But someone forgot to tell Matt Kenseth that this was supposed to be a �bow-tie� affair, as �Captain Boring� would take over the latter stages of the race to win in classic Kenseth fashion. NASCAR fans by now should be used to this scenario, which occurs in about one of every five races. Kenseth has a very unspectacular qualifying effort, placing in the middle of the grid. Meanwhile Dale Jr. and Waltrip set the world on fire on their qualifying laps and start near the front. Junior and Mikie set the pace in the early laps (behind Jeff Gordon for a while), while Kenseth gets comfortable at around the 15th position. A marathon green-flag run ensues, with the DEI cars putting half the field a lap down before it�s over. The first yellow finally falls, the #17 pit crew puts in a great stop, and suddenly Kenseth is top-ten. A few more yellows, some more Robbie Reiser pit strategy, and the #17 is running top five. Then comes the yellow when Kenseth elects to stay out (supposedly against orders, right) and the #17 restarts second. That move pays off when yet another yellow occurs soon after, and suddenly Kenseth is out front, as the DeWalt Ford gets better and better as the day wears on.

The final 95-lap green flag run saw Kenseth romp through the field like Secretariat at the Belmont, winning by over 11 seconds, and putting all except 10 other cars at least a lap down. Just in case there was any doubt, the pit crew pulls off what was timed anywhere between a 13.2-13.6 on the final green-flag stop. And that's with two new crew members, one of which had never changed a tire in any series prior to this year. Guess you can expect that third consecutive World pit crew Championship in November. Junior and Mikie (unlike some other races) do hang around and finish second and third respectively. You could tell the third was like a win to Mikie, who slides his car through the infield as if HE HAD WON.

Now for other observations from the Las Vegas weekend�

JUNIOR AND DEI WERE HOOKED UP ALL WEEKEND

JUNIOR/WALTRIP � Junior ran some major smack in the post-race interview, saying that he hopes his performance �will shut the critics up�. I will say this, it was easily Junior�s best not-plate (and I emphasize non-plate) performance since his Dover win (when he single-handedly help unify a healing nation - at least according to NASCAR.COM) nearly eighteen months ago. And unlike most races, Junior�s car did not go away as the afternoon and the DUI cars would had been considered downright dominant if it wasn�t for Kenseth. And then there is Waltrip, who is back on top in the point standings, even if it was only because Jimmie Johnson got downright punted by Sterling Marlin on the last lap. Guess we might have to consider him as a legitimate title contender � even if only for one more week before NASCAR does the wind-tunnel tests and the Chevy�s are ordered to drive with the Queen Mary towed in back.

PARITY � And you thought the NFL was bad. Guess how many drivers have finished in the top-ten in all three races. Move to the head of the class if you said zero. In fact there are only seven who have done as much as finished in the top ten in two of three races. And you thought no one wanted to dominate last year. In fact someone should give Mike Wallace a ride for managing to finish in the top ten at Daytona in the Truck, Busch, and Cup race. That�s almost as impressive as Junior�s near-slam (before the voo-doo doll got him in the 500).

KENSETH � So does the weekends events make Captain Boring the man to beat. Well, like Busch he is going to have to deal with the outdated Ford template all season. But put this in Kenseth�s cap, in just over a year he has won at Rockingham, Texas, Michigan, Richmond, Phoenix, and now Vegas. That�s a pretty good variety, which gets me back to my original point � this cat is a threat to win anywhere outside of a road course (which the Gordons and Tony Stewart own) or plate track (which DEI owns). What works against the #17 is that Kenseth and the team run that car on the edge, which was evidenced by ten finishes of 30th or worse last year. Cut that total in half along with several victories/strong finishes and the road to the title goes straight through Wisconsin � which would be like an NFC team trying to win a road playoff game at Lambeau (oh wait, Michael Vick and the Falcons just got done doing that with ease).

HIDEO FUKUYAMA � Picked up a sponsor and is now scheduled to run 20 Cup races this year, how many he actually qualifies for will be in question though. Ran all of 161 MPH in qualifying, Derrick Cope was the next slowest qualifier at 165 and the first real driver checked in at 169. I�m for diversity in the sport and everything, but Hideo does not belong on the Cup circuit. In fact I have doubts that Hideo could contend on a weekly basis on your local quarter-mile. But I will give Fukuyama credit for this, he sure doesn�t shy away or bow out of a race early. He lasted the entire distance on Sunday, and also hung in for 400 laps last year at Martinsville (victory in itself), also competed at Dover, and attempted to qualify at Rockingham. That is not an easy threesome, feel free to throw in Bristol while your at it. But the bottom line is that Hideo has still passed zero running cars in his Cup career, don�t expect that number to improve in the future. But you could had made a fortune last weekend on this bet � Hideo v. Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, and Mark Martin. How fast would the pit boss throw someone out for attempting to make that wager???

GREG BIFFLE � Anyone attempting to qualify in any of the first four races with a car without points from the previous season have to make sure to qualify in the top 36 on speed, which Biffle found out the hard way Friday night. Provisionals went by 2002 owner (not driver) points, putting the likes of Fukuyama and others in the field. Even with #02 driver Brandon Ash not making it through tech line, Biffle found himself as the odd man out among 44 drivers. Jamie McMurray (#42 � new team) has even less of a safety net, while third rookie Casey Mears gets a pass since the #41 ran a full schedule with Jimmy Spencer last year. Starting next week in Darlington, provisionals go by 2003 points � which will be good news for both Biffle and McMurray.

Every third week I unveil my top 20 driver rankings, based on recent performance and short-term potential � not unlike your weekly College football/basketball poll. My initial top-twenty for the year is as follows�

1. Kenseth, 2. Busch, 3. Stewart, 4. Johnson, 5. Waltrip, 6. Dale Jr., 7. J. Gordon, 8. Newman, 9. Martin, 10. Marlin, 11. J. Burton, 12. Jarrett, 13. B. LaBonte, 14. R. Wallace, 15. Nemecheck, 16. McMurray, 17. Harvick, 18. Benson, 19. Rudd, 20. Park.

Stop me if I didn�t just put Steve Park in my top twenty�

ATLANTA PREVIEW

Here�s a shocker, as of midweek there is no rain forecasted for the entire weekend, that has to be a first for this facility!!!!! Race is scheduled to air on FOX, but could wind up being bumped to FX if Gulf War II breaks out. We�re just past a new moon so the assault on SODAMN INSANE could be any day now. Enjoy the Chevy show while it lasts, as NASCAR�s wind-tunnel facility is nearby so look for the cars of the top finishers in each of the four makes to have their cars impounded soon after the checkered flag on Sunday. That is annual event as sure as the swallows coming back to Capistrano. My top thirty for the week is as follows�

1. Tony Stewart � Has been relatively quiet (7th/20th/5th) the first three weeks but that all ends here, as he has taken over from Bobby LaBonte as the dominant JGR driver at this track � scoring a win and fourth place finish here last year.



2. Matt Kenseth � Had last year�s race in the bag if it had stayed green, Reiser had it figured out and everything � much to Jack Rosch�s satisfaction. As it was, the final totals at this track (4th/9th) were pretty good. Arguments against the #17 this weekend include the Ford disadvantage and that the wins don�t come in bunches, but rather about once every month.



3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. � Those who have the NASCAR.COM screen saver would know what I�m talking about. There�s an image of Junior (hat on backwards) at the podium, addressing the throng before an Atlanta race. Must have had all the feel of the Pope holding mass. This is Junior�s best non-plate track, placing second and fifth last year so grab him while he�s hot.



4. Kurt Busch � Had a top car before being involved in a scrape with Harvick which shuffled him back, then getting collected by Skinner/Rusty. Numbers here were awesome last year, qualifying fourth and placing 11th in the Spring, then qualifying eighth before winning the fall race.



5. Ryan Newman � Don�t worry too much about the recent misfortune. Anytime someone makes up two laps and finishes 7th, you know the car�s darn good. Qualified second and sixth here last year, along with a pair of 10th place finishes.



6. Jimmie Johnson � One of three cars to slide across the infield after the checkered flag at Vegas, except his slide was not in celebration after being punted by soon to be decrepit has-been Sterling Marlin. Finished third last spring and qualified second in the fall race.



7. Michael Waltrip � Went out early in this race last year with a bad motor but you simply can�t go against DEI this week.



8. Bobby LaBonte � Crapped out here both times last year but was a monster before that, with five wins and nine-top fives between 1996-2001. Also looks like Fatback has this team pointed back in the right direction.



9. Jeff Gordon � One gets the feeling the #24 may be slipping further into the abyss this year. Tony Stewart got the better of him in the waning laps last fall. Was a near-winner in this race two years ago.



10. Joe Nemecheck � The #25 is always hooked up here. Jerry Nadeau had a race in his hip pocket before running out of gas on the last lap in the fall of �01, and Joe would have had a rare win had it rained just a few laps sooner last fall.



11. Mark Martin � A pair of typical Martin races here in �02, placing eighth on both occasions.



12. Dale Jarrett - "You've got the same people doing stupid stuff,� END OF FRICKIN� QUOTE!!!!! That�s as hot as DJ�s been in � ah, EVER. That sounds like something you�d hear out of Spencer or Harvick. If Steve Park doesn�t intervene this week things should be much better, this is a good Jarrett track with a pair of top five�s over the past two years.




13. BURTON IS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW HIS CAR COULD SPONTANIOUSLY COMBUST

    Jeff Burton � Anyone check out what happened to JB in the Busch race last weekend. Something happened to the gas-line and the car combusted DURING A CAUTION PERIOD!!!!! Only thing hotter was the safety-crew lady that came to his aid afterwards.



14. Sterling Marlin � Did come away with a second in the fall of �01 along with a decent eighth place showing last week.



15. Rusty Wallace � Has crapped out in two of three races so far. Is he becoming a decrepit???



16. Jamie McMurray � A strong seventh pinch-hitting for Sterling Marlin last fall, which came on the heals of his shocking Charlotte upset from the previous week.



17. Kevin Harvick � He did win this race once didn�t he??? Last year was a different story, placing 39th and 40th.



18. Steve Park � To his credit, did take responsibility for the Jarrett incident. Besides the top-ten in the Cup race, stepped into a Busch car for the first time since his �01 Darlington accident and placed fourth.



19. Ricky Rudd � Three decent finishes (15th, 11th, 19th) to open up the year.



20. Elliott Sadler � 42nd place showing last week � are we sure that isn�t Schrader still in that car???



21. Bill Elliott � A gutty 14th place finish in Vegas after being �sicker than he�s been years� for most of the weekend. Won the pole for this race last year but would go on to crap out (35th, 33rd) in both events.



22. Ward Burton � Contended with a 7th last spring, then followed up with a 16th in the fall.



23. Ricky Craven � An outstanding showing last spring, qualifying sixth and placing fifth.



24. Robby Gordon � 18th and 20th place showings last year.



25. Greg Biffle � But has to qualify first!!!!!



26. Johnny Benson � Not one of his better tracks, placing 27th and 23rd last year.



27. Casey Mears � Got to bump the boy up a little bit after a very solid weekend of qualifying 18th and placing 15th.



28. Dave Blaney � A pair of decent (17th, 19th) showings last year.



29. Jimmy Spencer � Was hooked up last weekend!!!! Challenged for the top ten much of the weekend before fading a bit to 17th, after qualifying 15th. This will not bode well on Casey Atwood�s resume, who is going to find it impossible to get another Cup (or even Busch) ride for the foreseeable future.



30. Jerry Nadeau � Has not been horrible so far, getting respectable finishes of 28th, 26th, and 22nd.