expect | | | | all along, Denny Hamlin is the real deal!!! Not only |
| Carl Edwards to continue to make his move to | | | | can Denny make a mean hamburger and funny |
| qualify for the Chase for the Championship. In | | | | commercial, he can drive the hell out of a race |
| three starts at Michigan, Carl has 2-top 5 finishes | | | | car too!Who's Not?Jeez Jeff Gordon, where have |
| and 1 top 10.Also expect the following drivers to | | | | you gone? I was hoping last week's section of |
| do well next week:Other drivers to note:Matt | | | | Who's Not? would serve to motivate Jeff and the |
| Kenseth - Average Finish 8th | | | | rest of the Rainbow Warriors to turn their season |
| Jeff Gordon - Average Finish 10th | | | | around. From the results at Pocono, it appears |
| Greg Biffle - Average Finish 11th | | | | neither Jeff nor the brake technician at Hendrick |
| Mark Martin - Average Finish 12thNext Week's | | | | Motorsports bothered to read my article.Oh well. |
| Schedule:Nextel Cup: @ Michigan International | | | | If they had, perhaps they would not be in the |
| Raceway | | | | dreaded 11th place position headed into Michigan |
| 6/17/06 - 10:35pm NASCAR Nextel Cup 3M | | | | next week. Jeff currently sits 25 points out |
| Performance 400 Practice | | | | of 10th behind his ever-charming teammate Kyle |
| 6/16/06 - 03:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup 3M | | | | Busch. Fortunately for the 24 team, of the last |
| Performance 400 Qualifying | | | | tracks to be raced prior to the cut-off for the |
| 6/18/06 - 01:40pm NASCAR Nextel Cup 3M | | | | Nextel Cup Championship Race, Jeff has always |
| Performance 400Who's Hot?Denny Hamlin is | | | | posted strong finishes (an average finish in the |
| sitting at the top in a class of outstanding rookies. | | | | top 12). |