Top Row Seat - Rain In Talladega
Dateline: 04/29/97Rained Out
Mother Nature won the battle this weekend for the first time since a blizzard hit Atlanta back in 1993. NASCAR has had to start races late and sometimes stop them early but for the most part race fans get to see the event more or less on time.
Facts
It was announced this week that Joe Gibbs is going to add Tony Stewart to his NASCAR team for a handful of events this season and for the full season next year. Multi-car teams are the future of NASCAR. In order to be competitive you need those extra test days and that extra racing data. The real key here is how well Bobby Labonte and Tony Stewart can get along. And how quickly everyone on the team can adapt to the changes.
Jack Rousch added Jeff Burton to his stable for the 1996 season and Mark Martin and Ted Musgrave had poor seasons during the adjustment. However, now that team has had a full season to adjust to it's new chemistry things appear to be running better. Let's hope Gibbs and his team can make the adjustment more smoothly.
Rumors
The rumor about Ernie Irvan being replaced in the #28 car just will not go away. I've heard Sterling Marlin, Johnny Benson and Mark Martin all listed as the new driver. As I told you last week Robert Yates Racing has officially denied that there will be any changes but this rumor just isn't fading. If anybody has any insight into this situation please send me e-mail.
One new rumor from this weekend is that Rusty Wallace will be getting a teammate in 1998. This one is pretty easy to believe. The only real questions here are who would be the driver and who would be the sponsor. I've got a great idea! Give the new driver Miller Lite and get Kleenex to sponsor Rusty. I'm just joking. Rusty has been much better about the whining lately. In fact, I don't recall hearing him whine about anything this year.
Predictions
This week predictions are easier because there are only a handful of guys who can drive the road courses. Wally Dallenbach will be a factor in the race. He's got a road racing background and his team went out to Sears Point and tested a few weeks ago. They've got the edge if his equipment and his crew can hold up their end. Other road racers to consider include, Mark Martin, Rusty Wallace, Ricky Rudd, Terry Labonte, and Dale Earnhardt.
Go Fast, Turn Left (and Right), Stay Safe!
Send your tips, rumors and stories to me at nascar.guide@miningco.com.
