C M Y K C M Y K E7 E6 DAILY 02-14-07 MD RE E6 CMYK DAILY 02-14-07 MD RE E7 CMYK E6 Wednesday, February 14, 2007 R x The Washington Post The Washington Post x R Wednesday, February 14, 2007 E7 Auto RRacing RACES TO WATCH (With track turns) NASCAR SEASON PREVIEW By Liz Clarke THIS SEASON’S SCHEDULE (With last season’s race result) 1. DAYTONA 500 Date Race Track TV Time Sunday, Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway Daytona 500 Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway WTTG-5 2 p.m. Sunday NASCAR is the only With crew chief Chad Knaus suspended, Jimmie Johnson wins in a two-lap shootout. sport that kicks off 3 2 with its Super Auto Club 500 California Speedway WTTG-5 3 p.m. Bowl, the Daytona Changes Put Sport on Trackk for Eventful Year Feb. 25 500. Carburetor- 4 1 Matt Kenseth wins after Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart blow engines late in the race. restrictor plates S UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway WTTG-5 4 p.m. keep horsepower equal, March 11 so the driver who best exploits the aerodynamic NASCAR fans are accustomed to change, but the 2007 Nextel Cup season promises more upheaval than usual, including After not leading a lap, Jimmie Johnson beats Matt Kenseth to finish by 0.115 of a second. draft usually wins. Kobalt Tools 500 Atlanta Motor Speedway WTTG-5 1:30 p.m. March 18 2. FOOD CITY 500 a surprising new face behind the wheel, controversial new cars on the traack, new strife on the team of the sport’s most Kasey Kahne wins, and Bill Lester becomes first black driver in NASCAR's top series since 1986. March 25, Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway Food City 500 Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway WTTG-5 1:30 p.m. The season’s first March 25 short-track race 3 popular driver and new rules governing the postseason. Here’s what you nneed to know to follow the key story lines: Kurt Busch wins after ramming into leader Matt Kenseth, sending him into a slide. 2 on the high banks of this .533-mile Goody’s Cool Orange 500 Martinsville (Va.) Speedway WTTG-5 1:30 p.m. April 1 bullring is a spec- 1 Tony Stewart wins a side-by-side duel with Jimmie Johnson, passing him with 27 laps to go. tacle, with plenty 4 » The New Toyota Camry » Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Next Move » The Car of Tomorrow S of bumping and Samsung 500 Texas Motor Speedway WTTG-5 1:30 p.m. April 15 banging. This race also After restart with 17 laps left, Kasey Kahne pulls away and wins by more than four seconds. marks the debut of NASCAR’s controversial Car FIRST NASCAR CAMRY of Tomorrow. Released: 2007. Subway Fresh Fit 500 Phoenix Int’l Speedway WTTG-5 8 p.m. Cost: $200,000-$300,000. April 21 Kevin Harvick passes Greg Biffle with 10 laps to go to end 38-race winless drought. 3. TOYOTA/SAVE MART 350 Weight: 3,400 pounds. June 24, Infineon (Calif.) Raceway 4 Horsepower: 850. Aaron’s 499 Talladega (Ala.) Speedway WTTG-5 1:30 p.m. Keep your eye on the No. April 29 3 5 Engine: 5.9-liter V8. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge 2 Rain pushes another race to Monday and Jimmie Johnson passes Brian Vickers with a lap to go. Fuel tank: 22 gallons. driven by Formula 6 1 Doors: None. Crown Royal 400 Richmond Int’l Speedway WTTG-5 7 p.m. One ace Juan PHOTOS COURTESY OF NASCAR May 5 Pablo Montoya, 9 10 S 7 Top speed: Over 200 mph. Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets his first victory, holding off rookie Denny Hamlin. the most 8 Dodge Avenger 500 Darlington (S.C.) Raceway WTTG-5 7 p.m. overqualified rookie in May 12 NASCAR history when it comes to turning left Greg Biffle ends a string of bad luck by holding off a late charge from Jeff Gordon to win. and right. FIRST PASSENGER CAMRY Released: 1983. Nextel All-Star Challenge Lowe’s (N.C.) Motor Speedway Speed 7 p.m. May 19 4. CHEVY ROCK & ROLL 400 Cost: $7,800-$10,000. After a final restart following a wreck, Jimmie Johnson shakes off Kevin Harvick to win. Sept. 8, Richmond International Raceway Weight: 2,400 pounds NASCAR expanded Horsepower: 92. Coca-Cola 600 Lowe’s (N.C.) Motor Speedway WTTG-5 5 p.m. the field for the 3 2 May 27 Engine: 2.0-liter V4. Kasey Kahne ends Jimmie Johnson's run of three straight victories in this race. postseason Chase Fuel tank: 14 gallons. for the Nextel Cup Dover 400 Dover (Del.) Int’l Raceway TNT 1 p.m. from 10 to 12. But 4 1 Doors: Four. June 3 Adjustable Double-frame A more defined Matt Kenseth passes Jamie McMurray late in a 1-2 finish for Roush Racing. that won’t ease the S Top speed: Not quite 100 mph. pressure entering the rear wing and rail with body and chassis Pocono 500 Pocono (Pa.) Raceway TNT 1 p.m. season’s 26th race, which marks the cutoff for 2002 PHOTO BY TERRRY RENNA — ASSOCIATED PRESS front splitter steel plating inspection process June 10 qualifying. Rookie Denny Hamlin overcomes a blown tire and holds off Tony Stewart for first victory. For decades, NASCAR’s rulebook Given that U.S. automakers are Could NASCAR’s most popular driver real- appears to be whether Juniior will get an NASCAR’s ballyhooed Car of cars. That’s for safety’s sake, allow- spelled it out in black and white: hemorrhaging money, NASCAR’s ly bail on the team his father founded? It’s ownership stake in the commpany — some- Tomorrow won’t make its competi- ing extra room for energy-absorbing Michigan 400 Michigan Int’l Speedway TNT TBA 5. UAW-FORD 500 June 17 Oct. 7, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway Only American-made cars could founding France family is making a quite possible, given the strained relations thing he has made clear hee expects. And tive debut until March 25 at Bristol material to shield the driver (whose Kasey Kahne rallies from 38th place to win after rain cuts race 71 laps short. compete. But that distinction has smart business decision by wel- between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his stepmoth- Teresa will have to yield onn that point to (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, but the seat has been moved toward the NASCAR’s biggest 3 become as outmoded as leather rac- coming Toyota into the fold. By er, Teresa Earnhardt, who now runs the com- make it work. With NASCAAR’s biggest fan squawking has already begun about center of the car) on impact. Toyota/Save Mart 350 Infineon (Calif.) Raceway TNT 4 p.m. track (2.66 miles) 2 June 24 also requires ing helmets and bias-ply tires in adding a financially stable manu- pany. Teresa publicly chastised Dale Jr. in base, Junior has all the leveerage in these NASCAR’s first attempt to design a The most striking change is the Jeff Gordon takes lead on 49th of 110-lap race and earns records ninth road-course win. restrictor plates to today’s global economy, with pas- facturer to the competitive ranks, December, implying that his interest in being negotiations. If he doesn’t getg a stake and chassis that all teams must use rear wing and the front splitter, senger cars assembled on one conti- NASCAR, in a sense, is diversify- a celebrity was undercutting his potential as leaves, there’s no doubt hiss deep-pocketed regardless of whether they’re racing which is a shelf-like protrusion Lenox Industrial Tools 300 New Hampshire Int’l Speedway TNT TBA keep speeds under 4 1 July 1 200 mph, which all S nent from parts constructed on ing its portfolio and protecting a racer. sponsor, Budweiser, would follow. In the Fords, Chevrolets, Dodges or under the nose. The wing and split- Kyle Busch wins by steering clear of the trouble that brought out 11 caution flags. but ensures a huge wreck another continent and sold by a itself from the potential wild fluctu- Representatives for Dale Jr. and Teresa interim, the clock is tickingg on his pursuit Toyotas. ter are tuning elements that serve as and a close finish. Now, the Car of Tomorrow is parent company based on yet ations in store for the U.S. automo- say they hope to have a contract of a championship. At 32, he hasn’t fin- The goal was threefold: To create the chief sources of downforce. Pepsi 400 Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway TNT 7 p.m. July 7 added to the mix. another continent. tive industry. extension signed by May. ished higher tthan third in a car that was safer and more cost- NASCAR officials claim their Tony Stewart takes leads with two laps to go to win this race for second straight year. Still, the entry of the first foreign But it remains to be seen how fans The sticking sevenn Cup seasons. effective and produced more side-by- Car of Tomorrow will be a multi- nameplate — Toyota — into will react. Anxiety is in high gear in point side racing. But in the eyes of many purpose vehicle, saving money by USG Sheetrock 400 Chicagoland Speedway TNT 3 p.m. July 15 NASCAR’s elite ranks has drawn the garage, where team owners who racers, the result is an unattractive preventing teams from having to Jeff Gordon claims controversial victory after spinning out Matt Kenseth with four laps to go.