The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • E2

SPTR0422-A-E -Composite Proof 0:59 0:00 FSPTR0422OE2 Replate 2E 2E Blue Red Yellow Black Blue Red Yellow Black E2 Friday, April 22, 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 6 RSPT0422OE2 Small talk with Ken Butler III Fast fact a 23- year-old Lilburn native and 2001 Parkview High graduate, isarookie in the Hooters Pro Cup Series. living in Sherills Ford, N.C., where his cars are being prepared with the assistance of Nextel Cup driver Michael Waltrip. Butler and his brother, Brett, an aspiring Late Model driver, work on his No. 99 Chevrolets during the week and run them on weekends. Despite having almost noexperience in a Pro Cup-type car, Butler has shown steady improvement in his first four races.

He was 26th at USA International Speedway, then 22nd at South Georgia Motorsports Park, 18th at Greenville-Pickens and 13th at Peach State last week. 19th in Southern Division points. On adapting to the Pro Cup cars totally different from the Pro Challenge cars I raced before. The Pro Cup cars have more power. harder to drive.

The series is so much more Onhis interaction with the veter- ans in Pro Cup learned alot from Bobby Gill, Shane Huffman and Clay Rogers just byfollowing them on the track. And helped me find out how much braking I need, when to use the throttle, where to point the car, just learning the line around the Onhis crew chief, the veteran Johnny Allen one of the most brilliant people I know. He knows all there is to know about a race car, and learned so much about what you can and do with cars from him. He used to be a driver, so helped me with my driving, Around the tracks Fayetteville-based United Sprint Car Series heads south this weekend to Swainsboro Raceway tonight and to Oglethorpe Speedway near Savannah on Saturday. The Georgia Asphalt Series returns to Senoia Speedway on Saturday for the second time.

Besides the 100-lap GAS race, there will be features for Iceman, Sportsman, Street Stock, Legends, Bandeleros and Pro Challenge drivers. to the grassroots Focusing on the short-track racing throughout Georgia and the South. Ken Butler III is a rookie in the Pro Cup Series. weekend Taking a quick look at weekend schedule What Fresh International Raceway; 8 p.m. Saturday; Fox (telecast starts at 7:30) Favorites Earnhardt Jr.

won the last two Cup races on the relatively flat one-mile oval, and his team has improved after some early struggles. But drivers from Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Racing, which have won every Cup race except Bristol this year, can be counted among the likely winners. Track difficulty race will start in daylight and end in darkness, so a concern about drivers having tolook into a setting sun. Some will use two different helmet visors one tinted, the other clear while others are considering adding a layer of sun-blocking film to their windshields. What Supermarkets 200; Phoenix International Raceway; 9 p.m.

today; FX Favorites often is the case when the Busch and Nextel Cup Series run at the same track on the same weekend, the drivers affiliated with Cup teams have an advantage against the Busch regulars. In six Busch races at Phoenix, only Bobby Hamilton Jr. has been able to beat the Buschwhackers. Small talk with Jeremy Mayfield Fast fact who drives Ray No. 19 Dodge, has picked up the pace inthe past four races, moving up10 positions to 16th in the Nextel Cup points race.

73 points from cracking the top 10. Like other Dodge teams, has struggled to find speed with the new Charger body. Onracing at Phoenix tested out there and had a great test, probably one of the best Onthe Charger starting to get a handle on it. starting to find the balance of what we need, and once we find that then be good news from there on out. very close to Onthe Hendrick-Roush dominance definitely got it going on.

Roush cars started getting that way last year, and the Hendrick cars have always run good. All the Roush cars run good, and runs good every week and is on and off a little bit, but mainly the Roush cars and the two Hendrick cars. closing the On Daytona and Talladega without restrictor plates think really be in trouble because of how fast the cars are. I think anybody would want to race like that because the cars would be so fast and if we did have a wreck where the problem would be. The problem would be that when somebody made a mistake cars would be flying Around the tracks Shane Hmiel and his car owner, Todd Braun decided not to appeal the penalties they were assessed after Hmiel had a confrontation with Dale Jarrett in the final laps of the Sharpie 250 Busch Series race at Bristol on April 4.

Hmiel was fined $10,000 and he and Braun were docked 25 points each after Hmiel made an obscene gesture at Jarrett. we do not agree with the way that everything has been handled in regards to the incident that occurred, we do understand the direction that NASCAR is trying to move and what they are trying to Braun said. From the big time Focusing on Nextel Cup, Busch and truck series racing. Jeremy Mayfield is 16th in Nextel Cup points. Inside By RICK The story lines Some important and not so important things to look for this weekend.

Still something in the tank might be the wrong name to call Russell William Wallace after the first seven races of his final season as a full-time Nextel Cup competitor. might be more appropriate. Wallace has four top-10s, six top-15s and is third in the standings, the best he has been since April, 2002. Wallace hopes a recent test atPhoenix will allow him to close the gap on leader Jimmie Johnson 237 points ahead, and runner-up Greg Biffle 102 ahead, in Subway Fresh 500, the first night race ofthe Nextel Cup season. had two cars there for the test and they both ran really Wallace said.

had to decide which car to concentrate our effort on, sowe went with the California car he drove to a 10th-place finish in and focused on getting it ready to He said that although his performances have improved, not totally satisfied. won yet, and what we really want to doright he said. goals are to win and be a part of Facts unclear onSauter car The facts surrounding the big carburetor on Johnny Sauter Busch Series car at Texas Motor Speedway continue to trickle in. NASCAR officials confirmed this week that Woody Neese inspector responsible for checking the carburetor, is no longer an employee of the sanctioning body. NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter declined to reveal the findings of an internal investigation, but he did say that the engine tuner, the person who usually would swap a carburetor, was not involved in this case.

The engines in Dodge are prepared by Ernie Elliott one of employees is assigned to the car. Hunter answered, when queried about any involvement by organization. While there seems to have been some sort of sleight of hand during practice, Hunter said that something Elliott or his employees would try. reputation is solid with Hunter said. team plans to appeal its penalties, which include a four-week suspension of crew chief Joe Shear Jr and the loss ofall points and earnings from the Texas race.

Johnson likes achallenge While several top drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr and Bobby Labonte complained about the new shorter spoiler that NASCAR mandated for this year, points leader Jimmie Johnson among them. Hesaid he really notice much difference in the way his No. 48 Chevrolet drives until last week at Texas, and not sure what changed there. it just that race track or was it because now is warming up and the track was hot and he said. have anew tire.

really hard to place the blame in any one area. The inch-shorter spoiler takes away downforce, which NASCAR believes leads to better competition on the track because it puts more emphasis on the driver controlling the car. Johnson sees that as a challenge. harder it is for the driver todrive it, the harder it is for the teams to set up the he said. changes the game and makes it obviously more difficult.

As hard as it was for me and as frustrated as I was throughout the race, I really like that harder for the teams and drivers, and I think it will help racing racing Sauter Rusty Wallace is third in the points standings. Martin Truex Jr future atDale Earnhardt Inc. seems assured. Team officials say the plan is for Truex to become the full- time driver for the No. 1 Chevrolet beginning next season.

Out of a Nextel Cupride since last winter, Ward Burton has maintained all along that holding out for a top team onthe Cup circuit. But with no job opportunities imminent, look for Burton to resurface in the Busch or Craftsman Truck Series. All ears What hearing behind the scenes in the NASCAR garages TV TODAY BASEBALL Pirates at Cubs, 3 p.m.WGN Ohio State at Michigan, 7 p.m.ESPN South Carolina at Alabama, 7:30 p.m.CSS Phillies at Braves, 7:30 p.m.FSN BOXING Friday Ahunanya vs. Dominick Guinn, 10 p.m.ESPN2 Shobox: The New Generation, 11 p.m.SHOW FOOTBALL Arena Georgia Force at Predators, 11:30 p.m.*FSN GOLF Johnnie Walker Classic, 2 a.m.GOLF Champions Tour Liberty Mutual Legends 1 p.m.ESPN Shell Houston Open, 4 p.m.USA MOTORSPORTS Grand Prix of San Marino Practice, 8 a.m.SPEED Busch Supermarkets 200Qualifying, 4:30 p.m.SPEED Nextel Cup Subway Fresh 500 Qualifying, 6 p.m.SPEED Busch Supermarkets 200, 9 p.m.FX SOCCER Chicago Fire at MetroStars, 8 p.m.ESPN2 RADIO TODAY BASEBALL Georgia State vs. Garber-Webb, 5:45 p.m.WRAS (88.5) FOOTBALL Georgia Force vs.

Orlando, 7:30 p.m.WQXI (790) TV SATURDAY BASEBALL Wake Forest at Maryland, 1 p.m.FSN South Carolina at Alabama, 4 p.m.FSN Phillies at Braves, 7 p.m.TBS Tennessee at Vanderbilt, 7 p.m.CSS Florida State at Miami, 7 p.m.FSN BASKETBALL 76ers at Pistons, 3 p.m.ABC Rockets at Mavericks, 5:30 p.m.ESPN Pacers at Celtics, 8 p.m.ESPN Kings at Sonics, 10:30 p.m.ESPN BOXING Castillo vs. Klitschko, 9:45 p.m.HBO FOOTBALL 2005NFL Draft: Day one, from New York, noonESPN 2005NFL Draft: Day one, from New York, 5:30 p.m.ESPN2 Arena Chicago Rush at L.A. Avengers, 10:30 p.m.FSN GOLF Johnnie Walker Classic, 2 a.m.*GOLF Champions Tour Liberty Mutual Legends, 1 p.m.ABC Shell Houston Open, 3 p.m.CBS HORSE RACING Horse Racing: Coolmore Lexington Stakes Federico Tesio Stakes, 4:30 p.m.ESPN2 MOTORSPORTS Grand Prix of San Marino Qualifying, 7 a.m.SPEED Nextel Cup Series Subway Fresh 500, 7:30 p.m.FOX SOCCER Club Deportivo Chivas USA at Galaxy, 10 p.m.ESPN2 SOFTBALL Georgia at Tennessee, 1 p.m.CSS Georgia at Tennessee, 3 p.m.CSS RADIO SATURDAY BASKETBALL Pacers vs. Celtics, 7:35 p.m.WCNN (680) TV SUNDAY BASEBALL Phillies at Braves, 1 p.m.TBS Texas at Oklahoma State, 1 p.m.ESPN2 Pirates at Cubs, 2 p.m.WGN South Carolina at Alabama, 3 p.m.CSS Athletics at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 8 p.m.ESPN BASKETBALL Nets at Heat, 3 p.m.ABC Wizards at Bulls, 5:30 p.m.TNT Nuggets at Spurs, 8 p.m.TNT Grizzlies at Suns, 10:30 p.m.TNT First Round Teams TBA, 3 a.m.*ESPN FOOTBALL 2005 NFL Draft: Day two, from New York, 11 a.m.ESPN Arena Storm at Kats, 1 p.m.NBC GOLF Johnnie Walker Classic, 2 a.m.*GOLF Champions Tour Liberty Mutual Legends, 1 p.m.ABC Shell Houston Open, 3 p.m.CBS SOFTBALL Kentucky at Arkansas, 2 p.m.FSN Iowa State at Texas, 4 p.m.ESPN2 RADIO SUNDAY BASKETBALL Nets at Heat, 2:35 p.m.WCNN (680) Athletics vs. Anaheim, 7:35 p.m.WCNN (680) day taped CALENDAR Home games shaded Braves ON THE AIR FOR REPRINT PERMISSION, GO TO: AJC.COM/PERMISSIONS Today Saturday Sunday LOCAL TEAMS ON RADIO The flagship metro radio stations: Braves: WGST-AM (640); 96rock (WKLS-FM) Georgia Tech baseball: WREK-FM (91.1); WQXI-AM (790) University of Georgia baseball: WSB-AM (750) Georgia State baseball: WRAS-FM (88.5) vs.

Phillies 7:35 p.m. TV: FSN vs. Phillies 7:05 p.m. TV: TBS vs. Phillies 1:05 p.m.

TV: TBS BASEBALL Braves: Single-game tickets at www.atlanta.braves.mlb.com or 800-326-4000 FOOTBALL Georgia Force: Season tickets single-game at 404- 222-5777, www.georgiaforce.com HOCKEY Gwinnett Gladiators: at Gwinnett Arena box office and Ticket- master at 404-249-6400 or 800326-4000. TICKET WINDOW NEXT FOR GEORGIA FORCE: at Orlando; 7:30 tonight; TV: FSN NEXT FOR GWINNETT GLADIATORS: vs. Charlotte, 4:05 p.m. Sunday; conference semifinals.