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April 24, 2007

Back to the Future
Making the Grade-Phoenix Spring Events
By Dennis Michelsen
The great Car of Tomorrow experiment is three races in and we have had three pretty good finishes. Drivers might whine about how poorly this contraption drives and fans might bitch about it not looking like the NASCAR type car they are used to seeing. But the proof is in the results and we have had some good races with these cars. Hendrick Motorsports proved that their dominance with the new design might even bring that elusive "Drive for Five" championship to Jeff Gordon.

Busch Race-Phoenix International Raceway

1. Clint Bowyer
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Jeff Burton
4. Denny Hamlin
5. Carl Edwards
6. Greg Biffle
7. Casey Mears
8. Regan Smith
9. Kevin Harvick
10. Dave Blaney

F for Kyle Busch
If this kid ever learned something called patience he would be a champion! Kyle overdrove his car and took out Ryan Newman and others in a wreck with over 100 laps to go. At least he only took out fellow Cup drivers moonlighting in the Busch series and not teams on an ultra tight budget this time around.

D for Andy Petree
After a wreck Petree threw David Ragan under the bus with his comments about Ragan not slowing down fast enough and getting into Casey Mears. A former crew chief and team owner should have realized that perhaps there was a brake issue on Ragan's car after such a crash!

C for DJ Kennington
Twenty-seventh place might not seem like much, but this was only DJ's second Busch start ever and he was in the top ten among the Busch guys. This is the kind of driver whose career is being derailed by having so many Cup guys racing Busch races.

B for Regan Smith
Gets the nod by being the best in class among the Busch regulars that are not racing full time in Nextel Cup. His 8th place finish shows that he has the talent to eventually step into a Ginn Racing Cup car with a little more seat time.

A for Clint Bowyer
It had been almost a month since he raced in the Busch series but he sure didn't get rusty in these cars! Clint Bowyer put on an impressive show winning the Bashas' Supermarket 300!

Nextel Cup- Phoenix International Raceway

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Tony Stewart
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Jeff Green
7. Kyle Busch
8. Bobby Labonte
9. Johnny Sauter
10. Kevin Harvick

F for Ryan Newman's Pit Crew
Did the Keystone Cops train these guys? Ryan Newman was on his way to his best finish of the season when the car was on pit road as the caution flag flew. Someone made the decision to send Ryan out of the pits before they had a chance to change the left side tires. Instead of finishing in the top 10 the team finished 38th!

D for Juan Pablo Montoya
There is a time to race hard and a time to race smart. On Saturday night Montoya crossed that line when he slammed into Paul Menard on a restart attempting to go three wide while a lap down. This could have taken out some strong cars.

C for Joe Nemechek
Joe Nemechek managed to grab a 16th place finish at Phoenix. This team needs to pick up the pace just a bit to get Ginn Racing established as one of the upper notch teams.

B for Haas Racing
Yes they are riding the coat tails of Hendrick Motorsports but it still is an accomplishment to have two cars finish in the top ten. Just how impressive is that? Roush Racing only had one car in the top ten at Phoenix while Haas was two for two.

A for Jeff Gordon
In racing sometimes it is better to be lucky than good. But if you can be lucky AND good that is even better! Unlike Ryan Newman's crew, the Dupont crew used a well-timed caution flag to their advantage. Jeff has had the best average finish in the new Car of Tomorrow design. Jeff also gets extra credit for honoring Big E.

Tuesday on Race Talk Radio
www.RACETALKRADIO.com
8 pm Eastern-ASALMS Radio and Down on the Farm-Each week the best in minor league racing is profiled including the news from the cars and stars of the ASA Late Model Series. Host Dennis Michelsen interviews the drivers, series promoters, and others making news at local short tracks all over the country.

This Week's Guests
Matt Prieur-The Voice of the ASA Late Model Series
Cody Smith-ASALMS Driver of the Week
Alan Dietz-Review of the UARA Race at Kenly, NC
Caylie Duncanson-Future Stars in Racing Driver

9pm Eastern-Inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series-Host Mike Harper brings you the news from inside the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Since 1953 the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) has featured some of the best stockcar racing in the country! Meet the drivers making news in the ARCA RE/MAX series every Tuesday night.

This Week's Guests
Cale Gale-ARCA and NASCAR Busch Series driver
Chris Knight-Our ARCA Insider from Catchfence.com