1998 Coca Cola 600 At Charlotte Motor Speedway

[APPLAUSE] KEN: THE PRESENTATION OF COLORS , THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WILL BE SUNG BY DAVID FEW WOMEN AT THISES. -- FUENTES. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEAS STAND, REMOVE YOUR HATS AND JOIN ACTOR DAVID FUENTES, WHO IS CURRENTLY STARRING IN A NEW CORE DOZEA PRODUCTION ENTITLED "MISFIT PATROL" FOR THE SINGING OF OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM. >> ♪ OH, SAY CAN YOU SEE BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT WHAT SO PROUDLY WE HAILED AT THE TWILIGHT'S LAST GLEAMING WHOSE BROAD STRIPES AND BRIGHT STARS THROUGH THE PERILOUS FIGHT O'ER THE RAMPARTS WE WATCHED WE'RE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING? AND THE ROCKETS RED GLARE THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE OH, SAY DOES THAT STAR SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE ON THE LAND OF THE FREE AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪♪ KEN: F-16'S FROM THE 192ND FIGHTER WING OVER THE CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. WE'RE DOWN TO IT. WELCOME ABOARD. HOPE YOU'RE GOING TO ENJOY OUR FLIGHT TO FLIGHT COVERAGE OF THE 39TH RUNNING OF THE COCA-COLA 600. ALWAYS AN EXCITING TIME. DR. DICK BERGGREN IS WITH US FROM "STOCK CAR RACING" MAGAZINE, AND YOUR THOUGHTS AS WE GO EVER CLOSER TO THIS GREEN FLAG? DICK: WE'RE ABOUT TO SEE ONE OF THE PREMIER SPORTING EVENTS OF ANY KIND THAT'S HELD ON AN ANNUAL BASIS IN THE UNITED STATES. AND THE EXCITEMENT FOR THIS RACE -- IT'S BEEN BUILDING FOR WEEKS, PARTICULARLY AROUND CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE TENSION IN THE GARAGE, UNBELIEVABLE. YOU COULDN'T CUT IT WITH A GUILLOTINE. THE ONLY QUESTION IS WHETHER THE DRIVERS ARE MORE UPTIGHT ABOUT THIS OR WHETHER, IN FACT, IT'S THE CREWS MORE WOUND UP ABOUT TONIGHT'S RACE. ONE THING FOR SURE IS THAT THIS IS A CROWN JEWEL OF AMERICA'S TOP AUTO RACING SERIES. KEN: IT SURE IS JUST THAT. AND YOU CAN FEEL THE TENSION RIGHT NOW. GOOD CLOUD COVER HERE OUGHT TO MAKE FOR A PRETTY GOOD RACE ALL NIGHT. THEY SAY THERE'S NO CHANCE EVER RAIN. BUDDY: THE DRIVERS ALL WEEK LONG HAVE TALKED ABOUT ONE THING -- THE RACETRACK BEING SLICK. TODAY WE'VE HAD A GOOD OVERCAST SO THE RACETRACK SHOULD BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR THE CARS TO GET GOOD GRIP THROUGH THE CORNER. MAKING IT A LITTLE FASTER RACE, AND A LITTLE MORE SAFE AT THE VERY START OF THE RACE. IT'S NOT THAT SLICK, I DON'T THINK, RIGHT NOW. KEN: 43 DRIVERS ARE ALL BUCKLED UP DOWN BELOW AND GETTING SET TO RUN 400 LAPS, 600 MILES FOR $2.6 MILLION, AND A $1 MILLION BONUS, PERHAPS, FOR THAT QUINTET WE MENTIONED EARLIER. WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY TO GO OF THE BOARD TOIVEHA COMMAND TO GET THIS RACE UNDER WAY. >> PLEASE WELCOM C.E.O. OF SPEEDWAY MOTOR SPORT INCORPORATED, MR. BURT YON SMITH. >> GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES! ZPHOO [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY TURNER ENTERTAINMENT GROUP] KEN: YOU'RE LOOKING IN OVER THE SHOULDER OF THE THIRD LARGEST CITY IN NORTH CAROLINA, JUST GOT BUILT IN THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS WHERE IT'S AT. WELCOME ABOARD FOR OUR COVERAGE OF THE COCA-COLA 600. TEMPERATURE -- JUST ABOUT LETTER PERFECT FOR THIS EVENT. KEN: MAYBE A SHOWER. BUT PERHAPS NOT. IT'S LIMIT TODAY ABOUT 20% AT THE PRESENT TIME. LOOKING DOWN PIT ROAD, AS THE FIELD BEGINS TO ROLL. THE 43 QUALIFIERS FOR THE RACE. KEN: THOSE ARE THE 43 THAT MADE IT. HERE ARE THOSE THAT FAILED TO QUALIFY. KEN: 24 DEGREE BANK HEAT OF TURNS ONE AND TWO. RACE ANALYSIS FROM AUTO ZONE. BUDDY: I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING, IN A NO BULL, $1 MILLION BONUS. KEN: THERE THEY ARE, THE TOP FIVE FINISHERS IN THIS YEAR'S DAYTONA 500. AND THE TOP FIVE FROM THIS RACE, THEY'LL TRANSFER THEIR HOPES TO INDIANAPOLIS IN THE BRICKYARD 400. INCAR CAMERAS, STARTING FIFTH, MARK MARTIN. ONE LAP AND THEY WILL BE RACING. HERE'S BRETT BODINE, HE'LL BE STARTING SIX. WALTRIP,. KEN: STARTING 20TH, TODD BODINE WITH THE PONTIAC. KEN: JOHN ANDRETTI, RICHARD PETTY'S DRIVING EXPERIENCE PONTIAC. HERE'S RANDY LAJOIE TWO-TIME GRANT NAGAL CHAMPION SUBBING TORE RICKY CRAVEN. AND JEFF BURTON, THE NUMBER 99, HE'LL START 38TH. STILL EXIDE FORD. LESS THAN A LAP TO THE START. KEN: I THINK THEY'RE READY. DICK: I THINK THEY'RE READY, TOO. THIS RACE HAS HAD 79 LEAD CHANGES. THIS IS LIABLE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE AUTORACES ALL YEAR LONG. BUDDY: ELLIOTT SADLER MADE A PIT STOP. I HOPE THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, BUT HE DID MAKE A PIT STOP AND IS BACK OUT ON THE RACE STRACK. KEN: ON THE POLL FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT TIME, JEFF GORDON TYING THE RECORD OF DAVID PIERCEON, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED 20 YEARS AGO. THIS IS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THAT PEER SON RECORD. A MILE AND A HALF TRACK. DICK: JEFF GORDON IS THE ONLY GUY IN THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT'S WON THIS RACE FROM THE POLL. HE MAY DO IT AGAIN. BUDDY: COCA-COLA 600 IS UNDER WAY AND GOING INTO TURN ONE IT LOOKS LIKE GORDON ON THE WAY. KEN: BURTON DRAWING AWAY, GOING INTO TURN NUMBER ONE IT WAS BURTON. THEN WARD PUT HIS FOOT DOWN. THROUGH SEAT RESULT. WARD BURTON, THE AMERICAN PONTIAC NOW LEADING THE FRAY. DICK: STILL VERY TIGHT HERE. BURTON'S MAIN JOB IS TO FINISH THIS THING. IN HIS FOUR PRIOR 600 STARTS HE HAS FAILED TO FINISH THREE TIMES. KEN: THREE WIDE INTO TURN ONE. BUDDY: ERNIE HAS SIX ON THE RACE FRACK ERE. YOU CAN SEE RICK ON THE RACE TRACK BEING BYPASSED ON THE BACK STRAY. -- STRAIGHT AWAY. KEN: NOT GOOD FOR THAT REMMINGTON CAR AT ALL. RICK MAST IN THE SECOND LAP. MARK MARTIN IN SIX. WE GET MORE ON THE RICK MAST STORY. STEVE: I TALKED TO RICK BEFORE THE RACE STARTED. HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT RACE CAR. THEY BLEW A MOTOR IN PRACTICE YESTERDAY. THEY SAY THEY DIDN'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT HIS CHANCES HEADING INTO TONIGHT'S RACE. BUDDY: HE'S BACK UP TO SPEED. I THINK HE'S MAKING SURE ALL THE LINES ARE TIGHT, EVERYTHING'S RIGHT. HE'S UP TO FULL SPEED NOW IN KEEPING UP WITH THE CARS IN THE BACK OF THE FIELD. KEN: AS THE FIELD CAME DOWN, KEVIN LEPAGE RELATIVELY 493RD SPOT, HE HAD TO GO TO A BACKUP CAR. HE CRASHED IN THE FINAL PRACTICE. HE DID GET 17 LAPS IN HAPPY HOUR, BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO SET THE CAR UP. THEY'RE GOING ON A QUICK SETUP HOPING THEY HAVE IT RIGHT. IN THE FIRST 300 MILES THEY CAN GET IT MORE RIGHT AND MAYBE BE A CONTENDER LATE IN THE GOING. BUDDY: DAVID GREEN ENDERING INTO TURN ONE. THESE CARS WERE SIDE BISIDE. HERE THEY GO AGAIN. KEN: UP TO 12TH. BODINE. DICK: HE BETTER GET GOING, HE'S GOT MORE BILLS TO PAY. KEN: GARY BRADBERRY SLIPS BACK INTO 15TH. YOU SEE SPEED MAKING IT BACK INTO THE ENTRY, NUMBER NINE. BUDDY: JIMMY SPENCER IN 21, HE'LL BE FASTER LATER ON IN THE RACE. VERY QUICK FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS. KEN: SCHRADER ON THE MOVE. KEN SCHRADER GOING AFTER GEOFF BODE DEAN, NUMBER 7. DICK: BODINE ON THE TOP. KEN: COMING AROUND TO COMPLETE EIGHT LAPS THIS TIME. WE HAVE THE STORY ON ELLIOTT SADLER. >> THE YOUNG 23-YEAR-OLD VIRGINIAN IS ON PIT ROAD ON THE PACE LAP. THE IGNITION IS MISSING ON HIS MACHINE. THEY'VE CHANGED TO THE BACKUP. HE'S HOPING IT WILL HOLD OUT. KEN: CURRENTLY 4 RD, ELLIOTT SADLER FROM VIRGINA. SCHRADER AT S AT NUMBER 33 CONSISTENTLY STRONG. MARK MARTIN ON THE BOTTOM. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN JUST GOT BY RUSTY WALLACE INTO TURN ONE, MAKES A STRONG MOVE THERE. MARK MARTIN ON THE GO. HE'S MOVED IN THE THIRD SPOT. KEN: MARTIN TO THIRD, WALLACE BACK TO FOURTH. JOHN ANDRETTI STAYED RIGHT WITH HIM. IT'S STILL WARD BURTON, WHO CAME FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT ROBY TURN TWO. HE WAS TURNING IT ON. HE WENT AROUND JEFF GORDON, TOOK THE LEAD, AND HAS NOT RELINQUISHED. LOOK AT MARK MARTIN IN THAT NUMBER SIX. REMEMBER WHAT HE'S WORKING ON. A WEEK AGO SATURDAY HE CAME IN HERE AND WON THE WINSTON. THEN HE CAME BACK AND HE WON THE CARQUEST AUTO PARTS 300 YESTERDAY. LAST GUY TO DO THAT WAS BOBBY ALLISON BACK IN THE MID 1980'S WHEN WENT BACK-TO-BACK TO WIN THE 300 ON SATURDAY, 600 ON SUNDAY. ALLISON'S THE LAST MAN TO DO IT. IT WAS JUST AFTER ALLISON THAT THEY STARTED THE WINSTON. SO NOW THERE'S THREE BIG RACES TO WIN HERE AT CHARLOTTE. AND MARTIN COULD DO IT. BUDDY: FEELS LIKE HE HAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY, BOBBY LABONTE. BEHIND HIM DALE JARRET. THESE TWO CARS ARE VERY HIGHLY FAVORED AS FAR AS LATER ON IN THE RACE. KEN: BOBBY LABONTE IN SIX, JARRET IN SEVENTH, MAYFIELD IN EIGHTH. 11 LAPS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED UNDER GREEN. BURTON STILL UP IN FRONT AND RUNNING BY HIMSELF. A HANDSOME LEAD OVER JEFF GORDON IN SECOND, MARK MARTIN IN THIRD. KEN: WARD BURTON IS IN FRONT AS THEY COME AROUND TO COMPLETE 16 OF 400 TRIPS AROUND THIS MILE AND A HALF TRACK. WARD BURTON WHO HOLDS THE RECORD AT OVER 185 MILES AN HOUR. LOOK AT THIS BATTLE FOR SECOND AS MARK MARTIN BEGINS TO MOVE IN ON JEFF GORDON. BUDDY: HE DID IT THE HARD WAY. GOING INTO THREE HE PULLED UP ALONGSIDE OF HIM. OFF TURN FOUR, MARK MARTIN IN SECOND PLACE NOW. GREAT DRIVE, EARLY RUN FOR MARK. USUALLY HE SETS BACK UNTIL ABOUT 30, 40 LAPS INTO IT. HIS CAR MUST BE COMPLETELY GOOD RIGHT NOW. KEN: THERE'S A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TURNS, ONE, TWO, THREE, AND FOUR. THEY SAY YOU RACE THROUGH ONE AND TWO, AND DRIVE THROUGH THREE AND FOUR. THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A BIG BUMP AS YOU COME OFF FOUR. IT'S VERY UNSETTLING. BUDDY: TURN FOUR THE TIRES GET SLICK. IT JUMPS SIDE WAY IF THE TIRES GET SLICKER, THAT'S A DANGEROUS PLACE WHEN YOU'RE RUNNING SIDE-BI-SIDE. KEN: WARD BURTON UP IN FRONT. JEFF BURDEN YURT -- JEFF BURT JOHN ON A ROLL. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE TOP SPEEDS THUS FAR. KEN: JEFF BURTON HAD STARTED IN 38 SPOT. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD A POOR QUALIFYING RUN, EVERYBODY'S LOOKING FOR JEFF BURTON TO WORK HIS WAY UP FRONT. DICK: HE WANTS TO GET IT SORT OUT. AFTER A THREE RACE SLIDE TO 14TH IN THE POINTS, HE'S GOT SOMETHING TO PROVE HERE TONIGHT. THAT'S THAT NUMBER 99. JEFF BURTON DOWN ON THE BOTTOM FOLLOWING RICKY RUDD IN NUMBER 10. BUDDY: TERRY LABONTE ALMOST MADE CONTACT THERE WITH RICK BICKLE. NOW HE'S KIND OF BOTTLED UP BEHIND MICHAEL WALTRIP. YOU CAN SEE SIDE BY SIDE IN THE CORNER NOW. AND TERRY LABONTE IS LOOKING FOR ANYWAY TO GET BY RIGHT NOW. KEN: YOU'RE WATCHING THAT SKOL AT THE TOP OF THE SCREEN, YOU CAN SEE THAT DALE EARNHARDT IS MOVING FORWARD IN THE NUMBER THREE SPOT. DICK: EARNHARDT, IT'S EARLY. 21ST, HE'LL COME ALONG. KEN: LOOK AT MUSGRAVE, COMES OUT DIGGING. THAT'S ANOTHER OF THE JEFF ROUSH CARS. DICK: TERRY LABONTE FLIES TO NUMBER FIVE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RACE TRACK AS WELL. GOT THAT ROOSTER REALLY CROWING TODAY. HE NEEDS TO HE'S BACK IN 30TH POSITION. HE'S GOT SOME GOING TO DO TO GET UP IN THAT FRONT PACK. YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET LAPPED IN THIS RACE. TRACK POSITION COUNTS SO MUCH. DICK: ABSOLUTELY ENORMOUS NUMBER OF PEOPLE HERE IN CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY LOOKING ON, IT SEEMS EVERY TIME THEY ADD GRANDSTANDS, THEY BARELY GET THE FOOTINGS POURED AND ALL THE SEATS ARE SOLD. 12,000 MORE SEATS THIS YEAR THAN LAST. ALL SOLD OUT. KEN: THERE YOU SEE JOE NEMECHEK BEING CHALLENGED HARD. JEFF BURTON COMING AFTER HIM. BUDDY: ROBERT PRESSLEY IN THE 77 ON THE OUTSIDE THERE, DOOR HANDLE TO DOOR HANDLE. CLOSE TO 200 MILES AN HOUR INTO TURN THREE. THESE CARS ARE STICKING WELL EARLY IN THE RACE, AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE CLOUD COVER WE HAD ALL DAY LONG HERE IN CHARLOTTE. KEN: THIS IS FOR 24TH POSITION. NEMECHEK IN THE 42, AND PRESSLEY IN THE 77, BURTON IN THE 99 FIGHTING FOR 24TH AT OVER 190 MILES PER HOUR. RIDING WITH THEM HERE AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. KEN: BACK LIVE WITH 27 LAPS COMPLETE. LOWER, EVER LOWER TO THE LEADER NUMBER 6, MARK MARTIN. WARD WARD -- WARD BURTON IS STILL THERE. THAT PONTIAC STAYING UP FRONT. MARK MARTIN WHO HAS NEVER WON THIS RACE, HIS THOUGHTS ON THIS MEMORIAL WEEKEND 600. >> GOOD PLACE TO WIN. I HAVEN'T WON THE 600. WON THE 500 TWICE, I THINK. MAN THAT WOULD MAKE TWO IN A ROW FOR US. YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST AN AWESOME RACETRACK, AND AWESOME FANS. AND CHARLOTTE, CHARLOTTE IS JUST SO COOL. KEN: HE LOOKS SO COOL RIGHT NOW, THAT'S NUMBER 6, MARK MARTIN, CLOSES IN ON THAT LEADER. MARTIN AGAIN WON THE WINSTON A WEEK AGO SATURDAY. YESTERDAY WON THE 300. TRYING TO BE THE FIRST GUY TO EVER WIN THE POLE IN ALL THREE EVENTS. SORT OF HIS OWN MINI MILLION. BUDDY: WARD BURTON NUMBER 22, YOU CAN SEE MARK MARTIN LOOKING ON THE INSIDE. JUST INCHES AWAY, LOOKS TO THE INSIDE AS HE HEADS DOWN TOWARD TURN THREE. KEN: THREE-TIME WINNER THIS YEAR, MARK MARTIN DOWN ON THE BOTTOM IN THE WINSTON CUP POINT BATTLE, TAKES OVER FIRST. HERE'S WARD BACK TRYING TO TAKE A SHOT AT THAT LEAD THAT HE HAS HELD FOR THE FIRST 29 LAPS. DICK: THAT'S MORE LAPS THAN HE HAS LED IN ANY RACE IN 1997. A GOOD STRONG RUN EARLY FOR WARD BURTON. A CHANCE TO ADJUST THAT CAR AND SEE HOW MUCH MORE HE CAN DO WITH IT BUT HE'S GOING GREAT. BUDDY: HE'S LOOKING TO THE INSIDE OF MARTIN AS THEY GO BACK DOWN THE STRAIGHTAWAY SIDE-BY-SIDE. I THINK HE WANTED TO TAKE MARK OUT AND SEE HOW TOUGH HE WAS. MARK SEEMED TO SLOW A LITTLE INTO TURN THREE. HE KNOWS THAT WARD BURTON HAS A GREAT RACE CAR NOW BECAUSE HE BACKED UP, LET HIM GO BY. AND THEN WENT RIGHT BACK INTO THE RACE. DICK: LEPAGE ADMITTED HE WAS THE FIRST CAR TO BE LAPPED. KEN: MIKE HOGEWOOD IS THERE. MIKE: KEVIN LEPAGE DISQUSSED THEY SAID THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO GO TWO LAPS NOW. HE WAS SO LOOSE HE COULD NOT DRIVE THE RACE CAR. THEY HAVE TO MAKE SERIOUS CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS. THEY TRIED TO REFUEL THIS CAR AND MAKE IT LIKE THEIR OTHER ONE. IT WAS A HIT OR MISS PROPOSITION, AND UNFORTUNATELY TO START THIS RACE THEY MISSED AND MISSED BADLY. THEY HOPE NOW THAT SHE'S CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS WILL ADD LEASE MAKE KEVIN LEPAGE COMPETITIVE. FOUR TIRES ON THE CAR, AND A TANK OF FUEL. AND A SLOW, SLOW PIT STOP AS THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS FOR LEPAGE. BUDDY: WATCHING MARK MARTIN I THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED, HE WAS JUST ON THE VERGE OF BEING LOOSE, WARD BURTON GOT RIGHT UP UNDER HIM COMING OFF TURN FOUR, HE GOT SIDEWAYS COMING OFF THAT CORNER, AND SAID, HEY, WHAT KIND OF ADJUSTMENTS DO I NEED TO LEAD THIS THING? BUT WARD ISN'T MAKING IT EASY. RIGHT UP UNDER THAT FORD IT TENDS TO MAKE THE BACK ENDS OF THE CAR WISHY WASHY. KEN: MARTIN STAYS IN SECOND. GORDON THIRD, DALE JARRETT IN FIFTH. RACED WITH HIS SON JASON YESTERDAY. PUT ON A GOOD SHOW, GOT SPUN AROUND AND BOUNCED OFF THE WALL. WE'LL SEE A LOT FROM JASON. BUDDY: GREAT BATTLE FOR FOURTH HERE. JOHN ANDRETTI, YOU SEE THE TWO CAR RUSTY WALLACE. AND JEREMY MAYFIELD IS RUNNING RUSTY WALLACE DOWN. THEY RUN NOSE TO TAIL DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. DICK: HOW MANY TIMES THIS YEAR HAVE WE SEEN THAT? THE 2 AND 12 NOSE TO TAIL RUNNING RUNNING ALMOST IDENTICALLY. KEN: JOHN ANDRETTI SCOOPS TO THE BOTTOM. HE'LL PICK UP A SPOT AS THEY COME BACK TO THE LINE. THEY CONTINUE TO SHUFFLE BEHIND -- BUDDY: TROUBLE ON THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. KEN: GARY BRADBERRY AND IN A DOUGH, THE ROOKIE FROM CONNECTICUT. JERRY NADEAU IN TROUBLE. TRYING TO GET THAT ONE TURNED AROUND AS THEY SPUN OUT OF TURN TWO, THAT IN LAP NEW 34. ACTUALLY LAP 35. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. SORT THINGS OUT. KEN: BACK LIVE, 35 LAPS, 52 1/2 MILES IN THE COCA-COLA 600. WITH THAT CAUTION, THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE FIELD CAME ON TO PIT ROAD. GOT A TIRE LOOSE OUT HERE. OFF ONE OF THE COMPETITORS PITTING. LESS' GO TO THE PITS. STEVE BYRNES? STEVE: WARD BURTON CAME IN. WE'VE BEEN HEARING A NUMBER OF THE TEAMS COMPLAINING ABOUT BEING TIGHT GOING INTO THE CORNERS, AND LOOSE COMING OFF. WARD CAME IN, TOOK FOUR TIRES, GASOLINE, NO CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS. LET'S GO TO RANDY PEMBERTON. RANDY: JEFF BURTON HAD STARTED 38TH ON THE FIELD TODAY. HE HAS HAD A GREAT RUN UP TO THE 21 POSITION. THEY PITTED FOUR TIRES, BUT ONE PROBLEM, THE ENGINE IS MISSING JUST A LITTLE BIT. THEY DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE CARBURETOR OR IGNITION. TO ALLEN BESTWICK. ALLEN: THESE ARE WHAT YOU CALL FLAT SPOTTED TIRES IN NASCAR RACING. THEY CAME OFF GARY BRADBERRY'S MACHINE WHERE THE CAR WAS LOCKED UP AND SLIDING DOWN THE PAVEMENT. ALL FOUR WORN THROUGH. HE CHANGED THEM ALL AND BACK ON THE RACETRACK WITHOUT MORE DAMAGE THAN THAT. TO MIKE HOGEWOOD. MIKE: WE'RE IN THE DALE EARNHARDT PIT. THEY CAME IN AND TOOK FOUR TIRES, AND MADE A BIG CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT. DALE EARNHARDT WAS RUNNING 19. THEY HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A LONG PIT STOP, BUT THIS TIME OF THE RACE DALE SAID LET'S GET THE CAR RIGHT NOW. THEY WANT IT BETTER FOR LATER. KEN: THE INCIDENT THAT BROUGHT OUT THE CAUTION, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED. THAT GAVE US OUR FIRST YELLOW IN THIS RACE. TURN TWO. BUDDY: YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, BRADBERRY GOT LOOSE JUST BEHIND HIM, NADEAU COMES DOWN INTO THE SMOKE. HE STARTS BACK UP THE RACETRACK. HE CAN'T SEE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE. THAT CAUSED NADEAU TO SPIN. DICK: HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON IN FRONT OF HIM. LET'S WATCH FROM MARK MARTIN'S CAR. WHERE DO YOU GO? BUDDY: SEE WHAT MARK MARTIN DID? ALL THESE GUYS RUN RACES ON THE WEEKLY BASIS, HE WENT TO THE HIGH SIDE OF THE RACETRACK. A SELF-CLEANING RACETRACK, WHEN A WRECK HAPPENS ON THE TOP THEY GENERALLY GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE RACETRACK. KEN: AT THE INTERCHANGE ON PIT ROAD, RUSTY WALLACE COMES OUT FIRST. LET'S LOOK AT THIS TRACK WITH RUSTY WALLACE -- WITH BUDDY BAKER. BUDDY: LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. DOWN THROUGH THE DOGLEG, DOWN INTO TURN UNONE, CLOSE TO 200 MILES AN HOUR. 24 DEGREE BANKING IN TURNS ONE AND TWO, AND DOWN THE LONG BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. SPEEDS CLOSE TO 200 MILES AN HOUR AS YOU APPROACH TURN THREE. TURN THREE, YOU GO VERY LOW ON THEACETRACK, AND ON TURN FOUR, THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY, THE BUMP COMING OFF THE CORNER AND BACK TO THE START/FINISH LINE. KEN: THAT'S WHAT THEY DO ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS AROUND HERE. COVER THAT DISTANCE IN ABOUT 28 SECONDS. THERE YOU SEE NADEAU'S NUMBER 13 BACK ON PIT ROAD. SECOND CAR THAT SPUN AS HE TRIED TO AVOID BRADBERRY. SHOWING 38 LAPS COMPLETE. RUSTY WALLACE HAS TAKEN SECOND PLACE NOW. GUESS WHAT? HIS LITTLE BROTHER, KENNY WALLACE WILL BE OUT IN FRONT. HOW ABOUT THAT PIT STOP BY NUMBER 81? OR DID HE STOP? DICK: HE DIDN'T STOP. HE IS JUST NOW STOPPED SO HE HAD THE LEAD FOR A LITTLE BIT. HE CAME AROUND PICKED UP HIS FIVE BONUS POINTS AND THEN WENT INTO THE PIT AREA. KEN: AND RUSTY WALLACE WILL NOW BE THE LEADER WITH JEFF GORDON SECOND, MARK MARTIN THIRD, JOHN ANDRETTI IN FOURTH. THEY GET READY TO GO. HERE'S EARNHARDT BACK ON PIT ROAD. MIKE HOGEWOOD? MIKE: THEY'RE MAKING YET ANOTHER CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT. LARRY MCREYNOLDS AND DALE EARNHARDT CAUSED IT. THEY DIDN'T GET THE WORK DONE THEY THE FIRST TAME. DALE HAS TURNED THE WHEELS OUT TOWARD THE GRAND STANDS, THEY'RE CHECKING THE TOE END AND ALSO THE CHASSIE. IT IS NOT FEELING RIGHT TO DALE AND HE SAID LET'S GET THIS THING FIXED NOW WHILE WE'RE UNDER CAUTION. HE'S WILLING TO GO TO THE BACK NOW FIGURING IF THEY GET IT RIGHT HE CAN GO TO THE FRONT. KEN: THEY CAME IN 39TH OR 40TH ON THE FIELD. WE'LL SEE HOW IT SHAKES OUT AS EARNHARDT PULLS BACK OUT AGAIN. RIGHT DOWN HERE IN TURNS ONE AND TWO WHERE HE HAD THAT BIG INCIDENT WITH DRET ANDRETTI BACK IN THE WINSTON. BRUISED THE RIBS BADDY. BUDDY? BUDDY: YOU CAN SEE THE CARS GOING BACK AND FORTH AS THEY GO DOWN WITH ONE LAP TO GO BEFORE THE GREEN COMES BACK OUT. KEN: HERE ARE DALE EARNHARDT'S THOUGHTS ON HIS SEASON AND HOW IT'S GONE SO FAR. >> YOU WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE HAD A BETTER SEASON ALREADY EVEN THOUGH YOU WON THE DAYTONA 500, BUT RUNS CLOSER RACES HAVE BEEN MORE COMPETITIVE. TALLADEGA WAS COMPETITIVE. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT TEXAS. BUT MARTINSVILLE WAS THE FOURTH. YOU NEED A LOT OF TOP FIVES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO WIN, AND WE HAVEN'T BEEN THERE. AND QUALIFYING HAS BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR US. AND LARRY AND THE GUYS THEY WORK SO HARD IT'S JUST DEFEATING WHEN YOU DO RUN BAD. YOU KEEP WORKING ON IT. YOU JUST KEEP DETERMINATION, KEEP WORKING HARD, AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL COME. DICK: NOT TO WORRY ABOUT DALE EARNHARDT DOING WELL FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK. IN THIS RACE IN 1993 HE WAS PENALIZED FOR SPEEDING ON PIT ROAD AND PENALIZED A LAP. NASCAR DECIDED HE HAD SPUN GREG SACKS, GUESS WHAT HE DID? WON THE RACE. HE'S BACK IN THE PACK AGAIN, BUT DON'T EVER, EVER, EVER COUNT DALE EARNHARDT OUT UNLESS THE CAR IS ON THE TRAILER. EVEN THEN I'M NOT SURE. BUDDY: WE TALK ABOUT DALE EARNHARDT, BUT THESE GUYS REALLY DEPEND ON GREAT PIT CREWS ALSO, HE HAS ONE OF THE BEST PIT STOPS EVERY TIME HE COMES IN. AND PEOPLE WORKING ON THAT CAR ARE GREAT, TOO. KEN: NOTICE ON THE BACK, THE SPOILER, THAT RED, ORANGE COLOR, THOSE FIVE GUYS AFTER THAT $1 MILLION BONUS, EACH HAVE THE SAME COLOR ON THEIR REAR SPOILER. THAT'S ANOTHER WAY TO KEEP TRACK OF THE TOP FIVE. DICK: RUSTY WALLACE A GREAT BENEFICIARY OF THAT CAUTION FLAG. HE WENT IN AND PITTED IN SIXTH POSITION. HE'S NOW IN FIRST POSITION. A LIGHTNING STOP HE HAD. KEN: AND WARD BURTON WENT FROM FIRST TO FIFTH. DICK: RUSTY IS RIGHT IN TH MIDDLE OF THE POINTS RIGHT NOW. HE'S GOING TO GET IT IF HE COMES BY HERE. KEN: SEE THAT ORANGE-RED SPOILER ON NUMBER TWO. LET'S GO TO ALLEN BESTWICK. ALLEN: INTERESTING STORY DOWN HERE BETWEEN KENNY WALLACE AND TED MUSGRAVE. THERE ARE ONLY 42 PIT STOPS ON PIT ROAD, 43 STARTERS. THAT MEANS THOSE TWO GUYS SHARE THE PIT. THEREFORE, IF THEY WERE IN A RACE GOING TO THAT FIRST CAUTION FLAG. THE GUY THAT GOT THERE FIRST WAS ABLE TO PIT FIRST. THE GUY THAT GOT THERE BEHIND THE OTHER HAD TO WAIT AND COME AROUND AND TAKE A SECOND TIME. KENNY WALLACE FINISHED SECOND TO MUSGRAVE. HE PICKED UP FIVE BONUS POINTS WHEN THE LEADERS CAME IN BUT HE LOST 10 POSITIONS AFTER HE PITTED FOR THE SECOND GO-AROUND. INTERESTING SCENARIO AROUND HERE. BUDDY: YOU WOULD THINK IT WAS 10 LAPS TO GO AS THEY GO OFF INTO TURN THREE THERE. YOU CAN SEE RUSTY WALLACE FIGHTING JEFF GORDON SIDE-BY-SIDE. DICK: THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT THIS IS ONE OF NASCAR'S MOST PRECICIOUS RACE TRACKS. AS THE TEMPERATURE RISES AND FALLS, RIGHT NOW WITH WE'RE SEEING PRETTY BRIGHT SUN. THAT'S GOING TO GO AWAY IN A LITTLE WHILE. THIS PLACE DRIVES THE MECHANICS NUTS AS THEY TRY TO ADJUST THE CARS. BUDDY: AND THEY'RE STILL SIDE-BY-SIDE. THEY HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO WORK ON THESE CARS. HERE COMES JOHN ANDRETTI IN FOURTH PLACE. HE'S GOING TO MAKE A RACE OUT OF THIS AND WARD BURTON. KEN: BOBBY LABONTE IS THERE. JERRY MAYFIELD. WITH GORDON LEADING THE LAP, HE'S NOW LED IN 10 OF THE 11 RACES IN WHICH HE'S PARTICIPANTED. LOOK AT THIS STRUGGLE. FORD AGAINST CHEVROLET. YOU'D THINK IT WAS THE FINAL LAP. STILL LAP 45 TO BE COMPLETED THIS TIME BY. DICK: THIS IS WHAT THEY ALL DIME SEE. BUDDY: THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH RUNNING SIDE-BY-SIDE, THE CAR INSIDE IS LEANING ON THE TIRES. JEFF GORDON GETTING A LITTLE BETTER GRIP AS THEY COME OFF TURN TWO. HERE COMES WALLACE BACK ON THE INSIDE. ANYTIME YOU MAKE A SHOULDER TURN IN THE CORNER, YOU PUT A LITTLE MORE HEAT IN THE TIRE. LATER ON THAT COULD HURT RUSTY A LITTLE BIT. KEN: USING THAT OUTSIDELINE, JEFF GORDON PULLS UP HALF A CAR LENGTH AS THEY COME BACK INTO THE MAIN STRAIGHTAWAY. BUDDY: WE TALKED SO MUCH ABOUT EVERYBODY ADJUSTING ON THEIR CAR. THEY'RE EVALUATING WHAT THEY NEED LATER ON IN THE RACE RIGHT NOW TO BE ABLE TO PASS THAT 24 CAR. KEN: FORD AGAINST CHEVY FOR THE FRONT SPOT IN THE COCA-COLA 600. 46 LAPS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. KEN: WE'RE BACK WITH YOU LIVE. JUST OUT OF TURN FOUR JIMMY SPENCER'S DONE A 360 DOWN ACROSS THE GRASS. WE'RE WORKING LAP 51. AND SPENCER, A LUCKY GUY, BUDDY. BUDDY: YOU CAN SEE THE FRONT VEIL YENS ON THAT CAR IS BENT BACK A LITTLE BIT. THAT'S THE FRONT PART BELOW THE GRILL THERE. ALL FOUR TIRES LOOK LIKE THEY SPARKED A LITTLE BIT AS HE TRIES TO GO BACK OUT IF THESE TIRES COME APART, IT WILL BEAT THE INSIDE OF THE TIRES THERE AND MAKE IT AWFUL FOR 600 MILES. KEN: TAKE A LOOK AT JIMMY SPENCER. OH, IT'S BEGINNING TO HAPPEN THERE. YOU CAN SEE THAT LEFT FRONT FENDER. WATCH AGAIN WHAT HAPPENED IN TURN FOUR. BUDDY: HE GOT A LITTLE NUTS THERE. IT LOOKED LIKE ERNIE IRVAN THERE GOT IN THE BACK OF SPENCER, TURNED HIM AROUND AS THEY STARTED AROUND. HE MADE A LITTLE BIT OF CONTACT AGAIN. BUT LISTEN IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPIN, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT. VERY LITTLE DAMAGE TO THAT CAR. KEN: SECOND CAUTION OF THE DAY. DICK: THAT'S BURTON GOING THROUGH THE IFFLED. THAT'S WHERE THE BLACK CAME FROM. KEN: I THOUGHT THAT WAS BURTON UP UNDER HIM THERE. DICK: YUP. KEN: RATHER WARD BURTON. ONE OF THOSE GUYS. DICK: LOOK AT THAT NUMBER 23. THANK GOODNESS FOR THE INNER LINERS. HE WAS ABLE TO BRING IT BACK INTO THE PIT AREA WITHOUT MAJOR DAMAGE. FOUR FRESH TIRES ON THAT NUMBER 23. RANDY: SPENCER WAS IN CRINKLED SHEET METAL BEHIND THE LEFT TIRE. BOTH FRONT TIRES ABSOLUTELY FLAT. THE DAMAGE SEEMS TO BE MORE COSMETIC. THE GOOD THING THAT HAPPENS EARLY ON, THEY HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO MASSAGE THIS CAR AND GET IT BACK TO SHAPE. NOT SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE FOR JIMMY SPENCER, BUT HE'S GOT SOME TERRIBLE TRACK POSITION. HE'LL PROBABLY BE BACK IN IT. KEN: THAT'S GOING TO DUMP HIM ON THE TAIL END OF THINGS HERE, FORMER MODIFIED CHAMPION, COUPLE OF VICTORIES A FEW YEARS BACK. JUNIOR JOHNSON. WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK. KEN: BACK LIVE AT THE CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. CHECK OUT ALL THE INCAR CAMERA ACTION ON-LINE AT IT HAS SUPERSTATION.COM. WATCH THE RACE FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT AT IT HASSUPERSTATION.COM. WATCHING JEFF GORDON. ON FIVE PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AMONG FOUR DRIVERS. S.T.P. PIT ROUNDUP. WE'LL START WITH RANDY THIS TIME. RANDY: JIMMY SPENCER HAS BEEN ON PIT ROAD A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE PROBLEM THEY HAVE IS THE BRACE HAS BROKEN LOOSE ON THE FRONT VALENCE OF THE CAR. REALLY NO WAY TO FIX THAT. THEY'RE GOING TRY TO PROP IT UP. HE'LL BE BACK IN FOR A LITTLE MORE WORK. NO SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. HE DID SAY HE THOUGHT MAYBE HIS TIRE WAS CUT DOWN PRIOR TO THE WRECK. ALAN? ALLEN: DICK HAD FALLEN BACK A LITTLE, A LITTLE MISCOMMUNICATION, WON OF THE TIRE CHANGERS LOOSENED THE LUG NUTS ON THE LEFT FRONT. THEY HAD TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET IT FIXED BACK UP. TO STEVE BYRNES. STEVE: SOME NERVOUS MOMENTS FOR JEFF GORDON. JEFF REPORTED OVER THE RADIO THAT HE THOUGHT THE MOTOR WAS MISSING. WELL, THEY SWITCHED IGNITION BOXES AND THEN SWITCHED BACK. THERE'S TWO IGNITION BOXES INSIDE EACH CAR. NOW HE SAYS IT SOUNDS FINE AND IT'S NOT MISSING OR SKIPPING ANYMORE. MIKE? MIKE: MOST OF THE TEAMS STILL CHASING IT, THAT CHUZZ JOE NEMECHEK. THEY FRIED TO LOOSE ENIT UP A LITTLE BIT, DALE EARNHARDT IN FOR TWO MORE TIRES AND ANOTHER JUDGMENT. HE'S STILL NOT HAPPY. KEN? KEN: WE'RE WATCHING NUMBER 99 BACK ON PIT ROAD. JEFF BURTON COMING IN. SEE IF WE CAN GET AI REPORT ON THAT ONE. DICK: A LOT OF THE CARS TOOK AN OPPORTUNITY TO PIT AT THAT POINT. RANDY? RANDY: JEFF BURTON WILL BE BACK IN. HE'S A LITTLE RIGHT FRONT FENDER DAMAGE. NOTHING SIGNIFICANT, BUT HE'S BEEN ON PIT ROAD ONCE AND WILL PROBABLY BE BACK IN. KEN: CAUGHT UP WITH NUMBER 23 AS JIMMY SPENCER WAS SPINNING IN TURN FOUR. JIMMY SPENCER HAS PITTED ANOTHER TIME AND COME OUT. YOU HAVE WARD BURT YN IN FIFTH WITH BOBBY LABONTE IN FIFTH AND MAYFIELD RUNNING IN SEVENTH. WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER QUICK BREAK HERE AT LAP 56 AND THEN RETURN. >> IT'S A TOUGH RACE. IT'S A LONG RACE. IT STARTS, BASICALLY, IN THE DAYTIME, AND GOES INTO NIGHTTIME. AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT THE RACE IS WON AT NIGHT, AND SO SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP A LITTLE BIT DURING THE DAY. BUT THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO INTERESTING WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS RACE IS THAT THE TRACK CHANGES SO MUCH OVER A 600-MILE RACE. AND THE FANS CAN BE WINNERS ALSO. BECAUSE IF THEY WANT TO HELP TO SAVE SOMEBODY'S LIFE CLOSE-UP TOOTH PASTE IS DOING THE CHALLENGE WHERE IF YOU CALL THE NUMBER, NOT ONLY CAN YOU HELP SAVE SOMEBODY'S LIFE, BUT CLOSE-UP WILL ALSO DONATE $1 FOR EVERY CALL THEY RECEIVE. DICK: 1-800-MARROW-2. THAT'S WELL WORTH DOING. KEN: HERE WE ARE AT 58 LAPS COMPLETE? HAD A GREAT START. HAD WARD BURTON JUST SCOOP DOWN INTO TURN TWO. LOOKED LIKE JEFF GORDON, HE PULLED IT OFF ON THE LEAD AS HE WENT INTO TURN ONE. AND THEN WARD DROVE AROUND HIM AND AWAY. LED FOR A WHILE. MARK MARTIN HAS BEEN UP THERE SHOWING A WILL THE 6 STUFF. WE'VE SEEN EARNHARDT IN AND OUT. HE SEEMS TO BE PRETTY WELL SET NOW. AND READY TO GIVE IT A GOOD GO. HE'LL COME FROM 25TH POSITION ON THIS RESTART, WHICH IS UP COMING IN ABOUT HALF A LAP. DICK: FOR THOSE WHO THINK JEFF GORDON IS INVISIBLE, YOU JUST HAD TO HANG AROUND CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY A WEEK OR SO. LAST WEEK THEY RAN OUT OF GAS WITH VICTORY IN SIGHT. YESTERDAY MORNING, TEAM DRIVER IN THE CAR, FLAT TIRE, CAR IN THE WALL. THEY HAD TO WORK ALL DAY YESTERDAY TO GET IT RIGHT. AND TODAY, RAY EVERNHAM IS SPORTING A BLACK EYE. WORKING ON THE CAR ONE OF THE GRINDSING WHEELS CAME APART. IT'S A GOOD THING HE WAS HERRING SAFETY GLASSES. HE SAID THE TEAM PULLED TOGETHER AND THAT'S WHAT GAVE HIM THE CONFIDENCE THAT TONIGHT WOULD BE THE NIGHT. STEVE: THIS RACE STARTED AFTER 6:00 P.M. EASTERN, BUT THE GARAGE OPENED AT 11:00 THIS MORNING, AND ALL THE TEAMS WERE IN HERE WORKING HARD. HERE'S WHAT THEY DID FOR SEVEN HOURS BEFORE THE RACE. THIS IS RUSTY WALLACE'S PIT BOX. THEY HAVE A LIST THAT HAS DIFFERENT DESIGNATIONS, UNDER THE CAR, REAR SUSPENSIONS, YOU SEE THESE DIFFERENT ITEMS. THEY HAVE THE BODY, INTENOR, TRUNK, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FRONT SUSPENSION, AND MOTOR, 161 DIFFERENT ITEMS THEY CHECK, AND THE MECHANIC INVOLVED SIGNS HIS INITIALS TO IT. KEN: AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT. WALLACE IN FOURTH SPOT. GORDON CHALLENGED, MARK MARTIN IS THERE. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN CAME OFF TURN TWO AND TOOK THE LEAD FROM JEFF GORDON. AND JEFF BEHIND HIM, JOHN ANDRETTI SHOWING A LOT OF EARLY MUSCLE. DICK: NOBODY SHOWING MORE MUSCLE SO FAR THAN THAT NUMBER 6 CAR, THEY EVER SO STRONG TONIGHT. KEN: WARD BURTON IS TRITE THERE IN FIFTH. BOBBY LABONTE IN SIXTH. MAYFIELD IN SEVENTH. LOOK AT THIS GANG IN FRONT. BUDDY: AS REPORTED EARLIER, MARK MARTIN'S CAR IS A LITTLE LOOSE WITH THE CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND HIM, HERE'S JEFF GORDON RIGHT BACK BY MARTIN. HE MOVES TO THE OUTSIDE. JOHN ANDRETTI THOUGHT MAYBE MOVING INTO SECOND, BUT THOUGHT BETTER OF IT. KEN: MARTIN LOOKS BACK AND SEES ANDRETTI THERE AS JEFF GORDON GOES OUT IN FRONT. AND HERE COMES MARTIN ON THE OUTSIDE ANOTHER TIME. WAIT A MINUTE GUYS, THIS IS 600 MILES. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN DRIVES IT DEEP DOWN IN THE CORNER, AND REASSUMES THE LEAD. JEFF GORDON JUST BEHIND HIM TRYING TO CLOSE BACK UP. DICK: PRETTY INTENSE COMPETITION FOR THIS EARLY ON, THE OLDEST STOCK CAR RACE IN AMERICA. THEY HAVE TO GO 600 MILES BUT THEY'RE MAKING THIS THIS IS A 25-LAP SHOOT-OUT. KEN: LOOK AT BOBBY LABONTE. WORKING ON BURTON IN THE 2 T THERE'S TERRY LABONTE ON PIT ROAD. AND SMOLDERING THERE. GOING A LAP DOWN. THEY ROASTED THAT ROOSTER. BUDDY: TWO PONTIACS BATTLING SIDE-BY-SIDE. THE EARLY LEADER, WARD BURTON AND BOBBY LABONTE DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY WITH JEREMY MAYFIELD PUSHING ALONG BEHIND THEM. KEN: AND DALE JARRETT HELPING THAT PUSH. AND LOOK AT BENSON. LOOK AT THE FIVE CAR AND WHAT HAPPENED HERE. DICK: OH, BOY. THAT'S RIGHT OUT OF THE EXHAUST, OUT THE LEFT SIDE. RANDY PEMBERTON? RANDY: TERRY LABONTE DID NOT HAVE ENGINE FAILURE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT HE HAD A LEFT FRONT WHEEL COME LOOSE AND IT DAMAGED THE SUSPENSION. THEY HAVE TAKEN THE KELLOGGS MACHINE BEHIND THE WALL. UNBELIEVABLE. BUDDY: YOU CAN SEE IT WENT INTO THE OUTSIDE PART OF THE FENDER, IT WAS RUBBING SEVERE. THEY HAD TO COME IN AND GET IT FIXED BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BLOWN THAT TIRE OUT. KEN: MAYFIELD IN SEVENTH. RIDING WITH JARRETT. BACK TO THE STRIPE. KEVIN LEPAGE PITTING ANOTHER TIME. FALLING BACK. HE AND NADEAU THE TWO ROOKIES ON THE TAIL END OF THIS FIELD. LEPAGE DOWN A LAP EARLIE HADLY. BUDDY: GREAT BATTLE HERE JEREMY MAYFIELD LEADS THE GROUP. DALE JARRETT SIDE-BY-SIDE WITH WARD BURTON AS THEY HEAD INTO TURN THREE. BEHIND THEM YOU CAN SEE ERNIE IRVAN FIGHTING JOHNNY BENSON. KEN: MAYFIELD IN SIX, BURTON SEVEN, JARRETT EIGHT, BENSON NINTH AND IRVAN TENTH. DICK: BENSON HAS COME UP FROM 39 IN THAT YELLOW 26 CAR, AN INCREDIBLE DRIVE. THE CAR HAD BEEN VERY, VERY LOOSE. WHAT THEY DID TO IT IS ALMOST BEYOND BELIEF. THEY WENT UNDERNEATH THAT CAR WITH THE TORCHES. THEY MOVED THE LITTLE BRACKETS THAT ATTACH THE LOWER AFRAME AND REWELD IT IN A DIFFERENT POSITION, CHANGED THE LOCATION OF THE REAR END, CROSSED THEIR FINGERS AND IT HAS WORKED. BUDDY: THAT WAS VERY, VERY CLOSE. ERNIE IRVAN MOVING JUST UNDER WARD BURTON. THEY ALMOST MADE CONTACT COMING OFF TURN FOUR. JUST BEHIND THEM CHAD LITTLE IN THE GREEN CAR THERE. KEN: HE'S COME UP FROM 24TH POSITION, CHAD LITTLE IN THAT NUMBER 97. HE'S ROLLING. KEN: MARTIN STAYS IN FRONT. GORDON IN SECOND. LOOKING FURTHER BACK, FOLLOWING THIS BATTLE BACK AROUND TO NINTH, 10TH, 11TH POSITIONS, BURTON AND CHAD LITTLE. PULLING OUT TO ABOUT A 10-CAR LENGTH ADVANTAGE, MARK MARTIN OVER GORDON. SOME SPACE UP IN FRONT. NOT MUCH BACK HERE. BUDDY: NOT MUCH AT ALL. THESE CARS ARE JUST INCHES APART. AS YOU CAN SEE ERNIE IRVAN GOT IN THE CORNER JUST A LITTLE BIT, PUSHED UP, HERE'S WARD BURTON CHALLENGING HIM ON THE INSIDE. A LITTLE BIT OF CONTACT THERE AS THEY COME OFF TURN TWO. JOHNNY BENSON -- OH. CHAD LITTLE MAKES IT THREE WIDE. DICK: WELL, I GUESS THAT'S ASSERTING YOURSELF. BUDDY: THERE'S NOTHING RUN FROM A DEAR. BUT I'M TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW CHAD LITTLE IS FLYING THROUGH HERE. DICK: THAT'S THE CAR HE FINISHED SECOND IN TEXAS, THAT'S HIS CAREER BEST EVER FINISH IN ALL THE YEARS OF WINSTON CUP RACING THIS GUY HAS DONE. HE'S GOT IT HUMMING TONIGHT. KEN: LOOK AT STERLING MARLIN PULLING ALONG. HOIP YOU'RE RIGHT. STERLING MARLIN IN THE CAR ON THE OUTSIDE, GOES BY CHAD LITTLE AS THEY HEAD DOWN INTO TURN THREE. HE'S DOING IT THE HARD WAY. HE'S ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE RACETRACK WAY UP HIGH, YOU CAN SEE KEN SCHRADER, ANOTHER GUY WHO'S RACING FOR $1 MILLION BONUS TONIGHT, COMING ALONG FOLLOWING STERLING MARLIN UP THROUGH THE CROWD. KEN: STERLING MARLIN HAVING A VERY GOOD RUN. HE STARTED THIS RACE IN 30TH POSITION. NOW BEING SHOWN IN 11TH. WITH SCHRADER RIGHT THERE WITH HIM. KEN SCHRADER ANOTHER CANDIDATE TO WIN THAT $1 MILLION BONUS. YOU CAN TELL FROM THAT RED SPOILER. IS THAT RED OR ORANGE? DICK: IT'S A REDDISH COLOR. THE OTHER WAY YOU CAN TELL IF YOU GET A RIGHT SIDE LOOK AT THE CARS, WHICH IS HARD TO DO HERE, BUT THEY HAVE A BIG DOLLAR SIDE ON THE RIGHT SIDE WINDOW AND A DUCK ON THE WINDSHIELD RIGHT BY THE ROOF. KEN: SAME COLOR AS THE SPOILER. BUDDY: IT WILL ALL TURN GREEN FOR THE GUY THAT WINS IT, WHEN THAT SPOILER, IF EVERYBODY IS WITH HIM ON THE LAST LAP, $1 MILLION BONUS. WHAT A PAYDAY. KEN: NUMBER 97 HANGS IN THERE. CHAD LITTLE, 13TH WITH SCHRADER. BATTLING FOR 12TH FOR THE MOMENT SCHRADER HAS IT. LITTLE FALLS BACK ANOTHER TIME. KEN: THE GREAT AMERICAN SPRINTER, JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE AND MICHAEL WALTRIP GOT TOGETHER TO DISCUSS BIG EVENTS COMING TO TBS. A MICHAEL, I GOT THE GOOD WILL GAMES IN JULY? NEW YORK. WHAT DO YOU HAVE GOING ON IN JULY? >> AIM NOT THAT FAR AWAY, I'M UP IN PENNSYLVANIA RACING IN THE PENNSYLVANIA 500. MAYBE IF I GET A CHANCE I CAN SEE YOU. >> I HOPE SO. I'M GOING TO TRY TO CATCH YOU ON TBS. >> IT'S ON TBS, AND SO IS THE GOOD WILL GAMES. IF I DON'T MAKE IT UP THERE I'LL TUNE IN AS WELL. CHURCH COMING JULY 19, TO NEW YORK, THE GOOD WILL GAMES COMING TO YOU ON TBS. MICHAEL WALTRIP RUNNING CURRENTLY IN 21ST -- NO, A LITTLE FURTHER BACK. SEE WHERE MICHAEL IS. 31ST. HE'S A LAP DOWN AT THE PRESENT TIME. THERE'S YOUR LEADER, IT'S MARK MARTIN IN FRONT, AND HIS LEAD HAS EXTENDED TO 20 CAR LENGTHS HAS BEEN CUT DOWN CONSIDERABLY HERE RECENTLY. JEFF GORDON'S CLIMBING BACK INTO THIS PICTURE. .7 DOWN IS GORDON TO MARK MARTIN, THE LEADER. GORDON IN SECOND, JOHN ANDRETTI RIGHT THERE READY ON THAT THIRD SPOT TO SEE IF HE CAN DO SOMETHING WITH T HERE HE COMES, THERE YOU GET A SENSE OF THE INTEGRAL BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD. TAKE A LOOK AT JOHNNY BENSON, WHAT A RUN HE'S HAVING, BUDDY. UP TO SIX. BUDDY: HE'S HAVING A GREAT RUN. THE CAR SEEMS TO WORK WELL ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE RACETRACK, BUT BOBBY LABONTE HAS TRIED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES TO PASS HIM, HE'S BEEN ALL THE WAY OUTSIDE-BY-SIDE WITH HIM, THAT'S SHOWING A LOT OF MUSCLE ON THE HIGH SIDE. LOOK HERE, BOBBY SAID IT WORKED FOR YOU, I MIGHT TRY IT. KEN: FROM 39 POSITION, JOHNNY BENSON INTO SIXTH. BOBBY LABONTE IS RIGHT THERE WORKING ON HIM, BUT NOT GETTING AROUND HIM. DICK: DOWN TO THE PITS AND LOOK AND SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH TERRY LABONTE'S CAR. >> THE ENSTIRE FRONT END, LEFT FRONT END ASSEMBLY, THE HUB WAS BROKEN ON TERRY LABONTE'S CAR. THEY DON'T KNOW WHY IT CAME APART. THEY REPLACED THE BRAKE ROLLER AND THE BRAKE CAL PERFECT, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE GOING TO TIGHTEN THINGS UP AND TERRY LABONTE WILL BE BACK ON THE RACETRACK. DISAPPOINTMENT FOR HIM. NEVER TOOK THE WINDOW NET DOWN. KEN: THAT WILL PUT HIM OUT OF THE PICTURE AS FAR AS TAKING THIS 600. WHOA, LOOK AT JIMMY SPENCER TRYING TO MAKE THAT MOVE AND COMING UNDER RICKY RUDD ON THAT TIDE CAR. BUDDY: THEY CALL HIM MR. EXCITEMENT. YOU CAN SEE WERE WHY. UP ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE RACETRACK, TURNING HARD LEFT, GOES BY RICKY RUDD ON THE BOTTOM SIDE AND BRINGS MICHAEL WALTRIP WITH HIM. KEN: THAT GIVES HIM 26 POSITION FOR JIMMY SPENCER AS HE FIGHTS HIS WAY BACK IN. IF YOU MISSED IT HE HAD A WILD RIDE OF HIS OWN LITTLE MERRY-GO-ROUND AT 180 MILES AN HOUR ON TURN FOUR, BROUGHT OUT CAUTION EARLIER BUT HE'S BACK IN HERE AND STILL TRUCKING. DICK: NUMBER 44 ON THE BOTTOM, BIG CHARITY RIDE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND DONATED SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $350,000 TO $450,000 TO A VARIETY OF CHARITIES. KEN: THAT FIVE CAR IS GETTING READY TO COME BACK ON THE TRACK. THERE IT IS TERRY LABONTE ROLLING OUT. HOW LONG WOULD THAT TAKE IF YOU WENT TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE TO GET THAT WORK DONE? BUDDY: IT WOULD TAKE TWO WEEKS. LET ME TELL YOU, THE REAL DAMAGE WAS DONE ON THE POINTS. THAT SETS HIM BACK A LONG WAYS. WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, YOU DON'T WANT THINGS LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN. DICK: IT'S DEJA VU, YOU THINK ABOUT IT BACK IN MAY OF 1995, JEFF GORDON WON THE POLE FOR THIS RACE AND HAD A RIGHT FRONT HUB FAIL AND WOUND UP SPENDING TIME BEHIND PIT WALL AS WELL. THEY ARE TEAMMATES. KEN: HERE'S MARK MARTIN, STILL WORKING. BUDDY: LOOK AT THIS. DALE JARRETT'S RUN RUSTY WALLACE DOWN. HE'S PULLED WITHIN A CAR LENGTH OF HIM. YOU CAN SEE RUSTY HAVING TROUBLE GETTING OFF THE CORNER RIGHT THERE AS DALE JARRETT GETS A GREAT RUN DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. THEY GO EVEN AS THEY HEAD TO RN THREE. KEN: IT'S DALE JARRET ON THE BOTTOM THERE. HE'S TAKEN THE FOURTH SPOT AWAY FROM RUSTY WALLACE. DICK: HE HAS WON TWO OUT OF THE LAST FOUR WINSTON CUP RACES HELD HERE AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. THE TEAM REALLY KNOWS WHAT THEY'RE DOING. HE IS EVER SO GOOD AT THIS RACE TRACK. HE'S ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE TRACK DOWN. BUDDY: YOU SEE JEREMY MAYFIELD WORKING ON BOBBY LABONTE THERE, ABLE TO RUN THE VERY LOW PART OF THE RACE TRACK. BOBBY LABONTE'S CAR DIDN'T GIVE UP AND THEN STARTED MOVING UP AS YOU SEE MAYFIELD GOING TO TURN THREE. RIGHT AROUND THE RACE TRACK, THE PREFERED LINE FOR QUICK LAPS HERE. KEN: WE'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT THE $1 MILLION BONUS. JEREMY MAYFIELD, IF HE CAN WIN THE RACE TODAY DOLL A GOOD BY THE BETTER THAN THAT AS THE POINTS LEADER. THERE'S $110,000 BONUS TONIGHT FECK WIN THE RACE. IT WILL PUT HIM ON THE WINNER'S CIRCLE NEXT YEAR, MORE THAN $300 GRAND, ABOUT $250,000 IN PRIZE MONEY. THAT'S ABOUT $1,700,000. IT'S HIS BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK ON WEDNESDAY. WHAT A BIRTHDAY PRESIDENT. -- PRESENT. DICK: SEVENTH SPOT. KEN: PRESENT TIME, MAYFIELD, LABONTE, AND IRVAN BATTLING. MAYFIELD HAS TAKEN WITH A THEN LOST HIS GRIP. BUDDY: HE'S STILL ABLE TO RUN LOW. BOBBY LABONTE IS HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE HOLDING THAT CAR DOWN. IT LOOKS AS THOUGH HE'S TRYING TO RUN FAST THROUGH THE CORNER AND NOT LOOSE A LOT OF POSITION. THE CAR MUST HAVE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE HANDLING AT THIS POINT. KEN: ONE OF THOSE ROOKIE CANDIDATES OUT IN BACK. THERE'S STIRLING MARLIN'S NUMBER 40, HE'S IN 10TH SPOT. RIGHT WITH HIM COMES WARD BURTON IN THE NUMBER 22. HE WAS THE GUY THAT LED IN THOSE FIRST 30 LAPS. LOOK AT THIS BATTLE CONTINUE. JOINT FOR SEVENTH SPOT, LABONTE VERSUS MAYFIELD. JEREMY MAYFIELD IN THE NUMBER 12. OUST TURN, BACK DOWN. BUDDY: HE MAKES THE MOVE. WATCH HOW QUICK HE PULLS AWAY FROM BOBBY. BOBBY HAD THE THIRD LINE ON THE EYESIGHT, HE COULDN'T GET BACK IN THE FRONT WHERE HE WANTS TO AND USED A LOT OF THE RACE TRACK BACK IN THE CORNER. >> THREE DRIVERS AT INDY TODAY. ONE OF THEM, STEVE NAP, COMES HOME THIRD. CONGRATULATIONS. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'RE VERY PLEASED FOR STEVE. HE HAD A GOOD RUN, ALL THREE CARS HAD A GOOD RUN UNTIL WE HAD ONE GET CAUGHT NEWSPAPER AN ACCIDENT. HOPEFULLY WE'RE BRINGING ALL THE GOOD LUCK WITH US FOR TEAM TOBASCO HERE TONIGHT. >> YOU'VE HAD A BUSY MEMORIAL DAY. >> IT IS. BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO BE AT THE COCA-COLA 600. THESE GUY DOZEN A GREAT JOB DOWN HERE. I'M PLEASED TO BE DOWN HERE TO WATCH IT. >> THIS IS ONE HAPPY CAR OWNER, KEN. KEN: LET'S ASK HIM ABOUT JIM GUTHRIE, HIS DRIVER WHO WAS SO HURT TODAY. OH, HERE'S THE BABY COMING OUT. THAT'S THE BRAND NEW ARRIVAL. TODD BODINE AND COMPANY, THURSDAY NO LESS. DICK: BOY DID HE TIME THAT RIGHT. JUST GOT TO THE HOSPITAL IN TIME TO BE THERE WITH HIS WIFE AND GET BACK WITHOUT MISSING A SINGLE BIT OF PRACTICE. MIKE: LET'S ASK ABOUT JIM GUTHRIE. >> HE WENT INTO SURGERY BEFORE I LEFT THE GROUND ON HIS LEG, TOP WISHBONE WENT THROUGH HIS LEG. IT WAS A PIERCING INJURY. BROKE THAT BONE IN HIS LEG. THEY'RE GOING TO PUT A PIN IN IT. HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT. HIS ARM'S A LITTLE SOAR, BUT HE'LL BE ALL RIGHT. MIKE: WE WISH THE BEST FOR JIM GUTHRIE IF HE'S WATCHING. >> THANK YOU VEX. KEN: THAT'S FOR THAT REPORT, TOO, MIKE HODGEWOOD. BUDDY: THERE'S THE FATHER. YOU CAN SEE HIM GOING DOWN IN THE CORNER THERE. LOOKS TO BE VERY STILL ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HE'LL BRING HIS HAND BACK OVER AS HE HEADS DOWN THE STRAIGHTAWAY. CHECKS THE MIRROR. ALL THE DAY'S WORK IN THE OFFICE. KEN: IF YOU'RE OUT IN THE GARDEN TODAY AND MISSED THE INDIANAPOLIS, OH, WHAT A GREAT VICTORY FOR EDDIE AS YOU WATCH MARK MARTIN HERE IN FRONT. EDDIE CHEEVER WAS VICTORIOUS HERE THIS AFTERNOON. HE WEARS THE AMERICAN COLORS THROUGH SO MANY DIFFICULT AND FRUSTRATING YEARS. HE STOOK WITH IT. IN THE MIDST OF HIS MAJOR FRUSTRATION, HE WAS ALWAYS A SE CHEEVER WIN AT INDIANAPOLIS. IT'S A GIRL FOR TEAM TOBASCO, KEN: WE'RE BACK WITH YOU, 97 LAPS NOW COMPLETE. 145 1/2 MILES ARE DOWN. JOHNNY BENSON'S ON THE MOVE. HE'S AROUND WALLACE. WALLACE IS SIXTH. MAYFIELD IS IN SEVENTH. ALLEN BESTWICK CAN TELL US MORE ABOUT JEREMY MAYFIELD. ALLEN: WHEN MAYFIELD CAME IN FOR HIS PIT STOP THEY WANTED HIM TO TAKE A LITTLE TAPE OFF THE GRILL OPENING ON THE CAR FOR ENGINE TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT. PROBLEM WAS, THEY ACCIDENTALLY PULLED ALL THE TAPE OFF THE GRILL WHICH ON THESE CARS GREATLY CHANGES THE HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MACHINE. RIGHT NOW MAYFIELD HAS LESS FRONT GRIP WITH THE FRONT TIRES THAN HE WANTS. PAUL SAYS WE NEED TO FIND TAPE TO GET BACK ON THE NOSE OF THIS THING, WE JUST CAN'T AFFORD TO DO IT ON A GREEN SLAG STOP. KEN: MAYFIELD HAS MOVED AROUND. WALLACE IS BACK TO SEVENTH. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH WALLACE, BUDDY? BUDDY: WALLACE CAN'T TOUCH THE THROTTLE COMING OFF THE CORNER. HE'S LOSING A LOT OF TIME. EVEN JEREMY MAYFIELD NOT EXACTLY PERFECT. HE GOT BY RUSTY WALLACE. RUSTY GETS IN THE CORNER, HE CAN'T GET OFF. KEN: THERE HE IS, RUSTY WALLACE IN THAT SEVENTH SPOT. MAYFIELD HAS JUST GONE BENEATH HIM. JOHN ANDRETTI ON PIT ROAD. ANDRETTI, HE'S BEEN RUNNING IN THAT TOP THREE OR FOUR. HERE COMES THAT NUMBER 40 CAR, STIRLING MARLIN IN EIGHTH. ANDRETTI MAKING AN UNSCHEDULED STOP HERE. HE HAS BEEN A CONTENDER ALL DAY UNTIL NOW. BUDDY: I LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A SCHEDULED STOP FOR THEM. THEY'RE GOING TO THE TIRES. THEY'RE CHANGING ALL FOUR TIRES. PUTTING THE FUEL NOW WITH THE 101-MILE MARK. I SHOULD SAY LAPS. KEN: BACK 150 MILES. ANDRETTI IS IN AND OUT. HERE COMES STIRLING MARLIN IN. SECOND TO PIT. WE'RE JUST TROD OPEN THE DOOR ON THAT SECOND ROUND OF PIT STOPS. ANDRETTI FIRST IN. HERE IS STIRLING MARLIN. HE'S BEEN RUNNING UP HERE AROUND THE TOP 10. TEAM HAS BEEN SCRAMBLING THIS YEAR, BUT MARLIN'S BEEN HAVING A GREAT RUN IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS 600-MILE RACE. BUDDY: 19-SECOND STOP FOR STIRLING MARLIN. THAT'S VERY, VERY GOOD FOR HIM IN FACT, THAT SPEED LIMIT DOWN PIT ROAD LOOKED LIKE THE CARS ABSOLUTELY STOP. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP IT SAFE FOR THESE COME IN FOR PIT STOPS. IT'S THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY. KEN: SHAKE A LITTLE OFF THE DISTANCE OF THE RACE. YOU'RE WATCHING AS SCHRADER COMES IN. THAT MEANS IF IT'S FIRST ACROSS THE LINE. KEN SCHRADER WAS FOURTH IN DAYTONA. TOP FIVE, OPPORTUNITY FOR A $1 MILLION BONUS. HERE'S HOOTHHODGE. MIKE: WARD WAS TELLING HIS CREW CHIEF THAT THE TRACK IS STARTING TO CHANGE JUST A LITTLE BIT. NOW TO STEVE BYRNES. STEVE: RUSTY WALL SLASS IN. AMAZING STORY, THE JACK MAN HAD KNEE SURGERY. HE HURT HIS KNEE PLAYING BASKETBALL AT THE CALIFORNIA RACE. IT'S AMAZING HE CAN GET AROUND THE CAR, MUCH LESS JACK IT. ANOTHER GREAT PIT STOP. KEN: MAYFIELD IS OUT OF GAS. MAYFIELD LANDED A LITTLE TOO THIN. BUDDY? BUDDY: HE IS REALLY LOSING A LOT OF TIME NOW TRYING TO GET INTO PIT ROAD AS HE MAKES HIS ENTRANCE RIGHT NOW. HE'S ACTUALLY GOT PRETTY GOOD SPEED NOW THAT HE'S RUNNING THE SPEED LIMIT. BUT HE COASTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH TURN THREE. KEN: THAT COULD BE A $1.7 MILLION BUNCH OF GAS THAT HE WAS SHORT. DICK: JEREMY MAYFIELD'S CAR DID COAST TO A STOP. MIKE: THE PROBLEM COMPOUNDED, WITH THE ENGINE NOT RUNNING, HE HAD TO TURN WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING. YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HEAR THE ENGINE REVVING NOW. FUEL, FOUR TIRES GOING ON. STILL WORKING. DOWN AND AWAY AND BACK ON TO THE TRACK. BUT HE'S LOST A LOT OF TIME. JEFF GORDON WAS JUST OFF PIT ROAD. THEY CHANGED FOUR TIRES, MADE A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT REAR TRANSFERRING WEIGHT TO THE LEFT FRONT. JEFF SAYING THE CAR WAS A LITTLE TIGHT. THEY WANT TO FREE IT UP A LITTLE BIT IN THE CORNERS. KEN: THERE'S YOUR LEADER, MARK MARTIN IN NUMBER SIX WITH 106 LAPS COMPLETE. SEE HOW HE TOOK THAT LEAD. >> BOBBY LABONTE. KEN: FROM SIXTH TO FIFTH. >> HE GOES BY JEFF GORDON. BUDDY: HE CAN NEIGHBORING MOVE ON THE BOTTOM AND THE TOP OF THE RACE TRACK. THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CAR WHERE YOU CAN RUN IT WHERE YOU NEED TO KEN: HE'S PROVEN HE'S GOT GOOD GAS MY LEDGE AS WELL, OUTLASTING THE REST. BOBBY LABONTE NOW IN. >> BOBBY LABONTE IS IN FOR SERVICE. NOT MAKING ANY CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS. JUST TIRES ON THIS SIDE. 17.2 SECONDS, A GREAT STOP FOR BOBBY LABONTE. KEN: DOING A GREAT JOB. HERE COMES THE BUDWEISER CAR, RANDY LAJOIE FOR RICKY CRAVEN AT THE CONTROLS. LOOK AT THIS PIT STOP. RANDY? RANDY: REMEMBER THEY'VE CUT THE SPEED DOWN TO 45 MILES PER HOUR. KEN: THOUGHT ABOUT THIS CHANGE BY NASCAR. BUDDY: NOW HE'S DOWN TO THE 4,000 RPM. YOU CAN SEE NOW AT THE END OF PIT ROAD. WATCH HIM ACCELERATE. HE'S NOT ALLOWED TO RETURN UNTIL HE GETS ON THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY INTO A RACING GRUFE. KEN: MARK MARTIN GIVING UP HIS PLACE AT LAP 110. >> MARK MARTIN AND HIS CREW WILL GET FOUR FRESH TIRES ON THE CAR, FUEL, NO ADJUSTMENTS. I ASKED IF THE TRACK HAS CHANGED ANY? HE SAID NO. THIS CAR IS RUNNING PERFECT. EVEN THOUGH GEAS TWILIGHT, THEY ARE ANTICIPATING THE TRACK TO CHANGE, BUT THEY AREN'T MAKING ADJUSTMENTS NOW. 19.1 SECONDS, GREAT PIT STOP FOR MARK MARTIN AND HIS CREW. KEN: HERE'S BENSON. WE TOLD YOU WHAT A RUN HE'S MADE. INTO THE TOP FIVE, JOHNNY BENSON, NUMBER 26 FROM GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. >> FROM 39TH TO THE FRONT, HE SAID HE WAS LOOSE GETTING INTO THE CORNER. IT WAS FOUR TIRES, AND JOHNNY BENSON IS AWAY. EXCELLENT STOP AT 19.5. KEN: NICE STOP FOR JOHNNY BENSON. MARTIN MAKE AGO GREAT RUN HERE. BUDDY: THERE'S YOUR NEW LEADER. KEN: NEMECHEK, BY HIMSELF. LAP 112. HE'S A CANDIDATE TO WIN IT ALL YESTERDAY IN THE 300. DICK: HE DOES WELL IN THE 300-MILE RACES. WON IT A YEAR AGO. KEN: TODAY TODAY. BUDDY: RIGHT NOW HE'S GOING BACK OUT. YOU CAN SEE HIM IN THE LOW GEAR THERE. HE'S DOWN TO 6,000 NOW. BACK GOING AROUND THE CORNER, HE'S ACTUALLY OUT OF THE PITS NOW. YOU CAN SEE HIM BELOW THE WHITE LINE. WHEN HE GETS BACK-ON THE STRAIGHTAWAY HEAL SHIFT INTO THIRD, WATCH HIM GO INTO FOURTH FEAR, AND INTO TURN THREE. ALREADY, ALL BACK UP TO 8,000. I GET BETTER AS WE GO HERE. KEN: HAVEN'T DONE IT THAT MUCH, HUH, BAKER? LEADER JOE NEMECHEK IS IN. LEADER IS IN. JEFF BURTON WILL INHERIT FIRST PLACE. KEN: BACK WITH YOU LIVE, AS WE WATCH MICHAEL WALTRIP MAKING A FOUR-TIRE CHANGE. GETTING READY FOR AN S.T.P. PIT ROUNDUP. THE GUY THAT WAS LEADING, JIMMY SPENCER, WHEN WE LEFT IS BACK IN THE FIELD, 28TH. HE'S MADE HIS FOUR-TIRE CHANGE. LESS' DO THAT S.T.P. PIT ROUNDUP RIGHT NOW AND GO TO RANDY. RANDY: JEFF BURTON, THAT TROUBLE THEY WERE HAVING EARLIER WITH THE CAR SKIPPING, IT SEEMS TO HAVE DISSIPATED, AND JEFF BURTON SAYS HE STILL HAS THE PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS GONE AWAY. SO THEY ONLY FEEL IT ON THE BACKSTRETCH. THEY CAME IN AN TOOK ON FOUR TIRES. MIKE: JOE NEMECHEK HERE IN THE 42 PIT STARTED OFF HE SAID THIS CAR JUST WAS NOT RIGHT. THEY HAVE MADE SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS ON PIT STOPS. THEY FREED IT UP. JOE JUST RADIOED TO HIS CREW AND SAID THIS BABY IS PERFECT NOW. ALLEN BESTWICK. ALLEN: RUNNING OUT OF FUEL VERY COSTLY FOR JEREMY MAYFIELD. RIGHT NOW HE IS 39TH, TWO LATCHES DOWN OF THE RACE LEADER. THAT WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT AS HE -- REST OF THE PIT STOPS ARE COMPLETED. BUT JEREMY MAYFIELD IS WAY BEHIND. TO STEVE BYRNES. STEVE: WE'RE LOOKING AT THE TIRES THAT ARE MOUNTED UP FOR BOBBY LABONTE. TALKED TO THE CREW CHIEF AND HE SAID HIS TEAM HAD 15 SETS OF TIRES MOUNTED UP FOR THIS RACE. MOST TEAMS WILL HAVE ABOUT THE SAME NUMBER. THAT MEANS THE TIRE BILL ALONE FOR THESE TEAMS IS ABOUT $20,000. SO HECK YOU HAVE TO WIN $1 MILLION BONUS TO PAY FOR YOUR TIRE BILL. KEN: MAYFIELD'S BACK IN 36, NOW 37 POSITION. AND DICK TRICKLE INHERITS THE LEAD FOR A MOMENT. DICK TRICKLE'S NUMBER 90, WE HAVE GREEN FOR SECOND IN THE 96. NOW TRICKLE IS COMING IN. NOW GREEN IS COMING IN. I THINK YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GIVE IT BACK AT THIS POINT TO JEFF GORDON IN FIRST, THAT WOULD MOVE MARK MARTIN TO SECOND, JARRETT TO THIRD, JOHN ANDRETTI WOULD BE SHOWING IN FOURTH. WHOA. DICK: JOHNNY BENSON TROUBLE. KEN: JOHNNY BENSON GOT HIT FROM BEHIND. HE PICKS IT UP. I WANT TO SEE THIS AGAIN. BUDDY: I'M GOING TO TELL YOU ONE THING, THAT SHOWS GREAT CAR CONTROL. 90% OF THE TIME A GUY WILL TURN THAT CAR AROUND BACK OUT IN FROBT OF THIS ONCOMING TRAFFIC, GREAT JOB BY JOHNNY BENSON. DICK: THERE'S PAVEMENT DRIVERS, DIRT TRACK DRIVERS, I GUESS WE HAVE A GRASS TRACK DRIVER AS WELL. WHAT A JOB HE DID. I JUST HOPE HE DIDN'T DAMAGE THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR. BUDDY: I THINK THE ONLY THING HE DAMAGED RIGHT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF TIME. RIGHT NOW HE'S DOING GREAT. WHEN YOU TAKE A RIDE LIKE THAT IT TAKES ABOUT TWO OR THREE LAPS TO REGROUP AND REALIZE EVERYTHING IS OK. KEN: LOOK AT THE REPLAY ON THIS. JOHNNY BENSON, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN. BOBBY LABONTE ON THE INSIDE. BUDDY: HE SLIPS UP INTO HIM. WARD BURTON IN THE 22 BARELY MISSES HIM RIGHT THERE. HE GETS SIDEWAYS IN THE GRASS, JUMPS ACROSS THE PAVEMENT THERE, GETS THE CAR BACK UNDER CONTROL. I'M TELLING YOU, THAT'S A PIECE OF DRIVING. KEN: THAT KIND EVER AGRICULTURAL RACING AT 170-PLUS MILES AN HOUR. THERE'S A DAY'S WORK. SO EASY TO OVERSTEER, OVERCORRECT. RANDY? RANDY: JUST MOMENTS BEFORE THAT, HE CAME OVER THE RADIO AND TOLD HIS CREW CHIEF THE CAR FEELS A LITTLE LOOSE. A LITTLE LOOSER THAN I LIKE IT. RIGHT NOW HE'S REAL LOOSE. THAT'S WHY HE WAS ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE TRACE TRACK COMING OFF TURN FOUR WHEN WE SAW THAT SAVE. BUT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. MAYBE GOING DOWN. KEN: 124 COMPLETE. BATTLE FOR THE LEAD. YOU HAVE GORDON VERSUS MARTIN ONE MORE TIME. WHAT A PUNCHUP THIS HAS BEEN. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN LOOKED A SECOND AGO IN TURN THREE ON THE HIGH SIDE OF JEFF GORDON, COULDN'T MAKE IT STICK. RIGHT NOW HE JUST IN HIS TIRE TRACKS THERE AS THEY COME OFF TURN FOUR. KEN: JEFF GORDON TRYING TO BECOME A THREE-TIME WINNER. A YEAR AGO HE GOT STUCK IN A TRAFFIC JAM TRYINGO GET OUT TO THE RACETRACK WHEN A POLICE OFFICER SAVED HIM, GOT HIM HERE. GOT TO THE DRIVER'S MEETING JUST ABOUT ON TIME. THIS YEAR HE SLEPT OVER YESTERDAY, BUT HE PUT TERRY LABONTE IN THE CAR TO PRACTICE. HE RAN OVER SOMETHING IN THE TRACK, AND SCUFFED UP THE RIGHT SIDE OF THAT NUMBER 24, BUT IT SURE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE HURT IT. BUDDY: YOU SAW GEOFF BODINE GOING DOWN A LAP THERE. MARK MARTIN STILL WORKING ON GORDON TRYING TO GO BY. KEN: TODD BODINE IS IN 26 POSITION WITH HIS CAR. DICK: THEY DID A LOT OF WORK ON NUMBER 24. CHANGED THE WHOLE REAR END, SHEET METAL WORK. THEY MANAGED TO GET THE DECALS ON THE CAR THIS MORNING. HAD TO REPAINT THE WHOLE RIGHT SIDE, AND CHANGED THE RIGHT HUB, LINED IT BACK UP AGAIN AND OUT OF THE BOX AS SOON AS THEY PUT THE REAL BUILT CAR ON THE RACETRACK, IT WAS FAST. KEN: 126 LAPS COMPLETE, 189 MILES. LOOK AT HOW THE LEADERS ARE RUNNING. THERE'S GORDON IN FRONT. MARTIN IN SECOND. HERE'S THE INTERVAL BACK TO THIRD SPOT. THERE YOU SEE DALE JARRETT THERE. HERE'S JOHN ANDRETTI, HE'S RUNNING, NUMBER 43, IN THE FOURTH POSITION. FOLLOWING HIM IS NUMBER 2, RUSTY WALLACE SHOULD BE COMING ALONG. COUPLE OF LAP CARS. KENNY WALLACE IS THERE. NUMBER 98 A TRICKLE AND NEXT ONE BACK IS WALLACE, FOLLOWED JEFF BURTON. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN TRYING TO TAKE THE LEAD FROM JEFF GORDON. SIDE-BY-SIDE DOWN THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY. THEY GO DOWN TO TURN ONE. DICK: MOVE BY MARK MARTIN AS HE GOES ON THE OUTSIDE OF GORDON, HELD ON TO THE RACE CAR, BUT, MAN. KEN: DOWN TO THE PITS AND GET THE STORY. >> AN ALL-PRO LINEBACKER WITH THE CAROLA PANTHERS IS HERE HELPING OUT THE JOE NEMECHEK TEAM TONIGHT. YOU HAVE BECOME A BIG RACE FAN. >> THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I CAME TO CHARLOTTE WHEN I REALED AT HALFTIME THEY WOULD PUT UP THE RACE STATS ON THE BOARD AND THEY GOT A LOT OF CHEERING THAN WE COULD IMAGINE. I FIGURED I BETTER BE A RACE FAN. >> WHAT'S YOUR JOB? >> I'M PITTING JOE, AND EARLIER TODAY HE TOOK ME AROUND AND SHOWED ME EVERYTHING, AND I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS SO MUCH PUT INTO AUTOO RACING. THIS IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE. I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD EXPERIENCE IT ONCE IN THEIR LIFE. >> NEVER HURTS TO HAVE A GOOD, QUICK LINEBACKER IN THE PITS. KEN: THERE'S A GOOD ONE. MARK MARTIN HAS WON THE TWO RACES THAT HAVE BEEN RUN ON MILE AND A HALF TRACKS THIS YEAR. HE WON IN LAS VEGAS, AND TEXAS, WILL HE DO IT HERE? DICK: HE LOOKS AWFULLY GOOD. THE INTERESTING STORY THERE IS BECAUSE THIS WEEKEND, AND BEFORE THE WINSTON, HE HAD WON ALL THREE OF HIS WINSTON CUP RACES IN ONE CAR. THEY CALL IT THE WEST POST CAR BECAUSE THAT WAS WHERE THE CAR WAS WINNING. THEY BUILT THIS THING AS A RUN-OFF FOR THE WINSTON, AND THEY DECIDED IF IT'S A GOOD CAR MAYBE WE'LL BRING IT TO THE 600. IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD CAR. HERE IT IS. IT IS RUNNING ON A RAIL TONIGHT. KEN: GREAT BATTLE IN FRONT. THERE YOU ARE WATCHING MARK MARTIN AT WORK IN THE OFFICE. THE VALVOLINE CAR NUMBER 6. WHAT RAUN HE'S MAKING WITH JEFF GORDON. IN THIS 39TH ANNUAL COCA-COLA 600. LIVE ON TBS. KEN: BACK WITH 135 OF 400 LAPS COMPLETE. HERE'S SOME HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS COCA-COLA 600. EARNHARDT IS STILL OUT HERE. STILL RUNNING JUST AS HARD AS DALE EARNHARDT ALWAYS RUNS. HE IS BACK TO 13TH POSITION. BILL ELLIOTT IS STILL A FACTOR IN THIS RACE, TOO. DICK: HE IS RUNNING. JEFF GORDON BACK-TO-BACK WINS, HE'S LOOKING GOOD RIGHT NOW. RUNNING IN SECOND SPOT. KEN: JEREMY MAYFIELD, STILL HAS NOT LED A LAP. NOR HAS HE WON AT CHARLOTTE NOR ANY WINSTON CUP RACE. HERE'S THE MAN EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT. MARK MARTIN STAYS IN FRONT FOR THE MOMENT. IS HE GOING TO WIN HIS THIRD RACE ON A MILE AND A HALF? HIS FOURTH RACE IN THE WINSTON CUP SERIES. DICK: HIS FIFTH MAJOR RACE OF THE YEAR HERE TONIGHT. LET'S GO PIT SIDE. >> MARK MARTIN HAS BEGUN TO COMPLAIN THAT THE RACE CAR IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE LOOSE ON HIM. JACK ROUSH HAS BEEN IN HIS PIT, THE OWNER, WHEN HE HEARD JOHNNY BENSON SAY THE SAME THING, ONE EVER HIS OTHER CARS, HE RAN DOWN TO STEVE NEIL'S TENT, AND SAID EVEN THOUGH YOU GUYS MADE AN ADJUSTMENT, MARK MARTIN MADE NO CHANGES. THIS COULD BE THE FIRST INDICATION AS THE SUN BEGINS TO SET THAT THIS TRACK IS CHANGING. THEY TOLD THEM TO RIDE IT OUT, SEE WHAT THE TRACK DOES. KEN: THERE'S MARTIN SKIMMING THROUGH TRAFFIC. EARNHARDT FROM 28TH TO 13TH AMONG THOSE DRIVERS. AND BILL ELLIOTT HAS COME FROM A 33RD STARTING POSITION. ELLIOTT IS NOW RUNNING IN 17TH. THERE'S MARK MARTIN. THERE'S HIS BIOIN CAR 6. MIKE SKINNER IS 34TH. LOOK AT BILL ELLIOTT, HE HOW HE'S DOING. HE'S RUNNING IN 17 SPOT. HE'S TRYING TO CLOSE ON TED MUSGRAVE IN 16TH AND CHAD LITTLE IN 15. BROKEN HAND, BROKEN WRIST. BAD SHAPE AS HE WATCH BILL pELLIOTT IN NUMBER 94. DICK: HIS DAD WOMEN TO THE HOSPITAL THIS WEEK FOR BRAIN SURGERY, HE HAS CANCER. HE'S DOING BETTER. GLAD TO HEAR THAT. KEN: ALL THREE BROTHERS WERE WITH THEIR DAD. WE HEAR THE OPERATION WAS A SUCCESS. GOOD LUCK TO THEM. TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO BILL ELLIOTT THE LAST COUPLE OF RACES. THAT THERE IS THE TOBASCO CAR, BODINE'S CAR IN TROUBLE. RIGHT BEHIND IT. THERE GOES ELLIOTT IN THE 94 UP ON TOP OF DALE EARNHARDT. THAT WAS A HARD ONE. DICK: THIS IS IN CALIFORNIA AGAIN. BUDDY: IN THE A WRECK THAT HE HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH. HE WAS IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME. KEN: TWO VERY HIGH-SPEED RACE TRACKS, HAMMERED INTO THE WALL WITH THE NOSE FIRST, FIRE BOTH TIMES. THIS IS ONE BRAVE YOUNG MAN TO BE OUT HERE AT ALL RUNNING AS HARD AS HE IS RUNNING. DICK: THAT TOBASCO CAR, THE INSTANT WHERE IT FIRST HAPPENED, TODD BODINE RUNNING BEHIND THAT CAR. RICKY RUDD WAS IN THERE FOR A MOMENT. THEY'LL CONTINUE TO SWAP POSITIONS. KEN:ILL ELLIOTT IN THE 94. SO MUCH APPRECIATED, SO MUCH FAVORED FANS ALL OVER AMERICA. >> I JUST ASKED HOW BILL WAS DOING. THEY SAID HE HAS NOT COMPLAINED AT ALL ABOUT HIS INJURIES SLOWING HIM DOWN. THEY SAID HIS VOICE SOUNDS GOOD AND STRONG ON THE RADIO. THEY CONSIDER FLO NEWS TO BE GOOD NEWS AS FAR AS ELLIOTT GOING THE 600 MILES TONIGHT IS CONCERNED. KEN: 22ND POSITIONED CAR IS ABOUT TO GO A LAP DOWN. HAMILTON AND DARRYL WALTRIP AS THAT SIX 6 CONTINUES THROUGH. >> HE'S HAVING HAMMERING PROBLEMS. BUDDY: THE REST OF THESE GUYS ARE HAVING TROUBLE. YOU CAN SEE THERE, HAMILTON SHOT BY HIM. MARK IS BEING EXTREMELY CAREFUL RIGHT NOW. HIS CAR IS GOOD. HE DOES NOT HAVE TO FORCE THE ISSUE. KEN: PRESSLEY NOW HE MAKES IT BACK UP ANOTHER TIME. HAMILTON IN THE 4. 143 COMPLETED LAPS. BUDDY: LOOK AT JEFF GORDON TAKE THE OUTSIDE OF THE RACE TRACK. TRYING TO MOVE IN ON MARK MARTIN. KEN: MARTIN DOWN THE MAIN STRAIGHTAWAY. THERE'S HAMILTON, CLEARS PRESSLEY. A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK FOR DARRYL WALTRIP AS HE STAYS IN THAT LEAD LAP RUNNING NOW IN 21ST. BUDDY: THE WORSE THING YOU CAN HAVE IS A LOOSE RACE CAR AND HAVING TO RUN LOW ON THE RACE TRACK LIKE MARK MARTIN DID. TRY TO PULL OUT. THEY TRY TO GET TERRY LABONTE. KEN: THERE WAS REPORT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME OIL COMING OUT OF THAT CAR. FURTHER BACK FOR NINTH POSITION BATTLE. CK: ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE GUYS LOOKING FOR THE $1 MILLION BONUS. BUDDY: RIGHT ON THE BOTTOM. STERLING MARLIN. BEHIND HIM, TEMPLE. KEN: YESTERDAY THEY FLOUNCED SLARED WILL RACE SOME MORE. THEY STARTED UP A BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL TEAM. TRY GOT TO WONDER WHERE SCHRADER GETS THE TIME. THE GUY JUST LOVES TO RACE. IF HE COULD RACE SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK, SCHRADER WOULD BE THERE ALL SEVEN NIGHTS. LET'S CHECK ON THE MOBILE FIVE ON THIS RACE. RUSTY WALLACE GOING FOR THAT $1 MILLION BONUS, SEVENTH. SLAYED CERTIFY IN EIGHTH. THERE'S EARNHARDT IN 13TH SPOT. WHEN IT COMES TO MONEY, DALE EARNHARDT'S ALWAYS THERE ISN'T HE. I'D BE SURPRISED IF WHEN THIS YEAR FINISHES IF EARNHARDT HASN'T WON AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE BONES. KEN: AND JEREMY MAYFIELD IS A LAP DOWN AFTER HE RAN OUT ON FUMES ON PIT ROAD. BUDDY: WHEN THESE CARS ARE GOING AROUND THE TRACK AT CLOSE TO 200 MILES AN HOUR DOWN THE STRAIGHTAWAY, IT IS A YOU LOSE A LOT OF GROUND. KEN: ONE OF THE THINGS YOU WORRY ABOUT IS THAT SITUATION CAN DAMAGE AN ENGINE. YOU'RE LOOKING AT RUSTY HERE. RUSTY WAS IN THE HUNT IN DAL CALIFORNIA WHEN THE ENGINE LET GO. RUSTY HAD RUN OUT OF GAS AS WELL. HE THINKS MAYBE THE REASON THE ENGINE FAILED WAS EXACTLY THAT, THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF GAS, HURT THE MOTOR. WE HOPE NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS TO MAYFIELD. RUSTY WALLACE. BOY, HAVE THEY WORKED ON THAT CAR. THEY CAME HERE IN APRIL, MAYFIELD AND WALLACE. THEY BROUGHT FIVE CARS AND TESTED, TESTED, TESTED. I DON'T THINK THERE HAD BEEN MORE WRENCHES ON ANY SINGLE RACE CAR HERE DURING THE LAST 10 DAYS IN CHARLOTTE THAN ON THAT NUMBER 2 OF RUSTY WALLACE. THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE TO TRY TO GET ALL THE SPEED OUT THAT HAVE CAR THAT THEY POSSIBLY CAN. HERE'S A GUY THAT SPENT 6-10 RACES GOING INTO TONIGHT. HE'S GOT FIVE TOP-FIVE FINISHES BUT HASN'T WON ANY OF THEM. HE HAS OVERDUE. THEY PUT A LOT OF EFFORT NO MAKING THIS RACE THE ONE HE WINS. DICK: WE ASKED HIS STRATEGY FOR RUNNING 600 MILES. >> QUALIFIED AS BEST WE CAN UPFRONT. SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO BURN THE TIRES OFF GETTING TO THE FRONT AND YOU'RE NOT BACK WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT CAN HAPPEN. I GUESS THAT'S TWO THINGS. THE THIRD THING IS PIT SELECTION. LET'S GET A GOOD PIT SELECTION SO WE'RE NOT FIGHTING EVERY TIME WE COME IN THE PIT AREA. KEEP THEM BLOCKED IN BY ANOTHER CAR OR VIRES VERSEA. KEN: SO FAR SO GOOD FOR NUMBER 2, RUSTY WALLACE. HE STAYS RIGHT THERE IN FIFTH SPOT. AGAIN, BURTON IS IN SIXTH, LABONTE IN SEVENTH. YOU'VE GOT STERLING MARLIN TO EIGHT WITH KEN SCHRADER SHOWING UP IN NINTH. DICK: RUSTY WAS SECOND FOR 21ST DID IT AGAIN IN THE SPRING OF LAST YEAR, 1ST TO SECOND. KEN: WHAT ABOUT TRACK TEMPERATURE? STEVE BYRNES CAN TELL US MORE. STEVE: DICK SAID THESE TEAMS AND THE CREW CHIEFS WERE NERVOUS ABOUT HOW THE TRACK WAS GOING TO CHANGE TONIGHT. WELL THE TRACK TEMPERATURE MEANS EVERYTHING TO THESE GUYS, IT'S HOW THEY PLANNED THEIR CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS. WHEN THE RACE STARTED SLIGHTLY AFTER 6:00 P.M. THE TRACK TEMPERATURE WAS 94 DEGREES. WE HAVE A GUN HERE THAT CAN MEASURE. LET'S LOOK AT THE READING NOW. YOU CAN SEE IT'S ALREADY DROPPED SIX DEGREES HERE ON THE TRACK TEMPERATURE. DOWN, BUDDY? BUDDY: IT WILL JUST KEEP GETTING COOLER AND COOLER. WHAT HAPPENS THERE, YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE CAR PUSHING. WHAT HAPPENS IS THE REAR WHEELS HOOK UP BETTER. THE FRONT WHEELS WERE REROLLING. SO YOU HAVE HORSE POWER TRYING TO PUSH THE NOSE TO THE POWER. IT MAKES IT TIGHTER. SO AS THEY GO ALONG, THEY'LL LOOSEN THESE CARS UP WHEN THE TRACK GETS SLICKER. KEN: IF THEY LEFT IT ALONE, THE CARS WOULD GET TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. THAT'S THE TRICK, ISN'T IT? TRY TO LOOSEN THE CAR UP JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT? BUDDY: JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT. THE SURFACE ITSELF WILL GET BETTER. >> TERRY LABONTE BACK IN THE GARAGE AREA AGAIN. >> THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A WHEEL BARING. WE WENT BACK AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHY. IT'S TOO BAD. OUR CHEVY WAS DOING GOOD TONIGHT. THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB IN THE PITS. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE A DESENT FINISH. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FINISH EARLY NOW. >> WHAT WAS IT LIKE OUT THERE? >> THE TRACK WAS IN GOOD SHAPE. IT WAS A LITTLE TIGHTER AT THE START THAT INTHOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE. BUT IT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE. KEN: DARRYL WALTRIP'S FIGHTING WITH EVERYTHING HE HAS TO STAY IN THE LEAD LAP THAT NUMBER 1 CAR IS RUNNI IN 28TH POSITION. HERE'S MARK MARTIN ON THE BOTTOM AGAIN. PRETTY GOOD BATTLE THERE. WE'LL BE BACK. KEN: 160 LAPS NOW COMPLETE IN THE COCA-COLA 600, 240 MILES. THE BATTLE, IT WAS A GOOD BATTLE FOR FIRST PLACE BETWEEN MARK MARTIN AND JEFF GORDON. JUST AS GOOD A BATTLE AS WATCHING DARRYL WALTRIP TRYING TO STAY IN THAT LEAD LAP, BUDDY. BUDDY: HE'S FIGHTING HARD. BUT MARK MARTIN IS CLOSING IN. DARRYL HAS BEEN PUTTING UP A VALIENT EFFORT HERE. MARK MARTIN RIGHT ON THE WHITE LINE. JEFF GORDON BEHIND HIM USING SOME OF HIS OPEN WHEEL EXPERIENCE, MOVING AROUND ON THE RACE TRACK, TRYING TO FIND THAT GREAT GROOVE SO HE CAN GET UP TO MARTIN. KEN: LET'S LOOK AT THAT BATTLE A LITTLE FURTHER BACK HERE. HERE IT IS. THERE IT IS. THERE'S THE 22, WARD BURTON IN THERE A GOOD SCRAMBLE WITH RUSTY WALLACE. BUDDY: RUSTY STILL BATTLING TRYING TO GET THAT CARAWAY. HE'S OK GETTING IN, BUT COMING OFF THE CORNER, HE IS NOT QUITE UP TO SPEED. KEN: GOOD BATTLE IN THERE AMONG THREE, BURTON, WALLACE, LABONTE. A LITTLE FURTHER BACK. DICK: BOBBY LABONTE CONTINUES TO RUN THE HIGH LINE NOW TAKING THAT OUTSIDELINE TO TRY TO GET ARIDE WITH RUSTY WALLACE. WE'RE RIDING WITH BOBBY LABONTE RIGHT NOW. HE'S TAKING A BEAT ON THE 22 ON WARD BURTON AS WELL. BUDDY: ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU CAN SEE HIM SWEEPING IN HERE. CLOSE TO 200 MILES AN HOUR AS HE GOES THROUGH THE SECOND PART. DOWN INTO TURN ONE. KEN: AND WARD BURTON PITS. NUMBER 22 ON PIT ROAD, LAP 162. WARD BURTON ON PIT ROAD. TAKE A LOOK AT THE SUMMARY THUS FAR. BUDDY: I'M LOOKING AT ONE THING ON THE COMPUTER HERE. 168 MILES AN HOUR NOW. THAT TELLS ME THE RACE TRACK ITSELF HAS GOTTEN VERY, VERY SLICK. THEY WERE RUNNING 161 IN HPY HOUR YESTERDAY. SO THE RACE TRACK HAS NOT STARTED TO IMPROVE YET. RIGHT NOW EVERYBODY'S MOVING AROUND ON THE RACE TRACK TRYING TO FIND THE FAST WAY, AS YOU SEE DARRYL WALTRIP STILL FIGHTING TO STAY IN THE LEAD LAP. MARK MARTIN'S GOINTO PULL UP. KEN: G.W.'S LOOKS LIKE HE'S DRIVING A SPRINT CAR. HE'S WORK AS HARD AS HE CAN TO STAY UP THERE IN THAT LEAD LAP. HE'S WORKED HIS WAY UP TO 18TH POSITION. HE CONTINUES HIS STRUGGLE. HOW HE'S GOING A LAP DOWN. BUDDY: I WOULDN'T SAY THAT. HE'S BACK ON THE OUTSIDE. KEN: HE MADE IT. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN DROPS BACK AGAIN. DARRYL WALTRIP IS DRIVING VERY, VERY HARD TRYING TO STAY IN THE LEAD LAP. MARTIN MUCH BETTER IN THE CORNER. KEN: LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE D.W. OF OLD, DOESN'T IT? BUDDY: REMEMBER, MARK MARTIN SAYS WE'RE A LITTLE LOOSE. SO BEING ON THE BOTTOM OF THOSE RACE CARS LIKE THAT, YOU SEE DARRYL WALTRIP PULLING BACK UP TRYING TO STAY IN THAT LEAD LAP AND DOES IT. HE'S BACK IN FRONT OF MARTIN AGAIN. KEN: THE 6 REALLY COMES OUT OF IT THAT TIME. BUDDY: WHEN YOU SAY TO THE BACK OF THE RACE CAR TRYING TO PASS THE FRONT, IT'S GETTING WAY OUT THERE GETTING LOOSE AND HARD TO IMAGINE. YOU'RE TURNING RIGHT, JUST LINING IF YOU'RE SLIDING ON ICE, TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THE SLIDE. KEN: WALTRIP PROCEEDED TO THE 17TH SPOT. DICK: HE'S NUMBER 22 AT THE BOTTOM. HE JUST PITTED. HE HAS FRESH TIRES. HE SHOULD BE FASTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE, IF HE IS IT'S NOT MUCH. KEN: WE SPOKE WITH DARRELL DARRELL ON HOW HIS ARRANGEMENTS OF HIS NEW TEAM IS GOING. >> CONCENTRATE ON DRIVING. STEP IT UP -- PUSHING THE GAS, AND GOING FAST, AND GOING FASTER AND FASTER. AND PASSING PEOPLE. WHEN YOU HAVE THAT GOING FOR YOU, THEN YOUR CONFIDENCE BUILDS, AND PRETTY SOON YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET SOMEWHERE, SOME TIME, I BELIEVE IT WILL BE VERY SOON. IT COULD BE THIS WEEK. WHERE YOU WIN THE RACE. BECAUSE THE CAR'S UNDER YOU. YOU'RE COMFORTABLE AND YOU'RE CONCENTRATING. YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE CREW. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THINGS THAT HELP YOU WIN NOT THINGS THAT HELP YOU STAY IN. KEN: WALL TRIP'S UP TO 15. WALLACE IS ON PIT ROAD. THE NUMBER 2 CAR. BUDDY: HE'S CHOKED DOWN IN THE PITS THERE. AND THE WHOLE CREW WAS PUSHING. HE LOST VALUABLE TIME TRYING TO GET IT RESTARTED. KEN: THERE YOU SEE WALTRIP IN THE NUMBER 1, HE IS NOW 12TH. HE'S MOVED AROUND SPENCER IN THE 23. HE'S REALLY ON A RUN. BUDDY: JEFF GORDON ON THE PIT ROAD. KEN: TO STEVE. STEVE: THEY MADE A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT REAR OF THIS CAR. FOUR TIRES AND GAS FOR JEFF GORDON. THE TIRE CHANGERS, VERY USED TO DOING IT. 19.1 SECONDS FOR JEFF GORDON. KEN: AWAY IS GORDON. SO NOW YOU HAVE THE SITUATION WITH MARK MARTIN, NUMBER 6, STILL SHOWING SUCH STRENGTH. DICK: THAT NUMBER 24 CAR IS IN THE PIT STOPS AGAIN. THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF THAT WINS RACES, THOSE RAINBOW WARRIORS, RACE AFTER RACE AFTER RACE ARE ABLE TO PULL OFF THOSE 17-SECOND PIT STOPS. AT THE END OF A 600 MILER THAT WILL END UP TO A HUGE BENEFIT. KEN: WALLACE BACK TO 29TH. BUDDY: MARTIN IS LEADING THIS RACE AND DRIVING HIS HEART OUT RIGHT NOW. HE CANNOT PUT DARRELL DARRELL A LAP DOWN. DARRELL'S A VERY CAGEY DRIVER, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO WORK TRAFFIC AND KEEP HIMSELF IN THE LEAD LAP. THAT'S IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW. IF THE RIGHT THING HAPPENS, THE CAUTION COMES OUT, HE GOES ALL THE WAY BACK AROUND AND IS STILL IN THE LEAD LAP. KEN: YOU HEARD HIM CALL IT. KEEP PUNCHING THAT BUTTON. THAT'S WHAT HE'S BEEN DOING. NOW HE'S UP TO 13TH. HE LOOKS LIKE HARRY GANT HE'S SO HIGH. WITH THOSE PIT STOPS, HE'S UP TO NINTH. WITH THE PIT STOPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE WALTRIP IS IN NINTH. HIS BROTHER IS INTO 13TH. BUDDY: I'M AFRAID WITH THAT HIGH LINE HE'S RUNNING, MARK MARTIN WILL EVENTUALLY GET THAT TRACK POSITION ON HIM THERE AND BE ABLE TO PULL IN FRONT OF HIM. DARRELL'S TRYING VERY, VERY HARD. AND THIS IS THE DARRELL WALTRIP I REMEMBER. THE GUY THAT MOVES AROUND, GETS THAT RACE CAR IN GOOD POSITION, AND MAKES THE BEST MOVES HE CAN WITH WHAT HE HAS. KEN: NADEAU THE ROOKIE IS RUNNING 43 IN THE FIELD. HE'S A FEW LAPS BACK. DICK: DARRELL WALTRIP IS A REBORN RACE DRIVER SINCE GETTING WITH DALE EARNHARDT. INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT THE THINGS A TEAM OWNER HAS TO DO, ALL HE HAS TO FOCUS ON IS FOCUS ON DRIVING. CALIFORNIA, A FIFTH, A RACE JUST BEFORE THIS ONE, LOOK HOW WELL DARRELL WALTRIP IS RUNNING. LOOK AT HIM GO. BUDDY: EVERYBODY HAS HAD A SLIP WITH JERRY IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. WHAT A GREAT DRIVE BY DARRELL WALTRIP. KEN: I THINK HE KNOCKED DOWN A QUART BEFORE THE RACE STARTED. THIS IS THE BEST WE'VE SEEN WALTRIP IN A LONG TIME. NOW HE'S IN EIGHTH AND STILL IN THE LEAD LAP, AND BACK AROUND MARK MARTIN WHO'S BEEN TRYING SO HARD TO PUT HIM AWAY. >> BOBBY LABONTE ON PIT ROAD. A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT OF BOBBY LABONTE'S DON'T FORGET HE'S TRYING TO WIN $1 MILLION HERE. THEY HAD ANOTHER LIGHTNING PIT STOP. KEN: STEVE GRISSOM NUMBER 41 GETTING LAPPED. HE'S BACK IN 22ND. NUMBER 41, GRISSOM. BUDDY: WE'RE FIXING TO SEE WHAT A CAR WITH FRESH TIRES LOOKS LIKE AS OPPOSED TO ONE THAT'S BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME. RUSTY WALLACE JUST BEHIND MARK MARTIN RIGHT THERE HAS MADE A PIT STOP. YOU CAN SEE HIM MOVING VERY, VERY FAST RIGHT NOW. THE PIT CHANGE WILL BE WHEN THEY HEAD IN THE CORNERS. WATCH THE 2 CAR THERE OF RUSTY WALLACE CLOSE IN ON MARK MARTIN. HERE COMES D.W., FINALLY HAD TO COME INTO THE PITS. KEN: WHEN HE COMES IN HE'S COME ALL THE WAY UP TO SIX SPOT. ONLY GUYS IN FRONT OF HIM WERE MARTIN, BENSON, NEMECHEK, MUSGRAVE, AND CHAD LITTLE. HE'S ON PIT ROAD. GEE. DICK: ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GET MARK MARTIN ON THE INSIDE, AND DARRELL WALTRIP, IT LOOKED LIKE HE WAS ENERGIZED OUT THERE FOR THE LAST 20 LAPS. >> AS WE SAID DARRELL WALTRIP MADE A NICE CLEAN STOP. THESE GUYS, EXCELLENT STOP, 18.3. WOW! KEN: AS YOU WATCH WALTRIP, CONSIDER THAT HE WAS FIFTH AT CALIFORNIA, HIS FIRST SUPER SPEEDWAY TOP FIVE SINCE BACK IN 1995? WHOA. MARK MARTIN NUMBER 6 CONTINUING TO DOMINATE AS HE HAS THE LAST 10 DAYS HERE AT THE CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. DICK: HE'S SHOWING SUPERIOR FUEL MILEAGE AS WELL. IF THIS RACE COMES DOWN TO FUEL, THAT COULD BE VALUABLE. BUDDY: YOU SEE RUSTY WALLACE IN FRONT OF THE 6 HERE, ABOUT 15 CAR LENGTHS, JUST A COUPLE OF LAPS. RUSTY WALLACE HAD COME IN AND TOOK ON FRESH TIRES. MARK MARTIN DROPPED BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT FROM HIM THERE. FRESH TIRES ARE MUCH QUICKER ON THE SPEEDWAY. KEN: RUSTY WALLACE IS IN 17TH POSITION WITH THAT NUMBER 2 CAR. DICK: BOTTOM AS HE WENT THROUGH THE CORNER. KEN: BUDDY YOU TALKED TO THESE GUYS ABOUT RUNNING AT NIGHT. YOU SEE THE LIGHTS, YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE THE REFLEX. WHAT'S IT LIKE FOR THESE FOLKS AS THEY GET INTO THIS TIME PERIOD IN THE RACE? BUDDY: KEN, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE, I RAN THE FIRST NIGHT RACE AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY, AND I MUST TELL YOU, THE VISIBILITY IS PERFECT AT NIGHT. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT HERE, HARDLY ANY DISTRACTION AT ALL AS IT GETS DARKER, THE FANS AND EVERYTHING, ALL YOU SEE IS THE RACING SURFACE ITSELF. I THOUGHT I COULD CONCENTRATE A LOT BETTER ON MY RACING AT NIGHT. KEN: MARK MARTIN'S CERTAINLY CONCENTRATING NOW. HE HAS SAID, I USED TO WONDER WHY RICHARD PETTY SAID THE ONLY PLACE HE CAN RELAX IS BEHIND THE WHEEL. MARK MARTIN SAYS NOW I'M BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND. THE ONLY PLACE YOU'RE ALONE IS IN THE RACE CAR, THAT'S THE PLACE I LIKE TO BE. HE'S SURE LIKING IT NOW. AS HE'S JUST LICKING UP THIS FIELD. VALVOLINE NUMBER 6. HE WON YESTERDAY AT GRAND NATIONAL. HE WON A WEEK AGO SATURDAY IN THE WINSTON. INCREDIBLE VICTORY WIN. JEFF GORDON, THE GREAT HEADLINE IN THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, WAS MARTIN ZOOMS, GORDSON FUMES. HE NEEDED A FEW MORE FUMES TO GET HIM AROUND. BUDDY: YOU WATCH MARK MARTIN'S HAND ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HE'S FIXING TO COME INTO THE PITS RIGHT AS WE SPEAK. KEN: DOWN FOR 45 MILES AN HOUR. THAT'S THE NEW SPEED LIMIT. BUDDY: I'LL GET BACK TO HIS DRIVING STYLE IN A SECOND. THIS PIT STOP IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT HERE. >> MARK MARTIN IS AWAITED BY HIS CREW. HE IS IN THE PITS. NOW THEY'RE GOING TO GO FOUR TIRES. SLIGHT AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT ON THE RIGHT FRONT. THAT'S ONE REASON HE STAYED OUT THERE SO LONG, THEY WERE HAVING BIG DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT EXACTLY TO DO TO TIGHTEN HIM UP A LITTLE BIT. THEY DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE CAR TOO MUCH. THE FOUR TIRES BEING BOLTED ON THE CAR, IT IS FILLED UP. GOOD STOP FOR MARK MARTIN, 18.4 SECONDS. GREAT STOP, RANDY. RANDY: JOHNNY BENSON IS IN. HE SWUNG THE CAR AWFULLY WIDE. REAR TIRE CHANGER HAD TO GO WAY OUT AROUND THE CAR. HE JUST BARELY GOT THE CHEERIOS FORD DONE. EXCELLENT STOP. 19.4. KEN: JOHNNY BENSON'S HAVING A WHALE OF A NIGHT IN THIS 600. GORDON, PITTED ON LAP 170. MARTIN PITTED ON 181. ROUSH CARS SEEM TO BE GETTING BETTER MILEAGE. FIVE, SOMETIMES 10 LAPS BETTER THAN MOST OF THE OTHER LEADERS AT THE PRESENT TIME. CAR 16, THAT WAS ALSO IN FOR ROUSH. MUSGRAVE, ON LAP 181. AND WE SAW BENSON IN THERE AS WELL ON THE SAME LAP. WATCHING JIMMY SPENCER'S NUMBER 23 WITH THESE PIT STOPS TAKING PLACE. NOW SHOWN AS YOUR LEADER. KEN: CAUTION JUST CAME OUT AFTER STERLING MARLIN SPUN FROM TURN FOUR ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE GRASS TO THE START/FINISH LINE. WE'RE AT LAP 186 IN THE COCA-COLA 600. CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. THERE YOU SEE STERLING MARLIN STILL RUNNING. HE MADE A NICE SAVE. BUDDY: DID HE EVER. HE WAS HEADED TOWARDS THE PIT WALL THERE, AND SPUN THE CAR AROUND AND AROUND IN THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY HERE. VERY LUCKY NOT TO HIT ANYTHING. KEN: CAUTION NUMBER THREE, LAP 186. THEY HAD AN INCIDENT ON PIT ROAD, GARY BRADBERRY COMING IN THERE, SCARED BAKER TO DEATH. HE THOUGHT -- BUDDY: MAN. I SAW THAT OPENING IN THE PIT ROAD THERE, AND HE WAS HEADED FOR IT GOING ROUND AND ROUND. KEN: WE SAW A SPORTSMAN CAR CRASH THERE AND TEAR IT RIGHT APART, BIG FIRE SEVERAL YEARS AGO. LET'S LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED. HE'S ALREADY AWAY. BUDDY: THIS IS STERLING MARLIN HERE GOING DOWN INTO THE PIT, HE'S WATCHING THE CAR RIGHT HERE, LOOKS LIKE HE HAS IT SAVED, NOW IT STARTS AROUND, HE HITS THE PAVEMENT THERE, HEADED TOWARDS THAT PIT ROAD. DICK: DIDN'T LIFT THE ROOP FLAPS. THAT'S SURPRISING THEY DIDN'T POP UP ON STERLING MARLIN'S CAR. KEN: CHAD LITTLE'S STOPPED. FLAT STOPPED ON THE NUMBER 97. HE HAD BEEN RUNNING 10TH. DICK: CERTAINLY THE CONTENDERS ON PIT ROAD, RUSTY WALLACE, JOHN ANDRETTI, PULL UP ON WARD BURTON'S CAR. BUDDY: I HAVE A REPORT ON CHAD LITTLE. THEY SAID HE PASSED AFTER THE CAUTION COME OUT. THEY'RE MAKING HIM WAIT AND HE'LL GO TO THE LONG END OF THE LONGEST LINE. KEN: BACK TO THE VERY FIRST RACE WHILE WE HAVE A MOMENT AS THEY PICK UP CHAD LITTLE. 1960. REMEMBER THIS ONE, BAKER? OLD MEMORY. THIS IS WHEN IT ALL STARTED. THE 600, IN 1960. >> THE MIDDLE SOUTH HAS BEEN MATCHING PROGRESS ON THIS TRACK FOR THE BETTER PART OF A YEAR. IT LOOKED AS IF HALF OF THE COUNTY WAS BEING MOVED TO BUILD THE TRACK. 30,000 CARS CAN PARK HERE, AND DO. 60 MEN GRIT THEIR TEETH AND PINCH THEIR RIGHT LEGS RATE WAITING TO DRIVE THEIR ACCELERATOR PEDALS TO THE FLOOR. CAR 64 IS SPINNING. JOHNSON WINS IT. JOHNSON IS THE FIRST MAN TO SEE THE CHECKERED FLAG. JOE LEE JOHNSON LASTED TO LEAD THEM ALL. KEN: BAKER, WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT JOELY JOHNSON? BUDDY:'S A REAL DRIVER. NO REAR SPOILERS, NONE OF THE -- I'VE BEEN TO THE ONE TUNNEL SEVEN TIMES WITH THIS CAR. HERE'S A MAN THAT DROVE THE RACE CAR JUST AS IT WAS. KEN: ALL RIGHT, 1960. STEVE BYRNES? STEVE: JEFF GORDON WAS JUST IN. HE TOOK FOUR TIRES. HE DID NOT MAKE A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT THIS TIME. HE DID ON THE LAST STOP. BUT NOT THIS TIME. HE ALSO WAS COMPLAINING HE WAS VERY THIRSTY, HE DID GET WATER. LET'S GO BACK UPSTAIRS. KEN: GORE GR'S NUMBER 24, BACK OUT HERE. MAJOR CONTENDER AS HE TRIES TO WIN IT BACK-TO-BACK. HE WOULD BECOME THE FIFTH DRIVER TO DO IT. IT'S HAPPENED FIVE TIMES, BUT TWICE BY OLD D.W. NEIL BONNETT WAS ONE OF THOSE. SOME FELLOW NAMED BAKER WAY BACK THERE. BUDDY: I CAN TELL YOU THIS -- KEN: 1972 AND 1973. BUDDY: YOU WERE ANNOUNCING THAT VERY RACE, PROBABLY. DICK: YOU LOOK AT THE REPORT BOOK AND SEE WHO HAS THE MOST LAPS AROUND THIS. RICHARD PETTY SECOND, DARRYL WALTRIP THIRD, HIS BUDDY BAKER. BUDDY: YOU SEE THAT LET'S YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR PITS ARE. THEY PUT THE PIT BOARD OUT THERE. THAT'S WHAT YOU DRIVE TO. KEN: DALE ELLIOTT OUT OF HIS CAR, THE NUMBER 94, BEING ADMINISTRATED TO. YOU TALK ABOUT GRIT AND GUTS. AND A NICE GUY TO BOOT. YOU CAN'T DO BETTER THAN THIS. ELLIOTT, DRIVER OF 94 AND A RESERVE DRIVER IN THERE. KEN: GREEN. ALLEN: HOW ARE YOU FEELING? >> I'M OK. WE DECIDED WE GOT A LAP DOWN, WE'LL PUT JE IN THE CAR. I JUST NEED TO GET CAUGHT UP A LITTLE BIT BETTER. WE'RE STILL A BIT BEHIND FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. THE TEAM'S DONE A HECK OF A JOB. JEFF DID GO THE OTHER NIGHT, I'M JUST GOING TO LET HIM GO. ALLEN: GET BETTER, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH WEEK. THAT'S BILL ELLIOTT. A QUICK UPDATE, MIKE SKINNER, TALKED ABOUT GETTING HIM OUT AND PUT SHEPHERD IN. MORGAN LEFT THEIR PIT. THEY CAN'T FIND HIM TO GET HIM TO GET IN THE CAR FOR SKINNER. KEN: THAT'S A PROBLEM. WE GOT BAKER READY. HE CAN GO. BUDDY: NO, SIR. KEN: YOU SAID THE OTHER NIGHT, GOSH, COY DO AS WELL AS HALF OF THESE GUYS OUT THERE. BUDDY: LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. KEN: YOU SEE THOSE LIGHTS, THEY TURN ON EVERY TIME THERE'S A CAUTION FLAG. EVERY TIME YOU SEE THOSE LIGHTS. CAUTION, CAUTION, CAUTION. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT ELSE, MARK MARTIN WENT 105 MILES ON A TANK OF GAS ON THAT LAST ROUND OF STOPS. LOOK OUT, EVERYBODY ELSE. JACK ROUSH USED TO GET LOUSY FUEL MILEAGE. NOW HE'S GOT HORSE POWER, ARROW DYNAMICS, FUEL MILEAGE, MARK MARTIN BEHIND THE WHEEL. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE TROUBLER WHAT. DICK: HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THESE BIG MULTITEAMS? I'LL ASK DR. DICK. DICK: IF IT WORKS IT WORKS WELL. THE KEY IS WHAT RICK HENDRICKS SET UP, HE WAS ABLE TO PERSUADE HIS DRIVERS, EVERYBODY GOT THE SAME STUFF. AS LONG AS THE DRIVERS ARE WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER, THEY HAVE OBVIOUSLY GOT A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT. IT DIDN'T USED TO BE THAT WAY. THE DRIVERS THOUGHT SOMEBODY ELSE HAZE BETTER MOTOR OR CAR. HENDRICKS SHOWED A BETTER WAY OF DOING IT. BUDDY: THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. A CHRYSLER GROUP, PUT TOGETHER THE BEST DRIVERS COULD YOU FIND AT THAT TIME. WON 52-90 EVENTS. IT'S NOT A NEW CONCEPT. IT'S WORKED FOR MANY, MANY YEARS. KEN: IN THAT SAME PERIOD IS WHEN THE FORDS RAN SO WELL. THEY HAD TOP FOUR FINISHES IN 1955. THEY SWEPT THE TOP FOU SO YOU'RE RIGHT. IT ISN'T A NEW CONCEPT AT ALL. THEN THERE WERE THOSE FABULOUS HUDSON HORNETS. DICK: WE GOT TO EXPLAIN AGAIN ABOUT WHAT THIS REPRESENTS. FIVE DRIVERS THERE. THEY ARE. KEN: THE TOP FIVE AT DAYTONA TRANSFER HERE FOR $1 MILLION BONUS. AS MUCH MONEY AS BUDDY BAKER MADE IN -- HE DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THIS. IT TOOK HIM 17 YEARS, RIGHT? YOU WON 40 OR 50 RACE AS A YEAR TO MAKE A MILLION? BUDDY: THE BIGGEST PART I HAD ALREADY WON A COUPLE OF 600S BY THE TIME IT WAS 17 YEARS INTO MY CAREER. THERE THEY ARE, IT HAS, THE SUPERSTATION. KEN: BUT THE GUYS THAT ARE RUNNING FOR THE MILLION, LABONTE SIXTH, WALLACE SEVENTH, EARNHARDT 10TH. NOT GOING TOO WELL FOR THAT BONUS TONIGHT. BUDDY: MAYFIELD REALLY GOT INJURED. KEN: WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE. KEN: THE FOURTH ANNUAL GOOD WILL GAMES FROM NEW YORK FEATURING MICHELLE KWAN AND 1500 OTHER ATHLETES. LAP 193. WHEN THEY COME TO THE LINE, PACE CAR TROD DUCK IN. MARK MARTIN FRONT, SPENCER SECOND, DARRYL WALTRIP -- MICHAEL WALTRIP, JARRET, ANDRETTI, LABONTE, WALLACE, GORDON. JUST BEHIND THE, ACTUALLY JUST IN FRONT OF THEM ARE EARNHARDT, BURTON, BACK TO DARRYL WALTRIP. THE NUMBER SEVEN CARS THAT ARE ON THE TAIL END OF THE LEAD LAP AS THEY TRUCK ON DOWN INTO TURN ONE. JIMMY SPENCER IN THE NUMBER 23 HAS THAT SECOND SPOT AS WE GET READY TO GO. WHAT'S THE STORY ON THAT? RANDY: JIMMY SPENCER STRETCHED HIS FUEL MILEAGE JUST LIKE MARK MARTIN DID. HE WAS RUNNING DEEPER OUTSIDE THE TOP 10, STRETCHED IT ALL THE WAY. HE WAS GETTING TROD PIT, CAME DOWN PIT ROAD. STEVE: WARD BURTON'S BEEN ON PIT ROAD FIVE TIMES WITH HIS CREW CHIEF. CHRIS, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM? >> GOT A LITTLE SKIP IN THE MONTH THOR. IT SEEMS TO HAVE GOTTEN WORSE SINCE THAT FIRST PIT STOP. WE DON'T KNOW IF WE OVERREVVED THE MONTH THOR. WE'RE WORKING ON ELECTRICAL STUFF NOW. WE THINK IT'S MORE ELECTRICAL THAN ANYTHING. SO FAR WE HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING. PROBABLY CHANGE CARBURETORS. ALLAN? ALLEN: STERLING SAID THEY DIDN'T -- STERLING'S CREW CHIEF SAID THEY DIDN'T DAMAGE ANYTHING, BUT THEY DID LOSE A LAP. NOW THEY HAVE TO FIGHT BACK TO GET ON THE LEAD LAP. THEY CHANGED THE TIRES, SAID NO MAJOR DAMAGE. MIKE? MIKE: WHAT THE CREWS' HAPPIEST ABOUT IS FUEL MILEAGE, BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. THAT COULD BE A FACTOR IN THE RACE. KEN SCHRADER, NOT HAPPY, GOING FOR THE $1 MILLION BONUS. THEY HAD LUG NUTS COME LOOSE ON THE LEFT FRONT. THEY HAD TO TIGHTEN THEM UP. HE WENT FROM THE TOP SO 10. HE'S NOW RUNNING BACK. KEN: SORTING OUT THE FIELD IS JIMMY SPENCER. HE HAS TAKEN THE LEAD IN THE NUMBER 23 FROM MARK MARTIN THE NUMBER 6. SPENCER IN THE 23, AS YOUR NEW LEADER. THERE'S YOUR SECOND PLACE AS THEY WAVE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE CARS THAT ARE ON THE TEEL TAIL END OF THE LEAD LAP. SPENCER. HERE HE COMES AFTER BODINE. THAT TABASCO CAR GOING A LAP. ON THE TAIL END. BUDDY: THEY MUST HAVE ADJUSTED MARTIN'S CAR. MARTIN REPORTED THE LOOSE CONDITION NOT LONG AGO. RIGHT NOW THE TIRES ARE GETTING COOLER, THE RACING SURFACE IS GETTING BETTER. MARK MARTIN IS FLYING AT THE MOMENT. KEN: NUMBER 35 PUTTING UP A BATTLE HERE. SPENCER, THE 23, IS YOUR LEADER, MARK MARTIN IS SECOND, DALE JARRET THIRD, ANDRETTI FOURTH, BOBBY LABONTE FIFTH, AND JEFF GORDON IS IN SIXTH. THERE ARE SEVERAL CARS WELL AHEAD OF THESE LEADERS, MANY OF WHICH ARE ON THE TAIL END OF THE LEAD LAP. KEN: AMONG THOSE ARE EARNHARDT, NEMECHEK, THE JEFF BURTON CAR 12TH. DARRYL WALTRIP'S IN THAT CROWD. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN IS RIGHT ON THE BACK BUMPER HEADING INTO TURN THREE. MARTIN, BY FAR, THE QUICKEST CAR ON THE RACE TRACK. HE IS GAINING UP ON SPENCER NOW AS THEY'RE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THREE WIDE OFF TURN FOUR. HE RAN RIGHT OVER OUR CAMERA. MARK MARTIN RAN RIGHT OVER THE CAMERA THAT WAS PLANTED IN THE INFIELD, FLATTENED IT. THAT'S THE END OF THE SPEED SHOT. DICK: YOU CAN KISS THAT ONE GOOD-BYE. KEN: I WONDER IF WE CAN SEND HIM A BILL FOR THAT. DICK: GOOD NIGHT NURSE. THAT'S TWO IN A ROW. THEY GOT ONE YESTERDAY. IT WAS GOOD PICTURES FOR A WHILE, FOLKS. KEN: HERE'S JIMMY SPENCER WORKING ON THE BOTTOM. SPENCER HASN'T WON A WINSTON CUP RACE SINCE 1994. HE SURE IS LOOKING STOUT TODAY. HE HAS BEEN LOOK STOUT AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY FOR THE LAST YEAR OR TWO. WHAT HE HAS LEARNED IS PATIENCE. THE ABILITY TO GO INTO THE CORNERS MORE GRADUALLY, SLOWLY, MORE CAREFULLY HAS JUST DOM JIMMY SPENCER. IT IS PAYING OFF. BUDDY: COME ON. JIMMY SPENCER, THAT'S AS FAST AS THAT RACE CAR WILL RUN RIGHT NOW. WHEN HE DROVE FOR ME I HAD ONE SPEED FOR HIM, WIDE OPEN, AND THE OTHER WAS DEAD STOP. KEN: THAT'S NOT MY MONEY, THAT'S DONNY WINGO'S OPINION. THAT'S WHAT HE TOLD ME. HE SAID HE'S LEARNED THE PATIENCE OF GETTING IN THE CURVE. DICK: MR. EXCITEMENT HAS BECOME MR. CONTROLLED EXCITEMENT. COME ON, BURTON. BUDDY: EXACTLY. KEN: CHAD LITTLE IS IN 17TH POSITION. YOU SEE HIM WORKING HIS WAY BACK THROUGH. THE PROBLEM ON THE BACKSIDE. THEY HAD TO REORGANIZE HIM. RIDING BACK INTO A PROPER SPOT. BUDDY: WHAT WERE YOU SAYING MR. PATIENCE LEADING THE RACE? AND RIGHT BEHIND HIM, MARK MARTIN. HE HAS ABOUT A 10-CAR LENGTH LEAD OVER MARK MARTIN. KEN: MR. PATIENCE? ALL RIGHT, YOU GUYS. JIMMY SPENCER'S FATHER WILL DISOWN HIM IF YOU START TO CALL HIM MR. PATIENCE. DOYLE A FEW YEARS AGO HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY PATIENCE AT ALL. A FELLOW NAMED ROBERTSON, THE MAIN GUY WITH THE SPONSOR, HE SAID, YOU GOT TO CALM DOWN, COOL IT. SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO GO A LITTLE SLOWER TO GO A LITTLE FASTER. BUDDY: SPENCER RUNNING RIGHT NOW. JOHNNY BENSON MOVED TO THE FRONT IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS RACE, ABOUT TO GO A LAP DOWN TO JIMMY SPENCER. KEN: 14TH POSITION, BENSON. WANT TO SEAT CAMERA GET RUN OVER AGAIN, BAKER? BUDDY: THEY SPENT A LOT OF MONEY ON THIS CAMERA. WATCH THIS WHAT DOES A CAMERA LOOK LIKE WHEN IT GETS -- KEN: WE'VE SEEN THE PASS IN THE GRASS. THAT'S THE SPLAT IN THE GRASS. DICK: INDEED. BUDDY: WHILE THESE TWO DUKE IT OUT HERE, TRYING TO PUT JOHNNY BENCH ON THE LAP DOWN. JIMMY SPENCER INSIDE. MARK MARTIN A TEAMMATE. IT UP.ENSON NOT WANTING TO GIVE KEN: I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH MARK MARTIN WEEK AFTER WEEK. I THINK THAT WORKING OUT ALL THAT PHYSICAL TRAINING THAT HE'S GIVING HIMSELF, WHEN YOU GET INTO A RACE LIKE THIS, IT COUNTS FOR A LOT. BUDDY: I'M PRETTY IMPRESSED WITH JIMMY SPENCER NOW. HE'S CAUGHT UP IN A HORRIBLE SITUATION AT THE MOMENT OF THE HE'S BEHIND ONE CAR. YOU SEE KENNY WALLACE THERE. HE'S ABOUT THE LEFT NOW. MARK MARTIN IS WORKING TO PULL HIM DOWN. KEN: 23 AND 6, FIRST AND SECOND. THAT'S JIMMY SPENCER IN FIRST. RIGHT WITH HIM COMES MARK MARTIN. AND JUST BEHIND THEM, DALE JARRET IN THE 88 IS THIRD. THE FIELD SPLIT IN HALF. THE TAIL END OF THE LEAD LAP. ON THAT GREEN CAME OUT. SO THEY'VE GOT SOME REALLY STOUT COMPETITION TO WORK THEIR WAY THROUGH. FOR INSTANCE, HERE'S THE 36. THIS IS IRVAN'S CAR GOING A LAP DOWN. AGAIN, THAT CHEER YO CAR OF BENSON'S PULLED AROUND HIM. BENSON NOT WANTING TO GIVE THIS UP. LET'S FIND OUT FROM JIMMY SPENCER'S CREW CHIEF HOW THIS IS WORKING OUT. >> AN ARGUMENT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT JIMMY SPENCER IS A MORE DELICATE DRIVER THAN HE USED TO BE. >> HE'S A LOT MORE PATIENT. HE'S TRYING TO BE PATIENT NOW WITH THE TRAFFIC, BUT HOPE -- WE'LL GOING TO DO ALL WE CAN DO. >> THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION RIGHT THERE. HE IS MORE PATIENT. KEN: HE BLOWS OFF A GUY THAT WON THE DAYTONA 500. HE LOOKS LIKE A PENNSYLVANIA SNOW BLOWER RIGHT NOW. JIMMY SPENCER IN HIS WAY. HERE COMES THAT NUMBER 36 BACK AROUND ANOTHER TIME. BUDDY: HERE COMES MR. PATIENCE ON THE INSIDE. TRYING TO PUT ERNIE IRVAN A LAP DOWN. KEN: YOU'RE GOING TO HURT HIS REPUTATION AND A WHOLE LOT OF GOODS OVER THERE IN THE CONCESSION AREA. KEN: NOW THE AUTO WEEK IN RACING, A GREAT NIGHT OF RACING LAST SATURDAY AS CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY HOSTED NASCAR'S SPECIAL EVAN THE WINSTON. FIRST OF THREE LEGS OF THE RACE, JEFF GORDON REIGNED SUPREME. IN THE FINAL MOMENTS, NUMBER 24, RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE FINAL LAP, ALLOWING MARK MARTIN'S NUMBER 6 TO CRUISE INTO VICTORY LANE. MARTIN'S FIRST WIN IN THAT PRESTIGIOUS EVENT. YESTERDAY, NASCAR CRAFTSMEN TRUCK SERIES, MISSOURI, TONY RAINES DOMINATED THE FIELD FOR THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR. CALL 1-800-537-1510 NOW FOR A 52-WEEK SUBSCRIPTION TO AUTO WEEK AT THE SPECIAL TV PRICE $24.95. EVERY WEEK AUTO WEEK IS THE FIRST WITH ALL THE INSIDE NEWS OF RACING, PERSONALITIES, DRIVING IMPRESSIONS, EVERYTHING. ALL NOW FOR AUTO WEEK, 1-800-537-1510. DON'T DELAY. THIS OFFER IS LIMITED. BUDDY: WE HAD A LEAD CHANGE. YOU CAN SEE MARK MARTIN NOW LEADS THE RACE, JOHNNY BENSON THERE TRYING TO STAY ON THE LEAD LAP. WHILE WE WERE AWAY, THIS IS THE WAY IT HAPPENED. HERE'S MARK MARTIN COMING UP ON THE CORNER, JOHNNY BENSON JUST IN FRONT OF HIM. MARTIN TAKES A LOW LOOK DOWN THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY. PULLS EVEN. THEN HE FIGHTS BACK ON THE OUTSIDE AS THEY LED HEAD INTO TURN ONE. MARK MARTIN GETS A GOOD RUN DOWN IN THERE. AND CLOSES THE DOOR ON JIMMY SPENCER. DICK: THE QUESTION NOW WILL BE WHETHER MARK MARTIN CAN MANAGE TO PUT BENSON AND EARNHARDT A LAP DOWN. JIMMY SPENCER WASN'T ABLE TO DO IT. HE TRIED LAP AFTER LAP AND COULDN'T GET IT DONE. KEN: AND PRESSLEY HAD BEEN UP THERE FIGHT EARLIER. THEY ARE A LAP DOWN. IT IS THAT BUSINESS OF THE NUMBER 3 CAR AND THE OTHERS. BUDDY: THESE TWO GUYS HERE LOOK GOOD. BACK HERE, LOOK AT THIS BATTLE, RUSTY WALLACE, JEFF GORDON, NOSE TO TAIL. JUST IN FRONT OF THEM FASTEST CAR ON THE RACETRACK BY FAR, DALE JARRETT. KEN: RUSTY WALLACE IS FOURTH, GORDON IN FIFTH. JUST IN FRONT SPENCER, MARTIN FIRST, SPENCER SECOND, JARRETT THIRD. DICK: SPENCER'S HANGING TOUGH. BUDDY: ON THE OUTSIDE THERE, TEAMMATE OR NO TEAMMATE. HE'S FIGHTING LIKE CRAZY. LOOK AT JARET IN THIRD PLACE CLOSING IN ON SPENCER, TWO CAR LENGTHS IN THAT ONE CORNER. KEN: 327 MILES COMPLETE. WHEN THEY COME BY NEXT TIME. DICK: BENSON ON THE OUTSIDE OF EARNHARDT. KEN: YOU HAVE TO BE IMPRESSED WITH BENSON TONIGHT, BUDDY. BUDDY: THERE GOES EARNHARDT. YOU SEE HIM PULL OVER A LITTLE BIT? MARK MARTIN HAD TO CHECK UP. EARNHARDT MOVED OVER, CLOSED THE DOOR ON HIM AS HE STARTED OFF THE CORNER. YOU CAN SEE MARK MARTIN, AS HE DRIVES THIS RACE CAR DOWN IN THE CORNER ON THE OUTSIDE OF EARNHARDT, MAKING THE PASS ON THE OUTSIDE, EARNHARDT FIGHTING VERY HARD, TRYING NOT TO LOSE THIS LAP. BUT I TELL YOU THE WAY MARK MARTIN'S RUNNING, I THINK HE'S DEFENSELESS. THERE COMES JARRETT INTO SECOND PLACE BY JIMMY SPENCER. HE'S IN PURSUIT OF THIS FIRST PLACE AND MARK MARTIN. KEN: EARNHARDT A LAP DOWN IN 11. SPENCER CLOSING IT UP ON THE 88, SECOND AND THIRD RIGHT THERE. MIKE HOGEWOOD WITH FANS. MIKE: WE ARE ACTUALLY IN THE INFIELD. WHICH IS A GREAT PLACE TO WATCH THE RACE. I'M DOWN HERE WITH RANDY. YOU BROUGHT ABOUT 30 FRIENDS? >> WE MADE IT A PARTY. EVERYBODY'S HAVING A GOOD TIME. I THINK DALE WILL PULL IT OFF. MIKE: HOW'S THIS FOR WATCHING A RACE, A SCHOOL BUS PAINTED IN THE DALE EARNHARDT'S COLORS. TALK ABOUT LOYALTY TO A DRIVER, THERE'S EVEN JARRETT FANS NEXT DOOR. THEY ARE VERY, VERY LOYAL. WHY EARNHARDT? >> HE'S THE CHAMPION OF ALL CHAMPIONS. EVERYBODY KNOW HOW GREAT A CHAMPION HE REALLY WAS. KE: AND OUR CAMERAMAN WENT FOR THE CHICKEN. I THINK HE WANTS SOME OF THAT. IT SMELLS AND LOOKS GOOD DOWN HERE. THIS IS WHAT ENJOYING THE COCA-COLA 600 IS ALL ABOUT, KEN. KEN: THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT ON THE TRACK AT THE PRESENT TIME. RUSTY WALLACE IS IN THERE HARD FIGHTING WITH JARRETT. WHAT A SCRAMBLE FOR THIRD. BUDDY: MR. PATIENCE, RUN BOTH OF THEM DOWN IN THE CORNER A SECOND AGO ON THE INSIDE. JARRETT HAS A VERY FAST CAR, BUT HE GOT CAUGHT ON THE OUTSIDE AND LOST A LOT OF TRACK POSITION THERE. HERE COMES GORDON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE 2 CAR, RUSTY WALLACE. KEN: MARK MARTIN IN THE FRONTRUNNING SPOT. WALLACE, GORDON IN THIS CONTACT. THAT'S A FIGHT FOR THIRD SPOT, THIRD, FOURTH, AND FIFTH RUNNING TIGHT TOGETHER JUST PAST THE HALFWAY MARK IN THE EVENT. BUDDY: THREE WIDE DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. SIDE-BY-SIDE, RUSTY WALLACE ON THE INSIDE, DALEARNHARDT IN THE MIDDLE, JEFF GORDON IN THE THIRD LANE ON THE HIGH SIDE OF THE RACETRACK. EARNHARDT JUST LET HIM GO. HE REALIZED RIGHT NOW HIS CAR IS NOT EXACTLY RIGHT. LET HIM GO AFTER IT. KEN: EARNHARDT FALLS TO 12. BENSON 11. DICK: WE'LL SEE WHAT GORDON CAN DO WITH THIS DEAL. RAY EVERNHAM SAID HE HAD AS GOOD A CHANCE TO WIN AS ANY HE HAS EVER ENTERED IN HIS CAREER. THEY FEEL THIS IS A STRONG CAR. THE TEAM HAS VERY MUCH PULLED TOGETHER FOR THIS RACE. THEY HAVE A GOOD SHOT AT IT. HE'S RUNNING VERY WELL TONIGHT, JEFF GORDON IN THAT NUMBER 24. KEN: MAJOR CONTENDTORY WIN BACK-TO-BACK. THERE YOU SEE 6. NOW YOU SEE 23. THAT'S FIRST AND SECOND. THEN 88 COMES THROUGH IN THIRD. FOLLOWED BY GORDON, FOLLOWED BY WALLACE. THAT'S THE FRONT OF THE FIELD AT THE PRESENT TIME. AND THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM. DICK: MARK MARTIN NEVER WON THIS RACE. HE'S WON IN THE FALL. HE'S NEVER WON THE 600. KEN: LET'S LOOK AGAIN AT THREE WIDE, BUDDY. THEY CAME DOWN TURN TWO. BUDDY: YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, RUSTY WALLACE ON THE BOTTOM. DALE EARNHARDT IN THE MIDDLE, JEFF GORDON ON THE OUTSIDE. I KNOW WHAT EARNHARDT THOUGHT RIGHT THERE, YOU CAN SEE HIM EASE ON THE THROTTLE, SAYING THESE GUYS ARE FIGHTING FOR THE LEAD, UP NR THE FRONT, LET THEM GO. FIGHT IT OUT. I'LL ADJUST AND COME BACK AND FIGHT IT LATER. KEN: THERE'S STILL A CHANCE FOR HIM TO MAKE IT UP. WE'VE SEEN HIM COME FROM TWO LAPS DOWN TO WIN HERE AT THE CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. DALE EARNHARDT, WHO DROVE HIS VERY FIRST RACE HERE, BACK IN THE 1970'S IN THAT SPORTSMAN RACE IN THOSE DAYS. ON SATURDA NOW ONE OF THE GREAT STARS OF THE GAME. THREE-TIME WINNER OF THE 600. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. KEN: 231 LAPS COMPLETE, 336 1/2 MILES, LOOKING A LITTLE FURTHER BACK IN THE FIELD, THERE'S JOHN ANDRETTI IN THE 43. HE'S RUNNING IN SIX. AND AS YOU SEE BOBBY LABONTE RUNNING IN SEVENTH. THAT'S THE INTERVAL BETWEEN SIX AND SEVEN. LABONTE IN THE GREEN CAR HIGH ON THE TRACK AS THEY GO THROUGH TURNS THREE AND FOUR. BUDDY: THIS REMINDS ME OF THE RACE THAT BOBBY LABONTE RAN IN ATLANTA. NOBODY KNEW HE WAS ON THE RACETRACK, ALL OF A SUDDEN, BOOM, THERE HE WAS. HE TOOK THE LEAD AND WON THE RACE. BOBBY LABONTE, A VERY, VERY MATURE RACE CAR DRIVER IN LONG RACES. KEN: NINE SECONDS DOWN TO THE LEADER, MARK MARTIN, NUMBER 6. DRIVING WITH BOBBY LABONTE HERE FOR A MOMENT. HE'S GOT KEN SCHRADER COMING UP ON THE INSIDE. SCHRADER IS BACK IN THE 16TH POSITION. SCHRADER ONE OF THOSE CARS NOW A LAP DOWN. THEY HAVE REALLY SORTED THIS FIELD OUT. ALLEN BESTWICK IS STANDING BY WITH ONE OF THE YOUNG DRIVERS YOU'LL SEE AS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THIS RACE IN YEARS TO COME. ALLEN: KEN, ONLY A COUPLE DRIVERS IN THE GARAGE. UNFORTUNATELY ELLIOTT SADLER IS ONE. WHAT HAPPENED? >> SOMETHING LET GO IN THE DRIVE TRAIN TONIGHT. BUT I THINK WE HAD A GOOD RUN. WE WERE RUNNING A LITTLE BIT, AND LEARNING, THE TEAM WAS GETTING TOGETHER, FIRST TIME ON PIT STOPS. STARTING TO RACE WITH THESE GUYS AND HAVING A GOOD TIME. AND PUT ON A GOOD SHOW. WE THANK OUR SPONSORS FOR COMING ON BOARD TONIGHT. I WAS HOPING TO MAKE 600 MILES. BUT WE'LL TRY TO GET THEM AT TH NEXT ONE. MIKE: TOUGH ONE TONIGHT. DAVID GREEN IS ALSO OUT OF THE RACE. KEN: GREAT YOUNG STAR ELLIOTT SADLER, YOU'LL HEAR A LOT ABOUT HIM IN THE FUTURE. A LOT OF FOLKS SAY HE HAS THE MAKESINGS OF A GOOD ONE. MEANWHILE, BATTLE FOR SECOND. BUDDY: DALE JARRETT MOVED TO THE OUTSIDE, MR. PATIENT PULLED OVER, AS YOU SAID, DICK, HE SHOWS A LOT OF MATURITY RIGHT NOW. HE REALIZES RIGHT NOW HE'S NOT AS QUICK AS DALE JARRETT, DID NOT PUT UP A GREAT FIGHT GOING INTO THE CORNER. YOU SEE HIS LINE IS GOOD, BUT DALE JARRETT IN MY OPINION IS ONE OF THE FASTEST CARS THE TRACK. KEN: YOU'RE DEAD RIGHT. SPENCER HAS SAID, HE TALKED ABOUT SOME STUFF, WE NEED TO DO, HE SAID I PEOPLE LIKE I'M DRIVING AS GOOD AS I CAN. AND HE SAID YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE PATIENCE. YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT. TAKE THE TIME WHEN YOU'RE AROUND OTHER CARS, AND DON'T GET IN ANY CONFLICTS. HE DID EXACTLY THAT. EXACTLY. DICK: T WAYNE PASSED AWAY IN A BOATING ACCIDENT. HE'S HAD AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON THE STOCK CAR RACING. KEN: OUT OF THE RACE THUS FAR, DAVID GREEN, ELLIOTT SADLER, ENGINE PROBLEMS. DICK: WAVE' HAD SEVERAL CARS GET A LITTLE BIT OF BODY DAMAGE. >> SPENCER COMING OFF TURN FOUR DID A LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE NOSE OF THE CAR. A LITTLE BIT OF DAMAGE BEHIND THE WHEEL THERE. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO HURT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR AT ALL. KEN: IF HISTORY REPEATS, THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE CARS IN THE GARAGE AREA. THIS RACE HAS A HISTORY OF A LOT OFARS FAILING TO FINISH. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE GRIND, 600 MILES. IF YOU LOOKED AT THE LAST 12 RACES THAT HAVE BEEN RUN HERE IN CHARLOTTE, ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE FIELD IS IN THE GARAGE WHEN IT'S ALL DONE AND OVER WITH. THAT'S OVER 10 CARS THAT DROP OUT. HAS ANYBODY SEEN MORGAN SHEPPEDERED? HELLO? WE GOT A REPLACEMENT FOR BILL ELLIOTT. AMONG THE INJURED DRIVERS, JEFF GREEN HAS STEPPED IN FOR BILL ELLIOTT. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR MORGAN ELLIOTT TO STEP IN FOR SKINNER. KEN: STINNER SAID IF THE CAR WAS RUNNING WELL, HE WOULD STICK WITH IT. OH, BOY. GEOFF BODINE. GORDON UNDERNEATH. JIMMY SPENR ON THE BREAK. I GOT TO TELL YOU, GREAT MOVE BY SPENCER. THERE WAS A TIME WHEN HE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT THING. HE REALLY GOT THE BINDERS ON. PUT ON YOUR FLAT TIRES ON FRONT. OTHER THAN THAT HE GETS OUT THAT HAVE SCRAPE PRETTY EASILY. GIVEN WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. DICK: IT SURE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. HE HAD THAT CAR LEFT AND RIGHT. HE COULD HAVE TAKEN IT EITHER WAY. SOONER OR LATE TER WOULD HAVE FOUND THE WALL. HE MADE A GREAT RECOVERY. KEN: GEOFF BODINE IN THE NUMBER 7 EASE IT DOWN IN. WANT TO TEAR UP THAT, TIRES ARE GONE. TAKE ANOTHER LOOK. BUDDY: GEOFF BODINE COMES OFF TURN FOUR. YOU SEE THE BACK OF THE CAR TRYING TO COME AROUND. HE MAKES TWO OR THREE CORRECTIONS. IT GETS AWAY FROM HIM. WATCH JEFF GORDON GO THROUGH THE GRASS RIGHT THERE, ENTER THE RACE TRACK JUST BELOW BODINE, STAYING OUT OF HARM'S WAY. KEN: THE OLDEST OF THE BODINE BROTHERS SHOWING WHAT EXPERIENCE MEANS. THAT WAS A REAL SAVE. BUDDY: YOU CAN SEE HIM RIGHT THERE. HE'S GETTING IT BACK STRAIGHT. MAKES SEVERAL CORRECTIONS. WATCH THE BACK WHEN IT REALLY SWINGS THERE, INTO THE GRASS ON THE FRONT STRAIGHT AWAY, STARTS BACK AROUND, GOES BACK OUT. THERE GOES GORDON ON THE INSIDE. KEN: THIRD PLACE C, NUMBER 24. YOU SAW SPENCER REALLY SLOW DOWN NOT TO GET COLLECTED IN THAT ONE. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. KEN: LIVE SHOT AT MOTOR SPEED WAY. HERE'S NUMBER TWO, RUSTY WALLACE. NOW LEADING GORDON SECOND. THIS WAS THE ACTIVITY MOMENTS AGO DOWN ON PIT ROAD. MARTIN ON TOP. YOU CAN SEE JARRET AND GORDON MAKING THEIR PIT STOPS HERE. GUESS WHO'S THERE FIRST. YOU SAW IT NUMBER TWO, RUSTY WALLACE BREAKING OFF PIT ROAD. DICK: THAT'S THE SECOND TIME THAT'S HAPPENED TONIGHT THAT RUSTY HAS GONE IN FIFTH AND COME OUT FIRST. THAT PIT CREW IS GETTING THE JOB DONE. MIKE: THIS 88 IS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHEN THIS TRACK CHANGES IN CHARLOTTE, SOME CARS START GETTING A LOT BETTER. THEY HAVEN'T STOPPED WORKING ON IT. THEY TOOK A ROUND OUT. THEY'RE CONTINUING TO TRY TO LOOSEN IT UP, ANTICIPATING THE TRACK CHANGING EVEN MORE AS THIS RACE PROGRESSES. STEVE? STEVE: MARK MARTIN WAS IN FOR SERVICE. NO CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE 6 CAR. THEY DID CHANGE ALL FOUR TIRES AND THE WIND CHEELED. NOT E. THIS IS A TEAR AWAY PIECE. THIS IS AN ADD HE'SIVE THAT GOES ON THE WIND CHEELED. THEY RIPPED IT OFF, THREW IT IN THE TRASH. ALLAN? ALLEN: RUSTY SAID ON THAT LAST RUN, HIS CAR WAS JUST ABOUT PERFECT. IT JUST GOT A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER AS THE RACE WENT ON IT DIDN'T WANT TO AS GOOD IN THE CORNERS. THE CREW HAS HIM WITH THE RACE LEAD. HE SAYS, I HOPE THE CAR STAYS JUST AS PERFECT NOW. RANDY: A SIGH OF RELIEF DOWN HERE IN THE CHEERIOS CREW. THEY MADE AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENTS, UP ONE POUND TO TIGHTEN UP JOHNNY BENSON AFTER HE DROVE HIS HEART OUT TO STAY ON THE TAIL OF THE LEAD LAP. HE IS NOW BACK IN THIS BALL GAME. KEN: AND HE IS 11TH. HE IS IN THAT LEAD LAP JUST IN FRONT OF HIM IS BURTON. AND THAT'S THE 99 BURT YOUON, JEFF BURTON. IN FRONT OF HIM IS NEMECHEK. IN FRONT OF HIM IS MICHAEL WALTRIP. MARK MARTIN BACK FOR FOURTH AFTER THAT PIT STOP. OH, BOY. NOW WHERE IS WARD BURTON WHEN YOU NEED HIM? WARD BURTON IS A GREAT OUTDOORSMAN. BUDDY: THAT BIRD HAS THE HICCUPS. KEN: I HOPE IT IS NOT NESTING. THAT MAY BE THE ONLY LIVE CREATURE IN NORTH CAROLINA THAT DIDN'T BUY A TECHET FOR THIS PLACE. LOOK AT THIS, SITS RIGHT BY THE EDGE OF THE RACE TRACK. I HOPE HE LEAVES SOON. SCORING DOWN ON PIT ROAD, KEEPING TRACK OF HOW THEY'RE GETTING IN AND OUT DOWN THERE. RANDY? RANDY: -- ALLEN: THIS IS ALLEN BESTWICK. WHAT'S RUSTY SAYING ABOUT THE CAR? >> WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING A LITTLE TIGHT ALL NIGHT LONG. WE MADE A BIG STEP WITH THE LAST ADJUSTMENTS. HOPEFULLY NEXT TIME WE CAN DO A LITTLE BETTER. GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. THE ENGINE GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. JUST SEE WHAT HAPPENS. ALLEN: YOUR PIT CREW HAS BEEN GREAT. >> OH, YEAH. THE GUYS HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB. EARL HAD TO HAVE KNEE SURGERY AFTER THE CALIFORNIA RACE SO HE WAS OUT LAST WEEK. NOW WE GOT BACKUP JACK MAN HERE, SCOTT ROBINSON,TILL PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. IT MAKES IT EASY TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO ON RACE NIGHTS. ALLEN: COACH RANDY PEMBERTON WATCHING HIS LEAD. KEN: RUSTY WALLACE IN FRONT. 39 RACES WITHOUT A WIN. THE CHAMPION IN THIS EVENT. HE HAS DONE AN ACCELERATED REHABILITATION PROGRAM TO HELP THIS TEAM OUT. HE'S DOING ABOUT THREE HOURS OF THAPY A DAY. RIDING A BICYCLE SINCE SURGERY. AROUND THREE WEEKS AGO, HE'S RIDDEN OVER 200 MILES ON A BIKE TO GET HIMSELF IN SHAPE SO HE COULD JACK THAT RACE CAR TONIGHT. KEN: LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE IN CHARLOTTE. IT'S BEEN AN EXCITING TIME. SPEED WEEK KICKED INTO HIGH GEAR. THE OFFICIAL TIME FOR THIS SPEED WEEK STARTED ON TUESDAY NIGHT. DOWNTOWN, BIG AFRAID. SOME OF NASCAR'S TOP DRIVERS DROPPED BY. ON THURSDAY, UNICAL HOSTED A PARTY WITH DAVID LETTERMAN? SORT OF. THIS WAS A LOOK ALIKE. WARMED UP THE CROWD WITH HIS SIGNIFICANT MONOLOGUE, THEN INTRODUCED AN APPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE TO THE REAL JEFF GORDON. FRIDAY NIGHT'S CHARITY BALL AND AUCTION RAISED MONEY. THEY'VE RAISED OVER $1 MILLION, I BELIEVE. THERE'S SMOKEY UNIT, COMPLETE IN TUXEDO. IT BENEFITS CHILDREN ALL OVER THE CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA AREA. A LOT OF UNIQUE AND SPECIAL FOLKS THERE, BOBBY ALLISON. THEY HAD A LOT OF ITEMS UP IN THEIR AUCTION THAT NIGHT. JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY RACE FANS RED STATE STREET, SIX HIME BLOCK FESTIVAL DOWNTOWN. THREE-DAY EVENT, LIVE BANS, NASCAR DRIVERS, AUTOGRAPHS, THE WHOLE WORKS. GRAND FUNK RAILROAD KNOCKED THEIR SOX OFF LAST NIGHT, COMPLETE WITH FIREWORKS. ON THE STAGE AND IN THE AIR. GREAT NIGHT. WONDERING IF CHARLOTTE LIKES ITS AUTORACING. THEY SHUT DOWNTOWN DOWN FOR THAT THING. DICK: AS A REMEMBER THE STORY, IT'S TOO LATE. >> WE'RE WITH RANDY. 8,000 AS HE STARTS IN THE HIGH GEAR. HE'S 7,000 RIGHT NOW GOING INTO TURN ONE. YOU SEE 150 MILES AN HOUR IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AS HE GOES THROUGH TURNS ONE AND TWO. WATCH THIS BABY CLIMB DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. 175 MILES AN HOUR, 8500. RIGHT AT 87 HUNDRED HUB DOWN THROUGH THERE. 185 MILES AN HOUR. KEN: GREAT PICTURES AS THEY COME BACK TO SPEED AND COMPLETE A LAP. RUSTY WALLACE IN COMMAND. WALLACE'S BRAVEY IS NOT WHAT WINS RACES, HE SAYS, A SMART RACE DRIVER WINS RACES. YOU HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE, BUT YOU CAN'T BE AGGRESSIVE AND STUPID AT THE SAME TIME. HE'S UP IN FRONT. GORDON READY TO TRY TO TAKE IT AWAY. JARRET'S IN THIRD. MARK MARTIN IS BACK IN FOURTH. AND JIMMY SPENCER FIFTH WITH ANDRETTI SIXTH, LABONTE SEVENTH. MIKE WALTRIP DOING A GOOD JOB IN EIGHTH RIGHT NOW. HERE COMES GORDON CLOSING GROUND. GORDON MOVING IN. UNSETTLES HIM. THE FIRST COUPLE OF LAPS BEFORE THEY GET THE AIR PRESSURE BACK UP LIKE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE, THE DRIVER'S FEEL THE CARS MOVE AROUND. COULD YOU SEE JEFF GORDON'S CAR, A LITTLE TAIL HAPPY AS THEY WENT INTO THE TURN. THE TIRE PRESSURE BUILDS UP. THE TIRES HEAT UP, GETS MORE AIR PRESSURE IN IT. THEY DRIVE MUCH BETTER AFTER TWO OR THREE LAPS. KEN: TOP THREE BUNCHED TOGETHER. WALLACE LEADING. RUSTY WALLACE, WHAT DOES WINNING A COCA-COLA 600 MEAN TO A DRIVER? >> 600 MILES IS A MILESTONE. IT'S HARD TO WIN A 600-MILE RACE. WHEN YOU WIN, AND YOU BEAT THEM HARD, THAT FEELS GOOD. ALTHOUGH, I WILL TELL YOU, IF YOU LEAD ALL DAY LONG BACK AND FORTH AND YOU RACE ANOTHER CAT ALL DAY LONG BACK AND FORTH, AND THAT GUY'S LEADING YOU, HE'S JUST PASSED YOU FIVE TO GO, LET'S SAY, OK. YOU TOOK THE WHITE FLAG, GOING INTO TURN ONE, HE DRIFTS A LITTLE HIGH. YOU WIN IT WITH A HALF LAP TO GO. THAT GIVES ME MORE SATISFACTION THAN SIT BEING OUT THERE ALL DAY LONG BY MYSELF. BUDDY: I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, RUSTY IS DOING A GREAT JOB. JEFF GORDON UNABLE TO STAY LOW. HERE COMES DALE JARRET TRYING TO TAKE SECOND AWAY FROM GORDON. KEN: WALLACE KNOWS ABOUT WING. WON HERE IN 1990 IN A GREAT BATTLE WITH BILL ELLIOTT. HERE'S GORDON. TO THE OUTSIDE MOVES JARRET. RUNNING FOR THE MILLION TONIGHT, RUSTY WALLACE IS IN FRONT. HE CAN COLLECT AN EXTRA $1 MILLION. ONE OF THE TOP FIVE AT DAYTONA. THE LUCKY FAN COULD COLLECT A MILLION AS WELL. ONE OF FIVE ALLOWED TO CARRY IT TONIGHT. BUDDY: DID YOU SEE WHAT DALE JARRET DID? HE PASHED JEFF GORDON IN A DRAFT ON THE OUTSIDE THAT SHOW AS A LOT OF MUSCLE. AS THEY CEDE, JARRET GETS STRONGER AND STRONGER AS THE RACE GOES. HE IS CLEARLY A FAST, FAST RACE CAR RIGHT NOW. SO IS RUSTY WALLACE. NEVER GIVING UP. WORKING ON EVERY PIT STOP. JARRET RIGHT NOW SEEMS -- WATCH WHEN HE GETS IN THE CORNER. SEEMS TO BE WORKING WELL FOR THE 88. KEN: THE 91 ON THE INSIDE, HIGH ON THE TRACK, THE E. THE 96 GOING AT IT. HERE COMES GORDON BACK INTO IT. HE GETS SATISFACTION OUT OF RACING WITH PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BIN THE THING, HE WILL GET A LOT OF SATISFACTION, HE CAN PULL THIS WIN OFF, HE HAS GOT HIS HANDS FULL. KEN: 50 CAR LENGTHS BACK IN FOUR IN MARK MARTIN. NUMBER 88, 88 BACK ON THE OUTSIDE. BUDDY: HE CANNOT HOLD ON. JARRETT HIGH SIDE THERE. RUSTY FIGHTS BACK ON THE INSIDE AS THEY HEAD DOWN THROUGH THE DOGLEG, JARRETT CLEARLY IN THE LEAD. KEN: FIRST TIME TONIGHT THAT DALE JARRETT HAS CARRIED HIS FOUR COLORS UP TO THE FRONT. BACK COMES WALLACE ANOTHER TIME. BUDDY: JARRETT A GREAT ONE IN THE CENTER PART OF THE CORNER. RUSTY WALLACE EARLIER IN THE RACE COULDN'T GET OFF THE CORNER, HAS HAD THAT FIXED. HERE'S WHERE JARRETT IS REALLY STRONG, GETTING INTO TURN THREE, YOU'LL SEE HIS CAR MOVE AHEAD OF WALLS LAST'S, THEY GO AROUND TURN THREE. DICK: THERE'S A FOURTH GUY THAT HAS JOINED THE PARTY, MARK MARTIN, NUMBER 6, IS THERE AS WELL. KEN: TOP FOUR IN A BUNDLE. GETTING CLOSE. MAN. YOU'RE MATCHING LAP 256 LIVE ON TBS. FOUR OF THE GREATEST RACING DRIVERS IN AMERICA AT IT STRONG TO WIN THE 600. WALLACE WITH THE INCENTIVE OF AN EXTRA MILLION, NOW FALLING BACK AS MARK MARTIN PULLS UP ON THE INSIDE. MARTIN, WHO'S DOMINATED FOR A WHILE, IS PULLING UP. MEANWHILE, FOR THE LEAD, LOOK AT THIS, JEFF GORDON, PUTS THAT SHEV CHEF IN FRONT OF THREE FORDS. BUDDY: ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD JARRETT'S CAR WAS WORKING,RE COMES 24 RIGHT NOW, JEFF GORDON. THERE'S JARRETT'S CAR. MARK MARTIN HAS MADE THE PASS NOW. HE'S CLEARLY IN THIRD PLACE. KEN: IT IS A BATTLE OF CHAMPIONS. THE DEFENDING CHAMPION, OF THE 600, HE'S UP ON THE POINT RIGHT NOW. THERE'S GORDON, THE 1996 WINNER OF THE 600, BEHIND HIM DALE JARRETT. BACK I FOUR, NUMBER 2, RUSTY WALLACE. HE'S SHOWING HE HAS IT TO BE UP THERE. CAN HE CLIMB BACK TO THE TOP? THERE'S STILL PLENTY OF TIME. 257 LAPS ARE NOW COMPLETE IN THIS 600. THAT BRINGS US TO 385 OF THE 600 MILES. THE ENTIRE CROWD IS ON ITS FEET. YOU LOOK UP IN THE GRAND STANDS, NO ONE, ABSOLUTELY NO ONE IS SITTING DOWN. HOW CAN YOU WITH RACING AS GREAT AS THIS. DICK: THIS IS REALLY WHAT STOCK CAR RACING IS ALL ABOUT. SO COMPETITIVE. KEN: JEFF GORDON'S DONE IT AGAIN. HE'S PULLED BACK AROUND. WHEN HE WHEN HE WAS 22 YEARS OLD AND WON THIS RACE? AND HE THANKED, RAY EVERNHAM, AND THAT PIT CREW FOR THE BRILLIANT JOB THEY DID. AND AGAIN TONIGHT THEY HAVE KEPT THEM IN THE HUNT. IF YOU DON'T HE A QUICK TEAM ON PIT ROAD, YOU CAN RIDE IT OFF AT THE SPEEDS THEY'RE CARRYING AROUND THIS TRACK, IT'S WON AND LOST IN THE PITS TIME AFTER TIME. RIGHT NOW IT COMES DOWN TO DRIVER AGAINST DRIVER, AND THAT'S WHY EVERY SEAT HERE AT CHARLOTTE IS SOLD OUT TO SEE A BATTLE LIKE THIS. DICK: HE IS SO GOOD, ESPECIALLY IN THIS EVENT AT CHARLOTTE, COMING INTO TONIGHT'S RACE, HE LED 242 LAPS HERE AT CHARLOTTE. 201 IN THIS EVENT. WON IT IN 1994, WON IT IN 1997. FOUR POLES IN A ROW. GORDON IN THE LEAD AGAIN AT CHARLOTTE. BUDDY: THE FORDS HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY STRONG. WE HAVE A CHEVROLET, A FORD, A FORD, AND A PONTIAC RIGHT NOW. KEN: THE PONTIAC HAS BEEN STRUGGLING. THEY HAVE ONLY WON THIS RACE A COUPLE TIMES. THEY HAVE A CRACK AT IT TONIGHT. THEY HAVE SOME VERY GOOD CARS, STILL VERY MUCH IN THE HUNT. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A BREAK. THEN BE BACK WITH YOU. KEN: WHO'S GOING TO WIN IS THE ISSUE HERE? ARE YOU READY FOR THIS. TAKE A LOOK WHAT HAPPENED MOMENTS AGO, LAP 267. BUDDY: DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY, MARK MARTIN LEADS, DALE JARRETT RUNS UP ON THE BACK OF THE CAR. AND MARK MARTIN IS STRONG, DOWN TO THE BOTTOM. HE GOES BY JARRETT. WATCH HOW EASILY HE MAKES THIS LOOK AS HE GOES BY GORDON. PULLS BACK INTO THEEAD. WHAT A RACE CAR, WHAT A MOVE. DICK: FROM THIRD TO FIRST, GOT THEM BOTH. KEN: GORDON HELD ON IN SECOND. TAKE A LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER BACK. HERE'S KEN SCHRADER'S NUMBER 33, RUNNING IN 17 SPOT, RIGHT THERE WITH HIM, EARNHARDT. THAT'S A BITE TO 16. DICK: THAT WAR'S BEEN GOING ON FOR LAPS. KEN: AND WALTRIP WANTS TO GET INTO THAT ONE, TOO. BUDDY: THERE'S A LOT OF ORANGE SPOILERS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE. THESE GUYS ARE GOING FOR THE KNOW BULL. $1 MILLION BONUS WE'RE LOOKING AT. RIGHT AT THE MOMENT THEY'RE NOT FARING THAT WELL. KEN: THEY'RE 16 SPOTS OUT OF WHERE IT COUNTS. WALTRIP'S RIGHT THERE WITH THEM AS WELL. KENNY IRWIN, ROOKIE CANDIDATE FOR 1998 IS NOT IN THIS RACE. WHAT A STORY HE IS. MIKE HOGEWOOD HAS IT. MIKE: HE'S HERE IN DALE JARRETT'S PITS. THIS IS KILLING YOU. >> THIS IS. I WOULD MUCH RATHER LEARN ON THE RACETRACK THAN THE PITS, BUT THE 88 CAR SURE IS RUNNING GOOD TONIGHT. AND I'M JUST HERE TRYING TO SUPPORT HIM. MIKE: HOW STRONG IS HE? YOU ARE VERY CLOSE TO DALE JARRETT AND THE TEAM. YOU KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE. DOES HE HAVE IT TONIGHT? >> I THINK HE DOES. THEY'RE FINE TUNING IT, AND EVERY TIME THEY COME IN, IT'S SMALL CHANGES. THAT TELLS ME IT'S GOOD. MIKE: YOU WON'T SEE MANY MORE 600S WITHOUT THAT MAN KENNY IRVIN TO STEVE BYRNES. STEVE: WITH RICKY CRAVEN. WE MENTIONED AT THE TOP OF TH SHOW, RANDY LAJOIE LOOKING IN. HOW'S YOUR HEALTH? >> I'M DOING GOOD. IT'S TOUGH TO SIT OUT FOR 2 1/2 MONTHS. I'M MISSING ONE OF MY FAVORITES HERE'S. BUT RANDY'S DOING A GREAT JOB. I FEEL LIKE I CAN BE BACK NEXT WEEK. I WANT TO, BUT WE'RE GOING TO PLAY IT COOL. GET EVERYTHING IN ORDER. BE BACK FOR THE DAYTONA RACE IN JULY. STEVE: WSHOULD MENTION HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, RICKY. >> GOSH. YOU'RE RIGHT. I'M 32 TODAY. SON OF A GUN. STEVE: BACK UPSTAIRS. KEN: 32, INDEED, TODAY. IT'S ALSO THE BIRTHDAY OF ALL KINDS OF FOLKS HAVING BIRTHDAYS ON THE MEMORIAL WEEKEND. HOW ABOUT THAT. THE ROOKIES IN THE RACE, KEVIN LEPAGE IS NOW 39TH, AND NADEAU IS RUNNING. THE ROOKIE BATTLE, LEPAGE HAS THE BETTER FINISH. BUDDY: THIS IS LAJOIE, YOU'RE LOOKING AT HIS FAST AS HE GOES INTO THE CORNER, YOU SEE HIM TURNING INTO THE CORNER, A LOT OF WIND GOING ON THE SCREEN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER COMPARTMENT. RANDY'S GOING AT IT. KEN: 18TH POSITION. DICK: THE CAR LOOKS GOOD. HE WAS HARDLY MOVING THAT STEERING WHEEL. NO NEED TO WRESTLE IT. BUDDY: JOHNNY BENSON GOT A LITTLE LOOSE. HE AND EARNHARDT HAVE HAD A WAR HERE FOR THE LAST COUPLE LAPS. YOU SEE JOHNNY BENSON ON THE INSIDE THERE TRYING TO PUT EARNHARDT DOWN. KEN: AND LAJOIE IS TRYING TO TAKE EARNHARDT THERE IN THE SAME LAP, RUNNING EACH OTHER AT THE PRESENT TIME. THAT'S A GOOD BATTLE. 17 SPOT. EARNHARDT TRYING TO FIGHT OFF LAJOIE. HERE'S LAJOIE TO THE INSIDE. THEY'RE NEARLY THREE WIDE INTO THE MAIN STRAIGHTAWAY. LAJOIE HAS THE MAKINGS OF THE HENDRICK CAR. PICKS HIM UP. AND GETS HIMSELF THAT EARNHARDT POSITION. TAKES OVER 17. EARNHARDT TO 18. TAKE A LOOK A MOMENT AGO. ACTION OUT HERE. BUDDY: GORDON ON THE INSIDE, DALE JARRETT ON THE INSIDE. THEY HEAD DOWN TOWARDS TURN ONE. JARRETT ON THE OUTSIDE, GORDON ROLLS ON THE THROTTLE AND SAYS GO AHEAD. KEN: STILL PLENTY OF TIME. 275 LAPS COMPLETE OF THE 400 TO BE RUN. 412 1/2 MILES. THERE'S THE INTERVAL BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND. NUMBER 6 AND NUMBER 88. BUDDY: I THINK MARK MARTIN'S PUTTING THE YO-YO ON THEM. EVERY TIME HE LOOKS IN THE MIRROR, THEY CLOSE UP A LITTLE BIT, HE SAID I THINK I'LL GO TO THE BOTTOM. >> CRASH, CRASH DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. KEN: NADEAU, SPINNING OFF. YELLOW IS OUT. THAT WOULD BE FOR NUMBER FIVE. DICK: CAR WAS ALREADY BEAT UP FROM AN EARLIER INCIDENT. THE HOOK FLEW UP IN THE FINAL PRACTICE SESSION, SMASHED THE ROOF AND HOOD. KEN: LAP 277. LAP 277 THEY'RE PUTTINGT OUT. HERE'S MARTIN BRINGING THE FIELD BY. JARRETT THERE. MAYFIELD ACROSS THE LINE. BUDDY: MAYFIELD WAS TRYING TO MAKE UP THE LAP HE'S DOWN. A COUPLE OF THEM. AND COULDN'T DO IT. HE DIDN'T BEAT THEM BACK TO THE HINE. HE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK. KEN: LET'S LOOK AT IT. FIFTH CAUTION COMING UP. BUDDY: HE GETS A LITTLE BIT OF HELP, DERRIKE COPE THERE IN THE 30 LOOKED LIKE HE GOT INTO THE BACK OF THE 13 OF NADEAU. IT TURNED HIM AROUND. SOMETIMES YOU GET A GOOD RUN OFF THE CORNER LIKE THAT, YOU DON'T MEAN TO DO IT, YOU GET INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF YOU AND IT TURNS THEM RIGHT AROUND. DICK: HE SURE DID GET AN UNCOMFORTABLE VIEW OF ALL THE REST OF THOSE CARS HEADING AT HIM. HERE'S NADEAU BACKWARDS AT ABOUT 170 MILES AN HOUR. KEN: AND BACK ON PIT ROAD. THAT HAS TO HURT. HE'S HAD ONE TOP FINISH THIS YEAR, IN THAT ROOKIE SCRAMBLE. HE'S RUNNING MANY LAPS DOWN. HE'S SHOWN AT 212 FROM A FIELD OF 277. DICK: HE'S A GOOD ONE. HE'S IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. JEFF GORDON BACK IN 1993 WHEN HE WAS A ROOKIE CRASHED AND CRASHED AND CRASHED. BUDDY: PITS ARE OPENED. HERE'S THE LEAD BUNCH. KEN: CRITICAL PIT STOP RIGHT NOW. DOWN TO 45 MILES AN HOUR AS THEY HIT THE WHITE LINE. AND THEY ARE READY. SPENCER FIRST. 99, BURTON. WATCHING THE TOP THREE RUNNERS AS THEY APPROACH THEIR PITS. LET'S GO DOWN TO THE ACTION. >> JEFF GORDON, NUMBER 24, THEY MADE A SLIGHT CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT REAR. JEFF GORDON SAYING THE CAR WAS GOOD GOING INTO THE CORNER, BUT LOOSE IN THE MIDDLE. ANOTHER GOOD STOP. TO ALLEN BESTWICK. ALLEN: RUSTY WALLACE HAS HAD A LITTLE TROUBLE ON THE LEFT REAR. HE GOT OUT WITH THE LEAD THIS TIME. BUT NOT THIS TIME. RUSTY WALLACE FOUR TES, AND HE'S AWAY. KEN: MARTIN, LABONTE, GORDON, ROLLING OUT AND JUST IN FRONT OF THEM YOU SEE 88? THAT'S WHERE THE DRAMA WAS ON PIT ROAD, THAT'S HOW FAST IT HAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP IMPORTANT. DALE JARRETT SEEMS THAVE THAT ADVANTAGE AS THEY ROLL BACK ON TO THE TRACK. KEN: THE CARS ON LEAD LAP GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO PIT FIRST. THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE JUST SEEN. NOW NEXT TIME AROUND THE CARS THAT ARE NOT ON THE LEAD LAP, THEY GET THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO PIT. WHO DO YOU THINK'S SHOWN U EVERYTHING? THAT MOVE, BUDDY? BUDDY: IT WOULDN'T MAKE ME FEEL BETTER IF MARTIN PASSED ME LIKE THAT. THE ONE THING YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, THOSE ARE THE GREATEST CREW CHIEFS IN THE WORLD. THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON THESE CARS TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT. IT'S NOT OVER YET. ALLEN: IF YOU REMEMBER THE CAUTION BEFORE THIS ONE, JOHNNY BENSON WAS ON THE TAIL. TODAY FIGHT THROUGH TRAFFIC ALL THROUGH THAT GREEN FLAG SEGMENT, USED UP HIS TIRES, BUT HE WAS GETTING A LITTLE LOOSE. THEY BOLTED ON FOUR NEW TIRES, TWO MILES DOWN WILL TRY TO TIGHTEN THEM UP. >> HE GOT OUT ON THE TRACK. FIRST THEY MADE A SLIGHT AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT, LOOSENED THEM UP. BUT DALE CAUTIONED HIS TEAM HE WOULD RATHER BE TIGHT THAN LOOSE. HE LIKES THE CAR THE WAY IT IS, SO THEY MADE A VERY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS. KEN: LET'S GO BACK TO THAT AMAZING PASS BY MARK MARTIN A MOMENT AGO. BUDDY: LET ME TALK ABOUT THIS. MARTIN IN THIRD PLACE, THE 6 CAR, BELOW JARRETT. HE MAKES IT LOOK SO EASY. YOUR RACE LEADER, 24 JEFF GORDON. HE GOES BY HIM LIKE THAT YOU ARE PUTTING ON THE BREAKS TO LET HIM GO. YOU WANT TO TAKE THE AIR OUT OF A RACE CAR DRIVER? MAKE A MOVE LIKE THAT. THAT'S THE BEST WAY IN THE WORLD. KEN: THAT IS DEMORALIZING . JEFF BURTON HAS MADE REPEATED STOPS IN THE PIT FOR ENGINE TROUBLE. MARK MARTIN HAS SAID RACE TRACKS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE HIGH BANKED. IF YOU WANT TO RUN ON SOMETHING LEVEL, WHY DON'T YOU GO DRAG RACING. WE'LL BE BACK. KEN: THEY THAT DEMONSTRATION TODAY OF ALL THINGS. BUDDY: WE'RE RIDING WITH BOBBY LABONTE. HE IS SO SILENT ON THE RACE TRACK. IF WE DIDN'T JUST MENTION, HEY, LISTEN, HE'S IN THIRD PLACE RIGHT NOW, HE'S GOING -- HE'S ONE OF THE GUYS GOING FOR A $1 MILLION BONUS. HE'S DOING A GREAT JOB. HE'S NOT ONE OF THESE GUYS THAT YOU TALK ABOUT MAKING THESE WILD MOVES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT WHEN THE MONEY'S OUT, YOU CAN ALWAYS SEE BOBBY LABONTE CLOSE TO FIRST PLACE. KEN: GUESS WHO HOLDS THE SPEED REPORT FOR THIS RACE. IT IS BOBBY LABONTE. FASTEST RACE EVER RUN, 600-MILER HERE AT CHARLOTTE, BOBBY LABONTE 1995 AVERAGED OVER 15 MILES AN HOUR TO WIN IT. IT WAS HIS FIRST EVER WINSTON CUP WIN. BUDDY: HIS PIT CREW CAN DID A GREAT JOB. HE MOVED UP ONE SPOT ON THE PIT STOP THERE, DOING A GREAT JOB FOR BOBBY LABONTE. KEN: FIELD ALL FORMING TOGETHER AGAIN. DICK: 228 LAPS COMPLETE WHEN THEY COME BACK FOR THE LINE. RUSTY WALLACE CAME IN IN FOURTH. KEN: DALE JARRETT OUT IN FRONT. LOOKING PRETTY STOUT. BUDDY: HE'S VERY STRONG. JEREMY MAYFIELD SECOND PLACE ON TRACK POSITION RIGHT NOW, BUT A LAP DOWN. TRYING TO GET HIS LAP BACK, COULDN'T MAKE IT HAPPEN. DALE JARRETT IS VERY STRONG. KEN: DOES THE GORDON CAR LOOK A LITTLE LOOSE? BUDDY: THAT HAPPENS WITH A NEW TIRE. THE AIR PRESSURE ISN'T EXACT LIKE YOU WANT IT. THEY DON'T DRIVE REAL GOOD UNTIL YOU GET THE TIRES THE WAY YOU WANT IT. KEN: IT'S GOT TO BE A HANDFUL. BUDDY: IT IS THAT. WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE AIR PRESSURE LIKE IT SHOULD BE, IT BOUNCES AROUND. I HEARD A GUY SAY TEMPERATURES LIKE A DIRTY RAG. KEN: USED TO COMMENT ON THE OLD TRACKS, THEY WERE HIGH BANKS. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SHOT. BUDDY: JIMMY SPENCER IN FRONT THERE. GOING DOWN INTO TURN ONE. RIGHT ON THE WHITE LINE. KEN: RIGHT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE. BUDDY: IF YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT THE DRIVER SEES, THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. KEN: YOU'RE RIDING WITH LAJOIE RIGHT NOW. BUDDY: HERE COMES JEREMY MAYFIELD NOW. HE HAS HIS CAR, THE TEMPERATURES ARE UP IN THOSE TIRES. TRYING TO GET A LAP NOW ON DALE JARRETT. HE'S CLOSED IN AS THEY HEAD DOWN ON TURN ONE. KEN: LAJOIE HAS FALLEN TO THE NUMBER 20TH SPOT. HERE'S DALE JARRETT NEWSPAPER FRONT. WE ASKED DALE JARRETT WHO HIS BIGGESTFULNESSES WERE GROWING UP IN THE RACING FAMILY. >> I LOOKED AT MY DAD FIRST AND FOREMOST. THAT'S WHO WAS THERE FOR ME TO BE AROUND AND SEE HOW HE HANDLED DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. T I ALSO HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE AROUND THE GUY THAT'S PROBABLY DONE MORE FOR OUR SPORT, RICHARD PETTY, WATCHING HIM AND HOW HE HAPPENEDLED HIMSELF ON AND AWAY FROM THE RACE TRACK. WE STAID AT A LOT OF THE SAME PLACES. I COULD SEE HIM IN THAT LIGHT, TOO. I THINK THAT THAT CERTAINLY HELPED ME. THAT SHOWED ME WHAT A SPECIAL SPORT WE REALLY HAD. BECAUSE FANS, EVEN AT THAT TIME, WERE COMING AROUND AND WANTED TO BE A PART OF IT. RICHARD ALWAYS HAD TIME FOR THEM SO DID MY DAD. I THINK THE TWO OF THEM HAVE SHOWN ME EXACTLY WHAT IT TAKES TO BE SUCCESSFUL AT THIS. NOT ONLY ON THE RACE TRACK, BUT AWAY FROM IT ALSO. KEN: THERE'S RICHARD PETTY LOOKING ON, THE GUY WHO HASFULNESSED SO MANY PEOPLE OVER THE YEARS. YOU SAW JEREMY MAYFIELD MAKE UP A LAP. HE'S TWO DOWN AS HE TRIES TO WIN HIS WAY BACK INTO THIS RACE. STILL TIME TO DO IT, BUT HE'S GOT TO STAY IN FRONT OF MARK MARTIN, WHO'S TAKEN OVER. JARRETT BACK TO SECOND. GORDON IN THIRD. BOBBY LABONTE IN FOURTH. AND JIMMY SPENCER IN FIFTH. TODAY STARTED THREE PONTIACS IN THE TOP 10, BOBBY LABONTE BEING ONE OF THEM, JEFF BURTON ANOTHER, AND JOHN ANDRETTI, THE THIRD. PRIOR TO THIS TWO PONTIAC OVER THE YEARS IN THIS FAMOUS 600, RUSTY WALLACE IN 1990, PIERSON IN 1961. BUDDY: THEY'VE BEEN RUNNING SIDE-BY-SIDE. GORDON FINALLY GOT BY BOBBY LABONTE. AT ONE TIME BOBBY LABONTE DIDN'T MAKE IT. KEN: TRACK TEMPERATURE? LET'S CHECK IT OUT WITH STEVE BYRNES. STEVE: WHEN WE STARTED THIS AT 1K6 H 6:00, THE TRACK TEMPERATURE WAS 94 DEGREES. THIS IS VERY TYPICAL FOR THE CREW CHIEFS TO CONTEND WITH. LET'S LOOK NOW. IT'S SHOWING ABOUT 83 DEGREES. SO IT'S DROPPED AT LEAST 11 DEGREES IN TRACK TEMPERATURE SINCE 6:00. KEN: WHAT'S THAT DO TO YOUR STRATEGIES, GUYS? DICK: IT'S NOT THAT BIG A TRP DROP IN COMPARISON TO WHAT WE ORDINARILY SEE. VERY OFTEN HERE WHEN THE SUN IS FULLY OUT IT CAN GET WICKEDLY HOT DURING THE DAY. AT NIGHT IT TAKES A WHILE, BUT IT WILL FINALLY COOL DOWN A WHOLE LOT MORE THAN THAT. THIS IS NOT AS DIFFICULT A PROBLEM AS IT S OFTEN FACED HERE IN CHARLOTTE. BY THE SAME TONE, THEY ALL HAD A GOOD IDEA WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO KEEP THAT THING RUNNING AS FAST AS IT CAN POSSIBLY GO. BUDDY: THE REAL THING NOW, THIS IS -- LOOK AT DALE JARRETT GO BY MARK MARTIN ON THE OUTSIDE. MARK IS NOT RUNNING QUITE AS WELL AS THIS POINT. ON THE INSIDE, HEADING TO TURN THREE. MARTIN KEEPS SOME FIRE IN THAT THING. GORDON HAS BEEN VERY GOOD IN THE EARLY PART OF THE RUN. JUST BEHIND THEM, BOBBY LABONTE SITTING THERE IN FOURTH PLACE. A VERY GOOD RACE. N: WHATEVER LITTLE ADJUSTMENTS THEY MADE ON THAT CAR IN THE LAST PIT STOP DON'T SEEM TO PARTICULARLY SUIT MARK MARTIN. HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT TO TELL HIS TEAM TO DID. IT'S INTERESTING NOT LONG AGO, HE CALLED IN TO HIS PIT AFTER A PIT STOP SAID, HOW COME THESE GUYS CHANGED THE RIGHT TIRE PRESSURE A HALF A POUND. THEY HADN'T TOLD HIM THEY HAD DONE THAT. HE SENSED IT DRIVING THE RACE CAR. OH, HE'S WHALING. MARK MARTIN'S IN TROUBLE. JACK ROUSH LOOK ON. BET HE'S ON THE RADIO NOW STAYING WHAT HAPPENED. THERE'S GORDON ON THE INSIDE. BRINGING A PONTYAB BACK BOBBY LABONTE WITH HIM. YOU GOT FORD, CHEVY, PONTIAC, ONE, TWO, THREE IN THE COCA-COLA 600. WINDING THESE LAPS DOWN. 2 4 COMPLETE. BUDDY: DON'T GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT MARK MARTIN DROPPING BACK A LITTLE BIT. HE'S A VERY PATIENT RACE CAR DRIVER. RIGHT ON THE WHITE LINE, THESE GUYS THAT JUST PASSED HIM, HERE HE COMES BACK. KEN: HE HAD THAT LITTLE WIGGLE A LITTLE WHILE AGO IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE BOTHERING HIM NOW. HE'S SUCH A GOOD DRIVER. DICK: HE CAN MAKE SO MUCH CORRECTION. HE'S PUT HIS WHOLE LIFE IN THIS THING. THIS IS WHAT MARK MARTIN HAS DONE FROM THE TIME HE WAS A LITTLE KID. THIS IS THE GREAT GOAL. HE IS NOW EPTERING THE VERY BEST YEARS OF HIS RACING CAREER. BUDDY: WE WATCHED HIM A WHILE AGO. TRYING TO GET BY B B B B B B B B LOONGS LIKE MAR MORE'S CAR IS COMING TO HIM NOW. HE HAS A DIFFERENCE DRIVING STYLE THAN ANYBODY ELSE ON THE RACE TRACK. HE PUTS BOTH HANDS ON THE INSIDE OF THE STEER WHEEL GOING INTO THE CORNER. THE REASON HE DID THAT IS TO START OUT DOWN THE STRAIGHTAWAY. WATCH HIM. HE'LL CROSS HIS HANDS OVER AND PUT IT ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE. YOU SEE THAT. WHAT HE DID. THE REASON HE DOES THAT, I'LL GET IT OUT IN A SECOND. HE GETS HIS HAND OVER THERE. WHEN HE FIRST STARTED RACING, HE WEIGHED ABOUT 105 POUNDS. HE'S NEVER CHANGED HIS DRIVING STYLE. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, YOU HEAR PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THE PROPER WAY TO HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL. WHAT WORKS FOR YOU IS THE BEST WAY. MASH MAR'S PROOF OF THAT. -- MARK MARTIN'S PROOF OF THAT. KEN: IT'S SOMETHING TO WATCH HIM. HERE COMES THAT BOBBY LABONTE CAR. THERE HE IS TUCKING IT RIGHT IN THERE. BUDDY: BOTH HANDS ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL. DOWN THE STRAIGHTAWAY, HE'LL PUT HISANDS BACK OVER THERE. EXCEPT WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT. KEN: HE DOES IT IN THE BACK I THINK MORE. BUDDY: YOU SEE HIM GOING INTO THE CORNER THERE. BOTH HANDS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STEERING WHEEL AS HE TURNS INTO THE CORNER. AS HE TURNS BACK TO THE STRAIGHTAWAY, HE'LL MOVE HIS HANDS BACK UP. KEN: YOU'RE RIDING WITH HIM IN FIRST PLACE. THE COCA-COLA 600. LET ME CORRECT THAT. THERE'S YOUR LEADER. JARRETT IN FIRST, MARK MARTIN IS IN SECOND. GREAT PICTURE. LET'S GO TO STEVE BYRNES FOR A MOMENT. STEVE: MARK MARTIN, THEY MADE A SLIGHT CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE LAST PIT STOP. HE'S SAYING NOW THAT THE SCAR TOO TIGHT. THE THING TO REMEMBER IS WHENEVER YOU MAKE A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS, THERE'S A REACTION TO YOUR ACTION. YOU COMPROMISE SOMETHING WHEN YOU DO MAKE A CHANGE. RIGHT NOW HE SAID IT'S TOO TIGHT, BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE AT LEAST ONE MORE PIT STOP TONIGHT. KEN: WHEN THEY COME BACK BY, 100 LAPS TO GO. NOW WE BEGIN TO STRETCH IT INTO THE EXTRA DISTANCE. IT'S DALE JARRETT LEADING, MARK >> THIS IS END RESULT OF THE FIRST LAP RECORD OF TEXAS 500. TO REAP THIS CARE WE CUT THE SHEET METAL AWAY, STRIP THIS STUFF DOWN, SEND THE CAR OFF, COMPLETELY CUT THE FRONT END OFF, AND WELD A NEW FRONT CLIP ON IT. A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU WRECK, YOU JUST HAVE TO FIX THE FRONT END, UNFORTUNATELY FOR THIS PONTIAC, WE HAVE TO FIX THE REAR END, WE'LL COME IN, CUT THE SHEET METAL COMPLETELY AWAY, SEND THE CAR OFF, GET A NEW REAR CLIP WELDED ON. HERE WE ARE BACK A WEEK LATER WHERE WE RECEIVED THE CAR BACK, YOU CAN SEE THEY USED THE WELDER TO REWELD THIS FRONT CLIP ON. THEN IT GET LINED UP AND READY FOR A BODY. AFTER WE GET THIS CAR BACK AND IT'S BEEN WELDED TOGETHER, GETS THIS PONTIAC BODY, AND READY FOR THE FINAL ASSEMBLY, GETS AN ENGINE, A SETUP, AND IT'S THE CAR AIL SEE WIN THE RACE ON RACE DAY. KEN: WE'LL WORK OUT YESTERDAY, TORE UP ABOUT 17, 18 CLIPS FORE AND AFT RIDING WITH JOHN ANDRETTI. FIFTH SPOT. BUDDY: DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. JOHN ANDRETTI'S DROVE VERY, VERY WELL TONIGHT. RIGHT NOW HE'S NOT UP THERE WITH THE FRONT BUNCH, BUT HE'S TRYING HIS HEART OUT. AT THE MOMENT HE'S FIFTH. DICK: HE WENT BY RICKY RUDD. HE JUST PITTED. HE HAD A VIBRATION IN THE NUMBER 10 CAR. RUDD BACK ON THE SPEEDWAY AGAIN. KEN: LET'S CHECK IN ON THE LEADERS. THERE'S JARRETT IN FRONT. MARK MARTIN IN SECOND. HOW ARE THE NO-BULL CONTENDERS? BOBBY LABONTE IS THIRD, RUSTY SIX, KEN SCHRADER 14TH AT THE PRESENT TIME. LOOK AT MICHAEL WALTRIP HERE IN THAT 21 CAR. HAVING A GOOD RUN. HE'S UP IN 11 SPOT BEING SHOWN IN THE LEAD LAP, MICHAEL WALTRIP JUST IN FRONT OF MARLIN, THE NUMBER 40. HE'S HAD A GOOD STRUGGLE GOING. TERRY LABONTE IS BACK OUT THERE. NUMBER 5, THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH THAT CAR, IT' BEEN BEHIND THE WALL. JOHNNY BENSON HAVING A GREAT NIGHT. HE'S HAVING A GOOD STRUGGLE AT THE PRESENT TIME. BUDDY: TERRY LABONTE THERE IN THE 5 CAR HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THE EARLY PART OF THE RACE. YOU SEE THEY REPAIRED THE CAR AND BACK TO FULL SPEED. MICHAEL WALTRIP GOES WAY UP THE RACETRACK HERE, BUT IT'S WORKING FOR HIM. HE KEEPS THE R.P.M.'S UP AND SEEMS TO BE RUNNING QUITE WELL. DICK: HE'S GOT HIS HANDS FULL THE LAST SEVERAL LAPS, MICHAEL WALTRIP HAS HAD TO GO THROUGH THE TRAFFIC. HE'S THE LAST MAN ON THE LEAD LAP KEN: THERE'S TERRY LABONTE IN THE 5. THERE'S KENNY WALLACE, YOU SEE A GOOD NIGHT., HE'S NOT HAVING HE'S BACK IN 31ST AT THE PRESENT TIME. DICK: STEVE BYRNES? STEVE: WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT STRATEGY LAP 310 WENT ON THE BOARD. IF THIS STAYS GREEN, THEY SHOULD PIT AROUND LAP 345. NOW MOMENTS AGO I SAID MARK MARTIN WAS COMPLAINING OF A TIGHT RACE CAR. HE JUST CALLED IN AGAIN AND SAID NOW IT'S REALLY TIGHT. SO THEY'LL HAVE ONE MORE STOP ON ABOUT LAP 345, AND THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT THE REST OF THE WAY. TO MIKE HOGEWOOD. MIKE: STEVE, THE SAME THING'S HAPPENING TO DALE JARRETT'S CAR. HE'S A LITTLE TIGHT. THEY WILL MAKE YET ANOTHER CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT WHEN HE COMES IN FOR HIS LAST STOP. THEY'LL LOOSEN IT UP FOR THAT RUN TO THE FINISH. DALE JARRETT SAYS HIS CAR IS GREAT. HE'S READY TO GO TONIGHT. TO RANDY. RANDY: JIMMY SPENCER CURRENTLY RUNNING SEVEN SAID THIS THING IS SO TIGHT I CAN BARELY DRIVE IT. IT'S YOU PUSHING UP INTO THE MIDDLING OF THE CORNERS. THEY'LL MAKE CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS, THEY CAN RUN 33 LAPS ON THIS TANK AND THEN THEY NEED A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT. >> SIMILAR COMMENTS FROM THE TEAM OF THE TWO PONTIACS, RUNNING THIRD AND FIFTH, BOTH SAY THEIR CARS ARE TIGHT IN THE CORNERS, MEANING THEY DON'T WANT TO TURN QUITE AS WELL AS LABONTE'S CAR, HE SAID HE'S HAPPY WITH IT. BUT ONE OF THE CREW MEN, THE GAS MAN CAME BY ME AND SAID THIS IS WAY TOO NERVE-RACKING FOR ME. KEN: THIS TIME BY 130 MILES TO GO. BUDDY? BUDDY: I'M MATCHING THESE GUYS RIGHT NOW, AND JARRETT HAS A TENDENCY TO REALLY DIAL THAT RACE CAR. AND HE AND TODD PARROTT WORKED SO VERY, VERY WELL. EIR COMMUNICATION IS A LOT LIKE JEFF GORDON AND EVERNHAM AS FAR AS GETTING THIS CAR DOWN . THAT CAR LOOKS ALMOST FLAWLESS IN THE CORNERS. DICK: THE COMMENT YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT HERE AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY AS THE RACE WEARS ON. AS THE TRACK COOLS OFF, THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT IT TENDS TO DO TO THE RACE CARS. YOU GET MORE AND MORE PUSHY. THEY'LL LOOSEN THEM UP. THE KEY IS YOU CAN'T DO IT TOO MUCH BECAUSE A LOOSE CAR HERE IS A TO GET INTO THE WALL. KEN: SEVEN FORD CARS HAVE LED. TWO CHEVROLETS AND TWO PONTIACS. KEN: 319 LAPS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. WE'RE DOWN TO THE LAST COME AND GET ME ON THIS ONE. CAN JARRETT STAY THERE TO WIN THIS RACE A SECOND TIME? WILL MARK MARTIN WIN IT FOR THE FIRST TIME? WILL PONTIAC WIN IT FOR THE THIRD TIME IN 39 YEARS? AND CAN JEFF GORDON REPEAT, WIN IT BACK-TO-BACK, TAKE HIS THIRD 600? THAT'S TO BE RESOLVED. DONE FORGET JOHN ANDRETTI IS HAVING A GREAT LEAD LAP. RUSTY WALLACE LOOKING FOR THAT $1 MILLION BONUS. BUDDY: TROUBLE ON THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. TODD BODINE IS ROUND AND ROUND. DICK: HE'S HIT THE WALL. BACK END OF THE CAR PUSHED IN. PRETTY GOOD. KEN: RUNNING 18 WHEN TODD BODINE COLLECTS TURN TWO. RACING BACK TO THE LINE. KEN: AS THEY SORT IT OUT, THOSE FRONT CARS STAY THE SAME. JARRETT, MARTIN, BOBBY LABONTE, SPENCER THERE. REST OF THE FIELD ACROSS. CAUTION IS OUT. THAT'S THE SIXTH TIME TONIGHT. SIX YELLOW ON THE RACE. DICK: MAYFIELD ALWAYS BEEN A LAP BACK. KEN: HE'S TRIED TO DO IT TWICE. MAYFIELD'S IN 23. HE'S ONE OF THE BIG STORIES TO WIN THIS RACE. AND HE'S STILL LOOKING UP FROM TWO LAPS DOWN. JARRETT AT LAP 321, MAYFIELD AT LAP 319. THERE YOU SEE THE 88 CAR. JARRETT, PULLING UP BEHIND THE PACE CAR DOWN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. LET'S SEE, CHAD LITTLE IS STILL STAYING BACK IN THIS THING. HE'S A LAP DOWN, BUT HE'S HAD A GOOD NIGHT. HE'S RUNNING 13 BEHIND STERLING MARLIN. THEY'VE HAD A THING GOING OVER THE LAST 10 OR 15 LAPS. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT THIS RACETRACK IS AT NIGHT. THIS IS THE ONE THAT PIONEERED THE SUPER SPEEDWAYS INTO NIGHTTIME RACING. DAYTONA WILL BE UNDER THE LIGHTS ON THE FOURTH OF JULY THIS YEAR. IT'S SPECIAL TO COME HERE TO CHARLOTTE TO SEE WHERE IT STARTED. DICK: THE DRIVERS LIKE IT, TOO. PIT STOPS, HERE WE GO. KEN: PIT ROAD IS WHERE IT'S HAPPENING. THIS IS THE CRITICAL ONE. BOBBY LABONTE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN, CENTER OF THE SCREEN MARK MARTIN. THE 1996 WINNER, DALE JARRETT ON TOP. BUDDY: ALL THE CARS YOU'RE LOOKING AT ARE ON THE LEAD LAP AS THEY PIT. EVERYBODY WORKING FEVERISHLY. DICK: TAKING FOUR TIRES SO FAR AS OPPOSED TO TWO. EVERYBODY IS GOING FOR RUBBER AS OPPOSED TO TRACK POSITION. KEN: JARRETT, FIRST OUT. 117 MILES TO GO. THEY'RE PRETGRI MUCH -- PRETTY MUCH COMMITTED TO ONE MORE ROUND. DICK: 117 MILES ON THIS RACETRACK IS A BIT TOO MUCH. KEN: TODD BODINE'S INCIDENT HERE. DICK: LOST IT COMING OFF TURN TWO. THERE HE GOES INTO THE OUTSIDE WALL AS THE CARS ALL SCATTER. KEN: WONDER WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM TODD BODINE'S POINTOF VIEW? KEN: OOH. NOW IN RACE TIME, THAT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE HE HIT THE WALL, RIGHT? OH, PLEASE, LORD. OH, NO, DON'T LET IT GET INTO THE WALL. WE'LL BE BACK IN JUST A MOMENT. KEN: HERE WE ARE AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT THERE. NOT SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT HERE, MY, MY. NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH US. I'M KEN SQUIER. THAT'S DR. DICK BERGGREN. THIS FELLOW IS THREE-TIME WINNER OF THIS RACE. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT GETTING TIGHT -- I MEAN OUT ON THE TRACK. BUDDY: DON'T GO THERE. KEN: A LOT OF NEW FOLKS ARE WATCHING. HOW ABOUT GIVING THEM SOME INSIGHT. WE TALK ABOUT THESE CARS GETTING IN THIS RACE AND THEY TIGHTEN UP. BUDDY: THE FRONT OF THE SCAR FREE ROLLING. WHEN YOU TURN IN THE CORNER, FARLLY THE HOTTEST TIRE ON THE CAR IS THE RIGHT FRONT. AS THE TIRE GETS HOT IT LOOSES GRIP. THE REAR TIRES ARE GETTING BETTER TRACTION BECAUSE OF THE COOL ERASE TRACK. 74 HORSE POW PUSHING THE NE. THAT MAKES THEM PUSH. THAT'S W THEY KEEP LOOSENING THE CAR UP, TRYING TO GET THE BACK BALANCED WITH THE FRONT SO YOU DON'T BURN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. KEN: YOU ALMOST TOOK BERGGREN'S NOSE OFF WITH THAT DESCRIPTION. BUDDY: I LOVE THAT HAT. DICK: THE MECHANIC'S CHALLENGE HERE TO S TO GET THE CARS DIALED IN SO THEY DON'T PUSH SO MUCH. THE SAME TONE, THE DRIVERS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY, TOO. THEY'VE GOT TO SORT TH RACE TRACK OUT AND FIND A LINE THAT IS COMFORTABLE FOR THE RACE CAR. THEY'VE ALL HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON E CAR, DUMPED A BUNCH OF FUEL IN THE BACK END. IT'S GOING TO CHANGE THE HANDLING. LET'S SEE WHAT THE DRIVERS CAN DO. KEN: THEY'VE HAD 500 MILES TO MAKE THESE ADJUSTMENTS. NOW WE'RE DOWN TO IT. LET'S GET AN STP PIT ROUNDUP. HODGESHODGE? MIKE: DALE JARRETT SAID THEY DID NOT CHANGE ONE THING. THEY JUST PUT TIRES AND FUEL IN THE CAR. THEY EXPECT TO MAKE A SMALL CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS, BUT FOR NOW, NOTHING'S CHANGED. THEY EXPECT TO STAY OUT FRONT. STEVE? STEVE: MK MARTIN SAYS THIS THING RIGHT HERE IS THE KEY OF VICTORY. MARK SAID IF WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS RACE, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PULL THE SPRING RUBBER OUT THIS SITS IN THE SPRING. THEY USEHIS THROOP PULL IT OUT. THEY DID THAT ON THE LAST PIT STOP. MARK SAID THIS IS GOING TO BE TURNED THREE ROUNDS DOWN TRYING LOOSEN UP THE RACE CAR. HE IS TIGHT, LIKE BUDDY BAKER WAS EXPLAINING. THEY HAD A GREAT STOP. HE'S HOPING HE'S GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN TO THE FINISH. THEY'LL HAVE TO MAKE ONE MORE STOP FOR FUEL. RANDY: SOME GREAT STRATEGY FOR JIMMY SPENCER AS WELL AS JOHNNY BENSON. THEY CAME IN WITH ONE LAP TO DO GO. THEY CAN GO THE DISTANCE. IF WE CATCH NO CAUTION, ONE OF THOSE TWO GUYS CAN WIN THIS RACE. KEN: GREEN THAT'S LAP 326 AS THEY GO BACK UNDER GREEN. 111 MILES TO DECIDE THE 39TH AN ALL COCA-COLA 600. TODD BODINE PULLING BACK ON THE SPEEDWAY. BATTLE UP IN FRONT. PONTIAC. IT IS BOBBY LABONTE SHOWING THE WAY FOR A MOMENT. DALE JARRETT IS THERE. HERE COMES RUSTY WALLACE ON THE INSIDE. AS YOU'LL LOOK OUT THE BACK. LIVE ACTION PICTURES FROM CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY WITH 11 COMPETITORS STILL ON THE LEAD LAP, STILL A CHANCE OF WINNING THIS ONE. LABONTE AND WALLACE GOING FOR THE MILLION. THAT MILLION DOLLAR BONUS COULD BE DECIDED HERE. BUDDY: BOBBY LABONTE'S DOING WHAT HE DOES IN MOST OF THE LONG RACES. LIKE I SAID, YOU NEVER KNOW HE'S IN THE RACE. RIGHT NOW HE'S GOT A GOOD SEVEN OR EIGHT CAR LAP. BEHIND HIM RUSTY WALLACE ALSO GOING TO BE THE $1 MILLION BONUS. JUST BEHIND HIM DALE JARRETT COMING UP TRYING TO MAKE UP A LAP, JEREMY MAYFIELD. KEN: FROM TWO LAPS DOWN, MAYFIELD. CAR NUMBER 12. DICK: HE GOT DOWN EARLY, RAN OUST GAS. HE'S BEEN STRUGGLING THROUGH THIS ENTIRE EVENT TRYING TO MAKE THEM UP. KEN: STILL TRYING TO WIN THAT FIRST WINSTON CUP VICTORY. BOBBY LABONTE. PONTIAC BACK IN THE EARLY DAYS, A REAL FOR MITTABLE MARKET IN THIS PLACE. LOST HIS -- KEN: ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE THE FELLOW WHO USED TO ADVERTISE PROUDLY, THE BEST MAN. AND THE BEST COWBOY. BUDDY: YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL WHERE HE'S AT. KEN: THIS IS QUITE THE STRUGGLE. LOOK AT THIS. BUDDY: DALE JARRETT WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO USE THE WHOLE RACE TRACK NOW. RIGHT NOW YOU CAN SEE MAYFIELD IN FRONT OF GORDON. GORDON HAVING TO TAKE THE LOW LINE. HERE COMES MARK MARTIN JUST BEHIND HIM. GORDON DEFENDING 600 CHAMPION. FOURTH PLACE. TRYING TO MOVE BACK UNDER MAYFIELD. HERE COMES MARK MARTIN WITH HIM. ANDRETTI IS NEXT IN LINE. HE IS IN SIXEN. -- SIXTH. KEN: FRESH TIRES FOR BOBBY LABONTE. BUDDY: THE INCREDIBLE PART OF THAT, I THINK RUSTY WALLACE IS CATCHING HIM IN SECOND PLAC AS WE LOOK BACK IN THE FIELD, FIGHTING IT OUT. KEN: THE 13TH SPOT. COMING UP ON LAP 333. 100 MILES TO GO. INTO THE FINAL 100 TO DECIDE IT ALL TONIGHT. WILL ONE OF THOSE NOBLE GUYS GET A CHANCE AT A $1 MILLION BONUS? KEN: JUST INSIDE OF THE FINAL 100 MIS. YOU'RE SEEING DALE EARNHARDT LEANING IN TO RANDY LAJOIE'S CAR AFTER BOTH HAVE CRASHED UP HERE IN TURN FOUR. HARD CRASH INTO THE WALL. HERE IS EARNHARDT CLUTCHING HIS SIDE AS HE STEP AS WITH A FROM NUMBER 3. IT HAS BEEN A HARD HIT. LAJOIE IS STILL IN THERE. HERE HE IS CLAMORING OUT. UP AGAINST THE WALL BACKWARDS. DICK: AS A RESULT OF BURNS HE STUFFERED. THIS WILL NEIGHBORING ALL EVEN ACROSS. KEN: BENSON HAD A CHANCE OF GOING THE WHOLE DISTANCE AS DID SPENCER IF THERE HAD BEEN NO MORE CAUTIONS. NOW IT'S EVERYBODY TOGETHER. REPLAY AS TO WHAT HAPPENED TO EARNHARDT. BUDDY: YOU SEE HIM ON THE OUTSIDE OF LAJOIE THERE AS THEY START OFF THE CORNER. THE BACK OF LAJOIE'S CAR STARTS TO WIGGLE A LITTLE BIT. HE LOSES CONTROL INTO THE OUTSIDE WALL. YOU SEE EARNHARDT HAD NOWHERE TO GO. LAJOIE LOST THE BACK OF THE CAR COMING OFF TURN FOUR. KEN: IT'S A GOOD THING WE DIDN'T HAVE A MICROPHONE IN LAJOIE'S CAR WHEN EARNHARDT STUCK HIS HEAD IN THERE, I'M SURE. IT WAS A VERY SHORT SPEECH. LAJOIE'S INCAR. IT WILL COME BACK. KEN: LET'S GO DOWN TRACKSIDE WITH DALE EARNHARDT. >> EARNHARDT HAS JUST WALKED ACROSS THE RACE TRACK, GAVE ME A LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO TALK RIGHT NOW. ABSOLUTE DISGUST. HE LOOKS OK, BUT CERTAINLY NOT A HAPPY ENDING TO THE COCA-COLA 600 HERE TONIGHT FOR DALE EARNHARDT. KEN: RUSHING OFF THE PRESS AS HE MOVES ALONG PIT ROAD, THE LONGEST WALK IN SPORTS IS THE WALK AWAY FROM SOMETHING LIKE THIS. THIS YEAR IN TELL DIG A I CAN'T, DALE EARNHARDT FOUND HIS SHARE OF BAD LUCK. HARD HIT. ELLIOTT UPSIDE DOWN. THE EARNHARDT CAR UP ON TOP OF IT. LAST WEEK HERE IN THE WINSTON. BUDDY: WHEN YOU SEE THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CAR HIT HARD, YOU SEE HIM FAVORING HIS LEFT SHOULDER THERE. YOU NEVER SEE EARNHARDT FAKE AN INJURY. I GUARANTEE WHEN HE CLUTCHES HIS ARM HE IS IN GREAT PAIN. KEN: REYNOLDS SAID YESTERDAY ON OUR BROADCAST THAT EARNHARDT COULD RUN THIS RACE, BUT HE COULDN'T TAKE ANOTHER LICK. HE'S JUST TAKEN A HARD ONE. >> A BIG DISADVANTAGE. KEN: WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. KEN: BACK WITH YOU LIVE. THERE WILL BE NO $1 MILLION BONUS FOR DALEARNHARDT. THAT'S THE WRECKER BRINGING NUMBER 3 BACK TO THE GARAGE AREA. IT WILL NOT EVEN COME OUT AND RUN FOR POINTS. THAT CAR IS FINISHED. RANDY PEMBERTON HAS SPENT TIME CHASING DOWN DALE EARNHARDT. LET'S GET THE WORD FROM THERE. RANDY: DALE, I CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. WHAT HAPPENED? >> FIRST OF ALL WE'RE RACING AT A BIG DISADVANTAGE WITH NO SPOILERS AGAINST EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S RACING OUT THERE. NASCAR NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING. WE CAN'T DRIVE THE CARS AFTER THE TIRES GET WORN. I WAS RIDING MY LINE AND THE 50 CAR LOST IT AND KNOCKED ME IN THE WALL. WE'RE OK. LAJOIE IS OK. THAT'S GOOD. RANDY: THAT'S THE CHAMP. >> WE'LL SEE A GREAT SHOOT-OUT. LOTS OF DIFFERENT STRATEGY PLAYING OUT HERE ON PIT ROAD. MARK MARTIN CAME IN. THEY DIDN'T CHANGE TIRES. THEY HAVE ENOUGH GAS TO GO THE DIFFERENCE. -- TO GO THE DISTANCE, RATHER. JEFF GORDON ON THE OTHER HAND, HE TOOK FUEL, AND RIGHT SIDE TIRES. SO TWO TIRES FOR JEFF GORDON. NO TIRES FOR MARK MARTIN. LET'S GO TO ALLEN. ALLEN: BOBBY LABONTE CAME IN. HE COULD NOT MAKE IT ON FUEL THE LAST TIME, SO THEY CHOSE TO COME DOWN PIT ROAD AND GET FOUR TIRES. THEY'RE GOOD TO THE FINISH ON FUEL NOW, BUT IT COST THEM TRACK POSITION. HE'S BACK IN SIXTH INSTEAD OF LEADING. TO MIKE HOGEWOOD. MIKE: SAME STORY FOR DALE JARRETT. HE CAME DOWN TOPPED OFF ON FUEL AND TOOK ON FOUR TIRES. JARRETT'S READY TO GO THE DISTANCE. NO CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE 88 CAR. KEN: AS HAS BEEN SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT THE 600. THE DIFFERENCE IN WINNING AND NOT WINNING HERE IS THE BUSINESS OF ATTRITION AND PATIENCE. WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK AND BE BACK. KEN: BACK WITH YOU LIVE AT THE CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY. 344 LAPS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. 516 MILES GETTING READY TO GO RACING TO DECIDE IT ALL. AND AT THIS POINT, WE HAVE 84 MILES LEFT TO GO. SO THEY HAVE THE FUEL AND TIRES TO DO IT. BACK TO RANDY PEMBERTON WHO'S STANDING BY WITH RANDY LAJOIE. RANDY: R, YOU'VE COME FROM THE INFIELD CARE CENTER. YOU'RE OK. WHAT HAPPENED? >> I GOT REAL LOOSE GETTING INTO TURN THREE. RUNNING HARD WITH EARNHARDT AND 16 CAR AS HYPED ME, AND THE CAR MADE A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENT BEFORE THAT AND FREED IT UP A LITTLE, AND JUST GOT IN THERE AND GOT A LITTLE TOO HOT, AND RUN OUT OF RACETRACK. TOO BAD FOR THE BUDWEISER TEAM. THE GUYS WORKED HARD. AND TOO BAD FOR THE THREE CAR. I JUST RUN OUT OF RACETRACK. JUST ONE OF THOSE RACING DEALS WE WERE BOTH RACING HARD AND 16 CARS' BEHIND US AND NOWHERE TO GO. RANDY: THE STORY FROM RANDY LAJOIE. ONE MORE UPDATE ON CARS DOWN AT MY END OF PIT ROAD. JIMMY SPENCER, WHO STILL HAS A SHOT, TOOK ON RIGHT SIDE TIRES ONLY, AND RAISED THE TRACK BAR A HALF AROUND. JOHNNY BENSON WHO IS UP TO THIRD, GASSED ONLY. AND THAT'S IT. SO WE'RE SET TO GO THE DISTANCE NOW. KEN: THERE YOU SEE MARK MARTIN IN FRONT. JEFF GORDON IN SECOND. BENSON IN THIRD. WHAT A RACE JOHNNY BENSON HAS HAD. MICHIGAN FANS WILL BE STANDING AND SHOUTING SOME TONIGHT AS WE GET DOWN TO THE CONCLUSION OF THIS ONE. RUSTY WALLACE IS FOURTH. SPENCER IS FIFTH. BOBBY LABONTE IS SIXTH. AND JARRETT IN SEVENTH. DICK: ONE LAP DOWN IN THAT NUMBER ONE, MARK MARTIN TAKES THE GREEN FLAG AS THEY GO INTO THE FIRST TURN. GETTING DOWN TO IT. KEN: AS THE FIELD ROLLS DOWN THROUGH THREE AND FOUR, CHAD LITTLE IS ON PIT ROAD. SOMETHING IS AMISS ON THAT JACK ROUSH CAR. DICK: NOW HE GOES A LAP DOWN. BUDDY: I SAW THE DUST OUT OF TURN FOUR. SOMEBODY GOT INTO THE OUTSIDE WALL PRETTY HARD. IT MADE THE DUST FLY OFF TURN FOUR. KEN:ALLACE AROUND BENSON. WALLACE ATTACKING. LOOKING AT THAT $1 MILLION BONUS. BUDDY: HERE'S BOBBY LABONTE ON THE OUTSIDE. TRYING TO GET UP TO THE FRONT. HE'S ONE OF THE GUYS GOING FOR THAT $1 MILLION BONUS AS YOU SAID. AND HE DOES NOT LIKE HIS POSITION. JOHNNY BENSON JUST IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE YELLOW CAR. KEN: WALTRIP IN 12TH. LOOK AT BENSON. BACK AND FORTH. LABONTE PUTTING ON THE PRESSURE. DICK: AMAZING RUN FOR JOHNNY BENSON. 39TH, A LAP DOWN, MADE IT BACK UP AGAIN. AND HERE HE IS CHALLENGING, HE'S STILL GOT A SHOT TO WIN THIS THING. BUDDY: JEFF GORDON THERE IN SECOND PLACE. EXTREMELY FAST FOR ABOUT 10 OR 15 LAPS UNTIL THE TIRES GET HOT. THEN HE'S BEEN DROPPING OFF THE FACE. AS HE GOES BY MARK MARTIN COMING OFF TURN TWO. KEN: GORDON PICKS IT UP INTO FIRST PLACE. JEFF GORDON TRYING TO REPEAT. HERE COMES WALLACE. DICK: WITH A FULL FUEL LOAD, WE SEE THE NUMBER 2 CAR BOUNCE OFF THE PAVEMENT. YOU SAW THE SPARKS AS HE WENT THROUGH THE CORNER. KEN: $1 MILLION BONUS. BUDDY: MARK MARTIN NOT GIVING IT UP. HE'S FIGHTING BACK ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU CAN SEE THE TWO CARS LOOK LIKE THEY'RE WELDED TOGETHER GOING INTO TURN ONE. SPARKS FLYING OFF WALLACE'S CAR. IT WILL DO THAT UNTIL THE FUEL LOAD GETS LIGHTER. HE'S RIGHT ON THE GROUND. KEN: SECOND SPOT TO WALLACE, THE $1 MILLION BONUS GETTING CLOSER. THAT RED SPOILER ON THE BACK YOU CAN SEE FROM MARK MARTIN'S VIEWPOINT. THAT'S LIKE PUTTING A RED FLAG IN FRONT OF A BULL OUT HERE. RAY EVERNHAM, CREW CHIEF FOR JEFF GORDON, ON THE STRATEGY. HOW IT WORKS AND DOESN'T WORK IN THE COCA-COLA 600. >> I THINK THE BEST STRATEGY THAT WE EVER HAD IN THE 600 WAS THE NIGHT WE TOOK THE TWO TIRES AND BEAT RUSTY AND WON OUR FIRST EVER WINSTON CUP RACE. PROBABLY THE THING THAT BACKFIRED IS 1995 WHEN WE HAD THAT WHEEL COME OFF AND ENDED UP WITH A HUGE FINE. THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE BEST AND WORST MOMENTS FOR US AT CHARLOTTE EVER. DICK: I WAS ON PIT ROADTHAT NIGHT AND I STOODT RUSTY WALLACE AT THE GAS PUMPSHE KEPT STARING AT VICTORY LANE AND I CAN'T BELIEVE HE BEAT ME TAKING TWO TIRES. AND WE HAVE A SIMILAR SCENARIO PLAYING OUT TONIGHT. ON THE LAST ROUND OF PIT STOPS, MARK MARTIN TOOK NONE. JEFF GORDON TOOK TWO. DALE JARRETT TOOK FOUR. WHAT WILL THE STRATEGY BE? KEN: 47 LAPS TO GO WHEN THEY COME BY. BUDDY: I TELL YOU WHAT RUSTY WALLACE LOOKS AWFULLY STRONG IN THE CORNERS. RAN OFF THE RACETRACK IT'S STICKING SO WELL GETTING INTO TURN ONE, SPARKS FLEW. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT ON THE LINE. YOUR LEFT SIDE TIRE WENT ON THE FLAT PART OF THE RACETRACK. DICK: TWO CARS HANDLING EXTREMELY WELL LEADING THE EVENT. THE CREWS HAVE ADJUSTED THEM ALL NIGHT LONG. THEY STARTED OUT CLOSE, THEY'RE CLOSE NOW AS RUSTY HEADS TO THE HIDE SIDE. BUDDY: RUSTY WALLACE ON THE OUTSIDE. JEFF GORDON ON THE INSIDE. MARK MARTIN JUST BEHIND THEM. KEN: CHEVY DOWN LOW, FORD UP HIGH. THIS IS WHAT EVERY SEAT HAS BEEN SOLD TO SEE. WHAT A SHOW THEY ARE GETTING. BUDDY: DID YOU SEE THE 2 CAR RUSTY WALLACE SIDEWAYS GETTING INTO TURN ONE? HE TOOK THE LEAD. KEN: THAT'S WHAT HE'S GOOD AT. BOY, CAN HE CATCH THEM. DICK: HE PITCHES THEM IN THERE. KEN: AND HE DOES HIS OWN CATCHING SO BEAUTIFULLY COMING OUT TWO AND MAKES THE MOVE. HERE'S BOBBY LABONTE, INTO THE PICTURE FOR THIRD. BUDDY: I THINK THAT'S WHAT RUSTY WALLACE LOOKED IN THE MIRROR AND SAW HIM, BOBBY LABONTE COMING LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN BEHIND HIM. HE SAID I BETTER PUT DISTANCE ON HIM. DICK: THAT CAR WITH THE ROGER PENSKE SAID THANKS A MILLION WHEN RUSTY WALLACE GOT HOLD OF THAT CAR AND DIDN'T SPIN IT OUT. KEN: WALLACE NOW GOING FOR FIRST, GORDON IN SECOND. GORDON THE SECOND DRIVER TO WIN THE WINSTON MILLION IN 1997. HE TOOK THAT OVER JEFF BURTON. SPENCER'S OFF THE PACE. JIMMY SPENCER'S SLOWING DOWN. DICK: HE'S GOING TO PIT. TIRE? BUDDY: LOOKS LIKE. DICK: WHOA, BARELY ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. BUDDY: NOT THE RIGHT HERE. IT'S APPARENTLY -- DICK: THEY'RE NOT SURE WHAT IT IS? THE JACK MAN THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. RANDY PEMBERTON? RANDY: IT'S LEFT REAR TIRE. THEY'RE GOING TO CHANGE TWO LEFT SIDE TIRES. WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT FOR JIMMY SPENCER. KEN: LOOK AT LABONTE COMING OUT OF THERE. BUDDY: HE WAS COMING LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN. YOU COULD SEE HIM GRIBBING THAT STEERING WHEEL, A LITTLE LOOSE UP THE CORNER. MARK MARTIN COMES WITH HIM. KEN: I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO TURN THE THING AROUND. HE WAS RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF THE ENVELOPE. BUDDY: THIS HAS HAPPENED ALL NIGHT. JEFF GORDON VERY, VERY STRONG FOR 15, 20 LAPS, AFTER THE TIRES GET HOT, HIS CAR GETS HOOKED UP. YOU KNOW THE PONTSYACK OF BOBBY LABONTE SHOWING AMAZING STRENGTH. KEN: LOOK AT WALLACE. THERE'S THE INTERVAL BETWEEN FIRST AND FOURTH. DICK: RUSTY WALLACE OVER BOBBY LABONTE. KEN: HERE'S DALE JARRETT BATTLING WITH BENSON. THEY WERE 11, NOW THEY ARE 10. 10 CARS LEFT IN THE LEAD LAP TO DECIDE THE 39TH ANNUAL COCA-COLA 600. KEN: BACK WITH YOU ONCE AGAIN. THE STORIES HERE TONIGHT. EARNHARDT IS OUT, ELLIOTT REPLACEMENT DRIVER, SHEPHERD IN FOR SKINNER, GORDON STILL TRYING TO WIN IT, MARTIN TRYING. THERE'S A CHANCE. MAYFIELD IS OUT OF IT, TWO LAPS DOWN. UP IN FRONT HERE IN THE COCA-COLA 600 IT IS RUSTY WALLACE BATTLING BOBBY LABONTE. BOTH HAVE A CHANCE AT $1 MILLION BONUS. BUDDY: BOBBY LABONTE IS RUNNING DOWN FROM A HALF A STRAIGHTAWAY BACK. YOU CAN SEE WALLACE HERE. BOBBY LABONTE HAS IT ALL HUNG OUT, ALL OVER THE RACE TRACK DOING WHAT IT TAKES TO GET TO THE FRONT. KEN: STILL A LOT OF TIME. BUDDY: BOBBY LABONTE HAS ANOTHER PROBLEM. MARK MARTIN'S PICKED UP THE PACE. HE'S RIGHT ON HIS BACK BUMPER NOW. KEN: NEVER SEEN HIM PUSH IT HARDER THAN YOU SAW BOBBY LABONTE THESE LAST LAPS. HE'S BEEN STANDING THAT CAR UP ON ITS TWO RIGHT TIRES. THE WHOLE SIDE THAT HAVE THING. LOOK AT THIS. HERE COMES JARRETT BACK AROUND GORDON. THIS IS FOR FOURTH. DICK: GORDON'S SLIPPING BACK. BUDDY: UNABLE TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING REAL FAST INTO THE CORNER, GORDON GIVES UP A LITTLE BIT OF TRACK THERE. THE SCAR NOW STICKING. KEN: GORDON'S GOING TO NEED ANOTHER PIT STOP. HE'S NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITH THESE GUYS. RUSTY WALLACE QUALIFIED FOR THE $1 MILLION IN THE DAYTONA 500. HERE HE IS LEADING AT THE MOMENT. BUT RIGHT BEHIND HIM IS THE 18, THE PONTIAC, TRYING TO BECOME ONLY THE THIRD PONTIAC DRIVER TO WIN THE 600, BOBBY LABONTE FROM CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS. BUDDY: I THINK BOBBY LABONTE LEANED ON THOSE TIRES PRETTY HARD. MARK MARTIN PICKED UP ON THE DRAFT AND MOVED RIGHT ON HIS BACK BUMPER. KEN: THAT FIFTH-PLACE FINISH BY RUSTY, WOULDN'T THAT HAVE BEEN SOMETHING IF IT'S THE SPRINGBOARD TO THIS $1 MILLION BONUS. LOOK AT MARK MARTIN COMING BACK ONE OTHER TIME. DOWN TOWARDS THE END. 368 OF 400 LAPS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. WALLACE IN FRONT. KEN: 42 MILES TO GO. WALLACE LEADING, LABONTE SECOND, MARTIN LIES THIRD, JARRETT FOURTH. IF YOU WERE TO PICK NOW, WHERE WOULD YOU GO? BUDDY: I WATCHING RUSTY WALLACE. GIST A MINUTE AGO BOBBY LABONTE RAN HIM DOWN. RUSTY MAY BE SAVING A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE HE LET BOBBY LABONTE GET RIGHT UP BEHIND HIM. THEN HE SEEMS TO HAVE A LITTLE SURGE. SEW MAY HAVE A LITTLE IN RESERVE. IF HE DOES, HE'S PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO USE IT. I THINK MARK MARTIN'S GOING TO ENTER INTO THIS BEFORE IT'S OVER. BOBBY LABONTE, $1 MILLION IN FRONT OF HIM. RUSTY WALLACE, BOTH GOING FOR THE $1 MILLION BONUS TONIGHT. KEN: THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE GREAT FINISHES OF ALL TIME IN THE COCA-COLA 600 RIGHT UP THERE WITH THAT WALTRIP FINISH WITH PARSONS, ONE OF THE ALL-TIME BEST. LOOK AT THAT TH STRUGGLE. HERE COMES BOBBY LABONTE. EASY BACK UP WITHIN TWO CAR LENGTHS. IT'S THE OLD STORY OF THE CREAM RISING TO THE TOP. IT HAS RISEN. JUST OUTSIDE, BENSON. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN MUST BE ON ITS TOES FOR JOHNNY BENSON. FOR RUSTY WALLACE, THE MISSOURI DRIVER, IT'S A QUESTION OF MILLION -- $1 MILLION. SAME QUESTION FOR BOBBY LABONTE. THEY BOTH HAD SUCH GREAT RUNS IN THE TO FIVE AT DAYTONA. THEY'RE BOTH ELIGIBLE. THIS IS THE INTERVAL AS YOU LOOKED A LITTLE FURTHER BACK. DICK: LITTLE OVER TWO SECONDS BEHIND. BUDDY: THAT DON'T SOUND LIKE MUCH, TWO SECONDS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, IT'S QUITE A WAYS BACK THERE. TRAFFIC NOW, RUSTY WALLACE HAVING TO GO LOW THERE. KEN: SEE JEFF GORDON IN THE PICTURE. GORDON'S RUNNING IN FIFTH SPOT. 3.2 SECONDS BEHIND THE LEADER. DICK: IT'S LIKE A TIM PANNY ROLL, YOU CAN FEEL IT BUILDING. KEN: GENTLEMEN, WHAT'S THE STORY? >> RUSTY HAS NOT SAID A WORD ON HIS RADIO. HE'S DOING ALL HE CAN TO TRY AND WIN THIS RACE. A LOT OF THE CREW GUYS ARE SAYING, I CAN'T BEAR TO WATCH THIS. STEVE? STEVE: THE STRATEGY ON THE LAST PIT STOP, JEFF GORDON TOOK TWO TIRES WITH THE 4 CAR. BOBBY LABONTE TOOK FOUR. ALLAN IS IN THE PIT. NOBODY'S SAYING A WORD. LET'S GO TO MIKE HODGEWOOD. MIKE: SAME STORY IN THE MARK MARTIN PIT. THE CREW AWAITS ANY MOVE FROM THEIR DRIVER. THEY KNOW THEY HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO GIVE HIM A GOOD RACE CAR. DICK: GOT A CAR ON THE WALL. KEN: BRADBERRY HAS CRASHED THE 78. BUDDY: THIS MAKES A WHOLE DIFFERENT RACE NOW. THAT PUTS EVERYBODY BACK IN THE CONTENTION ON THE LEAD LAP. KEN: DO YOU STAY OUT THERE AND KEEP YOUR TRACK POSITILN? DO YOU PIT AND TAKE TIRES? IF YOU'RE OUT BACK, NO QUESTION. I'M SURE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE BENSON MAKE THAT MOVE. NEMECHEK, ANDRETTI, ALL COME IN HERE TO TRY TO MONEY THE SLIP STREAM UP IN FRONT. BUDDY: BRADBERRY HIT VERY HARD UP THERE IN TURN FOUR. THAT CAR IS SAND WHITCHED AGAINST THE OUTSIDE WALL THERE. KEN: EIGHTH CAUTION. WALLACE COMES ACROSS LEADING. JUST EXACTLY WHAT HE DIDN'T WANT TO SEE, NOR BOBBY LABONTE. DICK: THEY BOTH HAD THEIR GAME FACE ON, THEIR STRATEGY PLAN FOR THE END OF THIS RACE. ONE WAS, PERHAPS, SAVING JUST A LITTLE TO WORK ON THE OTHER. BUDDY: YOU SEE THE STRING COME OUT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW THAT MEANS I'M OK, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HURRY ACROSS TRAFFIC, I'M OK. KEN: TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED. TURN FOUR. BUDDY: BRADBERRY IN THE 78. YOU SEE HIM VEER OFF. RIGHT FRONT MIGHT BE FLAT. HE GETS BACK INTO THE WALL AND RUNS RIGHT AGAINST THE WALL. THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN. BUT RIGHT THERE HE'S PROBABLY NOT TURNING THE STEERING WHEEM, THE CAR IS STUCK IN THAT WALL. THE RIGHT FRONT IS TURNED TO THE RIGHT THERE. KEN: YOU CAN SEE THE SPARKS UNDERNEATH THE CAR. VERY GOOD CHANCE HE LOST A RIGHT FRONT TIRE. HE DEFINITELY HAD MECHANIC HELP THAT WALL. DICK: STARTED IN EIGHTH POSITION. WAS HAVING A VERY GOOD RACE. THIS CAME FOR PLACE SHOWN AS 35TH A FEW LAPS DOWN. KEN: WE'RE GETTING DOWN TO THE FINISH. WE'RE THROWING 380 COMPLETE WHEN THEY ROLL THEM BY THE START-FINISH LINE. BUDDY: COMING IN. KEN: HERE THEY COME. PITS ARE OPEN. THEY'RE ALL COMING. DICK: THEY SURE ARE. NOW WHAT DO YOU DO? TAKE TWO, TAKE FOUR? RANDY: STRATEGY WAS DICTATED BY THE LEADER. IF RUSTY PITTED, HE WAS TO COME IN. THEY'RE IN. BENSON, TWO RIGHT SIDE TIRES. RUSTY WALLACE IS IN, A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS RIGHT SIDES ONLY. HE'S AWAY. MIKE: TIRES FOR MARK MARTIN. HE,, TOO MAKES A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS. STEVE? STEVE: TWO TIRES FOR BOBBY LABONTE. THEY ALSO MADE A CHASSIE ADJUSTMENTS. TWO TIRES FOR THE 18 CAR. KEN: AS THEY ENTER, SO THEY RETURN. JARRETT TRYING TO NOSE IN THERE. MARK MARTIN. WE'LL CHECK ON THE REST OF THESE FOLKS THAT CAME OUT AFTER A QUICK COMMERCIAL BREAK. KEN: BACK WITH YOU AS YOU SEE THE FIELD BUNCHING UP. THERE'S STILL TIME BEFORE THEY TURN THEM LOOSE. THERE'S STILL EQUIPMENT OUT CLEANING THE TRACK. YOU SAW THE FRONT THREE ALL COME IN FOR TWO TIRES. THE QUESTION, DICK BERGGREN WHAT, ABOUT THE ONES BEHIND THAT TRIO? DICK: GORDON TOOK FOUR. HE HAD TO. THE CAR WASN'T FAST ENOUGH THE WAY THEY HAD IT. JOHN ANDRETTI ALSO TOOK FOUR. SAME STORY. I HOPE THAT'S GOING TO WORK. KEN: SO NOW WE'RE DOWN TO DECISION TIME. IT'S GETTING DOWN TO BEING A SHOOT-OUT. WE'LL TAKE A QUICK BREAK. KEN: WHEN THE GREEN FALLS, THERE WILL BE 24 MILES TO GO, 16 LAPS TO DECIDE THE COCA-COLA 600. IT WILL BE DECIDED AMONG 10 PROSPECTS HERE -- NINE AT THE PRESENT TIME, INCLUDING JOHN ANDRETTI. LET'S GET ANOTHER REPORT ON THE TIRE CHANGES. DICK: THE HAVE BEEN A BUNCH OF GUYS WHO HAVE TAKEN TWO TIRES AND HAVE BEEN QUICK. WE'LL FIND OUT HOW THIS WILL WORK. BUDDY: AT THE WINSTON OPEN YOU REMEMBER JIMMY SPENCER TAKING ON FOUR. HE WAS CLEARLY MUCH, MUCH FASTER THAN THE OTHER CARS WITH FOUR FRESH TIRES. KEN: Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y POSITION. BEHIND HIM IS SCHRADER IN 11, MUSGRAVE 12, MARLIN 13, AND ERNIE IRVAN 14. ROBERT PRESSLEY AT 15. WALLACE FIRST, BOBBY LABONTE SECOND, MARTIN THIRD, JARRETT FOURTH. BENSON THERE. GO, GO G. OUT OF TURN FOUR AND DOWN TO THE LINE. KEN: FLASHING UNDER THE LIGHTS BACK TO THE STRIPE. MARK MARTIN DIGGING ON THE INSIDE. DALE JARRETT ON THE OUTSIDE. MAKES HIS MOVE, HERE COMES GORDON. BUDDY: GORDON WITH FOUR FRESH TIRES ON THAT CHEVROLET HAS BEEN LIGHTNING QUICK ON ALL THE TURNS TONIGHT. YOU SEE HIM NOW DIGGING FOR EVERY INCH OF REAL ESTATE HE CAN GET. THEY HAVE HIM BOTTLED UP RIGHT NOW. KEN: IN THE BOX, THE 24. TIME TO SQUEEZE THROUGH. DICK: THAT'S AS GOOD AS WE HAVE SEEN THAT CAR R ALL NIGHT. HE'S RIGHT ON JARRETT'S BUMPER. KEN: OUTSIDE INSIDE MOVE. THAT MOVE BY NUMBER 24 MAKES GORDON A REAL PROSPECT AGAIN. BUDDY: THIRD SPOT, AND RIGHT NOW IS THE FASTEST RACE -- CAR ON THE RACETRACK. DICK: HE CAME INTO THE PITS IN SIXTH, HE'S NOW IN THIRD. TWO TO GO, HE HAS TWO MORE GUYS TO PASS. BUDDY: THESE TWO GUYS, I TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, GOING UP YOU SEE RUSTY WALLACE IN THE 2 CAR LEADING. BOBBY LABONTE INTO TURN ONE, JUST BEHIND HIM. JEFF GORDON CLOSING EVER SO FAST. DICK: THEY HAVE $1 MILLION REASONS TO KEEP JEFF GORDON BACK THERE. KEN: FIRST AND SECOND ARE ALL CONTENDERS TO TAKE THAT $1 MILLION BONUS. THE NO-BULL MILLION BONUS. TOP FIVE FROM DAYTONA. BUDDY: ALL JEFF GORDON WANTS TO DO IS WIN THE 600. BOBBY LABONTE IS IN SECOND. DICK: BOBBY LABONTE HAS MOVED ON RUSTY WALLACE THE LEADER. HERE WE GO. GO OUTSIDE. BUDDY: GORDON ON THE OUTSIDE AS THEY COME OFF TURN TWO. IT LOOKS LIKE GORDON WITH FOUR FRESH TIRES HAS THE MOMENTUM. KEN: CHEVROLET INTO SECOND, PONTIAC INTO THIRD, FORD STILL LEADING. RUSTY WALLACE THAT NUMBER 2 FORD. DICK: HE WON HIS FIRST RACE EVER, GORDON DID, WITH TIRE STRATEGY. TONIGHT LOOKS LIKE HE'S PLAYED HIS CARDS RIGHT. BUDDY: RUSTY WALLACE NEEDS TO USE UP A LOT OF RACETRACK RIGHT NOW. YOU SEE JEFF GORDON LESS THAN A CAR LENGTH BACK IN SECOND PLACE. I'M NOT SURE HE'S HOLDING HIM OFF. JEFF GORDON IS LOOKING AROUND RIGHT NOW. ONE EYE IN THE MIRROR, ONE ON WHERE HE'S GOING. KEN: YOU DON'T NEED INCENTIVE TO RACE HARD EVERY LAP SAYS RUSTY WALLACE. BUT $1 MILLION COULD MAKE A LITTLE DIFFERENCE. HE'S GIVING IT EVERYTHING HE'S GOT. AND HERE THE 24 CAR CLOSES IN AGAIN. THE CAR THAT PRESSED INTO THE WALL INTO THE SECOND TURN, RIGHT THERE, YESTERDAY, COMING TO THE OUTSIDE. HERE COMES GORDON MAKING THE MOVE, AND AGAIN WIDE OPEN, IT'S NUMBER 2 WALLACE TO HOLD THE SPOT. BUDDY: DOING WHAT I SAID. IT'S HIS RACE RIGHT NOW, YOU SEE BOBBY LABONTE MAKING A MOVE ON THE OUTSIDE OF GOD GORDON THERE. KEN: OH, WOULD YOU. BUDDY: THEY'RE MAKE AGO SANDWICH. KEN: GORDON CAME OUT ON TOP. JEFF GORDON TRIED TO WIN IT BACK-TO-BACK TO WIN HIS THIRD 600. BUDDY: IT'S NOT DONE YET. JUST IN FOURTH PLACE, DALE JARRETT MAKE AGO MOVE TRYING TO KEN: LIKE A BANDIT IN THE NIGHT. PICKPOCKETING, WALLACE AND LABONTE. DICK: PULLING AWAY IS JEFF GORDON. KEN: HERE'S WALLACE BACK. DICK: WHAT A MOVE BY JEFF GORDON TO TAKE THE LEAD. BUDDY: WHEN YOU USE THOSE TIRES AS HARD AS HE'S BEEN RUNNING, THE CHEVROLET HAS BEEN LIGHTNING FAST FOR ABOUT 15 LAPS, THEN IT STARTS GIVING UP. BOBBY LABONTE RIDING WITH HIM NOW, AS WE COME OFF TURN TWO. HIGH ON THE RACETRACK. DICK: TOP FIVE ALL TOGETHER AS THIS THING WINDS DOWN. BUDDY: HERE COMES MARK MARTIN LOOKING ON THE INSIDE. WE HAVEN'T MENTIONED HIM IN A WHILE. BUT NOW BOBBY LABONTE ON THE OUTSIDE BEING PASSED BY DALE JARRETT DOWN THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY. THEY MAKE A LITTLE CONTACT COMING OFF TURN UR. KEN: WHAT A RACE BOBBY LABONTE HAS DRIVEN. HE'S BEEN SIDEWAYS AS MUCH AS ANYBODY OUT THERE. HE KEEPS RIGHT IN HERE. STAYS IN THIS FIGHT. NOBODY GIVING AN INCH AS WE GET DOWN TO DECIDE THE 39TH ANNUAL COCA-COLA 600 IS GOING TO BE A SPRINT, A SHOOT-OUT TO THE BUDDY: HERE'S MARK MARTIN TRYING TO GET BY DALE JARRETT ON TH OUTSIDE. FOLLOWING RIGHT BEHIND BOBBY LABONTE. DICK: THIS IS FOR THIRD. LABONTE IN THIRD SPOT IN THAT GREEN NUMBER 18. KEN: GORDON HAS THE ADVANTAGE. THREE CAR LENGTHS OVER WALLACE. DICK: IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER. HE WAS IN THE LEAD LAST WEEKEND, TOO. BUDDY: I'M SEEING SOMETHING, IT LOOKED LIKERUSTY IS GETTING IN THE CORNER AWFULLY HARD THERE. I KNOW THE LAPS ARE GOING AWAY, BUT RUSTY WALLACE IS NOW SHOWING A LOT OF POWER GETTING INTO THE CORNERS. KEN: 395 OF 400 COMPLETE. JEFF GORDON SAID IF HE WASN'T RACING HE WOULD PROBABLY GO TO COLLEGE TO FURTHER HIS EDUCATION. HE COULD BUY HIS OWN COLLEGE AFTER TONIGHT. BUDDY: AND THE TOWN IT'S IN. KEN: WHAT ABOUT IT? CAN WALLACE MUSTER ONE MORE CHALLENGE TO TAKE THIS BACK AND TAKE THE $1 MILLION BONUS? RAY EVERNHAM LOOKING ON, PACING. AS JEFF GORDON GETS EVER CLOSER TO BECOMING A THREE-TIME WINNER OF THE 600. FIVE TIMES HE'S BEEN ON THE POLE. BUDDY: IT HASN'T STARTED GOING AWAY YET. GORDON CLEARLY IN THE LEAD RIGHT NOW. THE CAR DOES NOT SHOW ANY ILL EFFECTS. DICK: OPENING DISTANCE BETWEEN HIMSELF AND RUSTY WALLACE. KEN: INDEED HE DID ABOUT FIVE, SIX CAR LENGTHS GOING FOR HIS THIRD WIN OF 1998. HE WON AT BRISTOL. HE WON AT ROCKINGHAM. IS GORDON GOING TO STAY WITH IT AND DO IT TONIGHT? HERE HE IS. CAR CAME OUT OF TURN NUMBER TWO. BUDDY: WE KNOW FOR A FACT HE HAS ENOUGH FUEL TO MAKE IT THIS TIME BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LIKE THE WINSTON. HE'S NOT GOING TO RUN OUT OF FUEL. BUT I TELL YOU RUSTY WALLACE IS DRIVING HIS HEART OUT RIGHT NOW TRYING TO CLOSE IN ON JEFF GORDON. DICK: GORDON'S JUST A FLASH IN THE FIELD RIGHT NOW. IN COMMAND. AS THIS RACE WINDS DOWN. KEN: WALLACE CAN ALMOST SENSE THAT EXTRA $1 MILLION JUST FLOATING AWAY FROM HIS FINGERS. AS GORDON CONTINUES TO BUILD ON THE LEAD. EVERNHAM CONTINUING TO LOOK ON. THE EX-MOFIED DRIVER FROM NEW JERSEY WHO WITH HIS MAGIC HAS PUT THIS GUY IN SUCH A GREAT POSITION. THERE YOU SAW PEMBERTON LOOKING ON, CREW CHIEF, CAR 2, AS WE GET DOWN TO THE END. THE WHITE FLAG SOUTH. THIS IS IT TO DECIDE IT ALL. FINAL FLAP INTO TURN NUMBER ONE, JEFF GORDON. UNRELENTING. HE HAS CONTINUED TO DRAW AWAY. NOW WALLACE HAS CLOSED IN A LITTLE. KEN: MARK MARTIN MOVES TO THE INSIDE OF 18, BOBBY LABONTE. ALL FOR NAUGHT AS FAR AS THE VICTORY IS CONCERNED. DOWN THEY COME OUT OF TURN FOUR. AND FOR THE THIRD TIME IN HIS CAREER, IT IS JEFF GORDON WINNING THE 600 AT CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE COCA-COLA 600 WILL HAVE GORDON'S NAME ON THE TROPHY. JEFF GORDON HAS DONE IT. AND IT IS A SURPRISE. IT WAS NOT THAT BIG A DEAL ALL NIGHT LONG, BUT WHEN IT COUNTED, IT WAS THE BIGGEST DEAL HERE. BUDDY: IT WAS THE WHOLE DEAL MAKING THAT PIT STOP, TAKING ON FOUR TIRES. HE HAD TO HAVE IT. HE HAD DROPPED ALL THE WAY BACK TO FIFTH BEFORE THAT PIT STOP. DICK: DRIVER AFTER DRIVER DRIVING BY WAVING AT HIM CONGRATULATING JEFF GORDON ON HIS VICTORY. MIKE: WE'RE HERE WITH RAY EVERNHAM. RUNNING OUT OF GAS AT WINSTON. YOU WRECKED YESTERDAY. AND FINISH IT UP, BACK-TO-BACK 600 TITLES. >> IT'S GREAT. THIS IS AN AWESOME TEAM AND JEFF IS AN AWESOME DRIVER. WE NEED TO THANK GOD FIRST FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS. I WANT TO THANK DUPONT, PEPSI, QUAKER STATE, ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED US OUT. AND THE FANS THIS ONE IS FOR YOU FOR THE MISTAKE THE OTHER NIGHT. MIKE: WHAT ABOUT THAT GREAT MOVE GETTING PAST RUSTY WALLACE? >> HE'S THE MAN. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. NO SLAM TO ANYBODY ELSE, BUT THAT KID'S ABOUT THE GREATEST DRIVER I'VE SEEN. WE HAVE TO MAKE A NEW DEAL FOR SOMETHING ELSE. MIKE: WHEN THAT LAST CAUTION CAME OUT AND YOU GOT THE FOUR FRESH TIRES, DID YOU FEEL THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TODAY FEET HERE AT THE END? >> WE WEREN'T GOING TO WIN WHERE WE WERE. I TOLD HIM, LOOK, LET'S NOT -- LET'S TRY TO WIN. LET'S TRY TO WIN THIS THING. MIKE: RAY EVERNHAM, BACK UPSTAIRS. IT'S A HAPPY TEAM. KEN: WIN IT THEY DID. AND IN WHAT STYLE. FLAT OUT RACING HERE AT CHARLOTTE OVER A SPECTACULAR LAST 20 MILES. WAITING ON JEFF GORDON TO ENTER VICTORY LANE. WE'LL HAVE THE INTERVIEW AFTER THIS. KEN: HE WAS HIS OWN HUMAN FIREBALL TONIGHT AS THE FIREWORKS GET OFF THE GROUND. HERE IS JEFF GORDON OUT OF THE CAR AND IN VICTORY LEAN. LET'S GET DOWN THERE NOW AND MEET THE CHAMPION. >> WE'VE SEEN SOME IMPRESSIVE VICTORIES, BUT THAT WAS ONE OF THE TOPS. >> THAT WAS A RAINBOW WARRIOR WIN RIGHT THERE. ALL IT TOOK WAS FOUR TIRES. THEY COULD TAKE THE GAMFWOLE TAKE TWO. WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO LOSE SO WE TOOK FOUR. GREAT CALL. I FELT LIKE IF WE HAD FOUR TIRES TO THEIR TWO, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO BEAT THEM THEN. I WANT TO THANKUPONT AUTOMOTIVE FINISHES, CHEVROLET WAS AWESOME TODAY G. YEAR TIRES DID A HECK OF A JOB. THIS ONE'S FOR PEPSY, THIS MEANS A LOT FOR THEM TO BECOME A VICTORY LANE. I'M SO THANKFUL. >> JEFF, TELL THE TRUTH, DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GOING TO WIN THE RACE THERE? >> ARE YOU KIDDING ME? NO WAY, MAN. NO WAY. I HAD NO IDEA WE WERE GOING TO WIN THIS RACE. I WAS JUST HOPING WE COULD GET A COUPLE OF GUYS AND GET TO US TOP FIVE AND BE IN THAT NOBEL CHALLENGE IN INDIANAPOLIS. ALL OF A SUDDEN I PICKED OFF TWO RIGHT AWAY. JOHNNY BENSON'S RESTART I GOT BY HIM, THEN THE NEXT TWO. I SAID I MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE HERE. THESE GUYS REDEEMED THEMSELVES TODAY. RAY DID. I KNOW HE'S HAPPY. THEY DID A HECK OF A JOB. HEY, RICK. I KNOW HE'S EXCITED WATCHING AT HOME. IT WAS A GREAT VICTORY. >> WE'RE GOING TO SHOW THE VIEWERS AT HOME THAT LAST PASS. TALK US THROUGH. >> THAT WAS PRETTY WILD. I TRIED TO GO TO THE OUTSIDE OF RUSTY. HE GOT LOOSE. WE BOTH WENT HIGH I KNEW BOBBY LABONTE WAS COMING. I BLOCKED HIM. HE KIND OF BUMPED ME OUT OF THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. HE GOT TO THE OUTSIDE OF ME, IN WHICH THAT HELPED ME. I WAS TIGHT. IT LOOSENED MY CAR BECAUSE I COULD TURN AND GO UNDERNEATH RUFTY I SAID THERE'S EITHER GOING TO BE A WRECK OR WE'RE GOING TO WIN THIS. >> BROOKE, DID YOU THINK HE COULD DO IT? >> I NEVER DOUBT HIM. BUT HE PULLED IT OUT THERE AT THE END. HE EVEN SURPRISED ME AND THE WHOLE TEAM. I'M SO PROUD OF HIM. >> CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU BOTH. RANDY: THAT'S A TOUGH NIGHT. YOU HAD AN EXCELLENT RUN. YOU CAME UP JUST SHORT OF WINNING ANOTHER $1 MILLION. >> IT WAS A TOUGH NIGHT. I'M REAL HAPPY WITH ALL THE GUYS IN THE MOTOR DEPARTMENT, EVERYBODY. WE WERE SITTING RIGHT THERE AND HAD IT. RIGHT AT THE END IT WAS A TOUGH CHOICE. DO YOU DO FOUR OR TWO TIRES? WE ELECTED TO DO TWO. LOOKED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR, EVERYBODY DID TWO TIRES. THE ONL GUY THAT DIDN'T DO IT WAS GORDON. I REALLY THOUGHT WE HAD IT I REALLY DID WE DID GOOD, FINISHED SECOND. I'M HAPPY. WISH I COULD HAVE GOT THE $1 MILLION. AT LEAST I GOT ANOTHER CHANCE FOR IT. RANDY: BACK UPSTAIRS. KEN: GORDON TAKES THE POINT LEAD BY SOME 32 OVER JEREMY. WE'LL BE BACK WITH MORE OF THE STORY AND MEET MORE OF THE SUPERSTARS IN THIS GREAT 600.

Channel: Michael McIntyre

Views: 30,860

Keywords: Auto, Racing, NASCAR, Winston, NEXTEL, Sprint, Cup, Series, 1998, 1998 Coca-Cola 600, Coca-Cola 600 (Recurring Event), Charlotte Motor Speedway (Venue), Charlotte, Motor, Speedway, North, Carolina

Id: 78jeFGaLSVY

Length: 223min 4sec (13384 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 04 2015