The Salina Journal from Salina, Kansas • Page 16

B4 MONDAY. FEBRUARY 20, 2006 Auto racing SAUNA I Grandstands Hot pursuit of NASCAR's biggest trophy starts at the '500' A fter winning his second Nextel Cup championship, Tony Stewart begins his title defense. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt NASCAR's two biggest stars, failed to make the field last year and were forced to watch the championship battle from afan New cars, new testing limits and a new tire leasing policy are hurdles that are causing many Cup drivers and teams to be running more Busch races this year, a trend that very well could decide the championship. Revwdiii By ED DEGASERO, MERRILL SHERMAN and JANET HAMLIN Press Car of the future (or at least 2007) Wing Bolted on and straight for more stability, a possible design that could replace conventional spoiler Roll cage moved back three inches; two inches taller, four inches wider Driver's seat Moved four inches to the center for more protection in a side impact The "car of tomorrow," built around safety considerations, will make its debut in a partial schedule in 2007. Teams will use the newly-designed race car for 16 events next season, beginning with the spring race at Bristol Motor Speedway currently the fifth event on the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series schedule.

Some of the new features include: Windshield Morn upright to increase drag, the car Rented rubber NASCAR has implemented a tire leasing program for the Nextel Cup, Busch and Truck series. Teams will lease their Goodyear radial rubber Instead of purchasing (and stockpiling) tires as in the A radio frequency chip is implanted in the rubber's sidewail to track inventory Tires are scanned and Information a driver and vel number are matched to inventory database -inish Grandstands Daytona International Speedway $18,029,052 2.5 miles 200 laps (500 miles) Nearly 200 mph in straightaways; 180 -1- mph in turns 31 degrees Purse Length Distance Speeds Banking in turns 2005 winner Jeff Gordon Shelling out the big bucks The cost of a NASCAR team: in millions) Engines 2.0 1.0 Engineering 3.0 Travel 1.5 1.0 Administration 3.0 Personnel Door bars Strengthenei steel reinforcenient plates Exhaust runs through the body moving heat away from the driver, exiting out the right side Air Intake Larger hole, eliminates overheating. Windblown trash can cover current car grilles, blocking air flow Box-like bumper Front bumper three inches higher, catches air rather than deflecting it, creating more drag NOTE: Drawings are schmetic Measuring up The 22 Nextel Cup circuit tracks (by length): MILES .5 1.0 1.5 2,0 2,5 Talladega HiHiHiHiimi 2.66 Daytona 2.5 Indianapolis 2.5 Pooono ilMPPPK 2.5 Watkins Glen nm 2.45 California HUSniMni 2.0 Michigan HMinHm 2.0 Infineon nRHBHiilHSi 1-99 Atlanta aMMIMi 1.54 Chicagoland 1.5 Homestead-Miami MHUHiHH 1.5 Kansas IIMH 1-5 Las Vegas 1-5 Lowe's WKPBBHSi 1-5 Texas WHMBIMSi 1.5 Darlington WSMJWMWM 1.366 New Hampshire 1.058 Phoenix 1.0 Richmond iHIIHI .75 Bristol mi .533 Martinsville MMi -526 'CAR'S popularity growing NASCAR growth over the past decade: Household viewership 6 million (HHs) 4 3.1 2 0 5.9 1 1 i '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 Attendance 8 million 6 5.6 4 'iS' 0 Wm'm 6.9 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 Licensed product sales $3 billion "I 2 Imn 0 2.1 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 NOTE: Retail sales and attendance are estimates jL Defending Nextel Cup champion Tony Stewart and 2005 runnerup Greg Biffle will be strong again this year, but can they hold off other top championship contenders? Tony Stewart Should contend for a third title, but will be the team leader at Gibbs now with rookies Denny Hamlin and J.J. Yeley as teammates. Greg Biffle Made a run at the Nextel Cup title and won a series-high six races.

Should be one of the top contenders for the title again this year JImmIe Johnson Started last season as the favorite to win the championship, but slipped in the season finale. Only Tony Stewart totaled more top- 10 finishes. Ryan Newman Hopes to benefit from new teammate Kurt Busch after never getting along with former teammate Rusty Wallace. Finished sixth in points. Jeff Gordon Failed to make the Chase for the championship.

Won his third Daytona 500, but slumped through the summer months. Should rebound. Carl Edwards Finished third in points with 13 top fives. Was also Busch Series Rookie of the Year. Will compete in both Cup and Busch Series.

Find a spot place an ad Nascar racing is the inottest marketing vehicle in sports. Sponsors strategically place logos for maximum Primary sponsor Decklid television i Hood $10-15 mil. Rear fender I $250k-4 mil. exposure. i i- Breaking down the costs: Contingency stickers $50-500k Teams cover their cars in company decais to be eligible for bonus awards paid by these companies $250k-4 mil.

Rear quarter panel 5.5 Typical team expenses: $20 million Taking it down a notch Since the birth of the res- trictor plate in 1988, qualifying speeds at Daytona have dropped below 200 mph. 210.364 'track qualifying record 189.151 '87'88'90 '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 Restrictor plates used at Daytona New face in the Chase Mark Martin's No. 6 The Ford Fusion will make its competition debut at Sunday's Daytona 500. Ford teams will use it in the Nextel Cup Series Chase for the Championship, as well as Busch Series competition. NASCAR 199 in.

71.5 in. 51 in, 110 in. 3,400 lb. SVG OHV V8 3.0L 1 4-speed manual 22 gal. Fuel(rec.) 110 octane Length Width Height Wheelbase Weight Engine Seating Horsepower Transmission Fuel capacity STREET 190.2 72.2 55.8 107.4 3,280 DOHC 24-valve .5 210 6-speed automatic 18 gal.

87 octane''" vary for restrictor-plate races Fan-tastic NASCAR reaches a fan base of 75 million one-third of the adult U.S. population. Gender 'Women Region South Northeast West- Nextel Cup Series schedule DATE RACE, SITE 2005 WINNER May 6' Richmond 400 Kasey Kahne Jollet, III. 24 Dover 400 Jimmie Johnson Feb. 19 Daytona 500 Jeff Gordon Richmond, Va.

16 New England 300 Tony Stewart i Dover, Del. Daytona Beach, Fla. 13 Dodge Charger 500 Greg Biffle Loudon, N.H. Tony Stewart i Oct. 1 Banquet 400 Mark 26 Auto Club 500 Greg Biffle Darlington, S.C.

23 Pennsylvania 500 Kurt Busch Kansas City, Kan. Fontana, Calif. 20 All-Star Challenge' Mark Martin Long Pond, Pa. 8 UAW-Ford 500 Dale Mar. 12 UAW-DaimierClirysler 400 Jimmie Johnson Concord, N.C.

Aug. 6 Allstate 400 Tony Stewart i Talladega, Ala. Dale Las Vegas 28 Coca-Cola 600 Jimmie Johnson Indianapolis Tony Stewart i 14 Bank of America 500 Jimmie I'lV 19 Golden Corral 500 Carl Edwards Concord, N.C. 13 Sirius Satelite Radio at The Glen Tony Stewart i Concord, N.C. Jimmie I'lV Hampton, Ga.

June 4 MBNA 400 Greg Biffle Watkins Glen, N.Y. i 1 22 Subway 500 Jeff Gordon 26 Food City 500 Kevin Harvick Dover, Del. 20 GFS Marketplace 400 Jeremy Mayfield i 22 Martinsville, Va. Jeff Gordon Bristol, Tenn. Pocono 500 Cari Edwards Brooklyn, Mich.

Jeremy Mayfield i 29 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 Carl Edwards Apr 2 Virginia 500 Jeff Gordon Long Pond, Pa. 26 Sharpie 500 Matt Kenseth Hampton, Ga. Martinsville, Va. 18 Michigan 400 Greg Biffle Bristol, Tenn. Nov.

5 Dickies 500 Carl Edwards 9 Shacic 500 Greg Biffle Brooklyn, Mich. Sept. 3 SONY HD 500 Kyle Busch i ForJ Worth, Texas Fort Worth, Texas 25 Mart 350 Tony Stewart Fontana, Calif. Kyle Busch i 12 Checker Auto Parts 500 Kyle 22 Subway Fresh 500 Kurt Busch Sonoma, Calif. 9 Chevy Rock Roll 400 Kurt Busch Avondale, Ariz.

Kyle Avondale, Ariz. July 1 Pepsi 400 Tony Stewart Richmond, Va. i 1 19 Ford 400 Greg 30 Aaron's 499 Jeff Gordon Daytona Beach, Fla. 17 Sylvania 300 Ryan Newman i Homestead, Fla. Greg Talladega, Ala.

9 USG Sheetrock 400 Dale Earnhardt Jr Loudon, N.H. Ryan Newman i points event SOURCES: NASCAR; Goodyear Tires.