Nascar and Racing Atlanta

If so, call the Dekalb County Sherriff's. And then email us at the FanHouse -- that's one heckuva story!

It could happen soon in the Atlanta area as one of Matt Kenseth's show cars was stolen from a Hampton Inn there Wednesday morning. The show cars are retired machines that are used for promotional purposes.

It wasn't like the car was parked by itself in the parking lot, but rather, in a Ford F-350 pickup coupled with a Featherlite trailer with the car inside was stolen as well. The thief realized quickly that the large 17 and other sponsorship on the side of the hauler could be a little too easy to spot -- so they unloaded the car and left with it.

I'd imagine that Kenseth's car -- or a former car now that it's a show car -- was loaded on to a waiting trailer and has left town.

But how freakin' weird would it be to say, be heading down the Dan Ryan tomorrow morning and get passed by a Nextel Cup Ford Fusion? I'd like to see someone try to race that 800hp beast. Back down, BMW!

I'd have to say the race car at this point is valued at about $70,000 because it's not been through a wind tunnel in a while or raced. Roush Fenway Racing has to be happy that the truck and trailer came back -- after all, they ain't too cheap either.

So race fans, if you think Matt Kenseth just blew your doors off on I-85 this morning, it wasn't him. Give the guy a break and call up Dekalb County at (770) 724-7650.

Tony Stewart wants to make sure everyone knows that he did not flip Jimmie Johnson the bird in Atlanta:

Stewart:

"I didn't shoot him off. I got my fist out there, and that's just the heat of the battle. When it was over it was over and by the time we got to the airport, I'd calmed down. That shows you just how much we both want to win. Jimmie and I are really good friends, and I'd rather be mad at him than any of the other guys, so like I said, it was either go ahead and push the issue and both of us crash or back off and end up second."

The two appeared on each other's satellite radio shows this week to clear the air after rubbin' bumpers in Atlanta last week.

Johnson:

"It's funny, I called him, and you know how he is with his damn phone, he doesn't ever answer. I texted him, went through the whole routine, and he wouldn't call me back. Then he said, 'Come on my show and we'll talk about it.' Once he had me come onto his radio show I figured everything was fine. We talked on his show, and he came on my show the following day and it was fine."

Rats. I missed the makeup session. I was hoping to see 'em do some more "talking" in Thunder Valley tomorrow.

Reason #2,664: Beer bongs are allowed (or at least not discouraged) in the stands.

(As witnessed in this video taken last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.)
Now what other sport can claim that?

Tony Stewart: "It Got Awful Crowded There Off of Turn Two"

That's a nice way of saying defending Nextel Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson forced him into the wall late in the race.

Johnson: "Sorry."

That was quite a race to the finish. Stewart raced Johnson clean and he sure wasn't returned the favor.

But the real rubbin' happened earlier in the race on lap 233 between Greg Biffle and David Reutimann. Their collision collected Brian Vickers and Kasey Kahne, ruining their days, too.

Who's fault was it? Well that always depends on who you ask.

Every week, the #8 Budweiser PR team puts together the "Best Radio Chatter" after each race. Frequently, the best part is left out of the "Best of."

Witness in-car audio highlights from last week, when Junior made a mistake coming down pit road:

Eury Jr: "I'm almost thinking we need to pit here for tires. With this many cars on the lead lap..."
Hmiel: (as the 8 car follows the 31 onto pit lane): "Pit lane is closed! Pit lane is closed!"
Dale Jr: "He was a lead lap car! I just came down with him. I wasn't paying attention."
Eury Jr: "These things kick our ass all the time. We gotta pay more attention.** The NASCAR official says we need to start at the back of the outside line on the restart."
Dale Jr.: "We'll probably get another caution."

** What was left out of the "best of" was the Junior's response and the long pause in between Tony's comments:

Eury Jr.: "We gotta pay more attention."
Dale Jr.: "Well, then start."

Jimmie Johnson is already racing for the championship.

He went flying by my KOBALT Tools 500 pick with just 3 laps to go to score his 25th career win. Ugh! At least when Tony Stewart wins we get to see him climb the fence.

C'mon, Jimmie, do something! Anything.

Ok ... I gotta give it to him, he does do a pretty badass burnout. But really? If we're going to have to put up with this many wins, at least give us something to look forward to.

If I was less certain about Smoke's desire to put The Home Depot #20 back in victory lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway--or anywhere else--I'd be working on some theory that NASCAR conspired to ensure that the race sponsor's sponsored car on their pet team would win.

KOBALT Tools 500 Results | Standings

Do NASCAR drivers have an advantage at their hometown tracks? I'm sure there's some fancy algorithm that has a definitive answer to that, but I don't. Let's just say that the upside is, it never hurts when you have a few laps under the belt. The downside is that being home can prove to be a distraction and you have to factor in additional psychological issues like performance anxiety.

David Ragan, Unadilla, Ga.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Rookie of the Year contender David Ragan is no stranger to Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Unadilla, Ga. native estimates that between the Summer Shootouts and winter and heat races, he's run anywhere from 75 to 100 races at his home track.

His mission for the weekend is to enjoying the friendly faces in familiar surroundings without allowing himself to become distracted and to keep getting those points.

His experience at AMS assisted him today with a better than average for the season Top 20 finish in the Busch Series Nicorette 300, Ragan's first NASCAR race at AMS. He starts 38th tomorrow in his first Cup race here.

Reed Sorenson, Peachtree City, Ga.
In addition to getting his first Cup start at AMS, Reed Sorenson recorded his first career Series Top 10 in just his sixth career start in the Golden Corral 500 at AMS on March 20, 2006. He started the event in 15th and rallied from as far back as 30th to bring home a 10th-place finish at his hometown track.

Sorenson grew up racing Legends Cars at AMS, capturing three track championships ('98, '99, '01) 22 wins, 40 top-five finishes and 42 top-10 finishes in 43 starts. His friend and teammate Shane Bourgeois also hails from Peach Tree City. Bourgeois helped Sorenson on his ASA team before moving with him to North Carolina and to Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS). Bourgeois works in the suspension department and provides pit support on race day.

An early collision in today's Busch race relegated him to a 39th place finish. He starts tomorrow in 11th.

I don't think either Georgia native has an advantage over Atlanta's own Home Depot.

"For rarely are sons similar to their fathers: most are worse, and a few are better than their fathers." ~ Homer

A picture paints a thousand words.

This one taken today of Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt Jr. says, "When is that DEI exclusive negotiating period up?"

Dale Sr. was 33 when he "went from an erratic, disappointing career path to the team that would make him legendary: Richard Childress Racing."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. turns 33 in October. Maybe he should go there, too.

This is not nostalgia talking. This is up-to-the-minute reality. RCR is on the rise again, ready to dominate again. Childress still holds the rights to the vacant No. 3 in NASCAR, with one driver in mind.

Junior has often said he would seriously consider the standing invitation at RCR late in his racing career.

But if he doesn't get exactly what he wants, should he just throw the towel in at DEI and accept it now?

Well ... that question begs another.

Which is more important to Junior? His own racing career ... or his father's legacy?

1. Tony Stewart (6/1)
The defending track champion scored the Atlanta win in October, his second win at the track to make six Top 5s and 10 Top 10s. Plus, he has the added incentive of wanting to put his sponsor and girlfriend, both Georgia natives, back in victory lane at their home track.

2. Kasey Kahne (7/1)
The defending race champion scored his first of six wins last year here at Atlanta, but he had his crew chief around for those ... and he's only had one Top 10 finish this season. The improved aerodynamics under the helmet didn't do him much good in Vegas, but he needs to climb his way into the Top 35 -- and he knows it.

3. Jeff Gordon (9/1)
NASCAR loop data has recorded 477 passes for Gordon this season, the most of any driver. Sunday, he plans to pass them all again on his way to victory lane. In 29 starts, he has recorded four wins, 12 Top 5s, 18 Top 10s in Atlanta. Let's just hope the team has a golf cart on standby--we don't want Ingrid waddling to victory lane.

4. Greg Biffle (14/1)
The Biff has never finished better than 3rd, but historically he's had the fastest times on the track on the frontstretch and in turns 1 and 3. This year he's planning a wedding, so he's looking to bring home the big purse.

5. Mark Martin (20/1)
The points leader has 2 wins, 13 Tops 5s, 21 Tops 10s, two poles at ATL and he's on a roll. Still says he won't in Bristol, but admits, "You never know ..." Can he possibly refuse a run at Bristol if he comes out ahead in the standings on Sunday?

6.1 Kevin Harvick (11/1)
It might get boring to see him in the power rankings every week, but you just can't count the Richard Childress Racing cars out at any race. Harvick has previously posted one win and two Top 5s.

6.2 Jeff Burton (11/1)
He's posted five Tops 5s and 10 top 10s in ATL, two Top 5s already this season and a Busch win. It's good to see that he's not letting unresolved sponsorship issues affect his performance on the track.

8. Carl Edwards (12/1)
Scored his first career win here, has two in total with 3 Top5s and 4 Tops 10s -- in five starts. But he hasn't won a race since November 2005. I hope he hasn't forgotten how to do those back flips.

Wildcard. Bobby Labonte (75/1)
He has recorded the most wins (6) at Atlanta of any active driver and has 12 Tops 5s and two poles, but he has yet to find a win with Petty. When is the last time Petty Enterprises saw the inside of victory lane, anyway?

Longshot. Bill Elliott (100/1)
Awesome Bill from Dawsonville holds a few records at his home town track and could be a force to be reckoned with -- if the 1988 Cup champion can qualify the #37 Dodge. And if he qualifies, it could very well be at the expense of Dale Jarrett, whose run every race so far this season on a past champion provisional.

$4,957,097	Amount of the KOBALT Tools 500 purse
$2,732,673	Amount Bobby Labonte has won at Atlanta, most of any driver
$1,831,540	Season-to-date winnings earned by Kevin Harvick, most of any driver
124,000	Capacity of Atlanta Motor Speedway
2005	Year that Carl Edwards became the first driver to score his first NASCAR Nextel Cup win and first Busch Series win in the same weekend
1,024	# of laps led at AMS by Bill Elliott, most of any driver attempting to qualify Sunday
495	# of points held by Leader Mark Martin
325	# of laps in the KOBALT Tools 500
308	# of laps led by Cale Yarborough in 1969, the most by an Atlanta race winner
250	Number of starts for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series stalwarts Rick Crawford (No. 14 Power Stroke Diesel Ford) and Jack Sprague (No. 16 Con-way Freight Freight Toyota), who will make personal and series history in Friday night's American Commercial Lines 200 at Atlanta.
197.478 mph	Best qualifying speed in Atlanta (Geoffrey Bodine, 1997)
95	# of NASCAR Nextel Cup races run at AMS
65	# of starts by Richard Petty, most of any driver
57	# of career starts for Bill Elliott at AMS, most of any driver attempting to qualify Sunday
51 years	Age of the oldest winner at AMS (Morgan Shepherd, 1993)
51	# of entries in the KOBALT Tools 500
39	Lowest starting position of a race winner (Bobby Labonte, 2001)
36	Kasey Kahne's position in the point standings
33	# of Top 10s by Richard Petty, most by any driver
26	# of Top 5s by Dale Earnhardt, most by any driver
24	Degrees of banking in the turns
22	# of Top 10s by Ricky Rudd, most by any active driver
20	# of season-to-date bonus points earned by Matt Kenseth, the most of any driver
19	Position held by Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender with the most points (David Ragan, 322)
17	# of leaders in 2000, the most in an Atlanta race
15	# of teams outside the top 35 in owner points vying for 6 open spots on the starting grid
14	# of times an Atlanta race has been one from the pole
13	Top fives by Mark Martin and Bill Elliott, most of any active driver
12	Wins by the Wood Brothers, most by any owner
9	# of AMS wins by Dale Earnhardt, most by any driver
7	# of poles won by Buddy Baker, most by any driver
6	# of poles won by Ryan Newman, most by any active driver
6	Wins by Bobby Labonte, most by any active driver
1.54 miles	Length of Atlanta Motor Speedway
1	Laps led by David Pearson in 1961, the fewest by a race winner
3	# of top 11 closest finishes that occurred at AMS (2005 - Edwards over Johnson, .028 seconds; 2000 - Earnhardt over Bobby Labonte .010 seconds; 2001 - Harvick over Jeff Gordon)
.006 seconds	Margin of victory by Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon in 2001, the closest ever at Atlanta
-27	# of points Michael Waltrip needs to break even