Mariah (shown serenading someone almost as famous as Junior) will sing the anthem Sunday...

But I�m here to tell you that none of the Bodine�s will be heard from in the Daytona 500. I expect that family�s next chance of winning will be when Geoff�s bobsled takes to the ice in the next Winter Olympics three years from now. Also do not like the prospects of Tony Raines, Morgan Shepherd or Christian Fittipaldi, who were also supposedly lighting up the track. January seems to always be the time of year for the 5 cent outfits to shine.

But sandbagging time is over, and all the usual suspects will be on hand for the Daytona 500, stock car racing�s most lucrative race, come Sunday. With that we begin another season of the KAC Weekly racing preview. This year�s format will be somewhat different, as the top thirty picks for each week will be profiled, with a brief synopsis of what they did the week before. This past weekends Shootout event provides a small sampling on what to expect for this Sunday � but keep in mind the cars teams use for the shootout are usually different to what will be used for the 500. Also, unlike the rest of the season � one engine change will be allowed per team, that being after the 125 mile qualifying race and before the 500.

And now, KAC�s top thirty for Week 1 of the NASCAR season�

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Dick Berggren, the Will McDonough of Stock Car journalism, offered this insight from the #8 garage at the beginning of FX�s coverage of practice last Saturday. �Dale Jr. is not only fast, he�s WICKED fast.� Thanks for the news flash Tom Brokaw. Actually that sounds like something Junior's sponsor might test market, �Dale�s Wicked Fast Ale�. On a serious note though, Junior looks as vaunted as ever at this venue � and even won the shootout without tag-team partner Michael Waltrip. Not only that Junior went from dead last (19th) to first in the opening 20 lap segment. I wouldn�t go against Junior on Sunday even if NASCAR makes him start the race in Cocoa Beach. Only way Junior does not win is if the #8 finds it�s way over a stray soda can (or whatever) again during the opening laps, or if Mikie beats him to the punch at the end. Should Junior somehow not win, the scribes (at least the ones that cover this sport once per year) will be busy speculating that Junior is becoming as snakebit in this race as Dale Sr.



2. Michael Waltrip � Actually list Mikie at 1A, as the #15 has been running right up there with the #8. Between the two, the chances of either winning on Sunday rate much better than 50-50.



3. Jeff Gordon � Another fallacy of practice times, as the theme on TV was �the #24 is struggling, Gordon�s only 41st on the speed charts�. Whatever, all I know is once the lights came on for the shootout, Gordon was his usual self and pushed Junior all the way towards an impressive second place finish. Like him or not, expect a contending top-five run.



4. Sterling Marlin � Restrictor-plate specialist is the �95 and �96 champion � and since joining Ganassi was in the hunt in �01 and was a tire rub away from winning last year. Marlin just seems to be at his best in the early season period.



5. Kurt Busch � Looked very impressive Saturday Night. Backs down from no one on the plate tracks, ruffling the feathers of Dale Sr. in �01 and Jeff Gordon last year. But also incurred the raft of NASCAR during the July event last year. Comes into this race with a ton of momentum based on his threes wins in the final four races last year.



6. Tony Stewart � Tony and crew chief Greg Zipadelli found out Saturday Night that Chevys and Pontiacs have one thing in common � THEY BOTH OVERHEAT!!!!! On the positive side, perhaps the #20 team has gotten their bad luck out of the way during the Shootout for once. Stewart had won that event the past two seasons, only to crash out of the 500 in �01 (a crash that started with him in fifth and being behind the 24th place driver by the time the #20 stopped flipping) and to blow a motor on the third lap last year. However, the shootout wins prove how effective and capable Stewart can be in this race.



7. Jimmie Johnson � Was not much of a factor in his first Cup race last year, but he and teammate Jeff Gordon hooked up well in the draft together Saturday Night, should start another impressive campaign here.



8. Ryan Newman � Rates lower on the plate tracks than where you will usually see him, as Newman and Crew Chief Matt Borland have the best engine package in the game. Restrictor plates drop the #12 down to the level of the rest of the mortals.



9. Ward Burton � Defending champion also placed fourth in the �01 race, but is more likely to end up behind the wall.



10. Dale Jarrett � Three-time 500 winner and a five-time plate winner overall. Was not much of a factor in the Shootout however.



11. Rusty Wallace � Here are some toxic numbers for you. 76 races between Talladega and Daytona, zero wins.



12. Jeff Green � Took the second pole of his career (other at Bristol), completing a banner qualifying effort for RCR.



13. Matt Kenseth � Not thought of as a plate driver, but placed well in Talladega in October and more than held his own in the shootout. A possible title run starts here.



14. Ricky Rudd � Did well in the shootout and driving the #21 Elliott Sadler took to a second place finish in this race one year ago � also drove to a third place finish at Talladega in the fall.



15. Kevin Harvick � Took the pole here last July and had another strong qualifying effort this week. Goodwrench car has always been in the fray here, but that was with the last driver.



16. Jeff Burton � Not thought of highly on plate tracks, but has three top-fives including a win at this venue since 2000. Burton starts the year with a string of tracks he historically does wll on and could be a nice under-the-radar type pick.



17. Mark Martin � Set the tone for his strong season with a sixth place showing here last year. As is the case with all Rosch drivers, fares better in the plate races themselves than in qualifying.



18. Bobby LaBonte � Another driver coming off a downward spiral looking to turn it around starting right here.



19. Robby Gordon � Finished 12th at Talladega in the fall, and qualified in the top ten along with his other RCR teammates - but carries a high probability for crashing.



20. Steve Park � If Park is ever going to turn it around, it�s either going to be here and/or at Rockingham. A 6th place finish at Talladega offers hope that the DEI magic can rub off on the #1 car as well.



21. Bill Elliott � Veteran has been historically a great plate driver and has a good chance of netting at least a top ten.



22. Elliott Sadler � Will last year�s success carry over to the #28 car??? Is still in a transitional period so don�t expect too much yet.



23. Greg Biffle � Favorite for Rookie of the year, but comes with risk for the first four weekends due to just one race of provisional points from last year. Must either finish in the top-15 in his half of the 125 qualifying heats or have a great qualifying run to fall back on.



24. Jamie McMurray � Driving the #42 car (new third team for Ganassi) which has no 2002 provisional points, giving him even less margin for error in qualifying than Biffle.



25. Ricky Craven � Finished on lead lap in Talladega, but does much better at the short tracks, and is another one best saved for Rockingham.



26. Mike Skinner - #4 always best here, car has been a two-time winner in this event.



27. Johnny Benson � Crashed very early here back in July, re-injuring himself. Save the #10 in Rockingham where he fares much better.



28. Kenny Schrader � Driving in the #49 car which does have some points from last year. Though the BAM team is woefully short on horsepower, Schrader accounted for himself very well in the Shootout also giving his race team valuable experience. Also does his best on plate tracks and was in the thick of things on the final lap two years ago.



29. Joe Nemechek � Hendrick engine, but usually doesn�t do well at Daytona. Save the #25 for Rockingham and Atlanta where Joe historically shines.



30. Mike Wallace � Second fastest in winter testing and driving the car Geoff Bodine took to a surprising third place finish last February.