2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Pepsi 400

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Chris: WELCOME TO THE PEPSI PRE-RACE SHOW, SPONSORED BY PEPSI, THE OFFICIAL SOFT DRINK OF DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY. THIS IS DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA. THE BIRTHPLACE OF SPEED. AND THE PERFECT PLACE TO CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR COUNTRY, ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. AMERICA'S BEST DRIVERS WILL GO 400 MILES AROUND THIS TRACK, AT CLOSE TO 190 MILES AN HOUR. YOU'LL SEE DALE EARNHARDT JR., JEFF GORDON, TONY STEWART, AND JIMMIE JOHNSON IN A DRAMATIC HIGH-SPEED CHESS MATCH. THE TEMPERATURE IN THE 80s. HUMIDITY THICK AT 65%. WE'RE TRACKSIDE. SHADOWS BEHIND US, SUNLIGHT BEAMING IN. DARRELL WALTRIP, JEFF HAMMOND, CHRIS MYERS. HAPPY FIRST OF JULY. NICE TO SEE YOU. THE ONLY THING HOTTER THAN THE WEATHER IS THE DRIVERS COMING IN THE RACE. >> Jeff: DEFINITELY SO. YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT JIMMIE JOHNSON IS COMING BACK WHERE HE WON THE DAYTONA 500 IN FEBRUARY. HE'S ON A TREMENDOUS ROLL. JEFF GORDON WINS THE RACE AT INFINEON, AND DALE EARNHARDT JR. LAST NIGHT SPANKED THE FIELD. >> Darrell: THE RACETRACK, ITSELF, IS HOT. THE LAST FIRECRACKER 400s HAVE BEEN WON FROM THE POLE. JEFF GORDON AND TONY STEWART. AND JIMMIE JOHNSON COMES IN HERE. THERE'S A LOT TO KEEP YOUR EYES ON TONIGHT. >> Chris: BORIS SAID IS ON THE POLE. DALE EARNHARDT JR., IF HE WANTS TO WIN, HAS TO COME FROM 45th PLACE. LAST NIGHT IN THE BUSCH RACE, SPEAKING OF DALE EARNHARDT JR.. HE WAS OUTSTANDING, DOMINATING. LEADING 88 OF 103 LAPS FOR HIS FIFTH BUSCH SERIES WIN. HE'S WITH STEVE BYRNES. >> Steve: THANK YOU, CHRIS. AND GOOD TIME TO BE A DALE EARNHARDT JR. FAN. I KNOW YOU'RE A HUMBLE DUDE, AND YOU'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU HAVE GREAT EQUIPMENT, BUT WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE RACETRACK THAT YOU LOVE SO MUCH? >> IT'S CONFIDENCE WHEN YOU COME DOWN HERE AND YOU HAVE SUCH GREAT CARS THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, WE BRING GOOD CARS AND WIN RACES AND YOU GET YOUR CONFIDENCE UP. IT'S HARD TO BEAT YOU WHEN YOU'RE THAT CONFIDENT. >> Steve: EVEN DEEP IN THE FIELD? >> YEAH. IT AIN'T NO BIG DEAL WHERE YOU START. LOOKING FORWARD TO GET THE RACE GOING. IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO DRAFT HERE AT DAYTONA. BUT, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU QUALIFY, IT JUST MATTERS WHERE YOU ARE AT THE END. >> Steve: GOOD LUCK. TO CHRIS MYERS. >> Chris: THANK YOU, STEVE. BUMP-DRAFTING, AND RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACING. IT CHANGES THE MIND SET OF THE DRIVER. >> Darrell: YOU HAVE TO BE AGGRESSIVE. YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR REAR-VIEW MIRRORS AND YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR SPOTTER. BUT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF RULES HERE WE DON'T DEAL WITH ANYWHERE ELSE. OUT OF BOUNDS. YOU CAN BUMP-DRAFT, BUT YOU CAN'T SLAM-DRAFT. SO THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS A DRIVER HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IF THEY WANT TO END UP IN VICTORY LANE. >> Chris: COMING UP, WE TALK WITH JEFF GORDON. HERE IS WHAT AROUND THE TURN. OUR CREW WORKED HARD, SOMEWHAT THIS YEAR. WE'LL RECAP SOME OF THE FAVORITE MEMORIES OF THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON. WE'LL GO TEN LAPS WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON, THE WINNER OF THE DAYTONA 500. >> I REMEMBER D.W. JUMPING AROUND IN VICTORY LANE WHEN HE WON THE DAYTONA 500. >> I WON THE DAYTONA 500! >> Chris: A MORE SEASONED AND JEFF WILL TAKE US AROUND THE TRACK HERE TO GET US READY FOR TONIGHT'S RACE. WE ALL KNOW MR. GOODWRENCH, HANDYMAN JEFF HAMMOND TELLS US ABOUT THE CAR OF THE FUTURE, PLUS "GAS 'N GO" COMING UP. LIVE IN DAYTONA. >> Chris: WELCOME BACK TO THE PEPSI PRE-RACE SHOW, SPONSORED BY PEPSI, THE OFFICIAL SOFT DRINK OF DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY. NASCAR ON "FOX." WE'RE COUNTING YOU DOWN TO RACING. FOR JEFF GORDON, IT'S BEEN A TUMULTUOUS FEW WEEKS. HE HAD AN ENGAGEMENT TO LONGTIME GIRLFRIEND, AND THEN A WIN AT SONOMA. AND THE WIN HELPED SILENCE THE CRITICS WHO WERE HURLING GRAPES OF WRATH. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> Chris: JEFF JOINS US FROM DOWN ON THE TRACK. CONGRATULATIONS ON THE ENGAGEMENT. I KNOW YOU'RE NOT REGISTERED ON NASCAR.COM FOR RESTRICTOR-PLATES, FOR WEDDING GIFTS. WITH A WIN TONIGHT, YOU COULD TIE DALE EARNHARDT ON THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES. DESCRIBE YOUR STRATEGY. >> IT'S NOT JUST A DIFFERENT STRATEGY FOR PLATE RACING, BUT A DIFFERENT STRATEGY FOR THIS TRACK IN PARTICULAR. IT'S SLICK IN JULY. IT'S HOT AND THE TIRES DON'T HAVE A LOT OF GRIP. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOOD-HANDLING RACECAR. WITH RESTRICTOR-PLATES, OBVIOUSLY, YOU'VE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, DRAFT WELL, AND TRY TO MAKE THE RIGHT MOVES AND CARRY MOMENTUM WHEN YOU HAVE IT. I PREFER TO GET OUT FRONT. AND KEEP THE GUYS BEHIND US IN THE CLOSING LAPS, BUT WE'LL DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO GET A GOOD FINISH. WE HAVE A GREAT DuPONT PEPSI "SUPERMAN RETURNS" CHEVROLET. HOPEFULLY WE'LL KEEP IT UP FRONT. WE QUALIFIED BETTER THAN I THOUGHT. >> Darrell: JEFF, CONGRATULATIONS, MAN ON YOUR ENGAGEMENT. THAT IS SO COOL. >> THANK YOU. >> Darrell: JEFF, YOU REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN RACING IN NASCAR ALL THAT LONG. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT -- I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT FOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS, YOU'RE ON THE VERGE OF BEING THE SIXTH MOST WINNINGEST DRIVER IN NASCAR. YOU'LL PASS EARNHARDT FOR WINS. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT ALL THAT AND HOW QUICKLY THAT'S ALL HAPPENED FOR YOU? >> IT HAS BEEN A WHIRLWIND. YOU KNOW, I JUST, WHEN I DO THINK ABOUT IT -- BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU GET CAUGHT UP IN EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING HAPPENS SO FAST HERE. AND I MEAN JUST THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW, I WENT FROM THE WENT IN SONOMA TO GOING TO MILWAUKEE TO TEST, AND THEN HERE ON THURSDAY. SO, IT PASSES YOU BY SO FAST. BUT WHEN I DO HAVE TIME TO SIT BACK AND THINK ABOUT IT, IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING RIDE. THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT, AMAZING THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED FOR ME AND THE RACE TEAM. I'M SO PROUD OF THAT, AND HONORED TO BE A PART OF THAT. AND, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE THIS WEEK, YOU KNOW, GETTING HONORED OVER THERE AT DAYTONA USA. I'M GOING I CAN'T BELIEVE I WON THREE DAYTONA 500s. IT'S AMAZING. I TRY NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH. ONE DAY SITTING IN THE ROCKING CHAIR OUT THERE ON THE PORCH, I'M GOING TO HAVE A GREAT TIME REMEMBERING ALL THESE GREAT MOMENTS. >> Darrell: I HOPE I'M SITTING THERE WITH YOU. >> I HOPE SO, TOO, D.W. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Jeff: JEFF, THE WAY YOU ARE RIGHT NOW, AND THE CONFIDENCE I SEE IN THE TEAM, IS IT CHAMPIONSHIP-CALIBER CONFIDENCE? >> I'VE BEEN SAYING ALL YEAR LONG I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A GREAT RACE TEAM, BUT WE HAVEN'T LIVED UP TO OUR FULL POTENTIAL. WE'RE JUST STARTING TO MOVE INTO THAT. WE SAW LAST YEAR WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH MOMENTUM WITH TONY STEWART. DON'T GET ME WRONG, WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO ON SOME TRACKS, BUT WE MADE HUGE GAINS AND AS A TEAM WE'RE AS STRONG AS SOLID AS WE'VE EVER BEEN. NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MOMENTUM THAT WE'VE HAD FROM LAST WEEK'S WIN. AND, YOU KNOW, TAKE IT IN TO THIS RESTRICTOR-PLATE TRACK, THAT'S A GREAT TRACK FOR US, AND KEEP IT ROLLING FROM THERE. >> Chris: ALL RIGHT. GOOD LUCK TONIGHT. THANKS. >> THANK YOU, GUYS. >> Chris: APPRECIATE IT. YOU HEARD SOME BOOs IN THE BACKGROUND. JEFF ONCE SAID HE ASKED DALE EARNHARDT ABOUT THAT, AND HE SAID, "IF THEY BOO, THEY CARE ENOUGH." AND BILL FRANCIS SAY THEY MAY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DRIVERS TO MAKE THE CHASE. AND CASEY MEARS WRECKED IN HAPPY HOUR AND HE'S IN A BACKUP CAR. HE'S MOVING TO HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS. ELLIOTT SADLER SAYS HE'S STAYING WITH ROBERT YATES RACING, BUT THERE WILL BE OTHER CHANGES WITHIN THE PROGRAM. IT'S TIME FOR "GAS 'N GO". IF YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS, OUR GUYS HAVE ANSWERS. >> Jeff: I THINK HE'S CRYING, BECAUSE IT'S THE LAST ONE. >> Chris: I'M NOT GOING TO MISS YOU GUYS. 20 SECONDS. WHAT CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE TO THE CHASE? RIGHT NOW THE TOP TEN IN POINTS MAKE IT OR 400 POINTS OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER. >> Darrell: I THINK IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TEN GUYS, THEY NEED THEIR OWN POINT SYSTEM TO KEEP IT TIGHT. IF YOU GO BY THE SYSTEM YOU USE ALL THE TIME, ONE GUY COULD RUN AWAY IT WITH. TO KEEP IT EXCITING, THEY NEED THEIR OWN POINT SYSTEM AND MORE POINTS FOR WINNING. >> Chris: I'M WITH YOU ON THAT. REWARD THE WINNER. JEFF, 15 SECONDS. WILL JUNIOR REGAIN HIS RESTRICTOR-PLATE DOMINANCE? HE'S WON SEVEN OF THE LAST 20 RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES, BUT HASN'T WON IN THE LAST SIX IN CUP. >> Jeff: HOW DID HE GET 20? YES, HE CAN. I BELIEVE THE TEAM IS MAKING THE TURN. HE HAS THE CONFIDENCE. I BELIEVE THEY HAVE IT FIGURED OUT. HE'S READY TO GET GOING. HE PROBABLY WILL BE CHALLENGING TONIGHT. >> Darrell: THAT'S A ROCKET WITH A RED GLARE. >> Chris: THERE YOU GO. HE'S THE HEADLINER. DARRELL, DOWN TO 15. IF JIMMIE JOHNSON, OUR POINTS LEADER, DOESN'T WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, WOULD THE YEAR BE VIEWED AS A MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT OR FAILURE FOR THE 48 DEMOCRAT? tEAM? >> Darrell: IF HE DOESN'T WIN THIS YEAR, THEY'LL HAVE TO PUT CHAD KNAUS IN A PADDED ROOM. THEY HAVE TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP. THEY HAVE A GREAT DRIVER, GREAT TEAM, RESOURCES. THERE'S NO EXCUSE. >> Chris: HE'S BEEN RUNNER-UP TWICE. THE LAST "FOX" RACE OF THE SEASON -- >> Jeff: I GET THE LAST QUESTION? >> Chris: NO. WHO WILL WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP? >> Jeff: RIGHT NOW, I'M LOOKING RIGHT NOW AND I'VE GOT TO GO WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON. I THOUGHT TONY STEWART, YOU'D HAVE TO GO THROUGH TONY STEWART'S CAMP, BUT JIMMIE IS SHOWING ME SOMETHING, AT LEAST AT THIS POINT IN THE YEAR. HE BE TOUGH. >> Darrell: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE KENSETH BANDWAGON YOU WERE RIDING? >> Jeff: THAT WASN'T ME. >> Darrell: I'M A 17 GUY. 17 HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME. KENSETH HAS THE CAR RIGHT NOW TO DO IT WITH. HE NEEDS TO HAVE SOME GOOD LUCK. >> Chris: VERY GOOD. YOU DID GOOD ON THESE. THEY NEVER KNOW WHAT THE QUESTIONS ARE. >> Darrell: WE NEVER KNOW. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ANSWERS ARE. >> Jeff: YEAH! >> >>> THE PEPSI PRE-RACE SHOW IS SPONSORED BY -- ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HERE COMES A HARD-CHARGING JIMMIE JOHNSON! >> JOHNSON IS GOING TO WIN THE 48th DAYTONA 500! >> UNBELIEVABLE! >> WE WON THE DAYTONA 500! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Chris: JIMMIE JOHNSON WON THE DAYTONA 500. THEN HE WENT ON TO WIN AT TALLADEGA. WITH A VICTORY TODAY, HE'LL TIE THE LEGENDARY DALE EARNHARDT AS THE ONLY DRIVERS TO WIN THREE STRAIGHT RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES. HE WENT TEN LAPS WITH ME WITH NO RESTRICTIONS. WHAT IS THE FUNNIEST THING YOU'VE EVER HEARD ON THE HEAD SET? >> SOMEBODY IN THE STANDS WAS TALKING TRASH ON THE TRACK. >> Chris: IS THERE AN OLD-SCHOOL DRIVER YOU WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE RACED AGAINST? >> WITHOUT A DOUBT, DALE EARNHARDT, SENIOR. >> Chris: IF YOU COULD PICK WHERE NASCAR PUTS THE NEXT RACETRACK, WHERE WOULD YOU CHOOSE? >> NEW YORK CITY. AFTER NEW YORK, I'D GO TO THE WEST COAST, THE NORTHWEST. I THINK WE NEED A TRACK RIGHT THERE. IF IT STOPPED RAINING. >> Chris: AT THE FINISH LINE, IF YOU COULD BEAT OUT ANY OTHER DRIVER, WHO WOULD IT BE? >> BASED ON LAST YEAR, I'D HAVE TO SAY TONY STEWART. I WANT TO BEAT THE BEST. I WANT TO RACE AGAINST THE BEST AND BEAT THE BEST. >> Chris: 1 TO 10, YOU INTIMIDATE OTHER DRIVERS? >> 6 OR 7. >> Chris: YOUR LIFE IS STRESSFUL? >> 10. >> Chris: JIMMIE JOHNSON IS THE BEST ACTIVE DRIVER WITHOUT A CHAMPIONSHIP? >> SURE, I'LL TAKE THAT. >> Chris: 10. OKAY. [ LAUGHTER ] FAIR ENOUGH. HE'S THE POINTS LEADER. KEVIN HARVICK TENTH IN POINTS. DARRELL, WE'RE NINE RACES AWAY AFTER TONIGHT FOR THE CHASE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP. WHO IS GOING TO GET LEFT OUT? >> Darrell: THE RACE IS WHO IS GOING TO GET IN THE TOP TEN. THE QUESTION IS FROM SIXTH PLACE ON DOWN WITH JEFF BURTON, TONY STEWART, JEFF GORDON, GREG BIFFLE, KEVIN HARVICK, CAN THEY STAY IN THE TOP TEN? OR CAN HAMLIN, BUSCH, KASEY KAHNE, CARL EDWARDS, CAN THEY GET IN? >> Jeff: CAN CARL EDWARDS CHARGE UP IN THERE? HE'S THE ONLY GUY BACK THERE THAT I HAVE CONFIDENCE HE CAN GET UP IN THERE. >> Chris: CARL EDWARDS? >> Darrell: I THINK DENNY HAMLIN CAN DO IT. >> Chris: CARL EDWARDS WAS A PICK TO CHASE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND SO FAR HAS YET TO WIN A RACE. HE WAS 84th AT THE PEPSI 400. PRESIDENT REGAN SMITH GAV >> Chris: FOX SPORTS WELCOMES YOU BACK TO DAYTONA. BIG NAMES IN TONIGHT'S FIELD, A BIG CROWD ON HAND. LET'S HEAD DOWN TRACKSIDE FOR OPENING CEREMONIES. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE 2005 FLORIDA ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD, SOLDIER AND AIRMAN OF THE YEAR, REPRESENTING THE JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA BASE, U.S.S. JOHN F. KENNEDY CARRIER'S STRIKE GROUP. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. IT'S A GREAT DAY TO VISIT DAYTONA. I'M HONORED TO BE WITH ALL OF YOU. I BRING GREETINGS TO YOU FROM THE PRESIDENT. ON INDEPENDENCE DAY WEEKEND, WE'RE REMINDED HOW FORTUNATE WE ARE TO LIVE IN FREEDOM AND TO CALL THIS NATION OUR HOME. [ CHEERING ] WE'RE GRATEFUL ABOVE ALL TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO DEFEND US. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] AND I'D LIKE TO ASK ALL THE MEMBERS OF OUR MILITARY AND ALL OF OUR VETERANS HERE TONIGHT TO STAND AND BE RECOGNIZED. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] NOW I WANT TO SAY GOOD LUCK TO THE DRIVERS AND THE CREWS. HAVE A GREAT RACE, AND A SAFE RACE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS WE CELEBRATE THIS FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND, PLEASE RISE AND DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO THE UNITED STATES FLAG ON TONIGHT'S PRE-RACE STAGE, AND TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMEMBER AND THANK OUR MILITARY SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN AT HOME AND OVERSEAS. PLEASE REMAIN STANDING AS BISHOP DEREK TRIPLET FROM HOPE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH, DAYTONA BEACH, DELIVERS TONIGHT'S INVOCATION. >> NOW GOD, CREATOR, SUSTAINER, REDEEMER OF LIFE, WE GIVE YOU THANKS. WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS US WITH SAFETY FOR ALL WHO HAVE GATHERED HERE, PROTECT US AND WE WILL BLESS YOU. AMEN. >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE WELCOME THE LEAD SINGER OF THE PLATINUM SELLING GROUP CROSS FADE ON COLUMBIA RECORDS EDDIE SLOAN AS HE PERFORMS TONIGHT'S NATIONAL ANTHEM. >> ♪ O 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 ♪ ♪ WERE SO GALLANTLY STREAMING ♪ ♪ AND THE ROCKETS' RED GLARE ♪ ♪ THE BOMBS BURSTING IN AIR ♪ ♪ GAVE PROOF THROUGH THE NIGHT ♪ ♪ THAT OUR FLAG WAS STILL THERE ♪ ♪ O SAY, DOES THAT STAR-SPANGLED BANNER YET WAVE ♪ [ APPLAUSE ] ♪ O'ER THE LAND OF THE FREE ♪ ♪ AND THE HOME OF THE BRAVE ♪♪ [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Chris: A STIRRING MOMENT AT ONE OF THE GREAT VENE YOUS IN ALL OF SPORTS. THE CARS PAINTED IN MANY COLORS, BUT ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND, THE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE HOLDING A SPECIAL PLACE FOR EVERY DRIVER AND >>> WHAT REALLY STICKS OUT TO ME HAS TO BE JIMMIE JOHNSON. HE WON TWO OF THE FIRST FOUR RACES. HE WON WITHOUT HIS LEAD DOG. CHAD KNAUS IS OUT, GRUBB IS IN, A THEY STILL GET TO VICTORY LANE. HE SHOWED ME THAT HE WAS CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL AFTER TAKING THE TEAM ON HIS SHOULDERS. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Chris: JIMMIE WILL START NINTH TONIGHT, AS WE WELCOME YOU BACK. HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING YOUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND. NASCAR ON "FOX" LIVE FROM DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA. THROUGHOUT THE BROADCAST, YOU'LL HEAR FROM ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE "FOX" CREW, AS WE RECALL THE SPECIAL MOMENTS AND THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SEASON SO FAR. THERE'S BEEN RACING IN DAYTONA SINCE 1903. BUT DICK BERGGREN, THAT WAS HIS FIRST RICK, THE FIRST RACE HE COVERED. WE KID BECAUSE WE CARE. SATCHEL PAGE ONCE SAID, "DON'T LOOK BACK, SOMEONE MIGHT BE GAINING ON YOU." NASCAR BELIEVES IN THAT PHILOSOPHY, SO JEFF HAMMOND IS SHOWING OFF THE CAR OF THE FUTURE. WHAT IS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAR OF THE FUTURE AND THE CAR OF THE CURRENT? >> Jeff: THE CAR OF TOMORROW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THE SPLITTER BETWEEN THE HEADLIGHT AND THE NOSE. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? TO MAKE MORE DOWNFORCE AND GET RID OF THE DREADED AERO-PUSH AND GIVE THE TIRES MORE GRIP. THE OTHER DIFFERENCE IS AT THE BACK OF THE RACECAR. THE NEAR REAR WING. WE'RE GETTINGWAY FROM THE SPOILER. WE'LL HAVE A NEW REAR WING ON THE BACK OF THE CAR. SIDE PLATES FOR SIDE-FORCE AND GURNEY LIFT TO PUT THE DOWNFORCE ON THE BACK OF THE CARS THAT THE DRIVERS HOPE THEY'LL NEED. >> Chris: THANK YOU, JEFF. IF THAT'S THE CAR OF THE FUTURE, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE GAS PRICES OF THE FUTURE. OUR CREW WILL WATCH EVERY CAR AS WE ALWAYS DO. NOW WE HEAD TO THE PIT WATCH WITH MATT YOCUM, STEVE BYRNES, DICK BERGGREN. ALL YEAR LONG THEY POUND THE PAVEMENT TO COVER THE STORIES AND BRING YOU UP TO YOU. STEVE, WE START WITH YOU ABOUT BORIS SAID BEING ON THE POLE. >> Steve: BORIS SAID KNOWN FOR HIS HAIRCUT AND ALSO FOR WINNING RACES ALL OVER THE WORLD. HE SAID AT AGE 43, I'M TIRED OF HEARING I'M TOO OLD, TO TALL, OR TOO POOR TO BREAK INTO NASCAR. GREG BIFFLE DROVE THIS CAR IN THE BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT IN FEBRUARY. BORIS SAID, "I EXPECT TO GET DROP-KICKED IN THE FIRST 200 MILES OF THE RACE, BUT I'M GOING TO USE IT FOR EXPERIENCE. I WANT TO BE THERE AT THE END AND RACE TO THE FRONT IF I CAN." TO MATT. >> Matt: KEVIN HARVICK IS LOADED WITH MOTIVATION TONIGHT. HE TOLD ME THIS MORNING HE'S FLAT TORQUEED UP THAT HE NEVER WON A RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACE. HE'S COME CLOSE TWICE, FINISHING FOURTH AND HE FINISHED SECOND AT TALLADEGA. HE HAD A GREAT CAR AT THE DAYTONA 500. HE SWAPPED OUT THE CAR AND FOUGHT BACK TO 14th. ALTHOUGH HE'S STARTING 32nd, HE SAID THE CAR IS EXTREMELY FAST AND BETTER YET IT REALLY TURNS WELL. HANDLING WILL BE SUCH A KEY TONIGHT. HE FEELS LIKE HE'S GOT A GREAT HANDLING RACECAR. TO THE EDITOR OF "SPEEDWAY ILLUSTRATED", DR. DICK BERGGREN. >> Dick: THANK YOU MATT. LAST JULY HERE AT DAYTONA, TONY STEWART PUT ONE ON 'EM. HE NOT ONLY WON THE POLE FOR THIS RACE, HE LED ALL BUT NINE LAPS AND IN A DOMINATING VICTORY DROVE IN VICTORY LANE WHEN IT WAS ALL DONE AND OVER WITH. TONIGHT HE'S GOT THAT SAME CAR. HE'S GOING TO START ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT ROW WITH IT. TONIGHT, STEWART IS LOOKING FOR A TURN-AROUND. IN THE LAST FIVE WEEKS HE'S HAD FOUR FINISHES 25th OR WORSE. HE'S AT THE TRACK WHERE HE'S HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS IN A CAR THAT HE'S HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS IN. TONIGHT, COULD BE TONY STEWART'S NIGHT. RIGHT, GUYS? [ CHEERING ] >> Dick: YEAH! CHRIS? >> Chris: THANK YOU. TONY STEWART, HIS SHOULDER IS 100% HEALED. DON'T ASK HIM ABOUT IT. HOW DO YOU HAVE STARS LIKE JEFF GORDON, AND DALE EARNHARDT JR., AND BORIS SAID, AN EVERYDAY DRIVER -- BETTER THAN THAT. BUT ON THE POLE. WHAT DO WE EXPECT TONIGHT? >> Jeff: THE START OF THE RACE IS TRICKY. BORIS SAID IS ON THE POLE. THAT'S A STRANGE POSITION FOR HIM. DAVID STREMME IS STARTING THIRD BEHIND BORIS SAID. SO FOR ME, TONY STEWART AND JEFF GORDON, I THINK THEY'LL GANG UP ON THE OUTSIDE AND TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THE GUYS REAL QUICK AND TRY TO KICK THEM TO THE BACK OF THE PACK. THAT COULD GET DICEY. >> Chris: THE CAR OF THE FUTURE, YOU TALKED ABOUT SAFETY. WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS SAYING ABOUT COMPETITION? I KNOW IT'S THE FURTHEST THING FROM THEIR MIND NOW, BUT IT WILL DEBUT NEXT YEAR IN BRISTOL. >> Jeff: THEY HOPE THAT THE TESTING AND THE INFORMATION THEY'LL GET THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THIS SEASON AND NEXT YEAR WILL MAKE FOR EXCITING RACING. THE REAR SPOILER IS THE QUESTION MARK, AND HOW THAT WILL PLAY. >> Chris: THEIR MIND IS ON RACING TONIGHT. 400 MILES AROUND THE TRACK TO DAYTONA. LET'S HEAD DOWN TO THE TRACK FOR THOSE SIMPLE WORDS. >> WELCOME THE STAR OF THE BLOCKBUSTER "SUPERMAN RETURNS", THE MAN OF STEEL, HIMSELF, BRANDON ROUTH, FOR THE MOST FAMOUS WORDS IN MOTORSPORTS. >> GENTLEMEN, START YOUR ENGINES! [ ENGINES REVVING ] >> Chris: CAN JEFF GORDON WIN FOR THE SECOND WEEK IN A ROW? WILL DALE EARNHARDT JR. WIN FOR THE SECOND DAY IN A ROW? MIGHT TONY STEWART WIN THIS RACE FOR THE SECOND SEASON IN A ROW? NO NEED T >>> GOOD EVENING. I'M JEFF GORDON. WELCOME TO THE 48th ANNUAL PEPSI 400 ON "FOX." THIS SUMMER, PEPSI DRINKERS ARE HELPING SUPERMAN CAPTURE LEX LUTHER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN $1 MILLION REWARD. DURING TONIGHT'S RACE, YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN THE ULTIMATE RACING REWARD. A TRIP FOR TWO TO EACH OF THIS YEAR'S NEXTEL CUP CHASE RACES. JUST WATCH FOR THE PASSWORD TONIGHT, AND THEN SELECT IT AT DAILYPLANET.COM/PEPSI400. NOW SIT BACK WITH AN ICE COLD PEPSI, AS I FLY TOWARD VICTORY LANE IN THE DuPONT PEPSI "SUPERMAN RETURNS" CHEVY. ON BEHALF OF PEPSI, AND ITS BOTTLEERS, ENJOY THE PEPSI 400. >> Chris: THANKS, JEFF. FOX SPORTS, HOME OF THE DAYTONA 500 FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS. THE PEPSI 400 TONIGHT. HUMIDITY AT 66%. THE TEMPERATURE IN THE 80s. THE SUN SETTING IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES BEHIND THE TRACK. THERE WILL BE FIREWORKS ONE WAY OR ANOTHER IN THE PEPSI 400. LET'S HEAD TO THE PLAY-BY-PLAY BOOTH AND MIKE JOY. >> Mike: THANK YOU, CHRIS. THIS IS THE 48th INDEPENDENCE WEEKEND RACE AT THIS SPEEDWAY. EVER SINCE FIREBALL ROBERTS DROVE TO VICTORY IN THE FIRECRACKER 250, IT'S BEEN A RACE OF FAVORITES IN 1999. IT'S ALSO BEEN A RACE OF SURPRISES. THE 12th DIFFERENT POLE SITTER IS BORIS SAID. BUDWEISER, THE PROUD SPONSOR OF THE BUD POLE AWARD, GIVEN TO THE FASTEST QUALIFIER AT EACH NASCAR NEXTEL CUP RACE. BUDWEISER CONGRATULATES BORIS SAID, IF FASTEST QUALIFIER FOR THIS WEEKEND'S EVENT AND THE LATEST BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT ELIGIBLE DRIVER. HE'S THE BIG SURPRISE. AMONG THE FAVORITES IS OUR NEXTEL CUP LEADER, JIMMIE JOHNSON. UP BY 101 OVER MATT KENSETH. KASEY KAHNE, MARK MARTIN AND DALE JR., WITH KEVIN HARVICK ANCHORING THE TOP TEN, AS WE MOVE INTO THE SPRINT TO THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP. HI, EVERYBODY. ALONGSIDE LARRY McREYNOLDS AND THREE-TIME CUP CHAMP DARRELL WALTRIP, I'M MIKE JOY. THIS RACE OF FAVORITES, DAVID PEARSON WON THIS FIVE TIMES. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO IS THE PIED PIPER, DARRELL. WHO ARE THE DRIVERS EVERYONE WILL WANT TO HOOK UP WITH TONIGHT? >> Darrell: I'LL DO WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL HERE. THE MOST SUCCESSFUL GUY HERE HAS BEEN JEFF GORDON. RECENTLY, IT'S BEEN JIMMIE JOHNSON, HIS TEAMMATE. SO WE HENDRICK HAS THE POWER. TONY STEWART HAS THE WILL. THERE'S GUYS DEEP IN THE FIELD, DALE JR., THAT WANT TO COME OFF OF A WIN HERE LAST NIGHT AND CAPTURE VICTORY CIRCLE AGAIN TONIGHT. THOSE ARE THREE GOOD CANDIDATES THERE. >> Mike: A LOT OF CARS WILL FLOCK TO THEM TO TRY TO GET TO THE FRONT. LARRY, THIS RACE IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE DRIVER. IT'S ABOUT THE TEAM. AND WHO ARE THE TEAMS TO BEAT ON PIT ROAD? >> Larry: YEAH, EVEN THOUGH IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A SHORT RACE, ONLY 400 MILES, REMEMBER THE SMALL FUEL CELL. THE GUYS WILL BE PITTING EVERY 35-38 LAPS. THAT'S A LOT OF CHANCES FOR MISTAKES ON PIT ROAD. WHEN I LOOK AT THE TEAMS THAT ARE BULLETPROOF ON PIT ROAD, MATT KENSETH'S GROUP, THE ROBBIE REISER GROUP. AND KASEY KAHNE, THAT GROUP BETTER BE ON IT. BUT WHETHER IT'S UNDER GREEN OR CAUTION, STAY TUNED FOR PIT STOPS, BECAUSE IT WILL BE EXCITING. >> Mike: WE'RE RACING AT NIGHT HERE IN JULY. WE RACE IN THE DAYTIME IN FEBRUARY. DARRELL WALTRIP AND JEFF HAMMOND TOOK D.W.'S RIDE AND DRIVE, THE RICHARD PETTY DRIVING EXPERIENCE CAR AROUND THE TRACK. >> Darrell: ALL RIGHT, JEFF. HERE WE ARE AT THE DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY! ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT, JEFF, IS THE IMPORTANCE OF TWO THINGS: ONE, THE SPOTTER. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A GREAT SPOTTER. THE NEXT THING THAT'S IMPORTANT IS WHAT YOU'RE HOLDING IN YOUR HAND. THAT'S THE REAR-VIEW MIRRORS. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO SEE. IT'S ALL IN THE EYES. YOU WATCH JEFF GORDON. YOU WATCH JIMMIE JOHNSON. YOU WATCH ANY OF THE GUYS, AND YOU'LL SEE THEM. THEY HARDLY EVER LOOK AHEAD. >> Jeff: DARRELL, WE KNOW THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF IS TO REMEMBER YOU CONTROL THE RACECAR. MAKE SURE OF ALL YOUR MOVES. YOU MAY HAVE A GREAT SPOTTER, BUT THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT YOURSELF IS KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE MIRROR AND MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CLEARANCE YOU NEED BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR MOVE. >> Darrell: DON'T FORGET, THIS PLACE HAS AN OUT OF BOUNDS. IT'S NOT LIKE THE OTHER RACETRACKS LIKE SOME OF THE PLACES WE'VE BEEN. THIS PLACE HAS AN OUT OF BOUNDS. AND THAT YELLOW LINE IS THE OUT-OF-BOUNDS LINE. YOU HAVE TO STAY ABOVE THE YELLOW LINE. IF YOU DON'T, THEN THEY'LL PENALIZE YOU. THEY'LL BRING YOU IN. >> Mike: TWO-AND-A-HALF MILES AROUND. 31 DEGREES OF BANKING AT THE EAST AND WEST END. 18 DEGREES OF BANK AT THE TRI-OVAL AT THE START/FINISH LINE. BUILT FROM A WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PILOT TRAINING BASE, THE DIRT FROM THE BANKING DUG FROM WHAT IS NOW LAKE LLOYD IN THE INFIELD. DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY HAS BEEN THE CENTERPIECE OF NASCAR SINCE 1959. LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT LARRY Mac'S RACE TRAX FOR TONIGHT -- >> Larry: LET'S SOAK AT SOME OF THE KEYS. ONE THING IS OUT OF BOUNDS. D.W. AND JEFF JUST TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE SAW IT LAST NIGHT, KYLE BUSCH IN THE BUSCH RACE, HE ADVANCED A POSITION, AND IT CAN TAKE YOU OUT OF THE EQUATION TO WIN THE RACE. WE TALKED ABOUT PIT STOPS A WHILE AGO. THIS IS GREEN FLAG STOPS LAST NIGHT IN LAP 50, IT LOOK LIKE A SMALL VERSION OF KEYSTONE COPS. THIS CAN TAKE YOU OUT OF THE EQUATION. ALL TYPES OF ACTIONS. PENALTIES BY DRIVERS AND CREWS. BE AGGRESSIVE, BUT NOT TOO AGGRESSIVE, BECAUSE THIS HAPPENED LAST NIGHT IN THE BUSCH RACE WITH CARL EDWARDS GETTING INTO MICHAEL WALTRIP. IF YOU'RE NOT CAREFUL, TOO AGGRESSIVE, YOU'LL BE IN THE PENALTY BOX, AND NASCAR IS NOT AFRAID TO USE IT HERE AT DAYTONA. >> Darrell: LIKE A LOT OF OTHER THINGS. A LITTLE BIT OF BUMPING IS GOOD, BUT A LOT OF IT WILL GET YOU IN TROUBLE. >> Mike: CHAD KNAUS AND ROBBIE REISER, TWO OF THE KEY CAPTAINS ON PIT ROAD. REISER'S CAR MAY HAVE AN ISSUE. STEVE? >> Steve: MIKE, THERE'S A LITTLE CONCERN DOWN IN THIS PIT AREA WHEN MATT KENSETH WENT OUT ON THE RACETRACK AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE, HE REPORTED TO RISE -- ROBBIE REISER THERE MAY BE AN ISSUE WITH THE CARBURETOR. THEY'RE BOTH COMPOSED AND THEY'RE CALM, BUT THERE'S SOME CONCERN ABOUT THE CARBURETOR ISSUE ON THE 17 FOR MATT KENSETH. >> Mike: YOU SEE ROBBIE REISER. YOU SAW CHAD KNAUS, WHO WAS NOT ON THE PIT BOX AND DID NOT GET TO GO TO VICTORY LANE WITH HIS LOWE'S TEAM AND DRIVER JIMMIE JOHNSON BACK IN FEBRUARY. BUT HE CAME BACK, AND HAS MANAGED TO KEEP THAT TEAM ON THE POINT-TOP OF THE NEXTEL CUP STANDINGS THROUGH MID-SEASON. >> Larry: LET'S GO BACK AND TALK ABOUT MATT KENSETH AND THE 17 CAR JUST A SECOND. REMEMBER, THIS WAS AN IMPOUND RACE. THESE TEAMS, THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO WORK ON THESE RACECARS SINCE IT CAME OFF THE RACETRACK SINCE QUALIFYING. ALL THEY COULD DO IS MAKE THINGS LIKE AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT, ADJUST THE TAPE ON THE NOSE, AND WARM THE ENGINES UP. SO, AGAIN, I'M SURE IT'S GOING TO BE NAIL-BITING WHEN THEY DROP THE GREEN FLAG. REMEMBER, MATT KENSETH IS SECOND IN THE NEXTEL CUP POINTS. >> Darrell: IT'S NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE THE CARS NOT RUN REAL WELL WHEN YOU FIRST CRANK THEM UP AFTER THEY'VE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR A WHILE. THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE POOLS UP ON TOP OF THE PLATE AND SOMETIMES IT CAUSES IT TO MISFIRE A LITTLE BIT. >> Larry: THERE YOU GO. 160 LAPS, PIT ROAD SPEED 55 MILES PER HOUR. THE PIT WINDOW IS 35-38 LAPS. THOSE THINGS WILL BE KEY TONIGHT WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW MANY PIT STOPS THEY'LL HAVE TO MAKE. >> Mike: THE FIRST CINGULAR VIRTUAL CREW CHIEF QUESTION -- WILL JEFF GORDON TIE DALE EARNHARDT'S RECORD FOR RESTRICTOR-PLATE WINS TONIGHT? TO ANSWER, TEXT "CREW" TO 191 ON YOUR CINGULAR WIRELESS PHONE OR LOG ON TO FoxSports.COM/CINGULAR. SOME THREATENING WEATHER HERE. WE DON'T REALLY EXPECT RAIN, BUT THOSE BIG ANVIL CLOUDS, THUNDER-BOOMERS WERE ENOUGH TO DELAY THE LAUNCH OF THE SPACE SHUTTLE TODAY SCHEDULED FOR THIS AFTERNOON. AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST TIME THAT THE SPACE SHUTTLE HAD LAUNCHED ON JULY RACE DAY HERE IN DAYTONA. THEY'LL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON. WHAT IS IT LIKE GOING AROUND THIS 2.5-MILE PRESSURE COOKER AT 180-PLUS MILES PER HOUR? WE ASK SOME OF THE TOP DRIVERS IN NEXTEL CUP RACING. >> IT'S 190-MILE-AN-HOUR TRAFFIC JAM THAT IS LIKE RUNNING INSIDE A PROFESSIONAL GAME OF CHESS WITH 43 PLAYERS. >> YOU'RE IN AWE OF THE BANKINGS AND THE CORNERS, AND THE SPEED OF THE CAR. WE'RE SO CLOSE, WE'RE INCHES OFF EACH OTHER, DRAFTING BACK AND FORTH. >> CONSTANT ACTION. THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON EVERY LAP. TWO-WIDE, THREE-WIDE. THE DRAFT IS SO IMPORTANT. HANDLING IS SO IMPORTANT. YOU SEE THE CARS THAT CAN'T HANDLE WELL, YOU SEE THEM THAT DO HANDLE WELL. A LOT OF SIDE-BY-SIDE ACTION. >> THE TRACK AT NASCAR AT DAYTONA, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO WIN THE 500 AND YOU HOPE I CAN WIN THE 400. >> Darrell: THEY DIDN'T TALK ABOUT HOW BUMPY AND ROUGH THE TRACK IS. IT HAS SWELLS IN IT. THE DARK, BLACK PLACES ON THE TRACK ARE SKID MARKS. THE TIRES ARE SKIPPING ALONG AND IT MAKES DARK PLACES ON THE RACETRACK. ZIPDY DOO-DAH-DAY. >> Mike: THIS IS 100 MILES SHORTER THAN THE FEBRUARY RACE, AND IT'S RUN AT NIGHT. BUT HOW ELSE IS RACING IN JULY DIFFERENT? >> Darrell: THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE HEAT. AT NIGHT, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE BEAMING SUN LIKE IN FEBRUARY, BUT THE TRACK HAS BEEN LAYING HERE IN THE SUN ALL DAY LONG. THE ASPHALT IS HOT AND IT IS SLICK. >> Mike: DAVID PEARSON, FIVE VICTORIES IN WHAT WAS THEN THE FIRECRACKER 500. CALE YARBOROUGH WON THIS RACE FOUR TIMES. DALE EARNHARDT, JEFF GORDON, RICHARD PETTY, AND FIREBALL ROBERTS THREE TIMES EACH. WHO WILL ETCH THEIR NAME INTO THE RECORD BOOK TONIGHT? >> Larry: D.W., FOR THE FINAL TIME NASCAR ON "FOX" 2006, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE A BIG OL' SATURDAY NIGHT PARTY. REACH UP THERE AND PULL THOSE BELTS TIGHT ONE MORE TIME. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Darrell: BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY -- LET'S GO RACIN', BOYS! [ ENGINES ROAR ] IT'S AMAZING. EVERY TIME I SAY THAT, THEY TAKE OFF! [ LAUGHTER ] [ ENGINES ROAR ] >> Mike: OFF TURN TWO, NO ADVANTAGE. IT LOOKS LIKE THE PACE LAP, ONLY THREE TIMES AS FAST. >> Darrell: WHO WOULD LIKE TO LEAD THIS FIRST LAP THE MOST? >> Larry: THAT MAN WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THE 20 CAR. GET THE FIVE BONUS POINTS FOR LEADING. >> Darrell: GET THE FIVE BONUS POINTS AND GET IT DONE. WE ONLY HAD 151 LAPS HERE LAST YEAR IN THIS RACE. HE HAS THE ADVANTAGE OFF TURN FOUR. >> Larry: THEY LOOK JUST LIKE THEY DID DID WHEN THEY TOOK THE GREEN FLAG. THE DIFFERENCE IS TONY STEWART IN THE 20 WOULD LEAD THAT LAP. >> Mike: BORIS SAID, THE POLE-SITTER IN THE 60, WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT HAD TO QUALIFY THIS RACE ON TIME. HE HAD A FULL QUALIFYING SET-UP UNDER THE CAR. HIS CREW CHIEF CALLED IT AN EXTREME QUALIFYING SET-UP. DOES THAT MEAN HE WON'T BE AS GOOD IN THE RACE, AS THE DRIVERS WHO ARE LOCKED IN? >> Larry: REMEMBER THE CAR BEHIND HIM, DAVID STREMME IN THE 40 CAR, SAME SITUATION. YOU TEND TO BELIEVE THEY'LL BE OKAY ON FRESH TIRES, BUT THE HANDLING COULD DETERIORATE AS THE CAR STARTS TO SLIDE AROUND ON OLDER TIRES. >> Darrell: YEAH. I'D LOVE MY QUALIFYING SET-UP FOR ABOUT TEN LAPS. AFTER THAT, WHOA IS YOU. >> Mike: TONY STEWART CHALLENGING FOR THE LEAD. TONY BY A CAR LENGTH. >> Larry: BUT THAT IS A ROUSH CAR AND A ROUSH/YATES ENGINE. IT'S A GOOD PACKAGE WITH BORIS SAID. >> Darrell: BUT, LET'S GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE. HOW MANY RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES HAS THE DRIVER BEEN IN? >> Larry: NOT THAT MANY. >> Darrell: THAT'S IT. >> Mike: IT'S BORIS SAID'S THIRD DAYTONA START. >> Larry: WE SAW MATT KENSETH IN THE 17 CAR. REMEMBER THE REPORT, POSSIBLY A CARBURETOR PROBLEM. EVERYTHING LOOKS PRETTY GOOD RIGHT NOW ON THE 17 CAR. >> Darrell: DRIVERS CAN BE A LITTLE FINICKY AT THIS TRACK. THEY'RE A LITTLE UPTIGHT WHEN YOU'RE READY TO START THIS RACE. YOU IMAGINE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE REALLY NOT HAPPENING. >> Larry: THIS RACE? HOW ABOUT 36 RACES? >> Darrell: THEN YOU'RE IMAGINING A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING. >> Mike: STREMME. >> Darrell: WIDE. THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR STREMME. HE HAS TO GIVE THE SPOT BACK. >> Mike: THREE-WIDE AT THE LINE AND STREMME MIGHT HAVE DIPPED TWO TIRES BELOW THE YELLOW LINE. >> Darrell: YOU CAN SEE BEHIND HIM HE'S BACKING EVERYBODY UP BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE HAS TO GIVE THE SPOT BACK. AND HE DID. >> Larry: THAT'S THE RULE. AS LONG AS YOU GIVE IT BACK, NO HARM, NO FOUL. >> Mike: NASCAR MAY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHETHER OR NOT THE DRIVER WAS FORCED DOWN TO THE INSIDE. WATCH THE SILVER NUMBER 40. >> Darrell: I THINK HE CHOSE TO GO THERE. YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, HE HAD ENOUGH ROOM. HE STAYED OFF OF BORIS PRETTY GOOD, BUT HE WENT BELOW. IF YOU NOTICE, HE SLOWS DOWN, AND THE GUYS BEHIND HIM BACK UP AND LET HIM BACK IN FRONT OF HIM. NO HARM, NO FOUL. >> Mike: THAT WILL SAVE HIM HAVING TO MAKE A DRIVE DOWN PIT ROAD AT 55 MILES PER HOUR IN A PENALTY. KYLE BUSCH AND MIKE WALLACE COMING UP THE OUTSIDE IN THAT PACK IN THE OUTSIDE LANE. AMONG THE DARK HORSES, COUNT MIKE WALLACE. >> Larry: MIKE WALLACE WAS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE CARS THAT HAD TO QUALIFY ON TIME. SAME DEAL. THE CAR BOUGHT FROM YATES WITH A ROUSH/YATES ENGINE IN IT. >> Mike: IT'S THE 09 OF WALLACE, THE ONLY OF THE THREE WALLACE BROTHERS IN TONIGHT'S RACE. >> [ Over Radio ]: TWO-WIDE. LOOK IN YOUR MIRROR. 18. THREE-WIDE. >> Darrell: JIMMIE JOHNSON, LOOK OVER AT KURT BUSCH WHO IS LOOKING AT KEN SCHRADER, WHO IS LOOKING AT NOWHERE TO GO. >> Mike: AT THE WALL! >> [ Over Radio ]: WE'VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Darrell: GOOD LUCK! >> Larry: FIND ME A HOLE. >> Darrell: GOOD LUCK. >> Larry: YOU'LL HEAR THE SPOTTERS GET EXCITED AND YOU'LL HEAR US GET EXCITED ABOUT THREE-WIDE. IT'S BIG ENOUGH FOR THREE-WIDE, BUT IT'S VERY BUMPY. THE CARS START MOVING AROUND IS THAT'S -- MOVING AROUND AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSES A BIG ONE. >> Darrell: THERE'S A COUPLE HUGE BUMPS. OFF TURN TWO, THE CAR GETS UPSIDE. UP HIGH OFF TURN FOUR, WHERE THE TUNNEL IS, THERE'S A BIG BUMP. >> Mike: TONIGHT AT DAYTONA WILL BE THE LARGEST FIREWORKS DISPLAY IN THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST THIS WEEKEND. WE HOPE IT'S THE ONE AFTER THE RACE. >> Darrell: WELL, WE HOPE IT'S THE ONE THAT'S PLANNED. >> Mike: RIGHT. >> Larry: LOOKING BACK AT JEFF BURTON IN THAT 31 CAR, THIS IS A BACKUP CAR. HE WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT HAD A PROBLEM IN PRACTICE. A FOUR-CAR CRASH. HE HAD TO GO TO A BACKUP CAR. >> Darrell: MIKE, YOU ASKED ME IN THE OPENING WHO WOULD I WANT TO BE BEHIND, WHO WOULD I WANT TO FOLLOW? THE TWO GUYS AT THE FRONT ARE THE CLASS OF THE FIELD. THE QUESTION IN MY MIND CAN DALE EARNHARDT WORK HIS WAY UP THERE AND HAVE THE MAGIC HE HAD LAST NIGHT? YOU SEE THE YELLOW CAR, THE THIRD-PLACE CAR AND THE ORANGE CAR LEADING UP THERE, THEY MAY HAVE A LITTLE ISSUE. REMEMBER DOWN HERE IN FEBRUARY. HOPEFULLY THEY PUT THAT BEHIND THEM. >> Mike: KENSETH AND STEWART GOT TOGETHER ON THE RACETRACK. HARSH GESTURE. >> Larry: RIGHT BEHIND KENSETH, WE SEE DALE EARNHARDT JR.'S TEAMMATE, LOOKING AT HIM RIGHT NOW, MARTIN TRUEX JR., IN THE 1 CAR, THE ROOKIE UP THERE IN THE TOP FIVE. >> Mike: SEVEN LAPS IN. STILL A LOT OF THREE-WIDE RACING, AS DAVID STREMME DRIFTS TOWARD THE BACK. AND CAUTION COMES OUT. YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT. THERE'S A BEACH BALL. WE'RE AT DAYTONA BEACH. THERE'S A BEACH BALL ON THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY! >> Darrell: DADGUM! >> Mike: HAVE YOU EVER? [ LAUGHTER ] >> Darrell: LOOK AT THAT. THERE IT IS! DOES IT HAVE "BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY" WRITTEN ON IT? >> Mike: SURELY NOT! OH, GREG BIFFLE AND SCOTT RIGGS GETTING TOGETHER OFF THE CORNER. >> Larry: AND THAT'S CLASSIC DAYTONA EXIT OF THE CORNER. THE CAR JUST THROWS TO THE OUTSIDE. >> Mike: ALL OF OUR "FOX" COMMENTATORS HAD A SWING AT FAVORITE MEMORIES OF 2006. WE'LL SHOW YOU SOME OF THEM THIS EVENING, BEGINNING WITH CHRIS MYERS. >> Chris: THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON, IT'S HARD NOT TO NOTICE TONY STEWART'S TOUGHNESS. HE BROKE HIS SHOULDER BLADE, HE NEEDS A RELIEF DRIVER AFTER THAT. THE NEXT RACE IS 500 MILES IN POCONO. THEN IN MICHIGAN, HE'S HAMMERING AWAY, WORKING ON HIS CAR. >> Mike: COMPLETING LAP NUMBER NINE UNDER CAUTION FOR DEBRIS ON THE BACKSTRETCH. PIT STOPS. STEVE? >> Steve: MATT KENSETH IS IN, MIKE. THEY MAY JUST TAKE RIGHT-SIDE TIRES. THEY'RE GOING TO RAISE THE TRACK BAR, BECAUSE HE SAID IT'S LOOSE. DICK? >> Dick: TONY STEWART, SURPRISINGLY, IS HAPPY WITH THE RACECAR. HE'S TAKING OUTSIDE TIRES, FUEL, THAT'S IT. HE'S DONE. MATT? >> Matt: TOP OF THE SCREEN, JEFF GORDON SLIGHTLY IN HIS PIT BOX, AND THE 1 OF MARTIN TRUEX IS AWAY. RIGHT-SIDE TIRES. THE CAR WAS A TICK ON THE TIGHT SIDE. >> Mike: A COUPLE OF FELLAS REALLY NEED THE PIT STOP. NOTICEABLY BORIS SAID AND DAVID STREMME TRYING TO ADJUST FROM QUALIFYING SOCIETY-UP TO RACE SET-UP. >> Larry: THE RACE OFF PIT ROAD, JIMMIE JOHNSON AND CHAD KNAUS ELECTED TO GO WITH FOUR TIRES. THAT'S THE REASON HE LOST THE POSITIONS. THIS IS THE TIME ON PIT ROAD, INCLUDING THE STOP. MARTIN TRUEX JR. AND THAT GROUP, GREG BIFFLE, HIS TEAM PREVAILS. >> Mike: NINE LAPS COMPLETE. THE FIRST CAUTION FLAG OF THE >>> THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS IS SPONSORED BY -- >> Mike: TONIGHT'S AERIAL COVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY EAGLE GOODYEAR TIRES WITH CARBON FIBER FOR INCREASED HANDLING AND PERFORMANCE. THERE'S A LOOK AT THE FIELD, GOING THROUGH TURN ONE AND TWO AT THE WORLD CENTER OF SPEED. TEN LAPS COMPLETE. MARTIN TRUEX, THE LEADER. THIS WAS AN IMPOUND RACE, ONE OF THE FEW OF 2006. WHERE AFTER QUALIFYING THE CARS ARE IMPOUNDED AND NO CHANGES ARE PERMITTED. THAT'S WHY SOME OF THE DRIVERS WHO HAD TO QUALIFY ON TIME LIKE TRAVIS KVAPIL MADE THIS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PITSTOP. >> Larry: I TALKED TO HIS CREW CHIEF GARY PUTNAM ON THURSDAY. THIS WAS ALL PLANNED. WHAT THEY'RE DOING HERE IS THEY'RE CHANGING THE FRONT SPRINGS, BECAUSE YOU HAD TO START THE RACE WITH THE SPRINGS THAT YOU QUALIFIED WITH. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ALSO MAYBE MADE A SHOCK ADJUSTMENT. THIS WAS THE FIRST PIT STOP. YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME UNDER CAUTION. THEN HE CAME BACK ON PIT ROAD. IT LOOKS TO ME THEY DID SOMETHING WITH THE RIGHT REAR SPRING, TO GET IT WHERE IT WOULD TURN OFF THE CORNER. THEY HAD A SOFT SPRING FOR THE QUALIFYING. >> Mike: HOW ABOUT THE POLE-SITTER BORIS SAID? STEVE? >> Steve: HIS COMMENT ABOUT THE RACECAR WAS HE FELT LIKE IT WAS STARTING TO DRIFT. THEY CHANGED RIGHT-SIDE TIRES AND MADE AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. BORIS IS HANGING IN THERE RIGHT NOW, POSTING IN THE 11TH POSITION. >> Darrell: STEVE, IT DID. IT DRIFTED IN THE SIDE. WHO IS THAT HE HIT COMING OFF TURN FOUR, MIKE? >> Mike: SCOTT RIGGS. >> Darrell: SCOTT RIGGS. >> Mike: SAID, NOT GREG BIFFLE. >> Darrell: RIGHT, BORIS GOT IN THE SIDE OF RIGGS. HE WAS IN A FOUR-WHEEL DRIFT. >> Mike: LIGHTS OUT ATOP THE SAFETY CAR. WE'LL GO GREEN TO BEGIN LAP 12. >> Larry: ALL 43 CARS MADE A PIT STOP. DAVID STREMME ACTUALLY STAYED OUT AN EXTRA LAP IN THE 40 CAR TO LEAD A LAP. MARTIN TRUEX JR. IS LEADING SOME OF HIS FIRST LAPS OF THE YEAR. EARLIER IN THE YEAR, HE LED TWO LAPS AND THAT WAS IT UNTIL TONIGHT. >> Mike: ALL CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. SINGLE-FILE RESTART, AS YOU WATCH THEM COME UP TO SPEED. >> Larry: IT TAKES ABOUT A FULL LAP WITH THAT CARBURETOR AND THE HORSEPOWER WAY DOWN TO GET UP TO FULL SPEED. ALMOST A FULL LAP TO GET UP TO SPEED AROUND THE 2.5-MILE TRACK. >> Mike: MIKE WALLACE ON THE BOTTOM TRYING TO GET PAST DENNY HAMLIN, LEADING THAT SECOND PACK. AND WALLACE DOES MAKE THE PASS. >> Darrell: YEAH. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY FROM ANYBODY HERE. YOU MIGHT GET A LITTLE GAPS ON THE RESTART AFTER A PIT STOP, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET AWAY. THE GUYS WILL PULL RIGHT BACK UP TO THE LEAD PACK. >> Larry: RIGHT NOW, OUR TOP SEVEN AFTER COMPLETING ONE LAP AFTER THE RESTART, THEY'RE LINED UP. AND THE WAY THE DRAFT WORKS -- THEY'RE NO LONGER LINED UP. THERE GOES GREG BIFFLE IN THE 16, IN THE OUTSIDE TRYING TO TAKE THE LEAD. AS LONG AS YOU'RE LINED UP, THAT'S THE BEST WAY THROUGH THE AIR AND YOU CAN PULL AWAY FROM CARS RUNNING SIDE-BY-SIDE. >> Darrell: BUT THAT'S ALSO WHY YOU NEVER GET AWAY FROM ANYBODY VERY FAR, BECAUSE NOBODY WILL STAY SINGLE-FILE VERY LONG. >> Mike: JEFF GORDON AND TONY STEWART -- >> [ Over Radio ]: LEAD ONE HERE AND WE'LL BE IN GOOD SHAPE. >> Mike: -- PULL UP BEHIND GREG BIFFLE. BIFFLE, THE NEW LEADER. GORDON IN SECOND. MATT? >> Matt: GORDON ON THE HIGH SIDE IN THE 24 CAR. HE WAS TIGHT ON EXIT. RIGHT BEFORE THE CAUTION, THIS IS THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN JEFF AND HIS TEAM. >> [ Over Radio ]: WE'LL FOLLOW HIM. >> [ Over Radio ]: DOES HE WANT TO RIDE, OR DOES HE WANT TO TRY TO GET BACK TO THE FRONT? >> [ Over Radio ]: IF I KNOW HIM, I WOULD ASSUME BACK TO THE FRONT. >> Matt: AND THAT'S WHERE THEY'RE STARTING TO GO. GORDON SAYS HE NEEDS TO KEEP HIS CAR UP FRONT. IT RUNS SO MUCH BETTER OUT FRONT LIKE HE IS RIGHT NOW AERODYNAMICALLY, SO THAT'S WHAT HE'S TRYING TO DO. >> Larry: AND YOU FIGHT A CAR NOT TURNING HERE. AND WHEN YOUR CAR IS NOT TURNING, WHEN YOU CAN KEEP THE FRONT END OUT IN CLEAN AIR, IT'S GETTING MAXIMUM DOWNFORCE ON THE NOSE AND IT WON'T HELP IT TURN OFF THE CORNER. >> Darrell: HONESTLY, I NEVER HAD ANY CAR THAT DIDN'T RUN BETTER OUT FRONT. IT EVEN LOOKS BETTER RUNNING OUT FRONT. >> Mike: ELLIOTT SADLER FIGHTING ON THE INSIDE TO GAIN A SPOT FROM GREG BIFFLE. IT LOOK LIKE THAT INSIDE LINE IS WORKING DOWN AGAINST THE YELLOW LINE. THE SHORT WAY AROUND. SHORTER, J.J. YELEY TOLD US YESTERDAY, BUT 387 FEET THAN IF YOU RIM-RIDE AROUND THE WALL ALL THE WAY AROUND. >> Darrell: YOU HEARD JEFF HAMMOND AND I TALKING ABOUT THE MIRRORS IN THE CARS. BUDDY, YOU BETTER HAVE SOME GOOD MIRRORS WHEN YOU START GETTING PEOPLE ALL BACKED UP BEHIND YOU LIKE WE SEE RIGHT HERE. TWO CRITICAL THINGS YOU HAVE TO HAVE HERE: GREAT SPOTTER, GREAT MIRRORS. >> Larry: LOOKING AT KEVIN HARVICK IN THE 29 CAR. HE STARTED IN THE 32nd POSITION. HE'S ALREADY MOVED UP TO THE TOP TEN. >> Mike: LAST NIGHT'S RUN-AWAY WINNER, DALE EARNHARDT JR., 25th. REMEMBER -- TROUBLE, OFF THE CORNER. A CAR ON THE INSIDE. BURTON! JEFF BURTON SPINS. [ TIRES SCREECHING ] AND RECOVERS! >> Larry: BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS AS YOU CAN SEE RIGHT THERE, DARRELL, YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT, THERE SHOULD BE NO GRASS ON THE INSIDE OF A RACETRACK. IF THERE HAD BEEN GRASS THERE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED UNTIL IT HIT THE INSIDE WALL. >> Darrell: WOULDN'T HAVE STOPPED UNTIL HE FLIPPED IT. >> Mike: WATCH THE ORANGE 31. >> Darrell: I GOT TO BELIEVE HE MIGHT HAVE GOT AN LITTLE TAP OVER THERE. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN FIND OUT. >> Larry: IT'S ALMOST LIKE HE CHECKED UP A LITTLE BIT RUNNING UP ON DAVE BLANEY IN THE 22 CAR. >> Darrell: YEAH, CASEY MEARS WAS COMING. AND JEFF BURTON IN THE 31 HAD TO CHECK UP A TAD, AND HE GOT BUMPED. >> Mike: OH, DARRELL. DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN. JEFF BURTON AND CASEY MEARS. >> Darrell: YEAH! THE SAME TWO CARS THAT HAD TROUBLE IN PRACTICE. >> Mike: IN THIS CASE, BURTON IS TRYING TO STAY OFF DAVE BLANEY. AND CASEY MEARS GETS IN THE BACK OF HIM. LOOK WHAT HAPPENED IN PRACTICE, WHEN JEFF BURTON CUTS DOWN A TIRE. LOOK WHO THE OTHER TWO CARS INVOLVED ARE. >> Larry: AGAIN, EVERYONE WAS A VICTIM IN THIS SITUATION RIGHT HERE. THIS IS IN THE VERY FINAL PRACTICE. JEFF BURTON CUT A TIRE DOWN. CASEY MEARS, NOWHERE TO GO. DAVE BLANEY, THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GO FOR HIM. HE RAN INTO THE BACK OF J.J. YELEY. >> Darrell: THAT'S HIS BACKUP CAR THAT HE'S IN RIGHT NOW. >> Mike: THE CAUTION IS OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME TONIGHT. >>> THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS SPONSORED BY BUDWEISER -- >> Mike: 18 LAPS COMPLETE. WE'RE UNDER CAUTION. DARRELL, THE SPEEDS OF THE CARS INVOLVED HELPED TELL THE STORY OF HOW THIS WRECK GOT STARTED. >> Darrell: YEAH, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT THE FOX TRAX, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE 22 CAR -- THIS IS LOOKING AT BURTON HERE. THE 22 IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM. WATCH THE SPEEDS ON THE FOX TRAX. BLANEY IN THE 22. HERE COMES BURTON IN THE 31. YOU SEE 172 ON THE 22 CAR. AND BURTON'S CLOSING 5 MILES AN HOUR FASTER, BECAUSE BLANEY HAD TO LIFT. HE GOT A LITTLE BIT LOOSE RIGHT THERE. WHEN HE DID, JEFF BURTON GOT TAPPED FROM BEHIND. HE GOT HER WHOAED DOWN TO 30 MILES AN HOUR. >> Mike: THAT'S THE SECOND CAUTION FLAG OF THE NIGHT. EVERYBODY MADE REPAIRS. CASEY MEARS IS STILL ON PIT ROAD AS THEY TAPE UP THE NOSE OF HIS HAVOLINE CHARGER. >> Larry: WHAT HAPPENED WHEN THE CAUTION CAME OUT, EVERYONE BUT THE TOP TEN MADE A PIT STOP. THE TOP TEN STAYED OUT. >> Mike: DURING TONIGHT'S RACE, LOOK FOR THE PASSWORD THAT GIVES YOU THE CHANCE TO WIN AN ULTIMATE RACING REWARD FROM PEPSI. IF YOU WIN THE REWARD, YOU'LL GET TRIPS TO ALL TEN NEXTEL CUP CHASE RACES LATER THIS SEASON. SELECT THE PASS WORTH AT DAILYPLANET.COM/PEPSI400 NOW THROUGH JULY 5 TO PARTICIPATE. KEEP WATCHING. GOOD LUCK. >> Darrell: THE REASON THAT JEFF GORDON SAID, "MY CAR IS BETTER OUT FRONT." WELL, HE'S OUT FRONT. WHY WOULD HE COME IN NOW AFTER A FEW LAPS? WE ONLY HAVE 30-GALLON FUEL CELLS. SO FUEL IS A PREMIUM. >> Larry: THEY CAN RUN ABOUT 35-38 LAPS ON FUEL. >> Mike: YOU SEE THE UNIQUE MIRROR ON THE RIGHT-SIDE OF THE INTERIOR IN JEFF GORDON'S CAR. IT'S SOMETHING HE'S WORKED ON FOR OVER A YEAR TO PERFECT. >> Darrell: IT'S RIGHT IN HERE. IT'S A NEW DEAL. I DON'T THINK THAT'S ANOTHER CAR OUT THERE THAT HAS THAT ADDITIONAL MIRROR. YOU CAN LOOK THROUGH IT AND SEE WHAT THE CARS BEHIND HIM OVER ON HIS LEFT SIDE. >> Larry: YEAH, HE'S USING THREE MIRRORS. HE'S USING THOSE TWO MIRRORS, PLUS HE HAS A MIRROR ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE POST, PLUS HIS SPOTTER. >> Mike: AND THERE'S A LITTLE LOOK ON THE ADDED A MIRROR OUT THERE BY THE LEFT "A" POST. IT'S OUR FINAL EVENT ON NASCAR ON "FOX" FOR 2006. WE PULLED OUT ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLE, INCLUDING A NEW FEATURE IN THE HOLLYWOOD HOTEL, THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH. >> Chris: NICE TO HAVE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DICK CHENEY. YOU SAW HIM ADDRESS THE CROWD. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. NICE TO SEE YOU IN GOOD HEALTH. >> GOOD TO BE HERE. >> Chris: DID YOU EVER ADDRESS A CROWD THAT BIG BEFORE? >> I WAS THINKING 140-150,000 PEOPLE, THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST CROWD I EVER SPOKE TO LIVE. >> Chris: YOU'VE BEEN TO THE TRACK BEFORE. >> Larry: YEAH. BUT THE FIRST TIME I'VE BEEN TO A LIVE NASCAR EVENT. I WATCHED IT, OF COURSE, ON TELEVISION, LIKE EVERYBODY HAS, BUT IT'S AN AWESOME, AWESOME UNDERTAKING, JUST THE HERE IS SIZE OF THE CROWD, THE ENERGY, THE COMPLEXITY OF WHAT GOES ON IN THE PITS AND WITH THE TEAMS AND THE CREWS. THERE'S SO MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT THE INSTICASSYS OF THE SPORT, IT'S REALLY SOMETHING. >> Jeff: YOU'LL GET A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT A RESTART LOOKS LIKE FROM THE HOLLYWOOD HOTEL. EARLIER TODAY, WE TALKED ABOUT THE CARS. YOU SHARED SOMETHING WITH ME THAT WAS UNIQUE. YOU HAVEN'T DRIVEN A CAR IN SEVEN YEARS, YOURSELF. >> YEAH. IT'S A BUMMER. THE MORNING THAT THE PRESIDENT, THEN GOVERNOR, ANNOUNCED I WAS GOING TO BE HIS RUNNINGMATE, THE SECRET SERVICE SHOWED UP OUTSIDE MY DOOR AND I HAVEN'T DRIVEN SINCE. THEY TAKE OVER AND DRIVE FOR SECURITY REASONS. IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S FRUSTRATING. >> Chris: WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR? >> IT WAS A 1949 CHEVROLET. I DROVE IT FOR A FEW MONTHS AND THE ENGINE BLEW UP ON ME AND I GOT $25 FOR THE RADIO. >> Chris: YOU'VE DONE WELL SINCE. YOU MUST BE OVERWHELMED BY THE SUPPORT OF PATRIOTISM AT AN EVENT LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY THE FOURTH OF JULY HOLIDAY WEEKEND. >> IT IS. IT'S A REMARKABLE PERIOD OF TIME. I GOT TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH TROOPS TODAY. ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT NASCAR IS THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE DRIVERS AND CREWS AND THE OWNERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SUPPORTING THE TROOPS. A LOT OF THE DRIVERS HAVE BEEN TO AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ, HAVE BEEN OUT TO SEE THE TROOPS IN THE FIELD. I KNOW OFTEN TIMES, THEY GET TO WALTER REED AND BETHESDA WHERE THE GUYS ARE THAT HAVE BEEN WOUNDED COMING HOME. AND THAT'S DEEPLY, DEEPLY APPRECIATED. THERE'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP, MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY WITH THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN IN THE MILITARY WHO LOVE NASCAR. AND NASCAR REWARDS THEM. >> Jeff: I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH YOU, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET KEN SCHRADER WHO DRIVES THE AIR FORCE CAR. HE'S QUITE A CHARACTER. >> YEAH. THERE ARE A LOT OF CHARACTERS HERE. >> Chris: WHAT DID SOME OF THE DRIVERS SAY TO YOU WHEN YOU GET TO MEET THEM? DID THEY ASK TOUGH QUESTIONS? >> NO POLITICAL QUESTIONS. THEY WERE NICE. IT GOT TO GO TO THE DRIVERS' MEETING BEFORE THE RACE TODAY. AND THEN I VISITED WITH THE SERVICE SPONSORED CARS, ESPECIALLY THE ARMY, NATIONAL GUARD AND THE AIR FORCE. AND THEY'RE DOWN-HOME PEOPLE. THEY'RE VERY STRAIGHT, STRAIGHT-FORWARD, NO PROTENSE. EVERYBODY IS MEASURED BY HOW THEY PERFORM OUT HERE ON THE TRACK. >> Chris: AND AT CAPE CANAVERAL, THE SPACE SHUTTLE DELAYED BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER. YOU WERE GOING TO GO SEE IT? >> YEAH. WE WENT TO SEE IT. I SAW A LAUNCH 20 YEARS AGO. THEY WERE GOING TO LAUNCH TODAY, BUT THEY GOT A LAST-MINUTE CALL ON THE WEATHER. >> Chris: WHO ARE YOU ROOTING FOR TO WIN TONIGHT'S RACE? >> I'M GOING TO BE A NON-PARTISAN. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Jeff: GOOD ANSWER. >> I'M NOT GETTING INTO THAT. >> Chris: IT'S A PLEASURE HAVING YOU HERE. >> Jeff: ALWAYS AN HONOR. >> THANK YOU. GREAT SHOW. >> Chris: LET'S REJOIN MIKE, LARRY AND DARRELL UPSTAIRS. >> Mike: THESE MEN HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS COMMON MEN DOING UNCOMMON MEN. RUNNING AGENT AT 180 MILES PER HOUR CLOSER TOGETHER THAN MOST PEOPLE PARK. JEFF GORDON IS TRYING TO DEFEND OFF MATT KENSETH, JIMMIE JOHNSON, TONY STEWART, AND BRIAN VICKERS. THAT'S ALL FOUR HENDRICK CARS IN THE TOP SIX SPOTS. >> Darrell: I THOUGHT THE VICE PRESIDENT -- JEFF AND I GOT TO SHOW HIM AROUND THE CUT-AWAY CAR, THE CUT-AWAY ENGINE AND ALL THE THINGS JEFF HAS OVER THERE TO WORK WITH. HE WAS REALLY INTRIGUED BY THE SIMPLICITY OF THE ENGINE, CARBURETOR, NO TURBO-CHARGER, NO FUEL INJECTION, AND HOW SAFE THE CARS, HOW STRONGLY THE RACECARS WERE BUILT. >> Larry: I TELL YOU WHAT, THIS GROUP BEHIND OUR TOP FIVE, THEY'RE PLOTTING, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET UP THERE AND MAYBE MAKE A RUN ON THE GROUP UP THERE. TONY STEWART HAS BEEN WEAVING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC FOR THE LAST THREE OR FOUR LAPS, TONY IN THE 20 CAR. >> Mike: LARRY, NONE OF THE CARS ARE WILLING TO GO SINGLE-FILE. MAYBE THEY'D HAVE A CHANCE TO CATCH THE LEAD PACK. FOR THE LEAD CHALLENGE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RACETRACK, HERE COMES MATT KENSETH TRYING TO LEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME TONIGHT. >> Darrell: IT'S TOO EARLY TO RACE SINGLE-FILE. WE HAVE A LOT OF RACE, RACE, RACE RIGHT NOW. >> Larry: FIRST KENSETH DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF HELP. NOW HE HAS HIS TEAMMATE GREG BIFFLE IN THE 16 TRYING TO GET UP THERE TO PUSH HIM TO THE FRONT. >> Darrell: OH, I THINK I LIKE THAT LINE UP ON THE OUTSIDE. TEAMMATES! THE 24 AND 48. HELLO THERE, MR. VICKERS IN THE 25! WE SAW THOSE GUYS WORK SO WELL TOGETHER AT TALLADEGA. >> Mike: KENSETH HAS COMPANY COMING. THAT OTHER YELLOW CAR, THE SUBWAY MACHINE OF GREG BIFFLE IS KENSETH'S TEAMMATE IF HE CAN JUST GET TO THE 17. >> Larry: I TELL YOU, OF ALL THE CARS RUNNING UP THERE IN THE TOP 10 OR 12, THE ONE RIGHT NOW I'M THE MOST IMPRESSED WITH, THEY DIDN'T EVEN MAKE A STOP ON THE LAST CAUTION. THAT 09 CAR ON THE INSIDE, THE BLACK CAR OF MIKE WALLACE. REMEMBER, GO OR GO-HOMER, THEY DIDN'T MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENTS ON THE FIRST PIT STOP. NO STOP THE LAST TIME. THEY'RE UP IN THE TOP TEN. >> Darrell: ANOTHER GUY THAT'S GOING ALONG PRETTY GOOD AND I FEEL GOOD ABOUT HIS CHANCES TONIGHT IS THE YELLOW CAR, FOURTH IN LINE ON THE OUTSIDE, ELLIOTT SADLER IN THE M&M CAR. THEY GOT SOME PEP IN THEIR STEP THIS WEEKEND. THAT CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING GREAT. >> Larry: COMING OFF OF A GOOD RUN AT INFINEON LAST WEEK, FINISHED IN THE TOP TEN. >> Mike: BEHIND SADLER, THE A.A.A. FORD. MARK MARTIN NOW LIVES IN DAYTONA BEACH HAS NEVER WON A NASCAR POINTS RACE AT THIS SPEEDWAY. THIS IS HIS FINAL TRY. MARTIN RETIRES FROM NEXTEL CUP RACING AT THE END OF THIS SEASON. >> Darrell: HE HAS BEEN IN EVERY RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACE. HE, MICHAEL, AND KEN SCHRADER HAVE RUN ALL RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES. >> Larry: HE HOLDS A RECORD FOR CAUTION-FREE RACE AT TALLADEGA IN ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF HOURS. >> Mike: HOW DID YOU VOTE ON THE CINGULAR VIRTUAL CREW CHIEF QUESTION? THREE OUT OF TEN SAID YES, JEFF GORDON WILL WIN TONIGHT AND TIE DALE EARNHARDT'S RECORD FOR RESTRICTOR-PLATE WINS. 70 OF YOU SAID SOMEBODY ELSE. FOX CONGRATULATES THE WINNER OF JEFF BURTON'S PAYDAY TONIGHT IN THE CINGULAR VIRTUAL CREW CHIEF SWEEPSSTAKES. MATT KENSETH'S STAY AT THE FRONT WAS SHORT-LIVED. THE OUTSIDE LANE WENT ON AND THREE HENDRICK CHEVROLETS AND TONY STEWART IN THE JOE GIBBS' CHEVY HOLDING SWAY RIGHT NOW IN DAYTONA. >>> THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS SPONSORED BY -- >> WHAT I REMEMBER MOST ABOUT 2006, EMOTION. I LOVE EMOTION. >> HE'S NOT HAPPY WITH MATT KENSETH. >> WE SAW GUYS BEING GUYS. PUSH ME AGAIN. >> I WASN'T HAPPY ABOUT IT AND I SHOWED IT TO HIM AFTER THE RACE. >> GIRLS BEING GIRLS, TOO. HEY, CHILDREN, BEHAVE! >> Mike: ALL PART OF THE DRAMA OF NASCAR NEXTEL CUP RACING. THE SEASON AT ITS MIDPOINT MOVING INTO THE SPRINT TO THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP. WHICH TEN DRIVERS WILL HAVE THE CHANCE TO BECOME CHAMPION? AS TONY STEWART DIVES LOW ON JEFF GORDON. GORDON'S WINGMAN JIMMIE JOHNSON LOOKS TO THE LOW LANE. AND NOW PULLS UP WITH HIS TEAMMATE. >> Darrell: THAT LOOKED PRETTY EASY RIGHT THERE, ALMOST LIKE SOMETHING HAPPENED. >> Mike: LET'S SEE. MATT? >> Matt: WELL, GORDON HASN'T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT THAT MOMENT, D.W., BUT HE DID SAY THE CAR IS STILL A LITTLE BIT ON THE TIGHT SIDE. HE ASKED HIS SPOTTER WHETHER HE SHOULD RUN THE BOTTOM OF THE TOP. HIS SPOTTER TOLD HIM IT APPEARS AT THIS JUNCTURE THE TOP SIDE IS WORKING, WHILE HIS CO-PILOT THERE, THE 48 OF JIMMIE JOHNSON, HE HAS TO TRY TO RUN THE HIGHER SIDE, BECAUSE HIS CAR IS IS EXTREMELY TIGHT. HE'S FOURTH IN LINE. >> Mike: YEAH. JOHNSON JUST GAVE UP A SPOT TO ELLIOTT SADLER, WHO HAS BROUGHT HIS FORD TO THIRD. >> Larry: MATT KENSETH IN THE 17, HE'S FOUND HIS TEAMMATE MARK MARTIN IN THE 6. THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE A MOVE BACK TO THE FRONT. >> Darrell: THE BLUE OVALS ARE GOING TO OVERTAKE THE BOWTIES THE WAY IT'S WORKING. >> Mike: FORDS ARE FOURTH, SIXTH, SEVENTH, EIGHTH, NINTH AND 11th. THE 11th IS CARL EDWARDS. HE AND JAMIE McMURRAY WHO HAS MADE A HUGE CHARGE THROUGH THE FIELD, HAVE COME UP TO BATTLE FOR TOP-TEN SPOTS. >> Larry: WE WERE SEEING FOUR ROUSH CARS RUN TOGETHER THERE. TALK ABOUT CARL EDWARDS. A LOT OF REDEMPTION FOR THOSE GROUPS AT DAYTONA. THEY FINISHED DEAD LAST AFTER BEING CAUGHT IN AN ACCIDENT IN THE DAYTONA 500. >> Mike: HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF THE DODGES SO FAR. BOBBY LABONTE IS 12th. KURT BUSCH IS 13th. BUSCH IN THE NUMBER 2 MAY HAVE PROBLEMS. DICK? >> Dick: HE RAN SO WELL IN THE DAYTONA 500, MIKE. HE WAS IN THE TOP FIVE FOR VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE DAY UNTIL THE END WHEN HE WAS STRUCK FROM BEHIND. KURT BUSCH D.N.F. ED AT THAT EVENT. THIS TIME, TROUBLE EARLY. THEY THINK THEY HAVE A BATTERY GOING BAD. IT'S USUALLY NOT JUST THE BATTERY, ORDINARILY IT'S A CHARGING PROBLEM. BUSCH WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. >> [ Over Radio ]: YOU'RE DOING GOOD. KEEP DOING IT. WE'LL GET YOU FIXED UP HERE. >> Driver: IT'S JUST COMING IN FOR A BATTERY, RIGHT? >> Larry: HIS CREW CHIEF ROY McCAULEY. >> Mike: THEY CAN CHANGE IT IN HOW LONG? >> Larry: DO IT HERE EASILY UNDER A CAUTION. THE CAUTION LAP IS ABOUT TWO MINUTES. THEY CAN CHANGE IT, BUT THEY'LL NEED A CAUTION TO DO IT. >> Mike: STEVE, WHAT IS THE ISSUE WITH MATT KENSETH, WHO IS CURRENTLY FIFTH? >> Steve: MIKE, THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE CARBURETOR HAS GONE AWAY. THE BAD NEWS IS MATT JUST REPORTED HE'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A VIBRATION IN THE RIGHT FRONT. HE THINKS IT MIGHT BE A LOOSE WHEEL. >> Darrell: YIKES! I WOULDN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT VERY LONG. A LITTLE TAP HERE. THAT'S ACCEPTABLE BUMP-DRAFTING. >> Larry: NOW ALL OF THESE CARS WE'RE RIDING WITH, INCLUDING MATT KENSETH IN THE 17 CAR, THEY'RE WITHIN ABOUT A 10- TO 12-LAP WINDOW THEY'LL HAVE TO MAKE A GREEN FLAG STOP. REMEMBER, THEY DID NOT STOP ON THAT LAST CAUTION. >> Mike: ONE CAR OUT OF THE RACE. KIRK SHELMERDINE, THE INDEPENDENT DRIVER. HIS CATDADDY CHEVROLET HAS GONE TO THE GARAGE. HE FINISHED 20th IN THE SEASON OPENING DAYTONA 500. 36 LAPS COMPLETE. >>> THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS SPONSORED BY -- >> Chris: 39 LAPS IN, NASCAR ON "FOX." ENJOYING YOUR HOLIDAY WEEKEND. TIME FOR A VISA RACE BREAK. VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY ADDRESSING THE CROWD. JEFF HAMMOND AND DARRELL WALTRIP SHOWED HIM THE CUT-AWAY CAR EARLIER. >> Jeff: ANOTHER GREAT TIME AT DAYTONA. SPENDING TIME WITH DICK CHENEY, AND HE WAS AMAZING, VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE. >> Chris: HE HASN'T DRIVEN A CAR IN SEVEN YEARS. WATCH THE 60 CAR OF BORIS SAID DRIFTING IN TO SCOTT RIGGS. JEFF BURTON RUNNING ON 27, 28. AND CASEY MEARS GETS IN THE 22. BURTON BRINGS OUT THE SECOND CAUTION. TONY STEWART, WHO WON THIS RACE LAST YEAR, PASSING JEFF GORDON, WHO AT 18 LAPS, TONY HAS TAKEN THE LEAD FOR THE SECOND TIME. HE'S YOUR LEADER NOW 40 LAPS IN. THIS HAS BEEN A VISA RACE BREAK. NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES, LIFE TAKES VISA. JEFF, THE TIGHT DRAFT HERE, BUT HOW ABOUT CARL EDWARDS? HE STARTED 29th. DALE EARNHARDT STARTED 35th. THEY'RE MOVING ON UP. >> Jeff: BOTH OF THE GUYS ARE CHARGING FROM THE BACK. CARL EDWARDS UP TO THIRD. DALE EARNHARDT, THE WINNER FROM LAST NIGHT IS UP TO 17th. HE'S TRYING TO MAKE THAT HIGH LINE WORK ONE MORE TIME. >> Chris: LET'S REJOIN LARRY, DARRELL, AND MIKE. >> Mike: GREEN FLAG PIT STOPS HAVE BEGUN. YOU CAN SEE MARTIN TRUEX GETTING BACK UP TO SPEED AFTER MAKING HIS GREEN FLAG PIT STOP A LAP AGO. >> Larry: THAT WAS JUST A LITTLE BIT EARLY. I'M SOMEWHAT FIGURING HE WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT STAYED OUT ON THE LAST CAUTION. THESE GUYS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO ANOTHER 6-8 LAPS. BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS IF YOU MAKE A GREEN FLAG STOP HERE, YOU'RE GOING TO GO A LAP DOWN AS HE DID. HE NEEDS IT TO CYCLE THROUGH ALL THE GREEN FLAG STOPS. >> Mike: TONY STEWART HAS NOW LED 19 LAPS, THAT'S ONE MORE THAN JEFF GORDON HAS LED. MARTIN TRUEX LED THREE LAPS. GREG BIFFLE, MATT KENSETH, ONE EACH. >> Darrell: 55 ON PIT ROAD. MIKE HAD TO GO TO THE REAR. HE HAD A GREAT QUALIFYING RUN. HE QUALIFIED 16th. HAD TO GO TO THE REAR FOR UNAPPROVED ADJUSTMENTS. >> Mike: SAYING A TIRE MIGHT BE FLAT ON HIS NAPA DODGE. >> Larry: YEAH, THIS WOULD BE REAL EARLY FOR HIM, BECAUSE HE DID PIT ON THE LAST CAUTION. >> Mike: THE RIGHT FRONT COULD HAVE BEEN DOWN. >> Darrell: IT SURE DID SLIDE A LONG WAY WHEN HE CAME TO THE PIT BOX. AS IF IT WAS SOFT. >> Mike: AND THE LAST TEN RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES, TONY STEWART, YOUR LEADER, HAS SCORED THE MOST POINTS, HAS THE MOST TOP-FIVEs: SEVEN, THE MOST TOP-TEN: NINE, THE MOST RACES LED, THE MOST LAPS LEAD, THE BEST AVERAGE FINISH. BUT THE MAN WHO IS RUNNING UP IN THE TOP FIVE JEFF GORDON HAS THE MOST WINS IN THE LAST TEN PLATE RACES: FOUR. >> Larry: DALE EARNHARDT JR.. REMEMBER, HE QUALIFIED BACK IN THE 35th POSITION. HE'S STILL WORKING TOWARD THE FRONT, BEING PATIENT. HE'S UP TO 17th NOW. >> Mike: WE SAW MATT KENSETH DRIFT BACK A BIT IN THE R&L TRANSPORT NUMBER 17. THE YELLOW CAR OUTSIDE OF HIS TEAMMATE NUMBER 16 GREG BIFFLE. HE'S FALLEN BACK TO THE END OF THE TOP TEN. AS TIRES WEAR, THE FUEL LOAD LIGHTENS, AND WE GET CLOSE TO PIT STOPS. HERE ARE SOME CARS COMING IN UNDER GREEN. BOBBY LABONTE, RYAN NEWMAN, AND MIKE WALLACE COMING TO PIT ROAD. >> Darrell: THOSE ARE ALL DODGES, SO THAT MAKES ME WONDER IF MAYBE THE DODGES ARE NOT GETTING QUITE A GOOD OF FUEL MILEAGE AS THE CHEVROLET AND FORDS. >> Mike: WE'RE TOLD TO EXPECT OUR LEADER TONY STEWART ON PIT ROAD NEXT LAP. NOW, IF YOU'RE JIMMIE JOHNSON, DO YOU COME WITH HIM? >> Larry: LOOK, THIS IS SMART MOVE RIGHT HERE. YOU'LL SEE TONY STEWART WAVEING, DOWN THE BACKSTRETCH, HEY, I'M GOING TO PIT ROAD. REMEMBER, GREEN FLAG STOPS, A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR A MISTAKE BY THE DRIVERS SPEEDING, BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN OUT THERE OVER 180 MILES PER HOUR AND A MISTAKE BY THE CREW. IT LOOKS LIKE JIMMIE JOHNSON IN THE 48 IS GOING TO FOLLOW HIM. IT'S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO MAKE HIM THERE. THERE'S MARK MARTIN. HE GETS WHOAED DOWN. HAS TO BE AT 55 MILES PER HOUR BY THE TIME THEY'RE AT THE CONE RIGHT THERE. >> Mike: JEFF GORDON IS IN. SO IS BRIAN VICKERS. KYLE BUSCH, KURT BUSCH, AND MORE. STEVE? >> Steve: MARK MARTIN MAKING HIS 43rd POINTS SATURDAY HERE IN DAYTONA, SAYS HIS RACECAR IS JUST A LITTLE BIT TIGHT. THEY'LL MAKE TIRE CHANGES, BUT NO OTHER ADJUSTMENTS ON THE 6. >> Dick: TONY STEWART SAID WE HAVE A PIECE FOR TONIGHT. "WE HAVE SOMETHING GOOD." MATT? >> Matt: THEY MADE TRACK BAR AND AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE 48 OF JIMMIE JOHNSON. NOT BAD. HE SMOKED THE TIRES ON ENTRY. >> Mike: AND KEN SCHRADER, JOE NEMECHEK ALSO STOPPED ON THAT LAP. HERE COMES CARL EDWARDS AND SIX MORE BEHIND HIM. THESE ARE SCHEDULED GREEN FLAG STOPS. KENSETH IN. BIFFLE IS ALSO IN. McMURRAY ALONG WITH HARVICK AND KASEY KAHNE. STEVE? >> Steve: MIKE, MATT KENSETH SAYS HIS CAR IS IS JUST A LITTLE BIT ON THE TIGHT SIDE. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE FOUR TIRES THIS TIME. TWO TIRES ON THE LAST STOP. JUST A SMALL AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT IN THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. MATT YOCUM? >> Matt: AND YOU CAN SEER RICK SLADE, THE CATCH CAN MAN HOLDING THE CAN. HIS CAR WAS TIGHT ON THE FIRST RUN. THEY MADE AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. IT REALLY HELPED THE 99 OF EDWARDS. HE HAD A STRONG NIGHT LAST NIGHT. HE'S AWAY! >> Mike: BORIS SAID, THE POLE-SITTER, ALSO STOPPED ON THAT LAP. ROBBY GORDON HAS LED A LAP HERE IN THE PEPSI 400 IN HIS HARRAH'S NUMBER 7. ROBBY LIVES ON THE EDGE. HE RACES IN BAJA AND RACES IN THE NEXTEL CUP. FOR RELAXATION, HE HAS AN 1100 POWER SPEEDBOAT. >> Larry: AND DALE JARRETT MADE A PIT STOP ON 17. THEY SHOULD GO ANOTHER 7-8 LAPS. >> Darrell: 700 HORSE POWER AND HE'S NOT AFRAID TO USE IT. >> Larry: HE COULD BE GOING FROM 185 MILES PER HOUR AND TRY TO GET DOWN TO 55 MILES PER HOUR. YOU CAN SEE PRETTY MUCH EVERYONE EXCEPT TONY STEWART LOCKING THE BRAKES UP. YOU HAVE TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT CONE. RIGHT THERE, YOU'VE GOT TO BE TO 55 MILES PER HOUR. >> Darrell: ONE THING YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU'RE COMING DOWN THERE SMOKING THE RIGHT FRONT LIKE THAT IS YOU DON'T BLOW IT OUT AND TEAR THE FENDER OFF THE CAR. YOU HAVE TO USE BETTER JUDGMENT COMING ON TO PIT ROAD. >> Larry: THIS IS A BATTLE FOR THE LEAD. DALE JARRETT, AND MATT KENSETH, AND DALE EARNHARDT JR. IN THE 8. THESE ARE SCHEDULED GREEN FLAG STOPS. >> Mike: DALE JARRETT CAME IN 23rd IN POINTS TRYING TO LEAD A LAP AND PICK UP BONUS POINTS. MATT? >> Matt: JUNIOR ALSO SMOKING IN HIS PIT BOX. HE LED 32 LAPS IN THE DAYTONA 500 AND FINISHED EIGHTH. THE CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT COMPLETED. THEY OVERADJUSTED ON THE FIRST STOP. THEY BACKED UP ON THAT. THE CAR IS STILL WAY TOO TIGHT FROM THE LAST STOP. 14.4 SECONDS FOR JUNIOR. SIGNIFICANT TRACK BAR ADJUSTMENT. >> Mike: DAVE BLANEY, JEFF GREEN ALSO STOPPING ON THE LAP. >> Darrell: ONE THING I NOTICE ABOUT TONY STEWART AND TALKING ABOUT JIMMIE JOHNSON SMOKING THE TIRES AND LOCKING THEM UP. TONY STEWART WON IN THE IROC RACE HERE AND HE'S THE ONLY ONE THAT NEVER SPUN THE TIRES. HE HAS A GOOD TECHNIQUE FOR GETTING ON AND OFF THE BRAKES AND NOT LOCKING UP HIS WHEELS. >> Larry: WHEN THIS ALL CYCLES THROUGH, THIS IS THE LEAD GROUP -- TONY STEWART, JIMMIE JOHNSON, ELLIOTT SADLER. >> Mike: PIT STOPS CONTINUE WITH J.J. YELEY AND TONY RAINES ON PIT ROAD AT LAP 49. AND DALE JARRETT IS THE NEW LEADER OF THE PEPSI 400. BEFORE TONIGHT, JARRETT'S NUMBER 88 HAD ONLY LED THREE LAPS THIS YEAR. >> Darrell: HE'S DRIVING WITH A BROKEN HAND. >> Mike: DAVID STREMME IN THE SILVER COORS LIGHT CAR LED A LAP, AND THEN ALL THREE GANASSI CARS PITTED TOGETHER. REED SORENSON, STREMME, AND CASEY MEARS. >> Larry: HE'S BEEN WEARING ME OUT. GANASSI RACING WITH FELIX SABATES. THERE YOU GO, FELIX. >> Mike: FELIX SABATES NEARLY WON THE DAYTONA 500 WITH KYLE PETTY, AND THEN SOLD THE MAJORITY INTEREST TO THAT TEAM -- OF THAT TEAM TO CHIP GANASSI. >> Darrell: THERE'S NOBODY I KNOW OF IN RACING THAN CAN TELL MORE FUNNY STORIES THAN FELIX SABATES. >> Mike: AND HE'S IN MOST OF THEM. >> Darrell: A PART OF ALL OF THEM! [ LAUGHTER ] >> Larry: RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS LIKE THE TOP 11 CARS, ALL THE WAY FROM TONY STEWART IN THE 20 BACK TO MATT KENSETH IN THE 17 CAR, THEY'RE ALL DOING ABOUT A SECOND-AND-A-HALF, YOU CAN SEE THE LINE RIGHT THERE. THEY PRETTY MUCH HAVE BROKEN AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE FIELD AFTER THIS CYCLE OF GREEN FLAG PIT STOPS. >> Darrell: RATHER THAN EIGHT NIGHT RACES AT DAYTONA, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN DIFFERENT WINNERS. JEFF GORDON WON THIS TWICE. A COUPLE OF GUYS MIGHT WANT TO ADD THEIR NAME UP THAT LIST, HAPPENS TO BE RUNNING SECOND RIGHT NOW. HE'D LIKE TO GET A WIN AT DAYTONA. >> Mike: LOOK AT THE SEVEN CARS THAT HAVE BROKEN AWAY. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF KYLE BUSCH, THEY'RE ALL PRETTY MUCH VETERAN DRIVERS WITH PROVEN WINNING TEAMS. EVERY ONE OF THOSE WOULD BE INCLUDED FOR YOUR FAVORITES TONIGHT, BOTH DRIVERS TO WATCH AND TEAMS TO GET THE JOB DONE. >> Darrell: IT'S ALL ABOUT RESOURCES. IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCE, YOU CAN PUT A LOT OF GOOD HORSES OUT HERE. >> Mike: 56 LAPS COMPLETE. TONY STEWART, THE LEADER. MARK MARTIN RIGHT ON HIS BUMPER. HERE IS DICK BERGGREN. >> Dick: WITH THE C.E.O. OF DAIMLER CHRYSLER. YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU'LL MEET HERE ON PIT ROAD. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FUTURE WITH NASCAR. WILL DAIMLER CHRYSLER INCREASE ITS SUPPORT OF THE TEAMS, DECREASE IT, AND STAYING THE SAME IN THE FUTURE? >> WELL, WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH DODGE AND NASCAR, SO IF ANYTHING WE'LL INCREASE OUR CARS, LIKE CALIBER AND THE OTHER CARS. SO IF ANYTHING, WE'LL BE STRONGER. >> Dick: NEW CARS COMING? >> OF COURSE. WE HAVE LOTS OF NEW CARS COMING AND WE MIGHT CONSIDER THEM FOR NASCAR AS WELL. >> Dick: CONGRATULATIONS. MIKE? >> Mike: TODAY, LASORTA ANNOUNCED THEY'LL BUILD THE DODGE CHALLENGER IN 2008. THE NEW MARKETING CAMPAIGN IS ASKDR. Z.COM. THAT'S THE DOCTOR ON THE HOOD OF KASEY KAHNE. AND MAYFIELD'S CAR COMBINING AMERICAN AND GERMAN ENGINEERING. THERE ARE THE LEADING DODGE CHARGERS IN THE RACE. >> Darrell: I HEAR MIXED REVIEWS OF THE CAR OF TOMORROW. THE MANUFACTURES DON'T LIKE IT, THE FANS DON'T LIKE IT. YOU KNOW WHAT? LOOKING AT THE 16 CAR WE LOOKED AT IN THE CUT-AWAY GARAGE TODAY, IT LOOKS LIKE ANY OTHER RACECAR TO ME OTHER THAN THE REAR WING IT HAS ON IT. THAT'S A LITTLE UNUSUAL. >> Larry: I TRIED TO TALK TO THE DODGE CREW CHIEFS IN THE GARAGE AREA THIS MORNING ABOUT THEIR QUALIFYING. WE ONLY HAD THREE DODGES THAT QUALIFIED IN THE TOP 20. TWO OF THEM WERE PRETTY MUCH GO-OR GO-HOME. I KEEP GOING TO FEBRUARY AND THE DODGES WERE STRONG. CASEY MEARS IN A DODGE FINISHED SECOND. RYAN NEWMAN FINISHED THIRD. BUT RIGHT NOW, HERE AT 57 LAPS IN THIS RACE, WE ONLY HAVE ONE DODGE IN THE TOP TEN. AND THAT'S KURT BUSCH IN THE 2 CAR. >> Darrell: IT'S KINDS OF FUNNY HOW THAT WORKS, LARRY. YOU GET A CAR THAT'S GOOD AT DAYTONA AND TALLADEGA, AND WON'T RUN THAT WELL AT THE OTHER RACETRACKS. NOW THEY HAVE TO RUN GOOD AT OTHER RACETRACKS. >> Mike: 57 LAPS COMPLETE. >> A HUGE STORY THIS YEAR, MATT KENSETH. THE DRIVER OF CAR 17. >> WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES FOR MATT KENSETH. >> NINE TOP-FIVEs; HALF OF HIS FINISHES. WON TWICE. 100 POINTS OUT OF THE LEAD. >> Chris: FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND, NASCAR ON "FOX" IN DAYTONA. THE AERIAL COVERAGE BROUGHT BY GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES, WITH CARBON FIBER TECHNOLOGY FOR ENHANCED PERFORMANCE. WE'VE HAD SEVERAL LEAD CHANGES. TONY STEWART HAS LED THE MOST LAPS. JEFF HAMMOND, THE RECENT PIT STOPS SEPARATING THE PACK. >> Jeff: IT DID. ON LAP 41, MOST OF THE CARS, THE TOP 40 WERE LIKE SEVEN SECONDS APART. THROUGH THE PIT STOPS THEY'VE BEEN MAKING, THIS FIELD HAS BEEN BROKEN WAY UP. TO ME, THIS SHOWS HOW IMPORTANT GOOD, FAST PIT CREWS ARE. MORE IMPORTANTLY, NASCAR CAME WITH SMALL FUEL CELLS TO DO EXACTLY THIS. LARRY Mac, RIGHT NOW IT'S WORKING TONIGHT. >> Larry: IT IS, JEFF. I THINK HANDLING HANDLES PART OF THAT. BUT ONE THING I'VE BEEN WATCHING, JEFF, WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE TOP 11. THEY'RE LINED BACK UP NOW, BUT LOOK AT THIS GROUP HERE LED BY RYAN NEWMAN BEHIND HERE IN THE 12 CAR. THIS GROUP, THEY HAVE NOT MOVED OUT OF POSITION FOR THE LAST TEN LAPS. WHY? BECAUSE THEY'VE WATCHED THAT FRONT PACK STARTING TO DICE AROUND A LITTLE BIT, AND JUST SLOWLY BUT SURELY THEY'RE REELING THAT GROUP IN, AS LONG AS THE FRONT GROUP KEEPS DICING AROUND. >> Mike: RYAN NEWMAN, BOBBY LABONTE, JAMIE McMURRAY AND KEVIN HARVICK TRYING TO CATCH THE LEADER. HERE IS THE POLE-SITTER, BORIS SAID. HE'S BACK IN 36th PLACE, AFTER MAKING A PIT STOP. AS WE TOLD YOU, HE HAD A GO-FOR-BROKE QUALIFYING SET-UP IN THE CAR, WON THE POLE, BUT IT WASN'T THE BEST RACE SET-UP. AND THE RULES DICTATED YOU WERE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE CHANGES AFTER QUALIFYING. >> Larry: BUT STEVE BYRNES, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED FOR THE GROUP, BECAUSE THEY MADE A NOISE DOWN HERE, AND THEY ARE IN THE 2007 BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT NOW. >> Steve: YEAH, HE ANTICIPATED BEING DROP-KICKED EARLY IN THE RACE. HIS LATEST REPORT ON THE CAR IS IT'S WAY TOO LOOSE AND SAID, "WE NEED TO PUT MORE BITE IN IT." >> Mike: SAID HAS AN INTERESTING MARKETING PLAN. IF WE SELL MORE CASES, WE GET TO RUN MORE RACES OF THE SOBE NO FEAR DRINK. THAT'S A LITTLE TWIST ON WIN ON SUNDAY, SELL ON MONDAY. >> Larry: A LITTLE DIFFERENT. YEAH. >> Mike: TONY STEWART AND JIMMIE JOHNSON. LAST YEAR'S PEPSI 400 WINNER AND THIS YEAR'S DAYTONA 500 WINNER LEADING THE PACK. >> Darrell: A COUPLE LAPS AGO I WAS WATCHING KURT BUSCH IN THE 2 CAR. HE COMES DOWN THE FRONT STRAIGHTAWAY HERE, AND HEADED OFF INTO TURN ONE. THE AIR OFF THE OTHER CARS, WHEN YOU'RE REALLY TUCKED UPTIGHT LIKE HE IS RIGHT THERE, WATCH WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM. HE GETS PUSHED OVER INTO THE WALL. I GUARANTEE YOU HE DIDN'T DO THAT ON PURPOSE. BUT THE AIR OFF OF CARL EDWARDS' 99 CAR BLEW HIM INTO THE WALL. >> Larry: AIR AT ABOUT 185 MILES AN HOUR DOES SOME WEIRD STUFF. >> Darrell: IT DOES! >> Mike: NOW THAT 11-CAR PACK HAS A FRONT FIVE BREAK-AWAY. IT WAS ALL ONE PACK, AND NOW IF FIRST FIVE THROUGH CARL EDWARDS ARE BEGINNING TO EDGE AWAY JUST A BIT FROM THE NEXT SIX CARS. MATT? >> Matt: MIKE, JEFF GORDON, THE SIX-TIME DAYTONA WINNER HAS FALLEN BACK TO THE EIGHTH POSITION. HE'S MOVED TO THE HIGH SIDE BEHIND HIS TEAMMATE KYLE BUSCH. EARLIER, HE WAS TRYING THE BOTTOM. THE CAR IS JUST WAY TOO TIGHT AND GETTING TIGHTER. HE'S SLOWLY FADING BACK. THAT'S WHY HE'S SEARCHING AROUND TRYING TO SEE IF HE CAN FIND A BETTER LINE. SO THEY PIT AROUND LAP 81. >> Darrell: YEAH, I WAS WATCHING HIM OFF TURN FOUR THERE. I COULD SEE HIS HANDS IN THE CAR. HE'S A BUSY YOUNG MAN RIGHT NOW, JUST TRYING TO KEEP THAT THING OFF THE WALL. >> Larry: BUT AS I TALKED TO ALL THE CREW CHIEFS OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS, THAT WAS THE BIG FEAR OF THIS RACETRACK: YOU ALWAYS FIGHT THE CAR TIGHT. NOT TURNING OFF THE CORNER. I THINK AS IT COOLS DOWN, IT WILL PRETTY MUCH MAGNIFY THAT PROBLEM. >> Mike: 41 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. GREEN FLAG PIT STOPS HAVE BROKEN THEM UP INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT PACKS. STILL, TONY STEWART STAYS OUT FRONT, DICK. HE'S LED 35 LAPS NOW. >> Dick: NOT AS GOOD AS IT WAS EARLIER IN EVENING, MIKE. HE'S FREE OFF. HE AND CREW CHIEF GREG ZIPADELLI HAD DISCUSSED SOME CHANGES THEY WOULD LIKE TO MAKE. AND FOR KIDS AT HOME WATCHING THE RACE, WHEN TONY STEWART DECIDED WHAT HE WANTS TO CHANGE IN THE CAR, AIR PRESSURE, WEDGE, WHAT HAVE YOU, HE ALWAYS SAYS, "PLEASE." MATT? >> Matt: THE GUY IN HIS MIRROR, JIMMIE JOHNSON WITH THE SHAMU PAINT SCHEME, HE SAYS THE CAR IS DRIVING WELL, BUT IT MIGHT END UPTIGHTENING UP AS THE RUN GOES ON. HE WANTS TO LOOSEN THE CAR UP ON THE NEXT STOP. BUT RIGHT NOW HE'S VERY CONTENT, JUST STAYING IN LINE. A GREAT TRACK POSITION, JUST FOLLOWING THE 20. STEVE? >> Steve: MATT, IT WAS JUST A FEW LAPS AGO THAT MARK MARTIN WAS RUNNING IN THE SECOND POSITION BEHIND TONY STEWART. BUT SINCE THEN, HE'S DROPPED SEVERAL POSITIONS AS WELL. NOW HE'S POSITIONED IN SIXTH. HE SAYS HIS RACECAR HAS GOTTEN TIGHT. HE TOLD HIS CREW CHIEF PAT TRYSON HE WANTS TO MAKE WEDGE ADJUSTMENT ON THE NEXT PIT STOP. >> Darrell: I WATCH THE 48 CAR ROLL BEHIND THE 20, WHAT HAS JIMMIE JOHNSON LEARNED? HE'S LEARNED TO BE A PATIENT DRIVER ON THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE TRACK. DON'T TAKE THE LEAD UNTIL YOU NEED TO. DON'T MAKE ANY ERRATIC MOVES. HE HAD A LOT OF GUYS TICKED OFF AT HIM FOR A RACE OR TWO ON THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE TRACKS, BUT HE HAS HIS GAME TOGETHER NOW. >> Mike: THE NEXTEL CUP POINT LEADER HAS NOT LED TONIGHT. >> Darrell: UH-OH. THAT'S UGLY. >> Larry: MICHAEL WALTRIP THE 55 CAR, TWO-TIME DAYTONA 500 WINNER ON PIT ROAD WITH A LOT OF DAMAGE. >> Darrell: PANCAKED THE RIGHT SIDE. LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF DAMAGE. >> Mike: THE TRACK STAYS GREEN WHILE WALTRIP PITS. >> Darrell: LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS HERE. HE'S GOING DOWN. YIKES! TURN FOUR, JUST GOT A LITTLE TOO HIGH. >> Larry: IT'S ALMOST LIKE HE COULDN'T GET IT OFF THERE. >> Darrell: HE JUST TOOK OFF. IT'S REALLY BUMPY. THIS TRACK HAS A LOT OF BIG BUMPS IN IT. I DON'T MEAN THE KIND THAT JAR YOU. I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT THE KIND THAT ARE LITTLE SWELLS IN THE ASPHALT. >> Larry: IF YOU REMEMBER, DARRELL, MICHAEL WAS ONE OF THE CARS THAT PITTED EARLY BEFORE THE LAST SET OF GREEN STOPS. HE THOUGHT HE MAYBE HAD SOMEWHAT OF A TIRE PROBLEM. >> Mike: JIMMIE JOHNSON LOOKING UP HIGH FREES THE CAR JUST A BIT. >> Darrell: BOY, I LIKE THAT 38 CAR TONIGHT. I JUST LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS. HE'S SITTING THERE. HE LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOT HIMSELF COMPOSED AND READY TO MAKE A GOOD RUN TONIGHT. >> Larry: THE CAR IS IS LOOKING GOOD. I THINK A LOT LIKE JEFF GORDON. THEY HAVE A LITTLE MOMENTUM COMING OFF INFINEON AFTER THAT RUN LAST WEEK. THIS COULD BE WHAT THIS TEAM NEEDS, A COUPLE GOOD RUNS IN A ROW. >> Darrell: HE AND HIS CREW CHIEF TOMMY BALDWIN JUST NEED TO GET BACK ON THE SAME PAGE AND WORK TOGETHER. THEY HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL THERE. WE KNOW THAT. >> Larry: YOU HEARD CHRIS MYERS SAY IN THE PRE-RACE, HE MADE A STATEMENT: I'M STAYING AT ROBERT YATES RACING FOR 2007. >> Darrell: FUNNY HOW YOU RUN BETTER WHEN YOU MAKE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT. >> Mike: WE'RE TEN LAPS FROM HALFWAY IN THE PEPSI 400. EXCUSE ME, DR. >> Mike: 74 LAPS COMPLETE. TONY STEWART LEADING. TONIGHT'S ALL STATE GOOD HANDS DRIVER IS JEFF BURTON. BURTON GOT TAPPED, SPUN COMING OFF TURN TWO, LOCKED THE BRAKE, RELEASED, TURNED, SPUN AROUND, GRABBED A GEAR AND GOT GONE! SO FOR KEEPING THAT CAR IN ONE PIECE, ALL STATE WILL DONATE $1,000 SCHOLARSHIP TO THE URBAN YOUTH RACING SCHOOL. ALL STATE, THE OFFICIAL INSURANCE SPONSOR OF NASCAR. TONY STEWART, JIMMIE JOHNSON, ELLIOTT SADLER, GREG BIFFLE TRYING TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE CARS BEHIND THEM. AND ONCE AGAIN, THE FIRST CAR TO MAKE A GREEN FLAG STOP IN SEQUENCE, MARTIN TRUEX. >> Larry: THAT HAS BEEN 35 LAPS SINCE HE MADE HIS GREEN FLAG STOP. HE WAS THE FIRST CAR TO HIT PIT ROAD EARLIER. THIS WILL TRIGGER IT. I THINK OVER THE NEXT FOUR TO SIX TO SEVEN LAPS WE'LL SEE THE LEADERS MAKE THEIR SECOND GREEN FLAG STOP. IT'S BEEN ABOUT 65 LAPS SINCE WE HAD THE CAUTION WITH JEFF BURTON IN THE 31. >> Darrell: AND I BELIEVE THE 24 CAR, OUR OLD BUDDY JEFF GORDON THERE, HE'D LIKE TO GET IN THE PITS AND MAKE CHANGES TO HIS CAR. HE'S FALLEN ALL THE WAY BACK TO NINTH PLACE. >> Mike: GORDON TRACKING HIS TEAMMATE KYLE BUSCH. >> Darrell: I BELIEVE THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE CRITICAL MOMENTS IN THE RACE FOR JEFF GORDON AND HIS TEAM. CAN THEY MAKE THE CAR BETTER? >> Mike: A JOE GIBBS CHEVROLET IN FRONT: TONY STEWART. A RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN SECOND: JIMMIE JOHNSON. KYLE BUSCH GOT INTO THE BACK OF MARK MARTIN THERE. >> Darrell: YEAH! >> Mike: WOW! DID MARTIN EASE OUT OF THE THROTTLE, OR DID KYLE BUSCH JUST HAVE A RUN AND GET INTO HIM? >> Larry: NOW YOU SEE KYLE BUSCH IN THE 5 GOING TO THE TOP SIDE OF THE RACETRACK. JEFF GORDON, HIS TEAMMATE IN THE 24 AND THE OTHER HENDRICK CAR, BRIAN VICKERS IN THE 25, THEY MOVE TO THE HIGH SIDE TRYING TO RUN THIS PACK BACK DOWN. THERE'S EXACTLY WHERE WE SAW DALE EARNHARDT JR. LAST NIGHT IN THE BUSCH RACE. HE WAS UP THERE ALL NIGHT LONG. >> Mike: STERLING MARLIN ON THE APRON COMING TO PIT ROAD IN THE RESORT CAR, AND THE PAINT SCHEME DESIGNED BY THREE YOUNGSTERS AT THE PAUL NEWMAN CAMP IN FLORIDA. >> Larry: HE'S EITHER OUT OF POWER OR FUEL ONE. THAT'S FOR SURE. >> AGAIN, LET'S LOOK AT SPEEDS IN THE MARK MARTIN/KYLE BUSCH LITTLE DUST-UP THERE. LET'S SEE WHAT HE CAN SEE. >> Darrell: HE'S GOT A NICE RUN UNDERNEATH HIM, MARK, RIGHT HERE. AND HE JUST -- >> Larry: HE DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET INTO THE BACK OF MARK MARTIN. HE JUST GOT LOOSE OFF TURN FOUR. >> Darrell: HE NEVER TOUCHED HIM. HE'S JUST BOBBING AND WEAVING OFF TURN FOUR. >> Mike: IT LOOKED CLOSE. MARTIN LOST A LITTLE SPEED OFF THE CORNER. >> Larry: WE'RE HEARING MORE AND MORE CARS FROM OUR GUYS DOWN IN THE PITS COMPLAIN ABOUT HAVING HANDLING PROBLEMS. THEY NEVER HAD ANY PRACTICE THIS WEEKEND IN THESE CONDITIONS IN FULL NIGHTTIME WITH THE TRACK THIS COOL. ALL OF THEIR PRACTICE WAS IN THE AFTERNOON ON THURSDAY. >> Mike: LOOK AT THE GAP -- OH, HERE IS PIT STOPS. GREEN FLAG STOPS COMING. IT'S KURT BUSCH LEADING JAMIE McMURRAY. BUSCH'S TEAMMATE RYAN NEWMAN. KEVIN HARVICK, BOBBY LABONTE AND CLINT BOWYER TO PIT ROAD. MIKE WALLACE IS IN AS WELL. DICK? >> Dick: KURT BUSCH IS IN. NO MORE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT BATTERY PROBLEM HE THOUGHT HE HAD EARLIER IN THE NIGHT. THE CREW GOING TO FIRE FOUR TIRES AT HIM, PUT PLENTY OF FUEL IN IT. NO MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS TO KURT BUSCH'S CAR. HE'S GONE. >> Larry: I THINK WHAT WE'LL SEE IN THE NEXT ONE TO TWO LAPS, WE'LL SEE THE LEADERS LIKE TONY STEWART, JIMMIE JOHNSON, GREG BIFFLE IN THE 16, NOT THIS TIME, BUT IN THE NEXT LAP OR TWO THEY'LL BE THERE. >> Darrell: THE 38 IS COMING. >> Mike: BORIS SAID IS IN. SCOTT RIGGS. HERE COMES ELLIOTT SADLER WITH JEREMY MAYFIELD. AND RATHER MARK MARTIN TO PIT ROAD. MATT? >> Matt: ELLIOTT SADLER WAS TIGHT EARLIER IN THE RACE, MAKING HIS WAY TO HIS PIT BOX. TOMMY BALDWIN CALLING HIM IN WHO WON THIS EVENT, THE DAYTONA 500 BACK IN 2002. YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE ANOTHER CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT. STILL TRYING TO TWEAK THE BALANCE OF THAT RACECAR. AND TONY STEWART ON THE LEFT OF YOUR SCREEN STILL LEADING THE HENDRICK GUYS READY TO MAKE THEIR NEXT STOP. THEY'LL TRY TO PIT WITH THEIR TEAMMATES. JEFF GORDON HAS BEEN CALLED IN TO PIT ROAD, AS WELL AS THE 48 OF JIMMIE JOHNSON. YOU CAN SEE THEM PEEL OFF, LOOKING THROUGH THE FRONT OF JIMMIE JOHNSON'S CHEVROLET. TO STEVE BYRNES. >> Steve: MATT, THE 17 OF MATT KENSETH HIT HIS PIT STALL. HE SAID HE'S LOOSE ON SIDE-BITE. THEY'LL MAKE A PRETTY BIG AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT AND A TRACK BAR ADJUSTMENT. HE'S ALSO SAYING HE'S UNBELIEVABLY HOT. HE WANTS WATER. DICK BERGGREN? >> Dick: TONY STEWART SAID BEFORE THE RACE "PATIENCE AT DAYTONA IS THE GOSPEL." HE'S BEEN VERY PATIENT, VERY COOL AND CALM. THE CREW HAS BEEN FLAWLESS. MATT? >> Matt: TWO ROUNDS UP ALREADY ON THE TRACK BAR, DICK. A GREAT STOP. A LITTLE BIT SLOW ON THE LEFT FRONT. BUT A GOOD STOP BY THE LOWE'S GUYS. >> Larry: THEY WERE TIGHT THERE. THEY WERE FOUR-WIDE. THAT'S ALL THE WIDTH YOU HAVE IS TO BE FOUR-WIDE. >> Darrell: IT'S GOOD THAT JIMMIE JOHNSON DIDN'T HESITATE. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A WRECK. BUT HE SHOT THROUGH THE GAP AND KEPT GOING. >> Mike: CARL EDWARDS LED A LAP IN THE OFFICE DEPOT FORD. HE'S COMING TO PIT ROAD. AND THAT'S THE TAYCO BELL CAR OF CHAD CHAFFIN ALONGSIDE. DALE EARNHARDT JR. NOW LEADS HERE. >> Darrell: YOU TALKED ABOUT PRACTICE, THEY HAD 150 LAPS OF PRACTICE HERE LAST YEAR. THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH ON THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE CARS. >> Larry: DALE EARNHARDT JR. GETS THE FIVE POINTS. I ANTICIPATE HE'LL BE IN PROBABLY THE NEXT LAP IN THE 8 CAR. >> Mike: MATT? >> Matt: THE CREW CHIEF, MIKE, ALL COMMUNICATING DOWN HERE ON PIT ROAD. JUST SO THAT WAY THEY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY ISSUES ENTRY AND EXIT. CARL EDWARDS' STOP COMPLETE, 14.2 SECONDS, AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. HE WAS TIGHT. >> Mike: DENNY HAMLIN AND J.J. YELEY THE OTHER TWO GIBBS CARS BESIDES TONY STEWART WILL MOVE UP IN THE RUNNING ORDER BEHIND DALE EARNHARDT JR.. THEY WERE AMONG THE LAST TO PIT IN THE LAST SEQUENCE. >> Darrell: LOOK WHAT A LONELY MAN HE IS RIGHT NOW. RUNNING ALONG ALL BY HIMSELF, DALE JR.. NOBODY TO HELP HIM. >> Larry: THIS PACK RIGHT HERE THEY'RE RUNNING IN THE HIGH 27s WE'RE LOOKING AT. DALE JR., 49.10. HE NEEDS TO GET TO PIT ROAD AND GET BACK OUT THERE WITH THE GROUP. YOU'RE LOSING A LOT OF GROUND. >> Mike: TONY RAINES, REED SORENSON MAKE STOPS, AS JUNIOR CONTINUES TO LEAD OVER HAMLIN, YELEY, ROBBY GORDON AND DAVID STREMME. >> Darrell: GOT A WHOLE LOT OF RACING GOING ON HERE, BOYS. >> Mike: IT'S FOR SEVENTH PLACE ON BACK NOW. >> Larry: WHEN IT CYCLES ALL THROUGH HERE IN A FEW LAPS, IT WILL BE FOR THE LEAD. >> Darrell: I GUESS IT'S JIMMIE JOHNSON TIME TO SAY LET ME SEE IF I CAN PASS THIS DUDE OR NOT. >> [ Over Radio ]: PIT NEXT TIME BY. >> Mike: THAT'S THE CALL TO DALE EARNHARDT JR.. >> Darrell: THAT'S HIS CREW CHIEF TONY EURY JR.. >> Larry: ONCE AGAIN, 49.24 THAT LAP. THE GROUP WE'RE WATCHING IN THE HIGH 47.0s. HE'S LOSING A SECOND TO SECOND-AND-A-HALF PER LAP TO THE GUYS. >> Mike: THE GUYS BEHIND HIM ARE NOW PITTING -- J.J. YELEY, ROBBY GORDON AND DENNY HAMLIN. >> Darrell: STRANGE MOVE BY THE SHAMU. HE SWAM RIGHT INTO THE LEAD. >> Larry: JIMMIE JOHNSON IN THE 48 CAR. THE SPECIAL PAINT SCHEME THIS WEEK. >> Darrell: YOU'VE BEEN WAITING ALL NIGHT TO SAY THAT, HAVEN'T YOU? [ LAUGHTER ] IT'S ON THE HOOD, YOU KNOW! >> Mike: BELIEVE IS THE NEW SHAMU SHOW AT SeaWORLD. THAT TEAM BELIEVES. THEY WENT TO VICTORY LANE IN THE DAYTONA 500. NOW THEY'LL TRY TO GET BACK OUT FRONT AS DALE JR. COMES IN THE PITS. RIGHT THERE. YOU NEED TO BE AT PIT ROAD SPEED. >> Larry: THE LEADERS, WHAT WILL BE THE LEADERS, THEY'RE HALFWAY DOWN THE BACKSTRETCH. HE'LL BE BORDERLINE OF GOING A LAP DOWN. A LOT OF THAT CONTRIBUTED BECAUSE HE WAS OUT THERE BY HIMSELF FOR THREE OR FOUR LAPS. HE'S JUST NOW TO HIS PIT BOX. THE LEADERS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF TURNS THREE AND FOUR. >> Mike: MATT? >> Matt: JUNIOR, TWO-TIME DAYTONA WINNER. HIS CREW CHIEF TONY EURY JR., BRINGING HIM IN FOR FUEL AND CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT. JUNIOR HAS A WEIRD FEELING WITH THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE CAR. HE DOESN'T GET THE FEEL AND THINKS THE CAR IS LOOSE. >> Darrell: HE WENT A LAP DOWN, THAT'S FOR SURE. WE HAVE A REAL RACE FOR THE LEAD. THESE GUYS ARE BATTLING! >> Mike: IT'S NOT QUITE FOR THE LEAD, BECAUSE DAVID STREMME HAS NOT YET MADE THIS PIT STOP, SO THE COORS LIGHT DODGE, WHICH HAD TO MAKE THE FIELD ON TIME IS YOUR LEADER RIGHT NOW OVER THAT SNARLING PACK LED BY MATT KENSETH. AND HERE COMES STREMME. >> Darrell: I CAN NEVER -- I'M NEVER SURE WHAT TONY IS DOING. TONY HAS GOT A FAST CAR. HE'S LED A LOT OF LAPS. IT SEEMS LIKE HE FALLS BACK LIKE HE'S TRYING TO SEE WHERE HE NEEDS TO BE IF IT COMES DOWN TO A SHOOTOUT. >> Larry: BUT THIS WILL BE THE NEW LEADER NOW. MATT KENSETH IN THE YELLOW NUMBER 17 CAR LEADING THE GROUP OF CARS. MATT LED A LAP EARLIER, SO THIS WILL BE HIS SECOND TIME TO LEAD TONIGHT. >> Darrell: THERE IS SOME STRATEGIZING GOING ON RIGHT NOW, LARRY. >> Larry: OH, YEAH. AND A LOT MORE PIT STOPS TO GO. >> Mike: WE'RE JUST PAST HALFWAY IN THE PEPSI 400. >> Mike: AS MENTIONED EARLIER, DURING TONIGHT'S RACE, PEPSI IS GIVING FANS A CHANCE TO WIN TRIPS TO ALL TEN NEXTEL CUP CHASE RACES THIS SEASON. >> Darrell: JEFF WANTS TO TELL EVERYONE SOMETHING. >> THE PEPSI RACING PASSWORD IS "SPEEDWAY." I'M GETTING BACK TO THIS RACE. >> Mike: REMEMBER TO LOG ON TO DAILYPLANET.COM/PEPSI400 AND SELECT THE PASSWORD "SPEEDWAY" FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN. THE CAUTION IS OUT FOR DEBRIS IN THE BACK STRAIGHTAWAY. PIT ROAD IS OPEN. STEVE? >> Steve: MIKE, WE THINK MATT KENSETH WILL TAKE JUST RIGHT-SIDE TIRES. ALSO, HE'S STILL COMPLAINING ABOUT BEING VERY HOT. HE'S GETTING BLOCKED IN TRYING TO EXIT PIT ROAD. LET'S GO TO DICK. >> Dick: TONY STEWART THOUGHT ABOUT TAKING FOUR TIRES. GREG ZIPADELLI, HIS CREW CHIEF, THOUGHT IT WOULD TAKE TOO MUCH TRACK POSITION. HE'S TAKEN FUEL ONLY. MATT? >> Matt: SERVICE ALREADY COMPLETE -- OH, A CLOSE CALL WITH THE 16 OF BIFFLE AND THE 1 OF TRUEX! THEY WILL LOSE A LOT OF TIME. FOUR-TIRE CHANGE FOR JIMMIE JOHNSON, AND CHASSIS ADJUSTMENT. HIS CAR WAS STARTING TO TIGHTEN UP. AND MEANWHILE, GORDON, ANOTHER AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. HIS CAR REALLY CAME TO LIFE OVER THE SHORT RUN WE JUST DID. >> Mike: THE PIT BOXES ARE NOT THAT SMALL, BUT MIKE WALLACE ALSO HAD TROUBLE GETTING IN THE PITS. >> Larry: YEAH, WE HAVE SO MANY CARS ON PIT ROAD AT ONE TIME UNDER CAUTION, OVER 20 CARS. BUT I'M NOT SURPRISED EVERYONE PITTED THAT TIME, AT LEAST FOR FUEL. THE REASON IS THEY CAN MAKE IT TO THE END ON ONE MORE STOP. >> Darrell: I NOTICED THE 17. HE DOES SUCH A GREAT JOB OF GETTING INTO THE PIT BOX, BUT THEN HE HAD THAT ISSUE COMING OUT. >> Mike: ROBBIE REISER NOT HAPPY. STEVE? >> Steve: NO, HE'S NOT. NEITHER IS MATT KENSETH. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE COME BACK DOWN PIT ROAD. THEY THINK THEY HAVE SOME FENDER DAMAGE, MIKE JOY. ALSO, THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ROBBIE AND MATT. MANT WANTED ROBBIE THE CLEAR HIM OFF PIT ROAD AND HE MISUNDERSTOOD HIM. >> Larry: TO ME, THAT NEEDS TO BE STANDARD PROCEDURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU HAVE THAT MANY CARS ON PIT ROAD AND THE DRIVER IS IN THERE AND HIS PERIPHERAL VISION IS NOT VERY BIG. >> Mike: IF MATT KENSETH IS THE ONLY CAR THAT HAS TO >> Chris: WELCOME BACK TO DAYTONA. TIME FOR A VISA RACE BREAK. 69 LAPS TO GO. UNDER CAUTION. THE TOP SIX CARS ARE CHEVROLETS. DALE EARNHARDT JR. LEADING THE WAY. TONY STEWART HAS LED THE MOST LAPS, THE DEFENDING CHAMP IN THIS RACE LEADING 49 LAPS SO FAR. THE RECENT ROUND OF PIT STOPS, AND YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW CRITICAL IT IS HERE GETTING ON PIT ROAD. WE SAW HOW NOT TO DO IT. >> Jeff: SOME GUYS CAME IN AND THE LEAD CARS, WHEN YOU GET ROLLING ALONG, YOU CAN GET IN TROUBLE. MATT KENSETH WAS PARKED UP AT TURN FOUR AND MADE A QUICK STOP FOR GAS AND RIGHT-SIDE TIRES, AND WHEN THE CREW FINISHED UP, THE REST OF THE FIELD WAS COMING IN. WE HAVE 37 CARS STILL ON THE LEAD LAP. SO WHEN THEY FINISHED UP THE STOP, HE STARTED TO PULL AWAY. AUTOMATICALLY HE GETS INTO THE 38 CAR OF ELLIOTT SADLER. SO THE DAMAGE TO HIS CAR AS WELL AS THE 38 CAR. THE 38 CAR STARTS OUT AND HE GETS CAUGHT UP IN ANOTHER MELEE WITH THE 1 AND THE 16. THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT. >> Chris: THIS HAS BEEN A VISA RACE BREAK. NO MATTER WHAT LIFE TAKES, LIFE TAKES VISA. >> Darrell: ALL I KNOW IS ALL THE CALLS INVOLVED ARE YELLOW. >> Larry: WE QUESTIONED THE STRATEGY ON THE DALE EARNHARDT JR. AND THE 8 CAR. WHAT TONY EURY JR. WAS DOING BEFORE THE CAUTION CAME OUT, HE WAS TRYING TO GET TO A WINDOW WHERE HE COULD MAKE IT ON ONE MORE STOP. THE CAUTION WAS STILL HIS FRIEND. BUT NOW WHAT DALE EARNHARDT JR. AND J.J. YELEY HAVE TO DO, THEY HAVE TO RUN TWO SEGMENTS OF 38 LAPS APIECE TO GET TO THE END BY MAKING IT ON ONE MORE STOP. >> Mike: CAN THEY DO THAT? >> Larry: I THINK SO. THE WINDOW THIS MORNING TALKING TO THE CREW CHIEFS WAS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 36 AND 38 LAPS. WE NORMALLY SEE THE CHEVROLETS GET A LITTLE BETTER MILEAGE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER MAKES. >> Darrell: I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE PIT STRATEGY, WHICH COULD TURN OUT TO BE A GOOD THING. HIS CAR HASN'T SHOWN TO BE ALL THAT FAST TONIGHT. >> Larry: BUT I STILL SAY THE CAUTION WAS A GOOD THING. >> Darrell: YEAH. HE PLAYED IT PERFECTLY. >> Mike: ROOKIE J.J. YELEY TRYING TO LEAD HERE AT DAYTONA. NIPPED BY DALE JR. AT THE LINE! >> Larry: AND WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW THE OTHER 35 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP BY PITTING THEN, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE END ON ONE MORE STOP. >> Mike: YELEY, THE JOE GIBBS' INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVY STEAMS AROUND THE OUTSIDE AND BRINGS JEFF GORDON WITH HIM. HERE IS J.J. YELEY'S TAMEMATE, AND TEAM LEADER TONY STEWART THE NEXTEL CUP CHAMP IN BIG ORANGE THIRD IN LINE, THE HOME DEPOT CHEVROLET. >> Larry: THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME TONY STEWART HAS SEEN A TEAMMATE UP THERE WITH HIM TONIGHT. HIS OTHER TEAMMATE DENNY HAMLIN IN THE 11 BACK IN THE 11th SPOT BEHIND HIM. HICHLD'S STILL OUTNUMBERED, THOUGH. YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT MORE HENDRICK CARS THAN YOU HAVE TEAMMATES FOR THE 20 CAR. >> Mike: YELEY WILL LEAD THIS LAP. FROM STEWART AND BRIAN VICKERS. VICKERS IN THE 25 DROVE A VERY HEADY RACE LAST NIGHT IN THE BUSCH SERIES EVENT. HIS RESTRICTOR-PLATE GAME HAS REALLY PICKED UP. >> Darrell: HE WAS SEVENTH HERE IN FEBRUARY. HE WAS THIRD IN TALLADEGA, A FEW WEEKS AGO. AND HERE HE IS TONIGHT. SECOND LAST NIGHT. HERE HE IS TONIGHT DOING A GOOD JOB AGAIN. >> Mike: DRAFTING OFF JEFF GORDON, AS THEY BOTH DROP TO THE BOTTOM. THEY WANT THE LEAD FROM THE TWO JOE GIBBS' CARS. GORDON BACK TO THE FRONT! >> Larry: THE BIGGEST THING I HAVE NOTICED WITH BRIAN VICKERS, HE'S A GOOD TEAMMATE. HE VERY WELL MAYBE COULD HAVE WON THAT RACE AT TALLADEGA, BUT HE WAS A GOOD TEAMMATE TO JIMMIE JOHNSON. >> Mike: HERE IS MATT. >> Matt: AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE'S DOING, MIKE. JUST LIKE TALLADEGA, BEING VERY PATIENT, HANGING WITH HIS WINGMAN. ONE OF THE TEAMMATES FOLLOWING THE 24 OF GORDON TRYING TO STAY IN LINE. THE CAR IS A LITTLE ON THE FREE SIDE. AS HIS TEAMMATES, THE 5 OF KYLE BUSCH, HIS CAR HAS BEEN FREE AS WELL. HE DIVES TO THE HIGH SIDE. >> Darrell: TELL YOU HOW GOOD A TEAMMATE HE IS, WAS IT CHARLOTTE WHEN HE BROUGHT IN TIRES FOR HIS OTHER TEAMMATES? AFTER HE HAD PROBLEMS AND THEY NEEDED BUFFED TIRED. HE WENT TO WORK AND BUFFED TIRES FOR THE TEAMMATES. >> Larry: HERE COMES TONY STEWART IN THE 20 CAR ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM. HE HAS HELP FROM GREG BIFFLE PUSHING HIM. >> Mike: TONY IS ONE OF THE PIED PIPERS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW. WHEREVER HE GOES, CARS WILL FOLLOW. THREE-WIDE BEHIND HIM. >> Larry: THEY'RE THREE-BY-THREE-BY-THREE-BY-THRE. >> Darrell: WHEN YOU HAVE FRESH TIRES ON LIKE EVERYBODY DOES, YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH THAT FOR A LITTLE WHILE. I WOULDN'T GET REAL COMFORTABLE WITH THIS LITTLE WAD RIGHT HERE! >> Larry: IT'S A SMALL FUEL CELL THAT BREAKS THEM UP, BUT THE CAUTION BRINGS THEM BACK TOGETHER. >> Mike: EVERYONE WANTED TO FOLLOW STEWART. STEWART IS GETTING AWAY! >> Larry: 96 LAPS INTO THIS RACE, AND WE HAVE 30 CARS WITHIN TWO-AND-A-HALF SECONDS OF EACH OTHER. >> Darrell: WELL, WE STILL HAVE 37 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP! RIGHT NOW. [ ENGINES ROAR ] >> Larry: AND YOU SEE MICHAEL WALTRIP IN THE 55 CAR UP THERE NEAR THE FRONT. REMEMBER, HE HIT THE WALL EARLIER. RIGHT NOW HE'S TWO LAPS DOWN IN THE NAPA CAR. >> Darrell: I MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE SO CAREFUL. EVERYONE HAS TO RUN THEIR LANE WHEN YOU GET THREE-WIDE LIKE THAT. GREG BIFFLE IS HUNG UP IN THE MIDDLE. THAT'S A BIG OL' SUCKER HOLE IS WHAT THAT IS. >> [ Over Radio ]: INSIDE THE 99. YOUR OL' BUDDY. >> Larry: YOU CAN SEE THEM GOING DOWN ON THE BOTTOM. HE'LL GET HELP FROM J.J. YELEY IN THE 18 NOW. >> Mike: NOW WE'RE JUST DOUBLE-WIDE. . >> Darrell: WATCH THEM COME OFF OF TURN TWO. THEY FAN OUT. I LOVE WATCHING THEM COME OFF OF TWO. THEY GET A GREAT RUN. >> Larry: LOOK AT THE WAD HERE. 38 CAR, ELLIOTT SADLER GIVING A BUMP. THERE>> Darrell: YOU KNOW WHY? HE WAS IN 36th PLACE AFTER THE PROBLEM ON PIT ROAD. HE HAS TO GO. HE AND MATT KENSETH BOTH START AT THE BACK OF THE WAD HERE. >> Larry: WE'RE LOOKING AT KURT BUSCH IN THE 2 CAR. THOSE GUYS CHANGED A BATTERY UNDER THAT CAUTION. >> Mike: THESE TWO DRIVERS, AS YOU LOOK FROM JEFF BURTON -- MATT KENSETH AND KURT BUSCH -- HAVE BOTH GAINED 16 POSITIONS SINCE THE RESTART. AT POINT, BRIAN VICKERS WANTS TO LEAD A LAP! >> Larry: HE'S TRYING TO GET SOME HELP FROM HIS TEAMMATE ON THE BOTTOM SIDE, JIMMIE JOHNSON IN THE 48. THREE HENDRICK CARS AT THE FRONT OFF TURN TWO. >> Darrell: I TELL YOU, I SAY THIS TIME AND TIME AGAIN, AND I'LL SAY IT TONIGHT. BRIAN VICKERS IS A LOT DIFFERENT RACECAR DRIVER THAN HE WAS BEFORE HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS GOING TO LEAVE THAT TEAM. >> Mike: BRIAN WILL DRIVE FOR RED BULL TOYOTA IN 2007. HIS SLOT ON THE HENDRICK STABLE WILL BE TAKEN BY CASEY MEARS. SIDE-BY-SIDE, AT THE LINE. THAT WOULD BE A NEAR PHOTO FINISH. GORDON HAD THE EDGE. >> Larry: WE HAVE A SCORING MONITOR THAT SHOWS THE DELTA BETWEEN JEFF GORDON AND BRIAN VICKERS. IT WAS 0.000. DEAD HEAT! >> Mike: NOT EVEN .001 SEPARATED THEM. >> Darrell: MAN, IT'S LIKE 1959! >> Mike: TONY STEWART GETTING SHUFFLED BACK IN THAT PACK. HERE IS THE SECOND CINGULAR VIRTUAL CREW CHIEF QUESTION OF THE NIGHT -- WHO IS THE CURRENT KING OF RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACING? TAKE YOUR PICK. >> Darrell: YEAH. PICK ONE. >> Mike: TEXT THE WORD "CREW" TO 191 ON YOUR CINGULAR PHONE OR LOG ONTO FoxSports.COM/CINGULAR. >> Larry: DALE EARNHARDT JR., IN THE BUDWEISER CAR IN THE MIDDLE. >> Darrell: WHAT IS THAT SONG? "STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH YOU." >> Larry: HE'S GETTING HELP FROM MARTIN TRUEX IN THE 1 CAR. AFTER HAVING A PROBLEM ON PIT ROAD IN THE GREEN FLAG STOP, HE'S A LAP DOWN, BUT HE'S TRYING TO BE A GOOD TEAMMATE TO DALE EARNHARDT JR.. >> Mike: A LOT OF THREE-WIDE, FROM FOURTH PLACE ON BACK. THAT'S THE EYE OF THE STORM RIGHT THERE. >> Darrell: IT REALLY IS. I GOT TO TELL YOU, THEY CAN'T JUST KEEP DOING THAT. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Mike: NO KIDDING, LARRY. >> Darrell: I FEEL TROUBLE, ABREUING. >> Mike: HE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK FOR THE "WEATHER CHANNEL." >> Larry: I LOVE IT. I COULD DO IT WITH THE RACETRACK. >> Darrell: YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH THIS FOREVER. SEE HOW THE 17 IS DANCING AROUND IN THE POCKET THERE? SOONER OR LATER, SOMEONE WILL GET LOOSE AND SLIDE UP INTO SOMEBODY. JEFF BURTON IS WOBBLING UP IN THERE. YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING THAT. >> Larry: WHILE THIS IS GOING ON, WE HAVE FOUR HENDRICK CARS AT THE FRONT LINED UP -- VICKERS, JOHNSON, GORDON, KYLE BUSCH. >> Mike: LOOK WHO IS RIGHT WITH THEM: BOBBY LABONTE IN RICHARD PETTY'S No. 43. >> Larry: BY FAR, SHOWING THE MOST STRENGTH OF A DODGE TONIGHT. >> Mike: LABONTE STARTED 15th. HE'S CLIMBED TO FIFTH. 60 LAPS TO GO IN THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX." >> THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF GREAT MOMENTS IN 2006. BUT THE PREMIER MOMENT HAPPENED LAST WEEK AT THE INFINEON RACEWAY, FOR A LOT OF REASONS -- JEFF GORDON, WINLESS IN 2006. HE'D FALLEN OUT OF THE TOP TEN IN POINTS. AND HE GETS ENGAGED AND HE GOES TO VICTORY LANE! >> Mike: 106 LAPS COMPLETE. BRIAN VICKERS, THE LEADER. HAVEN'T SEEN MUCH OF THE RICHARD CHILDRESS CARS TONIGHT. DALE EARNHARDT, THE ALL-TIME RESTRICTOR-PLATE WINNER HERE. JEFF BURTON IS 21th. KEVIN HARVICK IS 15th. BUT THE 07 IS EIGHTH NOW AND HE'S DOING IT ON THE INSIDE WITHOUT MUCH HELP. >> Darrell: HAD A GOOD RUN IN FEBRUARY. FINISHED WHAT? >> Larry: SIXTH. THE TOP-FINISHING ROOKIE BY FAR. >> Darrell: YEAH. >> Mike: DALE JR. GIVING JEFF GORDON A LITTLE BUMP-DRAFT AS THEY GOT TO THE CORNER. RICK HENDRICK HAS TEN VICTORIES HERE. SIX IN THE DAYTONA 500, FOUR IN THE JULY RACE, AND HE RIGHT NOW HAS THE FIRST THREE PLACES OVER DALE EARNHARDT JR.'S CHEVY. LITTLE BUMP-DRAFTING HERE. WATCH JEFF GORDON UP ON THE HIGH SIDE, AND BRIAN VICKERS COMING. THEY WORK ON THE 20 OF TONY STEWART. >> Darrell: JUST WATCH THESE TWO CARS TAKE OFF. JUST ONE PUSHING THE OTHER. JUST PUSHES HIM RIGHT TO THE FRONT. >> Larry: 6 OR 7 MILES AN HOUR THEY GAIN, BUT IT WAS TEXTBOOK BUMP-DRAFTING BY BRIAN VICKERS. BUMP, BUMP, GOT OFF. >> Mike: HERE IS MATT. >> Matt: AND MIKE, YOU'RE LOOKING BACK AT THE 24 OF JEFF GORDON. GORDON WASN'T PLEASED WITH THE 8 OF DALE JR.. HE WAS SAYING JUNIOR WAS BUMP-DRAFTING MORE IN THE CORNER OUT OF THE NO-BUMPING ZONE. >> Larry: WELL, AND I WILL SAY A COUPLE LAPS AGO, MATT, I SAW THE SAME THING. DALE EARNHARDT JR. DEFINITELY TURNING OFF IN TURN THREE, UNLIKE WHAT BRIAN VICKERS DID TO HIM, HE WAS DOING BUMP-DRAFTING GETTING IN. >> Darrell: YOU SEE THAT CAT RIGHT THERE? WHERE WAS HE WHEN THEY RESTARTED THE RACE? >> 36th. >> Darrell: 36th OR 37th. HE'S RUNNING SIXTH NOW. HE'S COME THROUGH THE FIELD. >> Larry: MATT KENSETH HAD THAT PROBLEM ON PIT ROAD. >> Mike: TONY STEWART TO THE OUTSIDE, AROUND THE POINT LEADER JIMMIE JOHNSON. AND HUNTING THE LEAD OFF TURN FOUR. [ ENGINES ROAR ] >> Larry: THERE IS NO QUESTION BOBBY LABONTE IN THE 43 CAR FLEXING HIS MUSCLE. THE ONLY DODGE UP THERE IN 13th OR 14th. WE PRETTY MUCH KNOW EVERYONE OUT THERE WILL HAVE TO MAKE ONE MORE GREEN FLAG STOP, PROBABLY IN ABOUT 15 TO 18 LAPS. >> Darrell: AND THE CREW CHIEF ON THE 43 CAR, HE KNOWS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JOINT HERE. >> Larry: TWO-TIME DAYTONA 500 WINNING CREW CHIEF TODD PARROTT. >> Darrell: TODD PARROTT. >> Mike: 20 CARS WITHIN TWO SECONDS OF THE LEAD. THAT'S WHITE-KNUCKLE RACING AS WE GO TO JEFF HAMMOND FOR TONIGHT'S STATE FARM SAFETY REPORT. >> Jeff: MIKE, ONE OF THE GREATEST INNOVATIONS OF THE CAR OF TOMORROW HAS TO BE THE COCKPIT AREA. NASCAR HAS RAISED THE GREEN HOUSE, GIVEN THE DRIVERS A LOT MORE HEAD ROOM IN CASE THE CAR IS UPSIDE DOWN. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY MOVED THE DRIVER FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR MORE TO THE CENTER. MADE THE CAR BIGGER. TRYING TO GIVE THEM MORE AREA. SO IN THE EVENT OF A HARD CRASH, AND ON TOP OF THAT THEY PUT BOILERPLATE, EXTRA PLAITING. NEXT YEAR THEY'LL HAVE SPECIAL IMPACT-RESISTANT FOAM IN BETWEEN THIS OUTSIDE SHEET METAL AND THE DRIVER IN THE EVENT OF A HARD ACCIDENT, GUYS. >> Mike: THANKS, JEFF. >> Darrell: THAT TIME GOING IN TURN TWO, JIMMIE JOHNSON REALLY TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HIS TEAMMATE THERE, BRIAN VICKERS, AND GOT THREE-WIDE GOING DOWN IN TURN ONE. AND IT REALLY MESSED VICKERS UP. HE HAD TO GET OFF OF THE THROTTLE AND LOST A BUNCH OF SPOTS. HE WENT BY HERE LEADING THE RACE, AND NOW LOOK AT HIM. >> Larry: NOW HE'S IN THE SUCKER HOLE IN THE MIDDLE. >> Darrell: YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS. JIMMIE JOHNSON USED HIM UP GETTING IN TURN ONE THERE. VICKERS BEING WISE, HERE HE COMES, HIS TEAMMATE BACK HERE BEHIND HIM. WATCH. JIMMIE GETS A GREAT RUN. HE GETS DOWN THERE AND HE TRIES TO BLOCK HIM. THEN HE THOUGHT OOPS, BETTER NOT DO THAT. WHEN HE DID, HE HAD TO LIFT. >> Mike: A LITTLE CONTACT BETWEEN JEFF BURTON AND REED SORENSON AS WELL. THEY FIGHT FOR 19th POSITION. WATCH THAT BRIGHT ORANGE 31. SORENSON IN THE TARGET CAR. BULL'S-EYE! >> Darrell: THAT 31 CAR THAT HAS TO HAVE A SIGN ON IT SOMEWHERE THAT SAYS, "HIT MY HERE!" >> Larry: I THINK HE'LL BE GLAD TO GET OUT OF DAYTONA. >> Darrell: ME TOO. >> Larry: A COUPLE CARS TO UPDATE. ELLIOTT SADLER IN THE 38 CAR. WE TALKED ABOUT THE PROBLEMS KENSETH HAD. SADLER HAD PROBLEMS ON PIT ROAD, RESTARTED WAY BACK. NOW HE'S FIGHTING HIS WAY BACK TO THE TOP TEN AS HE DRIVES BY DALE EARNHARDT JR. IN THE 8 CAR. >> Darrell: IT'S A WHOLE LOT EASIER TO COME FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT THAN IT IS TO GET TO THE FRONT AND STAY THERE. YOU HAVE ALL THE CARS TO DRAFT OFF OF. YOU HAVE A LOT OF OPTIONS WHEN YOU'RE COMING THROUGH THE FIELD. >> Mike: I FEEL FOR BRIAN VICKERS. TWO LAPS AGO, HE WAS LEADING THIS RACE. HE HAS NOW SLIPPED TO 15th. >> Darrell: YEAH. >> Mike: WITH THE MAILSTROM OF THREE-WIDE RACING. >> Darrell: IT WAS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF BEING A GOOD TEAMMATE. HE DIDN'T WANT TO BLOCK JIMMIE JOHNSON. BECAUSE OF THAT, HE LIFTED OFF THE THROTTLE TO GIVE JIMMIE ROOM AND HE PAID THE PRICE. >> Mike: 48 LAPS TO GO. AS LAST JULY, TONY STEWART HAS LED THE MOST LAPS. BUT HIS LEAD OVER M >> Mike: WHEN YOU COME TO YOUR NEXT NEXTEL CUP RACE, FAN VIEW CAN HELP ENHANCE YOUR VIEWING EXPERIENCE. WATCH YOUR FAVORITE DRIVERS' ON-BOARD CAMERAS, QUEUE UP REPLAYS, REPLAY THE LAST THREE MINUTES OF YOUR FAVORITE DRIVER'S CONVERSATION WITH HIS TEAM. THE DATA STREAM ON FAN VIEW IS SO ACCURATE, SOME OF THE TEAMS USE IT FOR TIMING PRACTICE AND KEEPING UP WITH THE THE RACE. YOU CAN CALL UP POINT POSITIONS AS OF NOW. TOP TEN MAKES THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP. KEVIN HARVICK 11 BACK OF KYLE BUSCH FOR THE TOP-TEN SPOT. CARL EDWARDS, DENNY HAMLIN, KURT BUSCH, RYAN NEWMAN IN THE TOP 15. GO TO FoxSports.COM/NEXTELFANVIEW. JUST LIKE WHEN WE LEFT, TONY STEWART LEADING MATT KENSETH BY ONE CAR LENGTH. JEFF GORDON IS THERE. POINTS LEADERS JIMMIE JOHNSON, BOBBY LABONTE IN THE TOP FIVE. CARL EDWARDS, KYLE BUSCH, RYAN NEWMAN, KURT BUSCH, CLINT BOWYER, THE TOP TEN. 42 LAPS TO GO. >> Chris: THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS SPONSORED BY -- >> Mike: U.P.S. DELIVERS THE CHANCE TO MANAGE YOUR OWN FANTASY RACING TEAM. GO TO FoxSports.COM, KEYWORD "UPS." J.J. YELEY HAS JUST MADE A PIT STOP. THAT'S A SCHEDULED STOP. AS HE DID NOT STOP ON THE LAST CAUTION FLAG, NOR DID THE 8 CAR. >> Larry: IT'S A SIGN TO ME THAT PRETTY MUCH IN THE NEXT LAP OR TWO, DALE EARNHARDT JR. IN THE 8 CAR, HE SHOULD BE THE NEXT CAR COMING TO PIT ROAD. AND IN ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE LAPS AFTER THAT, WE'LL SEE EVERYONE ON PIT ROAD FOR WHAT MIGHT BE THEIR FINAL PIT STOP OF THE NIGHT. >> Mike: KASEY KAHNE IS IN. AND MICHAEL WALTRIP, WHO IS OFF THE LEAD LAP IS ALSO IN. >> Darrell: GO TO THE LINE. >> Larry: YOU HAVE TO BACK HIM UP. COSTLY MISTAKE UNDER GREEN. KASEY DID NOT NEED THAT. HE'S NOT BEEN RUNNING THAT WELL TONIGHT ANYHOW. >> Mike: KAHNE PITTED OUT OF 25th PLACE. >> Larry: WE'RE GETTING A SIGNAL THAT TONY STEWART IN THE 20 IS WAVING HIS HAND TO MATT KENSETH, "HEY, I'M PITTING THIS TIME." >> Mike: WITH THE BACKUP, A 21-SECOND STOP AND HERE THEY COME ON TO PIT ROAD. LED BY TONY STEWART, THE RACE LEADER. MATT KENSETH COMING IN WITH HIM. AND CARL EDWARDS. STEVE? >> Steve: MIKE, REMEMBER, MATT KENSETH DOING A FANTASTIC JOB BATTLING BACK FROM THE PIT ROAD MISHAP ON LAP 88. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT. THEY'RE GOING TO DROP THE AIR ON BOTH LEFT-SIDE TIRES ON THE 17 OF MATT KENSETH. FOUR TIRES FOR THE 17. WE GO TO DICK. >> Dick: TONY STEWART, WHO HAS DOMINATED THE RACE TONIGHT, JUST AS HE DID LAST JULY, CALLED FOR ZERO CHANGES IN HIS CAR, OTHER THAN FOUR TIRES AND FUEL. TO MATT? >> Matt: CARL EDWARDS ON PIT ROAD WITH THE 20 OF STEWART. LEFT-SIDE TIRES ON. GOOD STOP BY THE 99 GUYS. >> Larry: I THINK WE'LL SEE ALL OF THE GREEN FLAG STOP, THEY'LL DO EXACTLY THAT. FOUR TIRES, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THIS MAY GET THEM TO THE END. HERE COMES ANOTHER FULL WAD OF RACECARS FOR WHAT WILL BE THEIR FINAL PIT STOP. >> Mike: BOBBY LABONTE IS IN, ALONG WITH JEFF GORDON, JIMMIE JOHNSON, KYLE BUSCH, RYAN NEWMAN, KURT BUSCH, ELLIOTT SADLER, AND MORE. STEVE? >> Steve: MIKE, JUST HEARD FROM THE 43 PIT. THEY SAID BOBBY HASN'T SAID MUCH. HE SAID, "IT'S ROTATING WELL, JUST A LITTLE BIT TIGHT IN THE CENTER." BUT HE HASN'T SAID MUCH ALL NIGHT. HE REALLY LIKES THIS RACECAR. MATT? >> Matt: STEVE LETARTE, JEFF GORDON'S CREW CHIEF WILL ATTEMPT TO TIGHTEN UP THE 24 CAR. ON THIS STOP, GORDON WAS STUCK RUNNING THE HIGH SIDE MOST OF THE LAST RUN, BECAUSE THE CAR IS JUST NOT BALANCE-WISE WHAT HE NEEDED. THE 48 OF JIMMIE JOHNSON IN AS WELL. JOHNSON TOOK FOUR TIRES THE LAST STOP. GORDON ONLY TOOK TWO. >> Mike: JEFF BURTON IS IN WITH TONY RAINES, DAVID STREMME, MIKE WALLACE, KEN SCHRADER, REED SORENSON, DAVE BLANEY, JOE NEMECHEK, KYLE PETTY, TRAVIS KVAPIL, AND POLE-SITTER BORIS SAID. >> Larry: HERE COMES KEVIN HARVICK IN THE 29 CAR THAT ASSUMED THE LEAD FOR ONE LAP. HE'S TOED -- HE'S FOLLOWED BY GREG BIFFLE IN THE 16. HERE COMES DALE JARRETT IN THE 88 CAR, AND THE 11. WE HAVE ABOUT CYCLED THROUGH THE GREEN FLAG STOPS. >> Mike: JEFF GREEN IS IN AND SO IS CASEY MEARS. THAT WILL HAND THE LEAD BACK TO BRIAN VICKERS. >> Dick: KEVIN HARVICK STARTED 42nd AND FINISHED THIRD LAST NIGHT JUST COMPLETED HIS PIT STOP. HE WAS THE LAST TO PIT, SO HE'LL HAVE A LOT OF CARS TO PASS TO WIN THE RACE TONIGHT. >> Darrell: I'M IMPRESSED SO FAR. WE HAVEN'T HEARD THE DREADED WORDS: "TOO FAST ENTERING, TOO FAST EXITING." >> Larry: IT'S BEEN PRETTY CLEAN ALL NIGHT. THIS IS THE PIT STOP, YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE A MISTAKE ON THIS PIT STOP WITH 34 LAPS TO GO. >> Mike: BRIAN VICKERS AND STERLING MARLIN COMING DOWN PIT ROAD. THE LAST OF THE LEAD LAP CARS TO MAKE PIT STOPS. MATT? >> Matt: YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE PULLING THE TEAR-OFFS FROM THE WINDSHIELD FOR BETTER VISIBILITY. LEFT-SIDE TIRES GOING ON. HIS CAR WAS NEUTRAL. THEY STILL MADE AN AIR PRESSURE ADJUSTMENT, TO TRY TO IMPROVE THE 25 CAR. >> Mike: THE GREEN FLAG PIT STOPS, INSTEAD OF SPREADING THE LEADERS OUT, PULLED THEM ALL TOGETHER. TONY STEWART, JEFF GORDON OFF TO TURN ONE, SIDE-BY-SIDE ONCE AGAIN. >> Larry: YEAH, JEFF GORDON, REALLY THAT GROUP LED BY STEVE LETARTE, THEY WON THE BATTLE OF THE GREEN FLAG STOPS. BUT TONY STEWART IN THE ORANGE 20 CAR, HE'S NOT GOING TO LET HIM KEEP THE LEAD FOR LONG. NOT A LOT OF HELP SO FAR. BUT HERE COMES KENSETH IN THE 17 TO HELP HIM. >> Mike: AND BOBBY LABONTE. LABONTE FINISHED SIBINGD HERE IN BOTH 1998 RACES, DRIVING FOR JOE GIBBS. TONIGHT, HE'S DRIVING FOR THE KING, RICHARD PETTY IN THE 43. >> Darrell: GORDON CAR AGAIN HAS THE LOOK WHERE IT'S PRETTY GOOD ON NEW TIRES, BUT HE AS A BIT OF PROBLEM AT THE END OF THE RUN. >> Larry: DARRELL, SHOULD WE STAY GREEN, IT WILL BE ANOTHER LONG GREEN RUN, BECAUSE THE PIT STOP CAME ON THE WINDOW THAT WILL GET THEM TO THE END ON A FULL LOAD OF FUEL. LOOK AT THEM BACK THERE. THREE-WIDE BEHIND THE TOP THREE! BOBBY LABONTE IN THE 43 CAR, JUST KEEPS GETTING RACIER AND RACIER. >> Mike: LOOK AT THE 48. JOHNSON GETTING BUMP-DRAFTING HELP FROM THE 5 OF KYLE BUSCH. HE EDGES PAST LABONTE FOR FOURTH PLACE. NOPE. LABONTE COMES AFTER HIM ON THE BOTTOM. >> Larry: BUT BOBBY LABONTE IS GETTING DODGE FRIENDS UP THERE. RYAN NEWMAN IN THE IS 2, FINISHED THIRD IN THE DAYTONA 500. THE BLUE DEUCE ON THE INSIDE, THOSE GUYS CHANGED THE BATTERY UNDER THE LAST CAUTION. >> Darrell: I TELL YOU WHAT: THE 43 CAR IS COMING, BABY! >> Mike: YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY? "IT'S GOOD TO BE KING." >> Darrell: YEAH! ESPECIALLY ON THE FOURTH OF JULY. >> Mike: TONY STEWART LEADS IN DAYTONA. >> I THINK THE EXPECTATIONS THAT HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR KASEY KAHNE HAVE PROBABLY BEEN REALIZED IN 2006. FOUR WINS, THIRD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS. IF YOU LOOK AT THE PAST CHAMPIONS OF GORDON, STEWART, KENSETH, BUSCH, THEY ALL PULLED OFF THEIR FIRST CHAMPI >>> THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS SPONSORED BY -- >> Chris: REMEMBER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN ULTIMATE RACING REWARD FROM PEPSI, SELECT THE PASSWORD "SPEEDWAY" AT DAILYPLANET.COM/PEPSI400 NOW THROUGH JULY 5. TONY STEWART, YOUR LEADER, 27 LAPS TO GO. WE HAVE A RECORD TIED FOR THE PEPSI 400 WITH 14 DIFFERENT LEADERS, AND 27 LEAD CHANGES SO FAR. RIGHT BEHIND TONY STEWART IS MATT KENSETH, WHO WAS AS FAR BACK AS 33rd ON THE RESTART, BUT HAS WORKED HIS WAY UP TO SECOND. >> Jeff: CHRIS, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT, REMEMBER BACK IN FEBRUARY, THE 20 AND THE 17, WELL, THEY KIND OF HAD A LITTLE ISSUE BETWEEN EACH OTHER. LOOK WHO IS LURKING BACK IN THIRD. THE GUY WHO WON THE DAYTONA 500. WHO IS BEHIND HIM? KURT BUSCH, IN THE 2, WHO HAD A STRONG RUN HERE IN DAYTONA IN FEBRUARY. I WONDER IF KENSETH IS THINKING I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I PASS THE 20 CAR, IF YES, MIGHT SEE SOMETHING LIKE WE DID IN FEBRUARY. >> Chris: MATT KENSETH LED 28 LAPS IN THAT RACE. >> Jeff: A LITTLE UPSET WITH EACH OTHER. TONY SAID, "I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THAT," AND HE SPUN KENSETH AROUND. HE DID RERECOVER. THE GUYS WERE MAD AT THE END OF THE DAY. >> Chris: KENSETH THOUGHT HE HAD THE CAR TO WIN THE DAYTONA 500 HAD THAT NOT TAKEN PLACE. HE BROUGHT THAT CAR HERE. JIMMIE JOHNSON WON THE DAYTONA 500, AND CAN'T BRING THAT CAR BECAUSE IT'S ON DISPLAY AT DAYTONA USA. TONY STEWART LEADING MATT KENSETH AND JIMMIE JOHNSON. 25 LAPS >> Mike: FROM THE GOODYEAR AIRSHIP, YOU WATCH THE 2 OF BUSCH CHALLENGE MATT KENSETH BEHIND TONY STEWART. AERIAL COVERAGE FROM THE GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES WITH CARBON FIBER TECHNOLOGY FOR ENHANCED HANDLING AND PERFORMANCE. LET'S TALK STRATEGY AS WE GET INTO THE FINAL 20 LAPS OF THIS RACE WITH STEVE BYRNES. >> Steve: MIKE, LET'S PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE FOR THE NUMBER 17 OF MATT KENSETH. HE RAN INTO DAVE BLANEY ON PIT ROAD ON LAP 88. HE RESTARTED 33rd. RIGHT NOW HE'S RIGHT BEHIND THE NUMBER 20 OF TONY STEWART. AND HE HAS NO INTENTIONS OF MOVING ANYWHERE FROM HIS REAR BUMPER. >> Driver: I DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS TO GO ANYWHERE. I'D LIKE TO STAY IN LINE FOR LATER. I THINK WE'RE DOING FINE WHERE WE ARE. >> [ Over Radio ]: I TOLD THE 48 THAT YOU WILL STAY BEHIND THE 20 UNTIL TWO TO GO. >> Steve: SO MATT KENSETH AGAIN STAYING IN THE TIRE TRACKS OF THE 20 CAR. THEY'VE OVERCOME A LOT OF ADVERSITY TONIGHT. ALSO VIBRATION AND CONCERNS ABOUT THE CARBURETOR BEFORE THE RACE EVEN STARTED. MIKE? >> Mike: MATT KENSETH'S DRIVE FROM 33rd TO SECOND IS THE FORD BOLD MOVE OF THE RACE. >> Darrell: I LIKE HIS STRATEGY, BUT HE BETTER BE SURE WHOEVER IS RUNNING THIRD WHEN HE DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING, THEY'LL DO IT WITH HIM. IF NOT, THEY'LL SHUFFLE HIM RIGHT OUT OF THERE. >> Mike: NOW ONE COMMERCIAL BREAK AGO, BOBBY LABONTE WAS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN CARS, AND SHUFFLED BACK THREE OR FOUR POSITIONS. LABONTE HAS FOUGHT BACK. DRAFTING OFF KURT BUSCH, HE CLIMBED UP TO FIFTH. AND NOW SHOWS IN -- WHAT IS THAT? THIRD PLACE. >> Darrell: THIRD PLACE. >> Mike: YEAH. >> Darrell: HE GOT OUT OF LINE FOR A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE WORKED HIMSELF RIGHT BACK UP THERE. >> Larry: ANOTHER CAR THAT WORKED HIS WAY UP THERE, BUT HE JUST GOT SHUFFLED OUT OF LINE, YOU SAW HIM SQUEEZE UP IN FRONT OF CARL EDWARDS IN THE 99. KURT BUSCH IN THE 2 CAR, 50 LAPS AGO ON PIT ROAD WITH A BATTERY PROBLEM, ONE OF THE CARS, THE GROUP UNDER CAUTION, THEY CHANGED THE BATTERY. THIS GROUP RIGHT HERE AFTER FINISHES OF SECOND, NINTH, FIFTH MADE A STATEMENT A MONTH AGO: "WE WILL MAKE THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP." TEN RACES TO GO, INCLUDING TONIGHT IN THE FINAL TEN. >> Mike: HE'S IN 14th PLACE RIGHT NOW. THE MAN ALONGSIDE HIM KEVIN HARVICK IN THE 29. >> Darrell: THE 38 CAME FROM WAY, WAY BACK. HE WAS OUT OF THE PIT LATE. THE GROUP WAS GONE. HE CHASED THEM DOWN. >> Larry: GUYS, WITH 18 LAPS TO GO, WE HAVE THE TOP 18 CARS WITHIN TWO SECONDS OF EACH OTHER. >> Mike: OUR DLP-HDTV ULTIMATE PICTURE CAM FLOATING ABOVE THE START/FINISH LINE AT DAYTONA. WATCH CARL EDWARDS, THE 99. THERE! WHAM! >> Darrell: THE 2 CAR WAS COMING UP. I THINK CARL MAY HAVE GOT AN LITTLE AIR OFF OF HIM. IT CAUSED HIS CAR -- WE SAW KURT DO THAT EARLIER BEHIND THE 99. THEY'VE CHANGED ROLES A LITTLE BIT. >> Larry: NOW FOR A SECOND, KURT BUSCH HAD HELP FROM ELLIOTT SADLER IN THE 38 CAR. THEN ELLIOTT WENT LOWER AND HE'S GETTING A SHOVE FROM CARL EDWARDS IN THE 99 AND ANOTHER ROUSH CAR IN THE 6. HARVICK IS FIGHTING HIS WAY BACK UP TO THE LINE. >> Mike: AND LOOK AT THE BLACK JACK CHILDRESS CAR. >> Darrell: EVERY TIME I SEE THAT I WANT TO SAY "WHAT HAS BROWN DONE TO YOU?" >> Larry: HE WENT FROM THE REAR TO THE FRONT, FROM THE REAR TO THE FRONT FOR KEVIN HARVICK TONIGHT. >> Mike: OUR DAYTONA 500 WINNER AND NEXTEL CUP LEADER JIMMIE JOHNSON SITS IN FIFTH PLACE IN HIS LOWE'S CHEVY. MATT? >> Matt: RUNNING WITH HIS TEAMMATES, MIKE. BESIDE THE SPECIAL PAINT SCHEME, HE HAS A SPECIAL DARRELL WALTRIP EDITION HELMET. ALSO, HE WAS GOING TO USE BLACK GLOVES TO GO WITH THE PAINT SCHEME, BUT WE REALIZED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR THE CAR BEHIND HIM TO SEE WHEN HE GIVES HAND SIGNALS TO PIT, SO HE WENT BACK WITH THE LOWE'S BLUE GLOVES. >> Mike: A LOT OF WHITE ON THE GLOVE. >> BUT HE FELT WITH THE BLACK IN THE DARK, IT WOULD BE TOUGH TO SEE. >> Larry: LET'S UPDATE DALE EARNHARDT. IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE THE NIGHT HE HAD LAST NIGHT. IT'S A LONELY MAN BACK THERE. HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYBODY HE'S RUNNING WITH HERE. 15 LAPS TO GO. SITTING IN 19th. TRYING TO SALVAGE A TOP-20 FINISH OUT OF THE DEAL. >> Mike: SO WHO IS THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE KING AT DAYTONA? ONE OF THE THREE DRIVERS LISTED, OR WHAT HAPPENS NONE OF THE ABOVE. 54% OF YOU SAID DALE EARNHARDT JR.. BUT JUNIOR RIGHT NOW IS IN 19th. NOT SURE IF HE CAN GET TO THAT LEAD BACK IN THE 15 LAPS THAT REMAIN. 15 LAPS TO GO. IS TONY STEWART GOING TO LEAD THEM HOME, OR HAS MATT KENSETH, OR JEFF GORDON, OR BOBBY LABONTE BEEN SA >> Mike: RACING FOR FIFTH PLACE, JIMMIE JOHNSON AND BOBBY LABONTE HAVE CRASHED. WE'RE UNDER CAUTION. PIT ROAD IS OPEN. STEVE? >> Steve: FOUR TIRES FOR MATT KENSETH. COMING DOWN PIT ROAD, HE SAID, "LET'S SHOW THEM WHAT THEY'RE MADE OF, GUYS." NO ADJUSTMENTS, JUST FOUR TIRES FOR KENSETH. DICK? >> Dick: TONY STEWART IS GOING TO TAKE FOUR TIRES OF WELL. THE KEVIN HARVICK'S BACK END IS STICKING OUT. HE'S MOVING. MATT? >> Matt: JEFF GORDON, 24, FOUR-TIRE CHANGE. THE 20 OF TONY STEWART, THE 2, ALL SERVICE COMPLETE. GORDON IS FINALLY AWAY. >> Larry: I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THIS RACE MAY WELL BE WON BY WHAT JUST HAPPENED ON PIT ROAD. WE DEFINITELY HAD TEAMS ROLL THE DICE AND WENT WITH JUST TWO TIRES. I'M PRETTY SURE GREG BIFFLE IN THE 16 CAR, DOUG RICHERT, IT LOOKS LIKE HE ROLLED THE DICE HERE. PROBABLY WILL BE LESS THAN TEN LAPS TO GO. MAYBE NOT BE A BAD MOVE. >> Darrell: 26 DID TOO. >> Larry: SEVERAL CARS. >> Mike: YELEY, HAMLIN AS WELL. >> Darrell: WITH NO MORE LAPS THAN WE'VE GOT TO GO, IT'S A GREAT CALL, I THINK SO. >> Mike: THE FIGHT FOR FOURTH PLACE WAS HOTLY CONTESTED. WATCH THE 48 OF JIMMIE JOHNSON. >> Darrell: NOW THERE'S CARS ALL AROUND. THE 2 IS THERE. HE'S MOVINGG HERE. THE 38 IS LOOKING FOR WHICH WAY AM I GOING TO GO? JIMMIE JOHNSON IS LOOSE THERE, AND HE CAN'T CATCH IT. POOR BOBBY LABONTE IS ON THE OUTSIDE GOING IN TO TURN THREE AND THEY'RE HOOKED TOGETHER. >> Larry: IT'S OVER 180 MILES PER HOUR YOU'RE TURNING IN THE CORNER. >> Darrell: WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE IS TOO MANY CARS MOVING AROUND. THE 2, THE 38, AND IT GOT JIMMIE LOOSE. UNFORTUNATELY, BOBBY WAS ON THE OUTSIDE OF HIM. BOBBY ISN'T THERE, JIMMIE MAY HAVE NOT EVEN HIT THE WALL. HE MAY HAVE GONE UP AND KISSED IT. BUT WITH LABONTE THERE, YOU SEE IT. >> Mike: JOHNSON'S CAR IS NOW UNDER REPAIR ON PIT ROAD. AND LABONTE IS BEING PUSHED BACK TO THE GARAGE AREA. >> Larry: I TELL YOU WHAT -- WE HAD ABOUT 34-35 CARS ON PIT ROAD AT ONE TIME, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE 38 CARS STILL ON THE LEAD LAP. TONY STEWART, GREG ZIPADELLI, THOSE GUYS WENT WITH FOUR TIRES. THEY DROPPED THE JACK. >> Darrell: KEVIN HARVICK IS BACKING UP BECAUSE HE WENT OVER THE LINE. >> Larry: HE'S BACKING UP, BECAUSE HE COULDN'T TURN OUT BECAUSE DALE JARRETT WAS IN FRONT OF HIM. >> Darrell: I THINK HE SLID OVER THE LINE TO START WITH. THEY BACKED HIM UP, AND THEN THE 88 CAME IN FRONT OF HIM. >> Mike: MARTIN TRUEX JR., WILL GET THE FREE PASS, AND WILL BE BACK ON THE LEAD LAP. JIMMIE JOHNSON IS BACK ON TRACK. LET'S RIDE ALONG WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON AS HE HAS A WHALE OF A WRECK! [ ENGINES ROARING ] >> [ Over Radio ]: INSIDE. IN AND OUT. IN AND OUT. OUT. STAY LOW. STAY LOW. INSIDE, INSIDE. INSIDE! OUT. [ CRASH ] >> Larry: THAT'S PRETTY HARD. THEY'RE GOING TO RESTART THIS RACE BACK IN 37th POSITION, STILL ON THE LEAD LAP. >> Darrell: I TELL YOU ONE THING ABOUT HIM, IN A WRECK LIKE THAT HE HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO KEEP THE WHEELS TURNED TO THE RIGHT SO THE CAR DIDN'T COME DOWN IN ON COMING TRAFFIC. >> Mike: 11 LAPS TO GO. BOBBY LABONTE'S NIGHT IS OVER. DEJECTEDLY IN THE GARAGE, AFTER BEING CAUGHT UP IN JIMMIE JOHNSON'S CRASH. >>> THE PEPSI 400 ON "FOX" IS SPONSORED BY -- ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [ LAUGHTER ] >> Chris: ALL THE CAR EXPERT, CREW CHIEFS, CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVERS, SOMEBODY HAD TO HIT THE BREAKS. TIME FOR A VISA RACE BREAK. BORIS SAID, BY THE WAY, THE POLE-SITTER, THE LEADER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THIS RACE. WE HAVE 15 LEADERS, A NEW PEPSI 400 RECORD. QUICK RECAP OF HOW THINGS WENT. IT WAS LAP 16 WHEN JEFF BURTON, WHO WAS THE POLE-SITTER FROM THE DAYTONA 500, IN THIS RACE THE PRESSURE FROM CASEY MEARS IN THE 42 CAR BRINGS OUT THE SECOND CAUTION. MEANWHILE, TONY STEWART HAS HAD THE LEAD FIVE DIFFERENT TIMES. HERE IT WAS EARLY WHEN HE TOOK IT FROM JEFF GORDON. AND PIT ROAD GETTING OFF AND ON, IT'S BEEN CRITICAL. >> Jeff: VERY CRITICAL. A LOT OF GREEN FLAG STOPS. UNDER CAUTION, WE HAD SEVERAL SITUATIONS THAT OCCURRED. THE 1 OF MARTIN TRUEX, THE 16 OF BIFFLE GETS TOGETHER. IT HAPPENED A LOT TONIGHT. >> Chris: THE HENDRICK CARS LED THE PACK FOR A WHILE. JEFF GORDON LED 27 LAPS. BRIAN VICKERS, 13 IN THIS RACE. BEFORE THOSE RECENT ROUNDS OF PIT STOPS, FOUR TIRES, TWO TIRES, QUICK CHANGE THINGS. MOMENTS AGO, JIMMIE JOHNSON BRINGING OUT THE CAUTION HERE. EVERYBODY IS OKAY. CONNECTING LIKE A MAGNET HERE WITH BOBBY LABONTE. SO THE FOURTH CAUTION OF THIS RACE, LEAVING BORIS SAID, THE LEADER WITH TEN LAPS TO GO. THIS HAS BEEN A VISA RACE BREAK. NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES, LIFE TAKES VISA. >> Mike: DARRELL, LOOKING AT THE LAST REPLAY, THE QUESTION IS: WHY DIDN'T JIMMIE JOHNSON TURN DOWN OFF BOBBY LABONTE? >> Darrell: I DON'T THINK HE WANTED TO COME DOWN IN FRONT OF THE ON COMING TRAFFIC. I THINK HE THOUGHT THERE WERE A LOT OF CARS ON THEIR BACK BUMPER. HE KEPT THE CAR PINNED UP THERE WHERE IT WAS. >> Mike: 37 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. OUR POLE-SITTER BORIS SAID LEADING CASEY MEARS. THEY DID NOT PIT. GREG BIFFLE, ELLIOTT SADLER, JAMIE McMURRAY, YELEY, HAMLIN, GORDON, KENSETH, AND STEWART, THE TOP TEN. >> Larry: YEAH. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TALKING ABOUT HAMLIN ALL WEEK. I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE STRATEGY OF THE TOP TWO CARS. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY WERE NOT PROBABLY GOING TO GET A TOP-20 FINISH IF THEY PITTED WITH EVERYONE. JEFF GORDON WON THE BATTLE FROM THAT GROUP. >> Darrell: REMEMBER, SAW CARS COME FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT PRETTY QUICKLY. HAVING CARS IN FRONT OF YOU TO DRAFT OFF OF IS A GOOD THING. >> Mike: FOUR FRESH TIRES HERE WILL MAKE YOU A SUPERHERO. SEE WHO FLIES THROUGH THE FIELD. >> Larry: WE'RE RIDING WITH GREG BIFFLE IN THE 16 CAR, WON THE BATTLE OFF PIT ROAD. WE KNOW HE, JAMIE McMURRAY, J.J. YELEY, AND ELLIOTT SADLER, THEY HAVE TWO FRESH RIGHT-SIDE TIRES. >> Mike: FRANK'S DAUGHTER, BORIS SAID'S CREW CHIEF SAID HOW FAST DOES AN ANVIL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POND? THAT'S HOW FAST WE'LL DROP BACK AFTER THE GREEN. BUT LOOK, HERE IS BORIS SAID AFTER ALL THE ADJUSTMENTS, ROLLING THE DICE, BACK UP FRONT AGAIN. >> Larry: WHAT HE MEANT, HE KNEW WHAT THEY HAD TO DO TO ADJUST THE RACECAR TO GO UP THERE AND SIT ON THE FRONT ROW. >> [ Over Radio ]: SINGLE-FILE. TWO-BY-TWO AFTER THAT. >> Darrell: ONE THING WE KNOW ABOUT 6, HE'S PLENTY FAST ENOUGH. >> Mike: OH, YEAH. >> Darrell: I DON'T KNOW IF HE HAS A GRIP ON THE LEAD OR NOT, BUT HE'S FAST ENOUGH. >> Mike: ONE OF AMERICA'S TOP ROAD RACERS, HIS FATHER AN OLYMPIC BOBSLEDDER AND SPORTS CAR ACE. BORIS SAID LEADS AT DAYTONA WITH EIGHT LAPS TO GO. >> Darrell: WHAT HAPPENS IS HERE PRETTY SOON PANIC WILL SET IN. YOU'LL START SAYING, "I'VE GOT TO GET THERE, I'VE GOT TO GET THERE" AND YOU'LL START MAKING DUMB MOVES. >> Larry: THE GUY IN SECOND, 42 CAR OF CASEY MEARS, THAT'S A BACKUP CAR. HE WAS INVOLVED IN A PRACTICE CRASH ON THURSDAY. >> Darrell: THERE WILL BE GUYS BACK THERE WHO WILL GET REAL IMPATIENT IN A HURRY. >> Mike: 7 LAPS TO GO. STEWART DROPS TO THE INSIDE. A LITTLE CONTACT THERE. FORCES HIS WAY PAST TEAMMATE DENNY HAMLIN. AND HE STAYS ON THE BOTTOM, GOING STRAIGHT TOWARD THE FRONT! IT'S LIKE THE SEA HAS PARTED FOR TONY STEWART! >> Darrell: I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW THAT HAPPENED. >> Mike: STEWART IS UP TO SECOND. GO TO THE GARAGE WITH STEVE BYRNES. >> Steve: BOBBY LABONTE, HOW DISAPPOINTED ARE YOU WITH A GREAT CAR AND TEAM EFFORT TO BE IN THE GARAGE? >> WE'RE DISAPPOINTED. >> Larry: HERE WE GO, BOYS. >> Darrell: GOT A BIG ONE OFF OF TURN TWO, GUYS. >> Mike: WE'LL GET BACK TO BOBBY LABONTE IN A MOMENT, AS TEAMMATES MARK MARTIN AND GREG BIFFLE HAVE CRASHED. >> Darrell: ACTUALLY, IT WASN'T AS BIG AS I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE WHEN IT STARTED. THERE WERE A LOT OF CARS AROUND, BUT ONLY TWO REALLY GOT INVOLVED. >> Mike: A LOT OF RIGHT-FRONT CORNER DAMAGE. >> Darrell: THERE'S ANOTHER ONE! I DIDN'T SEE HIM. >> [ Over Radio ]: WE'VE GOT NO BRAKES. >> Mike: WOW. >> Darrell: HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS IS UNFORTUNATE. 48 ON THE LAST CAUTION, 24 ON THIS ONE. HE SAID, "NO BRAKES." >> Mike: A LOT OF SMOKE FROM CARL EDWARDS' CAR, A BIG TIRE RUB AS WELL ON THE 99. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENED HERE, DARRELL. >> Darrell: LET'S SEE. WE'RE UP IN THE MIDDLE HERE. >> Larry: BUNCH OF THREE-WIDE. >> Darrell: THE 2 -- >> Mike: THE 16 OF BIFFLE. AND GORDON COMING. >> Darrell: OH, YELEY GETS IN THE BACK OF THE 16. >> Larry: JUST CAUGHT HIM IN THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL. NOWHERE FROM MARK MARTIN TO GO. LOOK AT DENNY HAMLIN AND CLINT BOWYER BARELY GETTING BY, AS WELL AS RYAN NEWMAN. >> Darrell: IT'S SO HARD TO KNOW FOR SURE. DID YELEY GET INTO HIM BECAUSE HE RAN INTO HIM, OR DID HE CUT DOWN IN FRONT OF HIM, OR DID HE LIFT A LITTLE COMING OFF OF THAT? >> Mike: LET'S SEE IF THE AERIAL VIEW SHOWS, DOES BIFFLE TURN DOWN OR YELEY COME UP OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH? >> Darrell: I'M PRETTY SURE THAT YELEY GETS UP, RIGHT HERE. THIS CAR ON THE BOTTOM. THEN HE GETS -- NO. THE 24 COMES IN THERE. HE'S JUST IN THE POCKET WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF AIR BLOWING ON YOUR CAR. >> Larry: BOYS, I CALL IT HARD RACING WITH SIX LAPS TO GO. >> Darrell: IT WAS. I DON'T PUT ANY BLAME ON ANYBODY. YOU SEE THAT COMING AT THE END OF THIS RACE. >> Mike: THE SIMPLE EXPLANATION OF WHETHER BIFFLE TURNED DOWN OR YELEY CAME UP, THE SIMPLE EXPLANATION IS THE HOLE CLOSED UP. >> Darrell: YEAH. SEE IT FROM ANOTHER ANGLE. YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS! BIFFLE GOT LOOSE. BIFFLE'S CAR WAS GETTING LOOSE. THAT'S WHY YELEY GOT INTO HIM. >> Larry: THERE'S JUST NOWHERE FOR MARK MARTIN TO GO AT ALL IN THE 6. >> Darrell: I LOVE IT! WE GET SO MANY GREAT LOOKS. YOU FIRST SEE THIS, AND THEN YOU SEE THAT. AND THEN YOU SEE THE REAL DEAL! AND BIFFLE'S CAR JUST STEPPED OUT ON HIM. THAT'S WHY YELEY GOT INTO HIM. WATCH! IT'S HARD TO TELL FROM THIS ANGLE. BUT SEE BIFFLE'S CAR START TO GET A LITTLE LOOSE RIGHT THERE? >> Larry: DEFINITELY, YOU WOULD HAVE HAVE TO SAY J.J. YELEY WAS AT NO FAULT WHATSOEVER. >> Darrell: NO. HE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING. >> Larry: NOT AT ALL. >> Darrell: RIGHT THERE, YOU SEE IT PERFECTLY CLEAR. JEFF GORDON, AGAIN, LIKE THE 43 CAR WAS, JUST ON THE OUTSIDE OF A CAR AT THE WRONG TIME. >> Larry: AND DARRELL, THAT'S PROBABLY WHY WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE CARS THAT WERE INVOLVED I QUESTION THE FOUR TIRES THAT LATE IN THE RACE PUTS YOU THAT FAR BACK. >> [ Over Radio ]: WE GOT WRECKED OFF OF TWO, GUYS. [ TIRES SCREECHING ] >> Darrell: WELL, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIRES HE TOOK. >> Larry: HE WENT TO THE FRONT. >> Darrell: IT DIDN'T HURT HIM. >> Larry: NO, IT HAS NOT. EXACTLY RIGHT. >> Darrell: DADGUM, THAT'S A HARD LICK FOR JEFF GORDON. >> Mike: GORDON SAYING THE RIGHT FRONT WAS DONE AND HE HAD NO BRAKES. HE HAS CLIMBED OUT OF THE PEPSI DuPONT CHEVROLET. >> Darrell: AND DENNY HAMLIN, WHO IS TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE TOP TEN, JEFF KNOCKED HIM OUT LAST WEEK. HE IS SITTING THERE IN TENTH PLACE RIGHT NOW. SO THERE COULD BE A LITTLE MOVEMENT AROUND THE BOTTOM OF, AROUND THE BOTTOM TEN FOR THE CHASE. >> Mike: YOU'RE RIGHT. HAMLIN WILL MOVE BACK INTO THE TOP TEN, DISPLACING LAST WEEK'S WINNER IN CALIFORNIA -- JEFF GORDON. SORRY TO INTERRUPT BOBBY LABONTE EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM IN THE WRECK WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON. NOW LET'S GO BACK TO THE GARAGE AND STEVE. >> Steve: THANK YOU, MIKE. I APPRECIATE IT. BOBBY, HOW DISAPPOINTED ARE YOU AFTER A GREAT TEAM EFFORT TO BE IN THE GARAGE? >> STILL DISAPPOINTING SINCE THE FIRST TIME YOU TALKED TO ME A WHILE AGO. IT'S FRUSTRATING. THE GUYS IN THE CHEERIOS/BETTY CROCKER DODGE DIDN'T QUALIFY GOOD, BUT WE KNEW THURSDAY AFTERNOON WE HAD A GOOD RACECAR. WE RAN CONSISTENT, STEADY, AND DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG, WE DON'T THINK, THROUGHOUT THERE. AND THEN WE JUST GOT UP, YOU KNOW, UP THERE CLOSE TO THE WALL IN TURN THREE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED BELOW US. THE 48 CAR WAS THERE. I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE GOT INTO HIM OR HE WAS LOOSE. WE COLLECTED THE WALL AND HE COLLECTED US. THAT WAS OUR NIGHT. THE GUYS DID A GREAT JOB. THE GUYS IN THE FAB SHOP WERE GREAT. WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT THE -- WE'RE GETTING THERE. IT'S JUST STUFF LIKE THIS MAKES IT HARD ON US. >> Steve: THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THANKS, BOBBY. >> Mike: JIMMIE JOHNSON WAS DAMAGED FROM THE EARLIER CRASH, STILL ON THE LEAD LAP. THERE ARE 36 CARS ON THE LEAD LAP. YOU CAN SEE CARL EDWARDS STILL WITH PROBLEMS, AS HE COMES OUT OF THE PITS. NOW HE CAME OUT TO STAY ON THE LEAD LAP. HE'LL LIKELY COME BACK IN THE PITS NEXT TIME AROUND. >> Larry: LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE NOW. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THREE LAPS TO GO WHEN WE GET THE GREEN FLAG AS WE SEE JEFF GORDON'S CAR, THE 24 CAR BEING TOWED IN. I HONESTLY BELIEVE THAT THIS CAUTION MAY HAVE BEEN GOOD FOR BORIS SAID AND CASEY MEARS. THE REASON I SAY THAT, THAT GROUP OF CARS BEHIND THEM WERE LINED UP WITH FOUR FRESH TIRES AND THEY WERE COMING. SO, ACTUALLY, I DON'T KNOW THAT THE MOVE BY STAYING OUT BY DONNIE WINGO WILL WIN THE RACE FOR THEM, BUT IT MAY BE BUYING THEM SOME TIME. IT WILL BE A SINGLE FILE RESTART. >> Mike: DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT BORIS SAID PROMISED DICK BERGGREN HE WOULD DO IF HE WON THIS RACE? >> Darrell: HE WOULD MOW HIS -- >> Mike: SHAVE HIS HEAD. MOW IS A GOOD TERM. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Darrell: HE HAS BIG CURLY LOCKS. >> Mike: WELL, DICK BERGGREN, DO YOU HAVE THE RAZOR AND THE SHAVING CREAM READY? >> Dick: YEAH, I'M READY. I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THEY'VE ALL BEEN CHASING TONY STEWART SINCE THE CARS ARRIVED AT DAYTONA A FEW DAYS AGO. STEWART WON THE FIRST PRACTICE, QUALIFIED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRONT ROW AND HAS LARGELY DOMINATED THE RACE TONIGHT, LEADING MORE LAPS THAN ANYBODY ELSE. CURRENTLY RIDING IN SECOND SPOT. HE JUST TOLD HIS CREW HE CAN TELL THAT BORIS SAID IN FRONT OF HIM IS NERVOUS, JUST BY THE WAY HE'S DRIVING THE CAR UNDER THESE CAUTION FLAGS. SO, WILL THE RACE GO TO THE GUY THAT HAS VIRTUALLY NO RESTRICTOR-PLATE EXPERIENCE, BORIS SAID, CURRENTLY IN THE LEAD? OR TONY STEWART, THE GUY WHO HAS ALREADY WON HERE AT DAYTONA EIGHT TIMES? >> Darrell: I THINK TONY NEEDS TO PULL UP BESIDE HIM AND SEE WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THE QUARTER PANEL -- "NO FEAR." I DON'T THINK HE'S NERVOUS. HE ISN'T. THE CAR MIGHT BE. >> Mike: LAST WEEK AT INFINEON RACEWAY, DODGE 350, THOSE TWO GOT IN A SHOVING MATCH AND TONY MOVED BORIS OUT OF THE WAY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T LIKE HOW HE TREATED HIM EARLIER. >> Larry: YOU TALK ABOUT NO FEAR, THE KID IN THIRD, KYLE BUSCH IN 5. HE HAS FOUR TIRES, TOO, AND HE'S HUNGRY TO WIN A RACE. IT'S GOING TO GET EXCITING. YOU BETTER REACH UP THERE AND PULL THE BELTS TIGHT ONE MORE TIME! >> Darrell: YEAH. >> Mike: THE GREEN FLAG THIS RACE WITH THREE LAPS TO GO! [ ENGINES ROAR ] NOW, THEY WERE TELLING BORIS SAID THAT TONY STEWART WAS LAYING BACK. BUT TONY HAS TO TRY TO CATCH BORIS SAID NOW. >> Larry: IT'S BORDERLINE ON THE 38 CAR. >> Darrell: HE WAS BELOW THE YELLOW LINE >> Darrell: HE'D LIKE TO GIVE THE SPOT BACK, BUT HE CAN'T. >> Mike: BORIS SAID HAS A BIG LEAD. >> Darrell: HERE YOU GO. THIS IS WHAT IS GOOD HERE. IF THE GUYS BEHIND YOU WILL START RACING. >> Larry: I GUARANTEE YOU, TONY STEWART IN THE 20 CAR, HE KNOWS HE CAN'T GET FAR OFF THE BOTTOM, BUT HE'LL HAVE TO GO TO THE TOP IF HE WANTS TO GO AROUND BORIS SAID. BORIS PUT A BLOCK ON HIM. THERE COMES KYLE BUSCH IN THE 5 FOR THE BOTTOM. HE'LL PUSH BORIS. >> Mike: TWO TO GO. >> Darrell: HERE IS WHERE BORIS MIGHT BE A LITTLE NERVOUS. >> Mike: SAID AND STEWART, SIDE-BY-SIDE. STEWART HAS HELP! >> Larry: TWO TO GO! >> Darrell: HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE TURNING OFF INTO THE INFIELD RIGHT NOW BUT RUNNING 190 MILES PER HOUR AND CAN'T? >> Mike: SAID SLIPS TO THIRD. THE GLASS SLIPPER ALMOST IF IT! >> Darrell: LISTEN, HE HAS HIS HANDS FULL. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT. THAT CAR, WE KNOW, IS ALL OVER THE PLACE. >> Larry: BUT HERE COMES KYLE BUSCH'S BROTHER KURT BUSCH TO PUSH HIS BROTHER, THE 5 CAR, KYLE! >> Darrell: WATCH BORIS' CAR. IT WALKS UP THE RACETRACK. HE'S CHASING IT. HE DOESN'T NEED ANYTHING BEHIND HIM. >> Mike: BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER. BUT MOST BROTHERS IN RACING WOULD RATHER BEAT THEIR OWN BROTHER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. HOW ABOUT THE BUSCH BROTHERS? ? >> Darrell: IT'S ONE TO GO. >> Larry: MATT KENSETH ON THE HIGH SIDE IS GETTING HELP FROM JAMIE McMURRAY IN THE 26, HIS TEAMMATE! >> Mike: KENSETH HAS NEVER WON HERE, BUT HE'S TAKING THE LONG WAY AROUND ON THE OUTSIDE. >> Darrell: JUST REMEMBER, IT GETS REALLY TENSE COMING DOWN THE BACK RIGHT HERE. YOU START BLOCKING. >> [ Over Radio ]: TURN THREE -- CAUTION IS OUT. >> Mike: CAUTION IS OUT! WILL WE GO TO OVERTIME, OR WILL THE CHECKERED FLAG WAVE. >> Darrell: THAT'S IT. WE WERE IN THE WHITE FLAG LAP. >> Larry: WE TOOK THE WHITE FLAG. WE TOOK THE WHITE FLAG. >> Mike: THE FIELD IS FROZEN AT THE MOMENT OF CAUTION. THE YELLOW FLAG WAVES, AS THEY COME TOWARD THE FINISH LINE. TONY STEWART AND THE HOME DEPOT CHEVROLET WILL SCORE THE SECOND WIN OF 2006! AND THE 26th CAREER VICTORY FOR STEWART. >> Larry: BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT. REGARDLESS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE CAUTION LAPS THAT WERE THERE, THE RACE ENDING UNDER CAUTION, HOW ABOUT BORIS SAID? [ LAUGHTER ] SAT ON THE POLE, A TOP-FIVE FINISH, AND A GREAT CALL BY FRANK STOTER HIS CREW CHIEF. >> Darrell: DIDN'T FRANK MADE THEM WRITE A NEW RULE IN THE ALL-STAR RACE? >> Mike: YES. >> Larry: I THINK IT WILL HELP THEM SELL MORE CASES NOW. >> Mike: AND RUN MORE RACES. YOU HAVE TO HAND IT TO STEWART. STARTING THURSDAY NIGHT HERE WHEN HE THOROUGHLY DOMINATED THE INTERNATIONAL RACE OF CHAMPIONS, PUTTING ON A DRIVING CLINIC ON THE INFIELD ROAD COURSE. AND HE RAN LAST NIGHT'S BUSCH SERIES RACE. AND HERE HE IS GOING TO VICTORY LANE FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEKEND. >> Darrell: IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE MORE HE RACES, THE BETTER HE GETS. I TELL YOU, I SAW HIM GET IN THE CAR BEFORE THE RACE STARTED, WE HAD A CAMERA ON HIM. HE WAS GRIMACING GETTING IN THE RACECAR. IT'S BEEN THREE HOT NIGHTS HERE. >> Larry: WAS IT NOT A YEAR AGO THIS IS WHERE TONY STEWART STARTED CLIMBING FENCES? >> Mike: AS A MATTER OF FACT, IT WAS. >> Mike: CARL EDWARDS SPED PAST THE WHOLE PACK AT THE START/FINISH LINE AND HE'S BEEN INVITED TO A DISCUSSION WITH THE NASCAR OFFICIALS. >> Darrell: I THINK HE WAS TRYING TO GET ON THE LEAD LAP. THE FIELD IS FROZEN, SO IT WOULDN'T DO HIM ANY GOOD. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Larry: TELL YOU SOMEBODY ELSE THAT IS GOING TO ENJOY THIS NIGHT, MATT KENSETH UNOFFICIALLY FINISHES SIXTH. AND UNOFFICIALLY, THAT WILL PUT HIM WITHIN TEN POINTS OF POINTS LEADER JIMMIE JOHNSON, WHO HAD A ROUGH NIGHT IN THE 48 CAR. >> Darrell: YEAH, AND JEFF GORDON FINISHED 40th. KNOCKED HIM BACK OUT OF THE TOP TEN. >> Mike: TONY STEWART IS BECOMING THE MASTER OF PLATE RACING, RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACING AT DAYTONA AND TALLADEGA. AND I LIKE THIS -- WINDOW NET DOWN, DRIVER'S SIDE, SALUTES THE CROWD AS HE COMES TO THE FLAG STAND. >> Darrell: GIVE ME THE FLAG LIKE THEY USED TO DO ON THE DIRT TRACKS OF INDIANA. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Mike: I THINK HE MIGHT COME OUT, DARRELL. >> Darrell: IS HE? >> Mike: HE'S COMING OUT. >> Darrell: WELL, HE'S GOT A LOT OF BACKUPS TO COME AND HELP HIM. HERE COMES THE WHOLE TEAM. >> Larry: I WATCHED HIM SWING THAT HAMMER TWO WEEKS AGO AT MICHIGAN. >> Mike: THEY BUILD FENCES FOR THE SAME REASONS THERE ARE MOUNTAINS -- TO CLIMB! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Darrell: HERE HE GOES! HE'S GOING HOW HIGH IS THIS FENCE, ANYWAY? [ LAUGHTER ] >> Larry: HE DID THAT PRETTY FAST. >> Darrell: HE DID. THAT'S WHAT WINNING WILL DO FOR YOU. >> Mike: TONY STEWART CLIMBS THE FENCE AND CAPTURES THE FLAG! [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> Darrell: NICE JOB, BUDDY. "SMOKE"! >> Mike: THAT IS HIS SIGNATURE SALUTE TO THE FANS OF THIS SPORT. >> Larry: I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS THAT HE'S HAPPY ABOUT THIS. IF YOU LOOK BACK AT HIS LAST SIX RACES, HE'S ONLY HAD ONE TOP-TEN FINISH. >> Darrell: LARRY, THINK ABOUT THIS. HE'S WON FOUR OF THE LAST SIX RACES, COUNTING TONIGHT. SO, THIS IS HIS TIME, BABY. HE'S OVER IN THE CROWD! I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A GOOD IDEA OR NOT. >> Mike: HEY, THIS FELLOW IS HOT. EVERYBODY WANTS A PIECE OF TONY STEWART. >> Mike: WE'LL FIND TONY STEWART IN VICTORY LANE NE >> Chris: FIREWORKS ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND. WELCOME TO THE NEXTEL FROM SPRINT POST-RACE SHOW, THE PEPSI 400 WON BY TONY STEWART! HE LED A SERIES OF TIMES, 86 OF THE LAPS OUT OF 160. AND CHEVY CONGRATULATES TONY STEWART, AND THE 20 CAR, THE MONTE CARLO SS. ANOTHER GREAT TEAM VICTORY FOR CHEVY. 25 OF THE LAST 43 NASCAR MANUFACTURE CHAMPIONSHIPS AND COUNTING. CHEVY, AN AMERICAN REVOLUTION. CAUTION OUT WITH THREE LAPS TO GO. WITH KYLE BUSCH BEHIND HIM, TONY STEWART PASSING BORIS SAID, WHO FOUND UP FOURTH, AS TONY STEWART PULLS IN VICTORY LANE. DESCRIBING DAYTONA AS A 190-MILE-PER-HOUR TRAFFIC JAM IN A CHESS GAME WITH 43 PLAYERS. HE CALLED IT A CONSTANT JUGGLING MATCH FIGURING OUT WHERE YOU NEED TO BE, WHO YOU NEED TO GO WITH. IN THE END, HE CAPTURED A FLAG. LIKE A ROCK STAR IN A MOSH PIT, TONY MIXING IT UP WITH FOLKS AND SOME FANS. AND HIS CREW ALMOST LOOKING LIKE AN NFL TEAM HERE HELPING TO GET HIM THROUGH THE CROWD. THIS IS A GUY THAT HAD A BROKEN SHOULDER BLADE. REMEMBER, HE NEEDED A RELIEF DRIVER AT ONE STRETCH. TOUGHED IT OUT AND IS BACK IN VICTORY LANE AT THE PEPSI 400. >> Jeff: THE COACH SAID GIVE HIM THE BALL, AND THEY'VE GOT IT! >> Chris: WE HAD A RECORD 15 DIFFERENT LEADERS. 29 LEAD CHANGES. LATE, BORIS SAID HAD THE LEAD AND IT LOOKED LIKE HE MIGHT PULL IT OFF. LET'S CHECK IN WITH BORIS SAID AND MATT YOCUM. >> Matt: THE MOST POPULAR GUY ON PIT ROAD IS BORIS SAID. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU AND THE TEAM, WITH ONLY TWO RACES UNDER YOUR BELT? >> IT'S AWE SOCHL. IT SAYS SO MUCH ABOUT THE QUALITY STUFF WE HAVE. THE SOBE NO FEAR ENERGY RACING TEAM. WE HAVE GREAT SPONSORS WITH DOLLAR GENERAL COMING ON BOARD FOR A FEW RACES. FRANK DID A GREAT JOB LEADING THE GUYS. WE HAVE GREAT RESOURCES AT THE SHOP. THE GUYS THAT PUT THIS ON AT ROUSH RACING, THEY'RE THE HEROES IN THIS. >> Matt: WHAT ABOUT THE DRIVER? YOU HAD A HECK OF A DRIVE! >> I HELD IT WIDE OPEN IN THE LAST COUPLE LAPS. ANYONE COULD HAVE DONE THAT IN THIS CAR. THE ENGINE IS AWESOME. I APPRECIATE IT FROM ROBERT YATES. IT'S THE BEST EQUIPMENT I'VE EVER BEEN IN AND THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY RACING CAREER. I FEEL LIKE ROCKY BALBOA IN THE 15th ROUND AND I FEEL LIKE I WON. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MOMENTUM AND GET THE FANS BACK FOR THE SOBE NO FEAR, AND STOP BUYING THE RED BELL AND THE OTHER BRANDS. HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET MORE RACES. >> Dick: AND TONY STEWART FINALLY ARRIVED IN VICTORY LANE, BUT HE'S STILL TRYING TO CATCH HIS BREATH IN VICTORY LANE. IS IT TOUGHER TO DRIVE THE CAR -- ALL RIGHT. HE'S COMING ON OUT. COME ON OUT, TONY. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] HE HAS AN EXTENDED CELEBRATION TONIGHT. WHY NOT AFTER WHAT HE HAS DONE. ALL RIGHT, MY FRIEND. WAS IT HARDER TO DRIVE THE CAR TO WIN THE RACE, OR WAS IT HARDER TO CLIMB THAT FENCE? >> IT'S HARDER TO CLIMB THE FENCE! I THOUGHT MAYBE I SHOULD LET SOMEONE ELSE GO AROUND HERE AND LET THEM CLIMB IT THIS TIME. I CAN'T DO THAT, THOUGH. I'M SO PROUD OF ALL THESE GUYS. THESE GUYS ARE THE ONES WHO MADE IT HAPPEN. IT'S NOT ME. WE GO TO THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACES, AND IT'S GREG ZIPADELLI AND EVERYONE ON THE HOME DEPOT TEAM. THEY GO A GOOD JOB. THE HOME DEPOT SUPPORTS US 100%, AND COCA-COLA, AND JUST EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH THIS. THEY'VE DONE SUCH A GOOD JOB. IT'S BEEN A LONG WEEKEND. IT'S BEEN A LONG HOT WEEKEND. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET OUT OF HERE. >> Dick: A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR AGO, YOU WERE HARDLY A FAN FAVORITE. THEN YOU WON THE PEPSI 400 HERE AT DAYTONA, CLIMBED THE FENCE, WENT ON TO WIN MORE RACES AND A CHAMPIONSHIP. AND NOW THE FANS LOVE TONY STEWART. HOW BIG IS THAT FOR YOU? >> IT'S COOL. THEY MAY CALL THIS THE PEPSI 400, BUT COCA-COLA STILL TASTES A HELL OF A LOT BETTER. I'LL DRINK IT THE REST OF MY LIFE WHETHER I'M SPONSORED BY THEM OR NOT. ALWAYS, HAVE AND ALWAYS. WILL THAT'S THE BEST THING IN THE WORLD CLIMBING UP THE FENCE. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT SHIRT OR HAT THEY HAVE ON. THEY ALL CHEER. I MADE A MISTAKE OF GOING DOWN THE LADDER. I THOUGHT THERE WAS A GATE. I WAS IN THE MOSH PIT FOR A WHILE. I'M SURE I'M NOT CUT OUT FOR PUNK ROCK BANDS ANYTIME SOON. IT'S AWE SOCHL. THIS TEAM NEEDED THIS. WE HAD TWO ROUGH WEEKS THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS WITH MICHIGAN AND SONOMA. IT'S NICE TO FINISH THIS ONE OFF HERE. >> Dick: CONGRATULATIONS. STEVE? >> Steve: THANK YOU, DICK. JEFF GORDON COMING OFF A GREAT WIN AT THE ROAD COURSE AT SONOMA. WHAT UNFOLDED IN FRONT OF YOU TONIGHT, JEFF? >> WE HAD GUYS OUT THERE WITH NO TIRES, SOME TWO, SOME FOUR. WE HAD SOME GUYS POOR AND OTHERS HANDLING GREAT. MY GUYS DID AN AWESOME JOB TONIGHT IN THE PITS. AND GETTING THE CAR DIALED IN. WE WEREN'T GREAT YESTERDAY. WE WORKED OUR WAY UP AND IT WAS DICEY AND CRAZY. THE 8 TEAM WAS OUT IN THE MIDDLE, AND THE 16 WAS GOING AROUND HIM AND HE TURNED DOWN ON ME. THERE WERE SO MANY GUYS OUT THERE, AND I WANT TO BAD MOUTH EVERY ONE OF THEM, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO. BECAUSE IF I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, I SHOULDN'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL. BUT IF IT WAS UNFORTUNATE WE GOT CAUGHT IN IT, BECAUSE THE DuPONT PEPSI SUPERMAN RETURN CHEVROLET WAS AWESOME TONIGHT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAD A SHOT AT TONY, BUT WE HAD A SHOT AT THE TOP FOUR. IT WAS CUT SHORT BY GUYS BEING STUPID. >> Steve: THANK YOU, STEVE. >> Chris: THE SODA WAR IS ON. TONY IN THE PRE-RACE SHOW IN THE HOLLYWOOD HOTEL, HE SAID YOU HAD TO CLIMB THE FENCE THE NEXT TIME HE PULLED INTO VICTORY LANE. WE'LL WAIT FOR YOU. >> Darrell: YEAH, RIGHT. >> Mike: THAT'S RIGHT! >> Darrell: MAYBE NEXT YEAR. MAYBE NEXT YEAR. >> Mike: JEFF GORDON FALLS TO 12th IN THE POINTS AND DROPS FOUR SPOTS. TONY STEWART CLIMBS TWO WITH HIS VICTORY TONIGHT. AND BORIS SAID GETS TO PLAY THAT C.N.S.Y. TUNE "ALMOST CUT MY HAIR." >> Darrell: LAST WEEK WE SAW A GUTSY CALL BY A CREW CHIEF, PHILIPPE LOPEZ AND GOT HIS MAN A THIRD-PLACE FINISH. TONIGHT, ANOTHER GUTSY CALL GOT HIS MAN A FOURTH PLACE FINISH. YOU CREW CHIEFS SOMETIMES EARN YOUR MONEY, YOU KNOW IT? >> Larry: YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT FRANK STOTER AND DONNIE WINGO WITH CASEY MEARS. MEARS WAS IN A BACKUP CAR. HE MADE THE CALL AS WELL. AT THE TOP OF THE SHOW, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PIT CREWS AND THE TEAMS. LOOK AT KURT BUSCH THAT FINISHED THIRD. THAT GROUP CHANGED A BATTERY. ELLIOTT SADLER'S GROUP, MATT KENSETH'S GROUP HAD PROBLEMS ON PIT ROAD AND ALL OF THE CARS REBOUNDED FOR TOP TEN FINISHES. >> Darrell: THE RACE WENT JUST LIKE YOU EXPECTED. STARTED OFF CRAZY, SETTLED DOWN AND ENDED A LITTLE CRAZY. >> Mike: LET'S HAVE A LOOK AT THE NEXTEL CUP STANDINGS, AS WE MOVE INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON -- MATT KENSETH WITHIN 13 OF JIMMIE JOHNSON. DALE EARNHARDT JR., KASEY KAHNE, TONY UP TO FIFTH. KYLE BUSCH POPS UP INTO EIGHTH PLACE IN THE POINTS FROM 12th. KEVIN HARVICK STAYS. DENNY HAMLIN ADDS INTO A CROWDED FIGHT FOR THE TOP TEN, AS WE HEAD TOWARD THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP. CHRIS MYERS? >> Chris: ALL RIGHT, MIKE, LARRY, DARRELL. NICE WORKING WITH YOU THROUGHOUT THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT EIGHT DAYTONA 500s. IT WILL BE A GOOD YEAR FOR YEARS TO COME. OUR AERIAL COVERAGE BROUGHT TO YOU BY GOODYEAR EAGLE TIRES, WITH CARBON FIBER TECHNOLOGY, FOR ENHANCED HANDLING AND PERFORMANCES. FIREWORKS A LITTLE EARLY ON JULY 1. BUT CELEBRATING THE FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND. WELL, JEFF, HE'S A TWO-TIME CHAMP. YOU EXPECT TONY STEWART WHEN WE LIST THE RESTRICTOR-PLATE RACERS AND PEOPLE VOTED ON THEM, WE DIDN'T HAVE HIS NAME ON THE LIST. I THINK WE HAVE TO INCLUDE HIM. >> Jeff: YOU BETTER. HE OBVIOUSLY HAS IT FIGURED OUT WELL. HE'S BEEN STRONG AT DAYTONA IN FEBRUARY. AGAIN, HE WON THIS RACE A YEAR AGO. BUT HE CAME BACK TONIGHT. THIS CAR, I MEAN, RIGHT THERE AT THE END, THEY CAME IN AND GREG ZIPADELLI PUT FOUR TIRES ON THIS RACECAR. A LOT OF CARS STAYED OUT, SOME PUT ON TWO. IN THE END, A GOOD-HANDLING RACECAR, HE DOVE TO THE BOTTOM AND HELD OFF THE FIELD. >> Chris: JEFF GORDON SAID HE DIDN'T THINK HE HAD THE CAR TO WIN IT. WHAT ABOUT DALE EARNHARDT JR.? >> Jeff: THEY'RE STRUGGLING. THE CAR DIDN'T WORK AS WELL AS IT DID LAST NIGHT. THE HANDLEK PACKAGE WASN'T -- HANDLING PACKAGE WASN'T THERE TONIGHT ON THE 8 CAR, BUT HE GOT A TOP-15 FINISH AND HE MOVED UP TO THIRD. IT WASN'T TOTALLY A DISASTROUS NIGHT, BUT THEY HAVE WORK TO DO. >> Chris: DALE EARNHARDT JR. WOUND UP 13th. AND JEFF GORDON GOT BUMPED OUT OF THE TOP TEN, AS THE CHASE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP INCHES CLOSER. TONY STEWART, HIS SECOND STRAIGHT PEPSI 400 WIN. AND PROMOTIONAL CONSIDERATION PROVIDED BY THESE FINE PEOPLE -- TONY STEWART, THE WINNER. KYLE BUSCH AND KURT BUSCH WINDING UP SECOND AND THIRD. "FOX," THE HOME OF THE NEXT EIGHT DAYTONA 500 RACES. UNTIL THEN, ENJOY MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL AND THE NFL. I'M CHRIS MYERS. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING NASCAR ON "FOX." CAPTIONING BY CAPTIONMAX WWW.CaptionMax.COM ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

Channel: Dave W

Views: 9,056

Keywords:

Id: NuOMTONqKiQ

Length: 161min 18sec (9678 seconds)

Published: Sun Feb 28 2021