NASCAR NEXTEL CUP AUTO CLUB 500 FONTANA CALIFORNIA_____February 27, 2005 2pm ET FOX

Self

[WestCoastGal]

AUTO CLUB 500 CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27, 2005 2pm ET

Busch Race- Stater Bros. 300 FX Sat. 5:30 p.m.
Auto Club 500 Bud Pole qualifying FX Sat. 3 p.m.
Truck Race American Racing Wheels 200 SPEED Fri. 9 p.m.

All Times are ET

CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY, FONTANA CALIFORNIA

Track Facts

Land
Total Site	568 acres
Speedway Interior	130.7 acres
Track Information
Track Size	Two-mile D-shaped oval
Track Width	75 feet wide with 15-foot apron
Turns 1-2; 3-4	14-degree banking
Front Stretch	11-degree banking; 3100 feet in length
Back Straightaway	3-degree banking; 2500 feet in length
	21 turns, 2.36 miles
Garages	3 garages with 100 spaces
Composition	Asphalt track, pit lane and parking areas; concrete pit stalls
Pit Road	2200 feet in length with 44 individual pit areas

[WestCoastGal]

Concensus is he's got it in race mode and didn't go for position. (I hope)

[steveegg]

New Qualifying Rules winners/losers - California:

Jason Leffler - THE BIG WINNER - He would not have made the race with the old rules. Now, he rolls off 39th.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. - loser - He loses a spot from last year's rules.
Kevin Lepage - BIG WINNER - Like Leffler, he would be loading the trailer right now.
Elliot Sadler and Dave Blaney - losers - Even though they would still be in the back of the field with an engine change and a backup car respectively, they would have had better pit selection.
Hermie Sadler - BIG LOSER - He would have been in the show.
Kirk Shelmerdine - THE BIG LOSER - Not only did he drop fluid before he could even qualify, now he won't have any cash to effect repairs.

[steveegg]

Flash was "sideways coming to the flag" (quote from his radio). Since he didn't take a 2nd lap (no Hendrick driver did, IIRC), that killed his time.

[steveegg]

IIRC, it's for diaper rash.

[WestCoastGal]

Speaking of dog houses, I just did my walk up the hill with Jack to feed a wolf/malamute mix who is always tied up outside to a tree. At least they bought him a new dog house, although it's not much bigger than the one that was too small that he had already. :(

He's a sweet dog, we go visit him everyday if possible.

---

Now it's almost racetime folks, tighten up those belts.

[steveegg]

As long as it's not more than 3 feet off the ground, and you either land on your feet or a very soft matress,.... :-)

[WestCoastGal]

They better get their butt's in gear cause they never qualify! lol

[WestCoastGal]

Let's see how good Tony really is when he has the right equipment provided by the Harvicks. I've been reading scuttlebutt that Gibbs racing is very frugal when it comes to using really old equipment.

[WestCoastGal]

Salute to the men/women service.

[steveegg]

Is that Dale Jarrett in a Busch car? What's next, a Truck race? :-)

[tubebender]

Not to worry. I'm taking on-line lessons for my Pilots License. Jumping off the Dog House is week 1 through 6. I thought it was just a week but they emailed me to send more money to graduate to parachute practice with a umbrella...

[steveegg]

I screwed up slightly on the Cup lineup; forgot the slowest field-filler (Lepage) starts 43rd (doesn't matter; we got people dropping back anyway :-)

[steveegg]

Is that instructor's name lowbridge? :-)

[WestCoastGal]

Thanks for pointing that out I didn't even notice him in there. I thought I heard Jason Jarrett.

[WestCoastGal]

Did glock set you up with those lessons?

[WestCoastGal]

HA HA beer run!!

[steveegg]

That's one way to move a case on a scooter :-)

[steveegg]

Kenny Wallace doing Hollywood Hammond; N-I-C-E (lol)

[steveegg]

Speaking of beer, I think I found a new fish fry spot based partly on the beer (remind me to tell the guys when they show up).

[tubebender]

I had to promise not to tell because I'm the only one getting the Special Price...