FanHouse JeffGordon

INDIANAPOLIS -- Some notes and quotes from inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway's famous Gasoline Alley:

*Four-time Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon said Saturday he does not plan on getting any more invasive treatments for his nagging back pain.

Earlier this year an MRI revealed that Gordon suffers from mild arthritis. He underwent a procedure in May to inject anti-inflammatory medicine and Gordon said he's feeling better but credits that mostly to an improved training regiment, not the procedure.

He said some tracks irritate the injury more than others joking that he could take a month off, "then go to Bristol (Tenn.) and it will hurt.""The procedure really didn't have an impact so I made the decision after talking with my doctors not to do anything more,'' Gordon said. "And frankly, I don't like having needles in my back.''

INDIANAPOLIS -- So far, so good.

Two hour-long practice sessions Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway eased the minds of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams concerned with tire wear for Sunday's AllState 400 at the Brickyard.

"It is done, they have created a great tire,'' said four-time Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon, who, following a June tire test, promised fans that Goodyear had fixed the problems that wreaked havoc on last year's race when tire wear forced drivers to pit every 10-15 laps.

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The celebratory Fourth of July pyrotechnics going off along the backstretch following Saturday night's NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway were nothing compared to the last-lap fireworks show minutes earlier on the frontstretch.

Two-time NASCAR champ Tony Stewart muscled his way by Kyle Busch about 100 yards before the finish line -- holding his line as Busch tried to block him. Ultimately, Stewart was able to get his nose in position for the pass. When Busch tried to stop Stewart's final push, the two cars collided and Busch's car spun out, hitting the wall and paving the way for Stewart to capture the victory.

The pre-race buzz is understandably high for the double-file re-starts NASCAR is implementing in the Sprint Cup Series Sunday at Pocono, Pa.

But the real story isn't so much the exciting midseason change in format, but NASCAR's willingness to make a midseason change in format.

Say what you want about stock car's benevolent dictatorship, but in the last few years, the hard-line has been replaced with the open-line. And NASCAR's willingness to adapt -- in the name of more exciting competition -- may be the very thing that keeps it relevant and afloat in these tricky economic times.

For once, NASCAR as a sanctioning body completely deserves a heaping of praise.

Nope, there won't be rubbing, questioning or accusing in this post because its actions Monday afternoon concerning the true spirit of Memorial Day in the States is something a lot of fans won't soon forget. And should they, on any level -- whether it involve a national anthem singer or the allowance of a foreign-owned manufacturer in the sport -- there's one moment to fall back on.

That moment came at exactly 3PM Monday when NASCAR threw the red flag over the Coca-Cola 600, brought the field to a stop, quieted the cars and stood at silent attention in honor of the service of the men and women of the armed forces.

Where: Lowe's Motor Speedway
Time: Sunday 5:45 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: FOX Sports, PRN Radio
Twitter: In-race updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 64 degrees, 80% chance of rain
Distance: 400 laps (600 miles)
Pole Winner: Ryan Newman
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
First-time NASCAR winners have been commonplace at Lowe's Motor Speedway for quite a few years now. Jeff Gordon got his first there as did Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth and Casey Mears.

Sunday night, though, the favorites look to be of the veteran variety.

Where: Lowe's Motor Speedway
Time: Saturday 7:00 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: SPEED, MRN Radio
Twitter: Updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 63 degrees, 80% chance of rain
Distance: 4 segments, 100 laps (150 miles)
Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
The last time rain affected the All-Star event at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon walled his primary No. 24 in a 2001 first-turn crash thanks to rain on the track and later won the event in his backup. While that's a legendary story, the rain isn't -- and it might take center stage tonight.

As comforting as it is to see NASCAR's new drug policy work, it makes you wonder what was going on before the stricter enforcement.

This weekend Jeremy Mayfield became the first Sprint Cup Series driver suspended indefinitely under the tougher random drug testing policy instituted this year. Two other crew members from other teams also tested positive, bringing the total to five suspensions in the first four months of the season.

Unlike the "wink-wink" slaps on the wrist NASCAR gives its drivers for in-race offenses, stock car's sanctioning body is proving itself serious about its new drug testing policy.

And it should be.

Kyle Busch celebrated his 24th birthday Saturday night with his third win in Richmond. Here's a look at it from a feature we like to call Sprint Cup Numbers:

2.751 - Kyle Busch's margin of victory in seconds over Tony Stewart, the largest of the 2009 season

3 - Wins Kyle Busch had over the weekend after also taking the Nationwide Series race and a Denny Hamlin charity race

4.895 - Average running position, behind Jeff Gordon (4.198) and teammate Denny Hamlin (3.510)

Almost like a scientist tries to forecast an earthquake or a volcano, the alert level keeps rising when it comes to the discussion of Sprint Cup driver Jeff Gordon and his back.

Friday afternoon at Richmond International Raceway prior to Saturday night's 400-lap race, Gordon revealed that he went in for an MRI over the week and found out some more information to more accurately diagnose his back problems.

And while Gordon's ailment hasn't reached a tipping point, he's not divulging what information he learned this week quite yet.