Buzzmaster

  (1:21 PM)

Andy Petree will be here at 1:30 p.m. ET to take your questions!

Buzzmaster

  (1:28 PM)

Andy is here!

Ted (New Jersey)

How hot is Kyle Busch right now?

Andy Petree

  (1:29 PM)

He is red hot! He started off last year hot and this year is even hotter. I think he's won five races in 12 attempts. '09 could be all about Kyle Busch.

Wes (Idaho)

Any dangers Kyle Busch has another repeat of last season? Is scorching hot during the pre-Chase, but then falls apart in the chase?

Andy Petree

  (1:30 PM)

Yeah, there's a chance of that. But I think Kyle learned about that. I think that's one thing he's keenly aware of. They're going to really focus on that. He learned a lot last year that will help him this year.

Jake (Philly)

Will Kyle's double dosing on Nationwide and Sprint Cup circuits hurt him later in the season?

Andy Petree

  (1:31 PM)

I don't think so. I think these guys that race Saturday and Sunday, there's more to gain then lose. I think that will pay off for him all year. His physical fitness looks like he's in as good of shape as anyone on the track.

Neal (Washington)

Where's Jeff Gordon?

Andy Petree

  (1:31 PM)

Look on top of the points standings. That's where you'll find him. I picked him to win in Bristol. He still finished in the top 5. His wins will come.

TJ (Kentucky)

Do you think Kyle Busch enjoys being NASCAR's bad guy?

Andy Petree

  (1:32 PM)

I don't think it bothers him to be called a bad guy. He didn't set out to be that. He has his own style. He's focused on winning. He's not focused on being popular.

Paulie, new jersey

do the drivers pay attention to the NCAA tournament?

Andy Petree

  (1:33 PM)

Yeah. I know some of them do. some of the drivers are nothing but racing. I talked to some and Dale Jarrett is one of them that pay attention to the NCAA tournament. Jeff Burton is another one that comes to mind.

Kyle (Kansas)

How do the drivers matchup in Martinsville?

Andy Petree

  (1:34 PM)

The one I'm picking to win is Hamlin. He seems to have that short track knack. We saw that this week at Bristol. Look for Jeff Gordon to be strong also.

Steiny (NYC)

Is Jimmie Johnson satisfied with third place?

Andy Petree

  (1:35 PM)

No! He's never satisfied with third. They had a little hiccup in the pits. But they had a car that was capable of winning. But he's never satisfied with not winning.

Ian (New Jersey)

How good are Jimmie Johnson's chances of four-peating?

Andy Petree

  (1:35 PM)

I think they're good. Eventually these other teams get tired of losing. Somebody's going to step up and beat him.

Dale (Louisville)

Who 's a dark horse?

Andy Petree

  (1:36 PM)

It's hard to pick a dark horse for a short track race. There are so many that are good on the short tracks. But let's give it to Marcos Ambrose. He should be a dark horse to watch. Not too sure about winning.

Steiny (NYC)

What were your thoughts on Marcos Ambrose's day yesterday?

Andy Petree

  (1:37 PM)

Marcos just continues to surprise me and impress me in the Cup series. He had a good career going in the Nationwide series. Nothing showed me that he would be as competitive in the Cup series. He has really excelled and surprised me in the Cup series.

Mark (Orlando)

Jeff Gordon seems to be driving at a different level this year. He seems to have much more confidence. Will this be his year?

Andy Petree

  (1:38 PM)

Definitely could be. You see him at the top of the points standings right now. It still comes down to those last 12 races. This definitely could be his year. You're talking about somebody stepping up against Jimmie Johnson, it could be him.

Robert (Louisville)

kyle two wins and only 4th?

Andy Petree

  (1:40 PM)

Well, the points are structured to reward consistency. The wins do give the most points. But if you don't finish up in the top 5, you're not rewarded. The points system has been what it's been. Until NASCAR pust more points on winning, you have to be consistent.

Ricky (Fort Worth)

Texas on the clock in 13 days! For the go-or-go-homers, what's the challenge of qualifying at that place?

Andy Petree

  (1:40 PM)

Wooh! The biggest challenge at Texas is speed. Trying to stay in the throttle as long as possible. You have to have some guts too. The car has to handle. But when it comes to qualifying, you have to be willing to lay it on the line.

KK, Sacto

So the road race in Sonoma is drawing ever closer. Without testing, what do you expect to see out here when the road cars show up?

Andy Petree

  (1:41 PM)

Well, I expect to see the usual suspects up front. Robby Gordon, Jeff Gordon, Busch, Ambrose. I can't wait for the road courses. I love those races.

Marvin, Denver

Martinsville is a strange track, but what is the goofiest, or most different, NASCAR races on?

Andy Petree

  (1:42 PM)

Martinsville might be the one. The average speed there is so slow compared to what these cars are capable of. It's flat, short and the turns are the sharpest on the circuit.

Ryan (VT)

We had an off week a couple of weeks ago and then another in a couple of weeks? Too much?

Andy Petree

  (1:43 PM)

It depends on where you're coming from. If you're a fan, you probably want to see a race every week. If you're on the team, you'll take a week off whenever they come. But it's tough on the crews to race 15-17 races at the end of the season.

pj tx [via mobile]

i am big dale jr fan but i liked what i heard out of him yesterday he stayed composed all day but why cant the crew keep the car up with the changes

Andy Petree

  (1:44 PM)

It's really hard to separate driver from car and crew. It's a combination. Everyone is interacting with everyone. As a team, they're not able to get the results they're lookign for. There are some things that need to be addressed within the team. Everyone expects more out of Junior then what we're seeing.

Jeff (East Bay, CA)

Newman running in contention all day...indicative of things to come, or a fluke?

Andy Petree

  (1:45 PM)

I think it's a sign of things to come. I've been impressed with Tony Stewart's team with what they've been able to do off the bat. I'm doing some Fantasy NASCAR and I had Newman on my team this week. I believe in him. I think Stewart has something going on over there.

Ian (New Jersey)

Will Dale Jr. Be able to pull himself up in the standings and possibly be a championship contender by the end of the year?

Andy Petree

  (1:46 PM)

He can. He still has a big mountain to climb. I would say the chances are 50-50 of him making the chase.

Buzz (Pompano Beach)

So how much do you race these days? You looked pretty good on Saturday night! How did it fell to win the the Special?

Andy Petree

  (1:47 PM)

It felt great. I don't get to race near enough. That's the first time I've raced in a couple of years. It felt great. I'd love to do it some more.

TJ (Austin, TX)

which team has it together the most overall?

Andy Petree

  (1:48 PM)

Jimmie Johnson's team with Chad. They seem to pay attention to all the details. I know Kyle Busch has been winning, but I don't know of one area that Jimmie's not 1 or 2 in. That's the 48 team.

Andy Petree

  (1:48 PM)

Thanks for logging on and all the great questions!