| | Heading into a number of races during the season I like to pinpoint a driver, maybe two, okay sometimes three, that I think will be part of an interesting story during the ensuing race. This week, as the Winston Cup series prepares to take the green flag on the road course at Watkins Glen, I have decided to focus on five drivers that I believe could be a part of the story on this particular Sunday.
This is the 21st race of the season, nothing significant about that, except that it comes right after the 20th race of the season, and that was something significant about that! The Brickyard 400 is a landmark on the schedule. Teams think about it, drivers talk about it, fans focus on it -- from the start of the season.
|  | | Bobby Labonte has just one top-five finish at the Glen back in 1996. |
This year, the Brickyard 400 should be remembered for a few reasons ... all of them involving current point leader Bobby Labonte.
First of all, at Pocono two weeks prior to the Brickyard, Matt Yocum reported on NASCAR 2Day that the 18 team of Labonte, crew chief Jimmy Makar and car chief Butch Hylton (like the hotel only spelled funny) had all made the decision that it was time to start winning races. Easier said than done. But when you're in the position that this group was in, you have to back up words with actions.
Labonte's only previous win this season came at Rockingham in February, and while he's been leading the points, a couple of former champs have been knocking on his bumper. Going into Indianapolis, Labonte had led the points for 10 straight races and he had been the point leader following 16 of the 19 races this season. That's very impressive.
But, by reputation, the Interstate Batteries bunch was not the most consistent performer. So, I always felt there was a feeling floating around the garage that you if you wanted to win the Winston Cup championship you didn't have to catch the 18 car, it would come back to you.
At Indianapolis, the team sent a message; "Catch us if you can."
As the point leader, on perhaps the biggest stage, at the beginning of August with everyone watching, the Interstate bunch beat the field, took home the trophy and sent everyone else home talking about how strong Labonte was at Indy, about how the 18 team showed up when the heat was on, about how the Jeff Chandler led pit crew was awesome, about how Labonte joins Gordon, Earnhardt, Jarrett and Rudd as the only guys with doors that have won at Indianapolis.
Now Labonte goes to Watkins Glen. Bobby Labonte is a talented driver with great equipment, but a road racing legend he is not. But, he does not have to be. Watkins Glen isn't a road race for Labonte, it's a road test, all he has to do is survive, get a solid finish. Top 15 would be good. Top 10 would be excellent. Anything above that, I want the post-race interview.
One year ago Labonte wrecked before qualifying even got under way. Then he wrecked again during the race but still finished. Labonte doesn't like to look at the points after every race, but I bet he'll check them out after this one.
Dale Earnhardt has never won at Watkins Glen. In fact, he has 46 road course starts, and just one win, at Sears Point. He's good on the road courses, but never considered the guy to beat. He took a hit at Pocono, and despite being the fastest guy in practice on Thursday at Indianapolis, never emerged as a threat in the race.
Earnhardt has had he moments at the Glen, (remember: "It hurts so good"?). What he would like this weekend is a moment in Victory Lane that feels so good. The team tested at the Glen and it didn't go well. They are hoping it was horsepower. Come Sunday, we should be able to hear the results right from the horse's mouth.
Rusty Wallace thought he was going to be the next man to win at Indianapolis, only Bobby Labonte stopped him. In the pre-race coverage at Indy, I said on the ABC telecast that Rusty is the Rodney Dangerfield of the Winston Cup series this season, No Respect! And that's despite the fact he has two wins this season and has led more races than Cole Trickle.
Rusty has fessed-up that he and Robin Pemberton have botched a few calls on pit road this season, but they made the right call at Pocono to reach Victory Lane, and then made all the right moves at Indianapolis, only to finish second.
Wallace does have the reputation as a strong road course racer, because he is. Wallace has six wins in 35 career starts on the road.
Last year at the Glen he set the track record in qualifying and finished third in the race. But his last win on a road course was at Sears Point in 1996 and that was his only win on a road course in the 90's. This year, he won the pole at Sears Point but had a lousy run in the race. He would like to avenge that California day at the Glen.
Mark Martin has finished 43rd in the last two races. Need we say more?
He was the last guy to win a road course race whose name isn't Jeff Gordon. Martin is good on the road courses -- four wins in 27 starts. But he is also good on tracks like Pocono and Indianapolis, and that hasn't done a lot for him the last few weeks.
Mark doesn't get mad. He gets even. I know it's a cliché but I'm entitle to a couple every now and then. Martin is entitled to a good finish now and then, the emphasis would be on now.
Oh yeah, and about that guy named Gordon. Before Sears Point he said: "You know we're in trouble if we don't run good on a road course." He won. And that would now be six straight road course wins in a row. This weekend, Gordon goes after number seven.
Gordon, his team and his fans were disappointed at Indy. He admitted they struggled in practice and qualifying but still had high hopes for the race. Those hopes were dashed early. I still like Gordon's chances in every race from here on out.
And if you want to talk about the bad finishes Gordon has endured this season, you would also have to talk to Labonte, Earnhardt, Wallace and Martin about their bad finishes, and their bad luck.
Now luck is always a factor at a road course. It's like 43 people trying to race for the same parking spot at the mall, nobody gives and inch and even if you're trying to avoid one guy, somebody else whacks you in the door, spins you around, and the next thing you know you're stuck in a sand pit. It's a new wave mall.
Bad luck will bite someone in the rear bumper on Sunday. As for Gordon, he's hoping for lucky Number 7. | |
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