| Dover is the next stop on the NASCAR Schedule | | | | winter. It's a disorder that affects nearly 20% of the |
| The teams have met their first challenge in the Race | | | | population. My grandmother suffered from SAD and |
| for the Chase at New Hampshire International | | | | it seems to be ailing Jimmie Johnson as well. |
| Speedway. The next stop is the Dover International | | | | Jimmie's variety seems to come about early on in the |
| Speedway. Not only will the NASCAR drivers have to | | | | final 10 races of the season, however. It's the only |
| take on the Monster Mile, they will have to do it | | | | obvious explanation I can give to Jimmie's all but |
| while staring down all of Hulkamania! That's right, Hulk | | | | guaranteed collapse come every September. |
| Hogan is serving as grand marshal next weekend in | | | | Since Jimmie Johnson has come to NASCAR, he has |
| what promises to be the most electrifying | | | | always been a championship contender. Typically, |
| "Gentleman, Start your engines" you have ever | | | | Jimmie lays the foundation for a strong season early |
| heard. | | | | on in the year and maintains it through the middle |
| While I'm pumped up over the combination of my | | | | stretch. However, starting in September, the rock |
| two favorite sports, wrestling and NASCAR, I'm sure | | | | solid Lowe's #48 team will start to falter. |
| the drivers will be focused on the challenges the | | | | Let's rewind and look at Jimmie's 2006 season. |
| Monster Mile pose. Of all the drivers in the Chase for | | | | Johnson started off with one of the strongest starts |
| the Championship, only Kyle Busch has a top ten | | | | in NASCAR history by winning two of the first 3 |
| average finish at Dover. | | | | races. His average finish over the first 10 races was |
| Think the current championship standings are crazy? I | | | | 7th. He maintained his lead in the points by averaging |
| can only imagine what they'll be like after next | | | | a 9th place finish over the next 10 races. That |
| Sunday's Dover 400. | | | | average began to fall at Watkins Glen where since, |
| Expect both Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson to take | | | | he has posted an average finish of 19th. |
| advantage of their successful record at Dover as | | | | Jimmie Johnson's 39th place finish yesterday in the |
| they try to rebound from their poor finishes at New | | | | Sylvania 300 has all but killed his hopes of winning a |
| Hampshire. Also expect the following drivers to do | | | | championship; a championship that would have |
| well next week: | | | | capped off a near perfect season. Or I should say a |
| Tony Stewart - Average Finish 8th | | | | near perfect 2/3 season. |
| Ryan Newman - Average Finish 8th | | | | Shop for Jimmie Johnson merchandise |
| Denny Hamlin - Average Finish 11th | | | | Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International |
| Jeff Gordon - Average Finish 13th | | | | Speedway Recap |
| Next Week's Schedule: | | | | Kevin Harvick left his mark on New Hampshire |
| NASCAR Nextel Cup: @ Dover International | | | | International Speedway in yesterday's Slyvania 300. |
| Speedway | | | | Harvick started in the pole position and led 196 of |
| 9/22/06 - 03:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Dover 400 | | | | 300 laps at the 1-mile low-banked track. |
| Qualifying | | | | Harvick was on a clear-cut mission to win a race in |
| 9/23/06 - 10:35am NASCAR Nextel Cup Dover 400 | | | | which he had one of the top, but not necessarily the |
| Practice | | | | most dominant cars in the field. Nobody bothered to |
| 9/24/06 - 01:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Dover 400 | | | | tell him that though. On just lap 37, Harvick barreled |
| NASCAR Busch Series: @ Dover International | | | | his way between championship contenders Jeff |
| Speedway | | | | Burton and Denny Hamlin. The move nearly cost all |
| 9/22/06 - 11:40am NASCAR Busch Series Dover 200 | | | | three drivers a severe setback in the chase for the |
| Qualifying | | | | championship. However, miraculously Harvick emerged |
| 9/22/06 - 01:20pm NASCAR Busch Series Dover 200 | | | | with the lead. |
| Practice | | | | Other championship contenders fared as follows: |
| 9/23/06 - 03:05pm NASCAR Busch Series Dover 200 | | | | 2. (-35 points) Denny Hamlin had a strong car for |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: @ Las Vegas | | | | much of the day, and even led the race at one point. |
| Motor Speedway | | | | He finished in 4th place. |
| 9/23/06 - 10:30am NASCAR Busch Series Smith's Las | | | | 3. (-41 points) Matt Kenseth and the #17 DeWalt |
| Vegas 350 Practice | | | | team started their weekend off on a bad note with |
| 9/23/06 - 03:10pm NASCAR Busch Series Smith's Las | | | | the culprit being bad brakes. However, a team known |
| Vegas 350 Qualifying | | | | for its resiliency came through. They finished in 10th |
| 9/23/06 - 03:05pm NASCAR Busch Series Smith's Las | | | | place and led the race to capture 5 bonus points. |
| Vegas 350 | | | | 4. (-50 points) Jeff Gordon had one of the top cars |
| Kevin Harvick Dominates New Hampshire! | | | | all weekend. He finished in 4th place and led the race |
| Kevin Harvick is smoking hot and burning everyone in | | | | to capture 5 bonus points. Time will tell if the #24 |
| his wake. The #29 Reese's car was a ball of flame | | | | Dupont team can maintain championship form and |
| barreling around New Hampshire, and was too hot for | | | | help Jeff capture a record 5th championship. |
| anyone to touch! | | | | 5. (-64 points) Jeff Burton's hopes for a championship |
| Kevin's hot streak didn't start at New Hampshire. | | | | were nearly dashed early with a risky 3-wide pass by |
| Instead it has been growing over the past 11 races. | | | | teammate Harvick. The driver who is credited with |
| During that time his average finish has been 5th. On | | | | revamping Richard Childress Racing is sitting pretty |
| top of that, Kevin has won 3 of the last 6 races, and | | | | after a 7th place finish in the Sylvania 300. |
| has won the last two consecutive races. | | | | 6. (-75 points) Mark Martin stayed out of the |
| What we saw Sunday in the SYLVANIA 300 at New | | | | spotlight, as usual, for much of the day. The |
| Hampshire International Speedway was a driver on a | | | | seasoned driver posted a solid 11th place finish to |
| mission. Early on in the race, Harvick pressed two | | | | lock him in 6th place for the championship. |
| other championship contenders, Jeff Burton and | | | | 7. (-81 points) Dale Earnhardt Jr was visibly |
| Denny Hamlin, into a 3 wide situation going through | | | | disappointed with his 13th place finish in the Sylvania |
| turns 1 & 2 on lap 37 for the lead. The gutsy | | | | 300. Jr, who feels people perceive him as a carefree |
| move could have had a disastrous outcome for all 3 | | | | driver living a celebrity lifestyle, wants people to |
| drivers. However, after a little beating and banging | | | | understand that he only has eyes for the |
| reminiscent of the man who formally drove Harvick's | | | | championship. |
| car, Harvick came out in front with the lead. | | | | 8. (-110 points) Kasey Kahne gained two spots in the |
| When asked about the early incident, Harvick | | | | points on the misfortune of championship contenders |
| responded, 'At this point, it's all about the | | | | Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. Kasey's 16th place |
| championship and going for it and throwing caution to | | | | finish wasn't great, but it sure beats a 39th place |
| the wind'...'if you look back on it, I probably wouldn't | | | | finish. |
| do that again.' | | | | 9. (-139 points) Jimmie Johnson is pulling, what's |
| I seriously doubt in the remaining 9 races to decide | | | | become known in the NASCAR world, a Johnson. His |
| the championship that Kevin Harvick will tone down | | | | late season collapse started yesterday with a 39th |
| his aggressive driving. Throwing caution to the wind is | | | | place finish. The finish dropped him 7 positions in |
| what fans love most about Kevin Harvick! | | | | points. |
| Singing the Jimmie Johnson Blues | | | | 10. (-146 points) NASCAR's sexiest bachelor, Kyle |
| Have you ever heard of the term "seasonal affected | | | | Busch, uglied up his place in the championship with a |
| disorder", or SAD for short? SAD refers to people | | | | 38th place finish. |
| who go into a form of depression with the onset of | | | | |