Up Next: The Samsung/ Radio Shack 500, Texas Motor Speedway, Forth Worth, Texas, Sunday, April 6, 2008, 1:30 p.m. EDT, 10:30 a.m. for those in Rio Linda and points elsewhere in the Pacific. Broadcast on FOX- TV and MRN radio.

Track Facts: TMS is a 1.5 mile oval track with 24-degree banking in the turns and 5-degrees on the straights. This was once home to one of the fastest non-restrictor plate tracks on the circuit with qualifying times that pushed 200 miles per hour in earlier years. Jeff Burton won the first race here in 1997. Two races per year are held at this track. Burton has won more Cup races than any other driver, signalling parity and a good chance we may see yet another different driver winning here. Brandon Gaughan has won four CTS races at Texas. Two Cup drivers have three Nationwide wins in the Lone Star state- Mark Martin and Kevin Harvick- the top two all-time Nationwide winners. Ryan Newman and Bobby Labonte have won the most poles, ironic because Labonte has never won at his home state track, and Newman’s in-race performance at TMS doesn’t measure of to his performances elsewhere.

Track Records: Of all people, Brian Vickers holds the qualifying record, with a speed of 196.235 m.p.h. for a lap time of 27.518 seconds back in November, 2005. This was back in Vickers days at HMS. The race record is held by Carl Edwards. On that very same weekend, Edwards ran a race at TMS in 3 hours and 19 minutes, or an average speed of 151.055 m.p.h. Ryan Newman won here the age of 25 years, 3 months and 22 days in 2003 making him the youngest race winner at Texas. Dale Jarrett holds the record for the oldest winner at age 44 years, 4 months, 6 days in 2001. The record for the most caution flags on this fast track is 12, which happened on 3 occasions- most recently the November, 2007 event. The fewest? 6- in 2005.

This will be a different race than what we’ve seen at the last two. Texas is a fast track, with speeds often pushing 200 miles per hour. Speed will be more of a factor, favoring the teams with good equipment and the drivers who can take care of it. Interestingly enough, the winners here tend to be past champions- the Texas honor roll includes Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Dale Jarrett and Matt Kenseth. Kurt Busch has also at the Lone Star track in the Nationwide Series.

The hot drivers right now are guys who’ve won in Texas- Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, and Dale Earnhardt all have the highest recent average finishes, and whether it in the CTS, Nationwide or Cup competition, they have wins in Texas. The exception? 4 time Cup titlist Jeff Gordon. Texas and Homestead are the only tracks that “The Rainbow Warrior” has not won at.

I have an opinion as to who will win, you’ll have to read my “Fearless Forecast” Saturday to find out who.

NASCAR Terminology- A NASCAR for Dummies Primer (and a handy guide for the rest of us)

Cowl induction: Now, we’re not talking winning over that surly American Idol judge. Cowl induction is the housing for the air cleaner connects the air intake at the base of the windshield to the carburetor.

Sway (anti-roll) Bar: It’s only fitting given their high visibility presence due to the Jack Roush/ Michael Waltrip flap. This magical part that gets Roush so angry (not the sarcasm her) is used to resist or counteract the rolling force of the car through the turns. Not as influential in making a car go fast as, say, a removed oil tank lid.

Alternate Exit: as opposed to the alternate reality Jack Roush (oops, I did it again) lives in. NASCAR issued a recommendation to teams in 2003 for an alternate exit, more commonly known as a roof hatch. The safety initiative provides drivers with an alternate exit through a “hatch” in the roof of the car in the event of an emergency situation.

That’s all for today folks! Pull your belts tight, ‘cuz its gonna be a fast one!!

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