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CUP CORNER

NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers head to California Speedway in Fontana this Labor Day weekend for the running of the Sharp AQUOS 500. This classic D-shaped oval stretches two miles in length, with 14 degrees of banking on the corners and 11 degrees on the sweeping front stretch. Its 75-foot wide track plus 15 foot apron provides ample room for passing. After Stevie Wonder gives the command to start engines, drivers will race 250 laps en route to the checkered flag.

Veteran driver Ricky Rudd will be making his 900th career start on Sunday, which is bested only by King Richard Petty with 1,185 starts. ?This is a record that just kind of sneaks up on you,? Rudd said. ?I started out as one of the youngest guys in this sport (in 1975) and now I?m one of the oldest guys out there still racing. It?s a real honor to be able to have this kind of longevity with a long and fruitful career.? The ?Iron Man? of racing has an incredible record of 788 consecutive starts during his 32-year run, and has posted 23 wins in NASCAR?s premier division.

Seven drivers hailing from the ?Golden State? are expected to participate in Sunday?s race. All seven are full-time competitors in the series ? the most from any state. The drivers are AJ Allmendinger, David Gilliland, Jeff Gordon, Robby Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears. Many of them will have more friends, family and hometown fans in the stands than usual, which could provide that extra incentive for a strong run.

When Jeff Green (No. 66 Best Buy Chevrolet) passed Tony Raines (No. 96 DLP HDTV Chevrolet) on the final lap last Saturday night at Bristol, there was more at stake than three points. The two had made a friendly wager before the race, with the losing driver having to wear the winners? hat during the upcoming race weekend at California. ?We just wanted to do something different,? Green said. ?It?s kind of funny that we finished one right in front of the other, and that my team won the bet with a pass on the last lap.?

As I see it, the following drivers have the best chance of pulling out a top finish this Sunday. I have compiled my ranking by analyzing drivers? success at this track and its sister track Michigan, then throwing ol? momentum into the mix by factoring in the last month of racing.

TOP TWENTY
1) Carl Edwards
2) Jimmie Johnson
3) Tony Stewart
4) Matt Kenseth
5) Jeff Gordon
6) Denny Hamlin
7) Kurt Busch
8) Kyle Busch
9) Clint Bowyer
10) Kasey Kahne
11) Dale Earnhardt Jr.
12) artin Truex Jr.
13) Greg Biffle
14) Ryan Newman
15) Kevin Harvick
16) Jamie McMurray
17) Jeff Burton
18) Casey Mears
19) Brian Vickers
20) Reed Sorenson

SELECTED CALIFORNIA HIGHLIGHTS
Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford)
? Four top fives, five top 10s
? Average finish of 8.5
? Driver Rating of 98.7, eighth-best
? Average Running Position of 12.8, 11th-best
? 47 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most
? Sixth-fastest Green Flag Speed
? 880 Laps in the Top 15, eighth-most
? 216 Quality Passes, sixth-most

Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe?s Chevrolet)
? One win, five top fives
? Average finish of 7.4
? Average Running Position of 8.4, second-best
? Driver Rating of 106.5, second-best
? 59 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
? Second-fastest Green Flag Speed
? Series-high 1,140 Laps in the Top 15
? 257 Quality Passes, third-most

Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet)
? Three top fives, six top 10s
? Average finish of 17.0
? Driver Rating of 103.1, fifth-best
? Average Running Position of 10.4, fourth-best
? 123 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
? Fourth-fastest Green Flag Speed
? 889 Laps in the Top 15, seventh-most
? 207 Quality Passes, seventh-most

Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford)
? Two wins, four top fives, seven top 10s
? Average finish of 10.6
? Series-best Average Running Position of 6.8
? Series-best Driver Rating of 116.4
? 86 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
? Fastest Green Flag Speed
? 1,120 Laps in the Top 15, second-most

Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
? Three wins, seven top fives; two poles
? Average finish of 11.1
? Driver Rating of 91.8, 12th-best
? Average Running Position of 11.6, seventh-best
? 67 Fastest Laps Run, tied for fifth-most
? 436 Green Flag Passes, second-most
? 902 Laps in the Top 15, sixth-most
? Series-high 266 Quality Passes

Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet)
? One top 10
? Average finish of 9.7
? Average Running Position of 11.3, sixth-best
? Driver Rating of 94.8, ninth-best
? 10th-fastest Green Flag Speed
? 68% of his laps in the top 15 (510 total), ninth-highest percentage of any driver
? 155 Quality Passes for an average of 51.7 per race, second-best average per race

Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Light Dodge)
? One win, three top fives, four top 10s; two poles
? Average finish of 11.5
? Driver Rating of 93.1, 11th-best
? Average Running Position of 12.1, ninth-best
? 52 Fastest Laps Run, tied for ninth-most
? 903 Laps in the Top 15, fifth-most

Kyle Busch (No. 5 Kellogg?s/CARQUEST Chevrolet)
? One win, four top 10s; one pole
? Average finish of 12.5
? Average Running Position of 10.7, fifth-best
? Driver Rating of 103.7, third-best
? 62 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most
? Eighth-fastest Green Flag Speed
? 1,016 Laps in the Top 15, fourth-best
? 234 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), fourth-most

Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ameriquest Ford)
? One win, two top fives
? Average finish of 20.4
? Driver Rating of 101.7, sixth-best
? Average Running Position of 12.0, eighth-best
? Series-high 131 Fastest Laps Run
? 364 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most
? Third-fastest Green Flag Speed
? 831 Laps in the Top 15, 10th-most

Keys To Victory
? California Speedway is a grueling 2-mile track that takes a toll on engines. The track offers a lot of the same characteristics as Michigan, but this race has an additional 100 miles.
? Engine tuners may need to be a bit on the conservative side this weekend. The track has a history of engine troubles.
? Crew chiefs must be aware of track position and fuel mileage. The race can be won or lost by a crew chief?s decision of when to pit and what adjustments to make.
? Teams must put themselves in position to make a move in the closing stages of the race.

Other California Highlights

? The first race at California Speedway was a NASCAR West Series on June 21, 1997 ? won by Ken Schrader.

? The first NASCAR Cup Series race was held on June 22, 1997 ? won by Jeff Gordon.

? Eleven different drivers have posted victories at California Speedway. Jeff Gordon (three) and Matt Kenseth (two) are the only multiple race winners there.

? Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing have won five races at California, more than any other team.

? Eight of the 14 races were won from outside the top 10 starting positions. Six of the past eight have been won from outside the top 15.

? Matt Kenseth won in February 2006 from the 31st starting position, the deepest in the field that a race winner has started.

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