Raceday | Can Johnson be stopped at Martinsville?
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. Jimmie Johnson has won five of the last six races at Martinsville but stumbled in qualifying and will start 15th. Is that enough to open the door to his Hendrick Motorsports teammates Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon to gain ground on the points leader?
2. Speaking of Gordon, he leads all active drivers with seven wins at Martinsville, his last coming in the 2005 season when he swept both races. In 22 career starts at the short track, Gordon has an average finish of 6.8.
3. Ryan Newman hasn't visited Victory Lane yet this season like his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Tony Stewart. Today could be a good opportunity. Newman starts on the pole and was fast in the only practice session of the weekend.
OBSERVATIONS
Cool idea by the folks at Tums to name the fans in attendance as the grand marshals and official starters of the race. Each fan will be given a green flag to officially start the race while fans will also give the "Gentlemen, start your engines" command.
It's a sad step back in this sport when a columnist for ESPN.com bemoans the lack of "danger" in NASCAR today – the same media member who launched a crusade over driver safety in the wake of the death of the late Dale Earnhardt. If you seriously believe the cars are too safe as to take away the appeal of the sport, then by all means volunteer to drive one.
Former driver-turned-commentator Jimmy Spencer contends the economy has "absolutely nothing" to do with any downturn in attendance at NASCAR events. Just another example of those detached from the real world totally oblivious to what's going on around them.
JUST THE FACTS
Tums 500
Where: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
Track type: .526-mile, flat concrete oval.
Race distance: 500 laps or 263 miles.
When: Green flag is 1:43 p.m.
Weather: Sunny with a high near 70.
TV: Coverage begins at noon on ABC.
Radio: Motor Racing Network
OBSERVER PICK BY JIM UTTER
Who's the King of Martinsville – Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson? Recent history says Johnson. But I'm going in a different direction this week. Winner: Jeff Gordon
NOTES
Sadler ready for early start to 2010
Elliott Sadler said he looks at the opportunity to drive a Ford in next weekend's race at Talladega, Ala., as a chance to get a jumpstart on the 2010 season.
Although the proposed merger is not yet official between Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing, Sadler's No. 19 RPM team – which has been a Dodge all season – is getting a head start by driving a Ford next weekend.
"I think it's a good thing. We have two different entities here. Let's not wait until Daytona to be working together for the first time at the race track," Sadler said Saturday.
Sadler said there were numerous differences between the cars – particularly in the area of the engines. "Doing this race gives my team the opportunity to spend a weekend with this car and get familiar with it," he said.
Sadler was selected at least in part because of his previous relationship with Yates. He drove four seasons with Robert Yates Racing.
"I've driven Doug's stuff. I understand what he wants from a driver," Sadler said. "I think this will help answer a lot of questions."
Edwards trying to stay positive
Coming off his worst performance of the season and still without a victory, Carl Edwards is trying to remain positive about his No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing team.
"I have to personally not get down because we're not performing at the level I know we can.I think it's just human nature that you want to start finding the weaknesses and everything," said Edwards, who finished 39th last week at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
"Bob (Osborne, crew chief) and I's relationship is good and it's good because we respect one another as people.It's been successful and I think that's what keeps us going the same direction."
Edwards said he doesn't believe the driver-crew chief relationship is the reason for the drop in performance this year. Edwards won nine races and finished second in the series standings last season.
"What is fleeting is on-track performance.For us it has come and gone and that's difficult," he said. "That's difficult on everybody."
The Charlotte Observer is pleased to be able to offer its users the opportunity to make comments and hold conversations online. However, the interactive nature of the internet makes it impracticable for our staff to monitor each and every posting.
Since charlotteobserver.com does not control user submitted statements, we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted on our website. In addition, we remind anyone interested in making an online comment that responsibility for statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not The Charlotte Observer.
If you find a comment offensive, clicking on the exclamation icon will flag the comment for review by the administrators, we are counting on the good judgment of all our readers to help us.
@Nyx.CommentBody@