Sitting on the pole isn't a bad way for the winless Clint Bowyer to start his first Chase for the Nextel Cup championship. He was the 45th of 49 drivers to qualify and knocked his fellow first-time chaser, Martin Truex Jr., out of the starting spot to score his second career pole.
Truex almost had hist first career pole ... instead he got beat by 0.035 seconds and got his second career front-row start. Bummer. He really wants in next year's Bud Shootout.
Four more chasers qualified in the top 10 ... Matt Kenseth is the rear chaser starting in 30th.
Dave Blaney qualified 10th, well ahead of Ken Schrader in the #21 car in 34th. If they finished that way--or close--Blaney would be back in the top 35.
Penske Racing's IRL driver Sam Hornish Jr. failed in his first Cup qualifying event.
Winners of the Week Ray Evernham and Boris Said. It might be the last spot, but who cares? The fourth Gillett-Evernham Motorsports Dodge entry is in the field. Ditto for Said. When is someone going to give him a full time job? He's got better records than some current full-timers. GEM? CGR? BAM? Any takers? Losers of the Week Michael Waltrip and Jeremy Mayfield both scored their 15th DNQs of the season, Dale Jarrett his 10th. Kevin LePage, who holds the record for most DNQs this season, claimed his 20th. John Andretti is batting 0.500 after failing to qualify for the eighth time 16 attempts.
Boris Said was living the life Sunday at Watkins Glen. He, after all, got a last-minute ride in the Wood Brothers No. 21 after missing the race in his own car due to rain on Friday's qualifying.
And now, Ken Schrader should be back in the ride this weekend at Michigan International Speedway thanks to Said.
With his fake afro-clad legion of fans -- the "Said-heads" -- cheering the road course turned-nearly-regular-driver, Said powered the No. 21 into the top-35 ahead of TGOM's favorite driver, Dave Blaney, with a 14th-place finish.
"Mission accomplished," Said said. "At the end, I think we could've gotten a top-10, but where the 22 car was, I had to really think about it. I kind of gave up and let the 2 car by and then made a little mistake and the 12 got by.
"But still, that's exactly what they needed - and I got to race instead of watching on the couch, and I get to take a picture away of me driving a Wood Brothers car, so it's a pretty special weekend."
Elliott started filling in the No. 21 at the Coca-Cola 600 so his past champion's provisionals could help the team return to the top-35.
Schrader, who's been a much better sport about his ride getting taken away than a lot drivers could ever be, should be back for Michigan, right?
What are you doing this weekend, Boris? What's that? You're helping TGOM win the Blaniac Challenge, you say?
Most of the road race ringers were shut out by rain this weekend at Watkins Glen International, but at least one driver thought it would be a shame not to have Boris Said behind the wheel of a race car. I totally agree!
Wood Brothers/JTG Racing co-owner Len Wood:
"Bill [Elliott] came to me and said, 'In the best interest of the team, let's put Boris in. Bill is an excellent road racer - the first race he ever won was at Riverside. He suggested putting Boris in. We first cleared it with our sponsors and then went to NASCAR and cleared it with them."
Woohoo! I'm sure that makes the Said Heads happy. But more importantly, it makes me very happy!
Both the WBJTF #21 and BDR #22 cars will finally push the Ginn Racing #13 out of the top 35 in owner points and one of them will officially gain the spot. With the #21 only 26 points behind the #22 heading to a road course with Said behind the wheel, it's highly likely they could steal the Ginn Gift back from Dave Blaney, who would then be on the outside looking in again next week at MIS.
Jamie McMurray starts on the pole today. That's only happened twice before in his five-year Nextel Cup career, the last time at the 2005 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on July 24, 2005. He finished 11th. His first Bud Pole Award came at Homestead in 2004 where he finished 9th.
Robby Gordon will start 2nd in the Toyota/SaveMart 350. Last time he started that high in the field was here in 2003. He won. He owes TGOM a thank you. Because he was excluded from the power rankings, he has a shot at repeating.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts 3rd. Previously, his best start at Infineon Raceway came in 2005, which didn't work out too well for him. He started 10th, finished 42nd.
1. Jeff Gordon. This place is heaven for Gordon. Last year he announced his engagement, this year he's having a baby. If Ingrid's not giving birth on Sunday, Jeffy will be out front in Sonoma. He is by far the dominant driver on the track with five poles, five wins and nine top 10s. If he has to miss one race, this shouldn't be it. (Update: The kid is out and the race is on.) 2. Tony Stewart. He's the head of the class if Gordon's out. Maybe his 300th Nextel Cup career start will jump start his 2007 win column with his 30th career win. 3. Denny Hamlin. Only one start here, but that shouldn't stop him. This is a COT race. The COT owes him.
There's been a lot of talk about cosmetic surgery this week as NASCAR returns to Texas Motor Speedway for the first time since the deepening wrinkle in the track, aka "Dale's Dip," was filled.
But there are some other surface improvements that aren't being talked about so much -- those to Boris Said's grill.
The part-time NASCAR driver and road-race ringer, who is a regular feature on ESPN's "NASCAR Now" this season, is sporting a new set of pearly whites.
Sitting on the pole isn't a bad way for the winless Clint Bowyer to start his first Chase for the Nextel Cup championship. He was the 45th of 49 drivers to qualify and knocked his fellow first-time chaser, Martin Truex Jr., out of the starting spot to score his second career pole. 
Winners of the Week.jpg)
Boris Said was living the life Sunday at Watkins Glen. He, after all, 
What are you doing this weekend, Boris? What's that? You're helping TGOM win the 
Jamie McMurray starts on the pole today. That's only happened twice before in his five-year Nextel Cup career, the last time at the 2005 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on July 24, 2005. He finished 11th. His first Bud Pole Award came at Homestead in 2004 where he finished 9th.
1. Jeff Gordon. This place is heaven for Gordon. Last year he 
2. Tony Stewart. He's the head of the class if Gordon's out. Maybe his 300th Nextel Cup career start will jump start his 2007 win column with his 30th career win.
3. Denny Hamlin. Only one start here, but that shouldn't stop him. This is a COT race. The COT owes him.
There's been a lot of talk about 
