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Short and to the point

Martinsville sure to bring fireworks this weekend

	• Lugnuts • On the track • In the pits • Stop 'n' Go • Finish Line

From CNNSI.com

Whenever Winston Cup drivers take to a short track, you can bet that there'll be plenty of contact, more than a few harsh words and a close finish.

Winston Cup tracks don't get any shorter than the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway, site of this week's Old Dominion 500. Add the fact that just seven races remain on the schedule and hot racing and hot tempers are nearly a certainty.

"I've seen bumper cars at the fair that don't have as much beating and banging as some of the Martinsville races I've run," Kyle Petty said earlier this week. "Some of those bumper-car drivers show more patience than one or two of the Martinsville drivers too."

Consider that Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace -- who have had plenty of contact, both on and off the track during the past month -- have combined for nine victories at Martinsville. Rudd has three wins while Wallace leads active drivers with six.

Also consider that points leader Jeff Gordon has three victories there, and this weekend has all the makings of a monumental struggle.

Sterling Marlin Marlin comes to Martinsville after dominating the field at Lowe's Motor Speedway last week to win the UAW-GM Quality 500. Marlin finished fifth in the Virginia 500 in April. Dale Jarrett Jarrett won at Martinsville for the first time in 29 career starts in April. The 1999 Winston Cup champion also had a strong week at Charlotte, where he finished sixth. Jarrett has not won since July in Loudon, N.H. Tony Stewart Stewart is the defending champion of this weekend's race, and he finished second to Marlin last week. Stewart also won the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway -- another short track -- in August. Mark Martin Martin has 17 top-10 finishes in 30 career starts at Martinsville Speedway. He won the spring race there in 2000. A ninth-place finish last week was Martin's second consecutive top-10 effort.

Flattery After the death of Blaise Alexander in an ARCA race last week, NASCAR has said they are moving closer to mandating the use of head-and-neck restraints. Though it took a while, that NASCAR is there is commendable. Flag Shame on NBC and Lowe's Motor Speedway for their ridiculous argument last weekend over the use of the name "Lowe's Motor Speedway" during the UAW-GM Quality 500. In light of recent events, it seems trivial. Flattery The final 150 miles of last week's Winston Cup race at Charlotte were run under green. It was a welcome change from the "run a few laps, caution, run a few laps, caution" pattern we've been forced to endure recently. Flag NASCAR's new practice of preventing drivers to get on the hood of their car after winning a race robs the driver of participating in a time-honored tradition, and robs the fans of a chance to celebrate with the winner.

Junie Donlavey is looking for a new primary sponsor for the No. 90 Winston Cup car following Sara Lee's decision to leave the team. Hut Stricklin will complete the season in the Hills Brothers Ford. Kevin Harvick will skip qualifying and all practices for this weekend's Winston Cup race so he can focus on his fight for the Busch series championship. The Busch series is in Memphis this week. Rookie Travis Kvapil won the Silverado 350 on Friday night for his first NASCAR Truck series victory. Jack Sprague maintained his slim lead in the season points race by finishing third with three races remaining. Bobby Hamilton extended his Winston Cup streak of running at the finish to 31 races Sunday at Charlotte. He finished 31st. One of those finishes was a victory at Talladega in April.

Sam's Town 250 -- 2:30 p.m. Saturday (TNT): 187.5 miles, 250 laps. 2000 pole winner: Jeff Green. 2000 race winner: Kevin Harvick. Old Dominion 500 -- 1 p.m. Sunday (NBC): 263 miles, 500 laps. 2000 pole winner: Tony Stewart. 2000 race winner: Tony Stewart. The Orleans 350 -- 6 p.m. Sunday (ESPN): 219 miles, 146 laps. This is the inaugural The Orleans 350.

NASCAR drivers ARE athletes. It takes an incredible amount of fitness and stamina to race a car for 500 miles and withstand the heat and all other elements. -- John, Silver Springs, Md. I am always amused by the crowd reaction to Jeff Gordon. But then I remember all those years that I booed Michael Jordan. Didn't matter much, he'd just get more motivation, beat my team and collect the trophy. I guess I really showed him. -- Tom, Tumwater, Wash. Has anyone noticed how consistent Sterling Marlin has been all year? And he races clean to boot. -- Dean, Wiarton, Ontario, Canada I'm really disappointed in Penske's decision to release Jeremy Mayfield at this point in the year. Despite his rocky performance in August, there's something wrong with a team that can't even wait until the end of the season to part company with a driver who is as accomplished and classy as Mayfield. Hopefully he'll find a ride quickly with a team that appreciates him. -- John, Denver, Colo. Why does NASCAR fine two young up and coming drivers but turn the cheek when two veteran drivers get into it? -- Jeff, Cutchogue, N.Y. Dealing with constant tension, motion, mental gymnastics and losing 5-10 lbs. during the race from the heat in the car lead me to believe NASCAR drivers are the ultimate competitors, if not athletes. -- Dave, St. Paul, Minn.

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