NASCAR NNCS (DOVER) PRE-RACE NOTES

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series News & Notes – Dover

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• Monstrous: Dover A Worthy Proving Ground For Car Of Tomorrow • At Ease: New Jersey’s Martin Truex Jr. To Tackle “Hometown” Track • Dominant At Dover: Matt Kenseth Looks To Recapture ’06 Momentum • Newest Winner: Mears Solidifies Team’s Top 35 Standing • Loop Data: Greg Biffle May Be The Dover Driver To Beat

Dover Hosts Sixth COT Event

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (May 29, 2007) – This weekend’s Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa at Dover International Speedway marks the 13th of 36th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series events this season, and yet another competitive milestone.

Sunday’s event features the Car of Tomorrow – NASCAR’s next-generation race car. It’s the sixth race this year for the new car, and it brings with it some unique challenges.

Weather negated a scheduled Dover test three weeks ago, but crew chiefs likely will mine Bristol Motor Speedway data (Bristol was the first track to host the new car, which will compete fulltime in 2008). And any transference isn’t farfetched:

Dover’s high-banked concrete surface mimics Bristol’s similar half-mile, providing an intriguing challenge for teams’ set-up abilities this weekend.

Storyline I: Truex On A Roll Heading To Dover

Although he’s not a Delaware native, Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet), considers Dover International Speedway his home track.

It’s a natural confluence: Truex grew up on the New Jersey shore approximately 90 minutes’ north of Dover; undoubtedly he’d love a victory before his home crowd.

Progress appears to be at-hand. Truex gained two spots in the series standings following last Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, climbing to 16th. That fact represents a four-spot jump over the last four weeks, which also included a victory in the non-points Nextel Open event prior to the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Truex also knows how to win at Dover. A two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion, he did it twice there, in that series, once in 2004 and ’05.

On The Line: Truex Talks Confidently About Future of DEI

Martin Truex Jr. was the guest on Tuesday’s weekly NASCAR Teleconference. Now in his second NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, he heads to Dover 16th in series points, only 88 points out of 12th, the cutoff position for the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

Following are highlights of Truex’s conversation with media from across the country.

Q: What is the outlook going into Dover and what is the outlook for the sixth race of the season with the new car, meaning the Car of Tomorrow?

Truex: Really looking forward to Dover. That’s the kind of race I've always got circled on my calendar as one I look forward to going to. Close to where I grew up. A lot of friends and family come to the race there. Got a good history of running well there, too. Really looking forward to it. Our season's been going pretty good. Been kind of up and down. Our car has been running real strong, the COT and the current car. We'll look forward to Dover this weekend.

Q: Everybody is talking about your role increasing. A lot of drivers say you need to step up and be a leader. Do you feel now you need to be the quarterback, step up a bit as a leader on the team with Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc.?

Truex: Yeah, I think in a certain way I will have to. I don't think I have to go out there and tell them all how to do their job, tell them if they're doing it right or wrong. We've got people to do that. As we get to running better, I think before the year is out we could maybe win a few races, make the Chase, do a lot of things that are good for the company, good for the people's morale around here. Dale Jr. leaves, but it's not over. People keep saying, It's over, what are they going to do? Dale Jr. is a great asset to the company, obviously, but we can go on, we can thrive, we can win races. To show them that will be a great step in that direction. Just performing on the racetrack is the biggest thing. I think we're gaining on that each week. For the complete transcript of this week’s NASCAR Teleconference, go to www.NASCARMedia.com.

The Rest Of The Stories: Kenseth Shines At Dover, Martin Leads List Of Winning Candidates

Some additional storylines to consider, coming into the Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa this weekend:

• Mark Martin (No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet) knows the way to Dover’s Victory Lane. He’s won there four times and leads all active drivers with 19 top-five finishes in 41 career starts. Martin also leads all active drivers with four Bud Poles at Dover.

And despite running a part-time schedule for Ginn Racing this season, Martin heads to one of his favorite tracks 14th in the standings, only 31 points out of 12th, the Chase cutoff spot.

• Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford) is the defending Dover race winner who dominated the Monster Mile last season. Kenseth was involved in two thrilling finishes in ’06, edging Roush Racing teammate Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal Ford) in the spring event at Dover and finishing second to former teammate Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet) in the fall. Kenseth also made his series debut at Dover in 1998, in relief of former series champion Bill Elliott (No. 21 Little Debbie Ford).

• Which leads back to Burton, who hasn’t slowed down since last fall’s Dover win. As the victor in the post-race “handshake heard ‘round the series” – Burton and Kenseth stopped on the frontstretch after the checkered flag, clasping hands out of their car windows – Burton has re-assumed top-10 status in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. Currently fifth, he’s won once this season, at Texas Motor Speedway, and has six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes at Dover.

• Several drivers certain to be in the Dover lineup have excelled there, including Martin, Ricky Rudd (No. 88 Snickers Ford), standings leader Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) and Elliott, who lead all active drivers with four wins each at Dover. Other candidates include reigning series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet), who has three wins there, and Kenseth. Rudd also is tied with Martin with four poles at Dover and leads all active drivers with 26 top-10 Dover finishes in 55 career starts. Rudd has completed more miles there – 23,035 – than any driver.

* To view the complete rundown of storylines for this week’s Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa, go to NASCARMedia.com.

Emphasis On Winning: Taming Dover Tough To Do; Mears Joins List Of ’07 Winners

Winning at Dover International Speedway isn’t to be underestimated.

Notes gleaned from this Sunday’s event not only will figure in the series’ September return, the second race in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

But there’s also this: Lap for lap, 400 miles at Dover is one of the sport’s toughest tests. The track’s high-banked concrete confines can wear on man and machine, and teams that triumph know what they’ve accomplished.

“I think Dover is so unique,” said Jimmie Johnson, a three-time winner there. “There isn’t another track on the circuit that is remotely close to what you have at Dover. So, when you find the right setup with the race car and the driver has the right rhythm for it…it really just applies to (only Dover) so you can fine tune and hone in on it.”

If he tames Dover again, Johnson could expand his lead in another important category.

Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon and Johnson currently are 1-2 in the series standings. But as far as their potential “seedings” go for the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, those positions are reversed – for now.

Starting this season, the 12 Chase qualifiers get 10 bonus points for each victory during the 26-race span leading up to the Chase, which consists of the last 10 races. Drivers qualifying for the Chase have their point totals “reset” to 5,000, whereupon bonus points are added, in effect creating “seedings” to start the Chase.

Thus far, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet) and Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) are four of the five other, single-event winners this season.

The fifth is Casey Mears (No. 25 National Guard/GMAC Chevrolet), who won last week’s Coca-Cola 600, his first series victory. Currently 29th in the standings, he’ll also earn 10 bonus points per win should he become Chase-eligible.

Shaking Things Up: Mears Climbs In Top 35 Standings; Sauter Assumes Crucial Cutoff Spot

How much difference does a win make?

Ask Casey Mears, who jumped five spots from 35th to 30th in this week’s car owner standings thanks to last Sunday’s victory in the Coca-Cola 600.

Not only did Mears snare his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup win, he climbed out of “bubble” danger in the top 35. Those teams ranked in the top 35 of the owner standings each week are guaranteed starting positions. Those who are not must qualify on time – Mears’ near-predicament until last weekend.

This week’s bubble team – in position No. 35 – is the Gene Haas-owned No. 70 Chevrolet driven by Johnny Sauter.

Another driver who distanced himself from 35th last week is Ricky Rudd. His No. 88 Ford owned by Robert Yates jumped three spots, to 31st, thanks to Rudd’s seventh-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600.

Meanwhile, the watch remains for former series champion Bill Elliott, who came out of semi-retirement last week to drive the No. 21 Ford owned by Glen Ford. Past champions have six provisional starting spots they can use in a season; Elliott qualified for the Coca-Cola 600 and has four career wins at Dover.

2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Owner Points – After 12 Races

Position Points Team Owner Driver

30th 1,020 No. 25 Chevrolet Mary Hendrick Casey Mears 31st 999 No. 88 Ford Robert Yates Ricky Rudd 32nd 998 No. 9 Dodge Ray Evernham Kasey Kahne 33rd 992 No. 7 Ford Robby Gordon Robby Gordon 34th 986 No. 38 Ford Robert Yates David Gilliland

35th 956 No. 70 Chevrolet Gene Haas Johnny Sauter

36th 864 No. 22 Toyota Bill Davis Dave Blaney 37th 848 No. 10 Dodge James Rocco Scott Riggs 38th 765 No. 15 Chevrolet Teresa Earnhardt Paul Menard 39th 742 No. 83 Toyota Dietrich Mateschitz Brian Vickers 40th 721 No. 21 Ford Glen Wood Bill Elliott

In The Loop: Biffle, Kenseth and Roush Fenway Racing Dominant At Dover

Since the season’s eighth race at Phoenix, Hendrick Motorsports has won five in a row and looked impressive.

This weekend, the streak may end. Over the past four races at Dover International Speedway, only Jimmie Johnson has a win for Hendrick.

Over the past two years, Roush Fenway Racing has risen to the top, with Matt Kenseth winning this race last year – almost turning the Dover sweep – and Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) winning in spring 2005. Since that win, Biffle has had Dover finishes of 13th, eighth and fifth. He’s been the class of Dover fields over the past two years, earning the top rankings in Driver Rating (117.2), Average Running Position (6.953), Fastest Laps Run (175), Green Flag Speed, Laps in the Top 15 (1,484), Quality Passes (122), Speed in Traffic and Closer – total of 15 positions improved in the last 10% of laps.

Kenseth, Biffle’s Roush Fenway teammate, is right behind him in several categories. Kenseth ran out of gas at the end of last fall’s Dover race, but led a race-high 215 laps. Kenseth has an Average Running Position of 7.670 (third-best among drivers competing Sunday) and a Driver Rating of 112.3 (second-best). He also has accumulated 129 Fastest Laps Run (third-most), 1,429 Laps in the Top 15 (third-most) and 110 Quality Passes, second-most.

Ginn Racing’s Mark Martin also could end Hendrick’s dominance. Martin, who did his previous Dover work in a Roush Ford, has the second-best previous Dover work in a Roush Ford, has the second-best Average Running Position (7.214) and the third-best Driver Rating (106.7). His 130 Fastest Laps Run is second only to Biffle, as is his 1,441 Laps in the Top 15.

But this Sunday’s event is a Car of Tomorrow race. Hendrick has won all five races featuring the new car, and the victory burden may again fall on Johnson. Johnson last won at Dover in 2005; he has the fourth-best Driver Rating at 104.5.

Joe Gibbs Racing also has excelled in the new car and Tony Stewart has two wins and nine top fives at Dover. Lately, he’s struggled, finished 25th and 33rd last year to drop his Dover Driver Rating to 64.1, his lowest at any track.

Game On: Montoya, Ragan Continue Battle For Rookie Points Lead

Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Texaco/ Havoline Dodge) continues to hold off David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Insurance Ford) in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title, but Ragan is sticking close.

Prior to last week’s Coca-Cola 600, Montoya led Ragan by only four points in the rookie standings. He added two more points post-race, but the battle certainly remains worth watching.

… The latest Manufacturers Championship standings correspond with Chevrolet’s winning streak. Thanks to Casey Mears, Chevrolet holds a 41-point spread over second-place Ford.

Rookie Pts Juan Pablo Montoya 131 David Ragan 125 Paul Menard 83 David Reutimann 73 AJ Allmendinger 48

NNCS, Etc. …

Following Saturday’s NASCAR Busch Series event at Dover International Speedway, fans have the opportunity to tackle the Monster Mile themselves – all for a good cause.

The fourth annual NASCAR Foundation Track Walk allows fans to walk Dover’s high-banked one-mile surface. It also kicks off the Foundation’s charity walk season, which raises funds via walks that benefit the organization and its Family of Charities.

Participating fans won’t walk without some stars in their midst. Drivers Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, J.J. Yeley (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet), Ward Burton (No. 4 State Water Heaters Chevrolet) and Dale Jarrett (No. 44 UPS Toyota) will join in to support the Foundation and their own non-profit organizations. The Victory Junction Gang Camp, the Women’s Auxiliary of Motorsports and volunteers from Central Delaware YMCA also will participate.

Jamie McMurray apparently welds a mean chef’s apron. On Friday, he’ll make a return appearance on Dover Downs is Cooking, a popular local program featuring celebrity chef Fred Bohn. The show is taped in the Rollins Center at the Dover Downs Hotel & Casino, which is located adjacent to the track.

McMurray first visited the show last season, following the lead of other drivers who have appeared on the show – Kasey Kahne, Michael Waltrip (No. 55 NAPA Toyota) and Sterling Marlin (No. 14 Ginn Resorts Chevrolet).

Two members of the entertainment world will participate in Sunday’s pre-race ceremonies. Actress Catherine Bell will serve as the honorary Grand Marshal which means uttering the most famous words in motorsports: “Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!” Bell is known for her work in the television series, JAG. She’s now a part of the new Lifetime Television series, Army Wives.

Reprise Warner Brothers recording artists Tiffany Affair will perform the National Anthem prior to Sunday’s event. The members of the group are Ayanna, 18; Bianca, 18 and Gabrielle, 16.

“Psychogang Extreme Motorcycle Racing Team" and "Hell on Wheels" BMX riders will entertain race fans during pre-race festivities, as will parachute jumpers, fireworks and a flyover featuring four F-16s from the 149th Fighter Wing.

NASCAR Podcasts

Every week NASCAR produces Podcasts available through NASCARMedia.com and iTunes.

• Mondays feature a race recap from the previous event and includes driver interview post-race audio.

• Tuesdays we look ahead to the next race with a preview featuring NASCAR’s Manager of Statistics, Writing and Production, Mike Forde.

• NASCAR Director of Cost Research Brett Bodine joins us Wednesdays for a look at the upcoming venue, providing insight and analysis.

• In addition, this Thursday (May 31) we will feature a crew member profile Podcast with crew chief Todd Parrott, who oversees David Gilliland’s No. 38 M&M’s Ford team for Robert Yates Racing. Parrott is a veteran crew chief who hails from one of NASCAR’s famous families. He’s also a champion, guiding Dale Jarrett to the 1999 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup title.

To subscribe to the official NASCAR Podcast, login to NASCARMedia.com and click on the Podcast link on the right side of the page.

The Race: Autism Speaks 400 presented by Visa The Place: Dover International Speedway, Dover, Del. The Date: Sunday, June 3 The Time: 1:30 p.m. (ET) TV: FOX, 1 p.m. (ET) The Track: 1 mile oval The Distance: 400 miles; 400 laps The Purse: $5,781,700 2006 Winner: Matt Kenseth 2006 Pole: Ryan Newman

Series Standings Pos. Driver Pts. 1 Gordon 1,921 2 Johnson 1,789 3 Kenseth 1,714 4 Hamlin 1,682 5 Burton 1,577 6 Stewart 1,530 7 Harvick 1,415 8 Edwards 1,414 9 Kurt Busch 1,402 10 Bowyer 1,378 11 Kyle Busch 1,359 12 McMurray 1,320

Pre-Race Schedule (local/ET time): Friday—Practice, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Qualifying—3:15 p.m. Saturday—Practice, 10-10:50 a.m. and 1:20-2:20 p.m.