The raging debate is who took a harder lick this weekend, Tony Stewart from the machine of Jimmy Spencer or Jeff Gordon from the divorce papers served by that bonifide gold-digger Brooke Sealy. Brooke is not asking for much, a nine-million dollar home, a couple cars, use of his boat, alimony, and oh yeah continue to pay the salaries of Brooke's posse. Guess being a victory stand girl does have it's perks.

Obviously, anti-Gordon Nation is having a field day with this. Personally, I don't know what is the better take of the situation. That Brooke has possibly been in Junior's "Boom-boom room" or that Brooke suggested that perhaps Jeff should be driving the Viagra car, along with making use of the free sample packs. And of course the Kordell Stewart-like speculation of Gordon's real personal life has increased at least ten-fold.

Guess this doesn't come as a complete shock, seven years and no kids can on occasion leave a slight hint. Still, this was Mr and Mrs NASCAR. So we can look forward to Brooke taking Julia Roberts place on the supermarket tabloids. A bigger issue is that the breakup coincides with a 13-race streak without the #24 car in the top five. Guess fantasy players now need to check out the state of drivers marital affairs before selecting them in pre-season pools. Meanwhile, Gordon did answer a lot of his critics with a strong run in Darlington. It shouldn't be long before he's back in the Winners Circle, courting a new Miss Winston.

DARLINGTON REVIEW

Last week, a hula girl helped take Tony Stewart to Victory Lane. This week, she just helped get him a chopper ride to the hospital. Just another example of how fleeting success is in this sport. Also, one gets the feeling that Sterling Marlin and Ryan Newman could be forced to start a race on the interstate and they would still be a factor. The non-Brooke related talk the morning of the race was Marlin and Newman being forced start at the back of the field. Lee McCall and crew elected not to risk a bulky engine on the #40 car and to place a new motor in. Meanwhile, Newman cuts a tire and wrecks in the final moments of happy hour. Forcing Ryan into a car that had never seen a racetrack. Keep in mind that only eleven times in 97 previous Darlington races had a car starting outside the top ten had gone on to win the race. The other pre-race talk surrounded the return of Steve Park, who surprisingly qualified fourth.

The race begins under threatening skies and Shawna Robinson wastes no time getting into trouble, pancaking the wall on Lap 3. Shawna also made wall contact twice during qualifying and again during a handful of happy hour laps. Marlin wastes no time moving up, and is 33rd after only 10 laps. Newman is having a little harder time, only 37th and complaining of both "a loose and tight" condition, and wanting the spring rubbers out. Tony Stewart was also not making much headway, sitting back in 34th. Polesitter Ricky Craven leads the first handful of laps, but Steve Park is dealing, passing Jeff Gordon and Craven to take over the race lead. Then it was time to start passing lapped cars, and Park shows signs of impatience in passing Brett Bodine and as he approached Stacy Compton. Park wrecks trying to pass Compton, taking out Ricky Craven with him. Craven would place blame on both Compton and Park, Park for being impatient, Compton for not letting off the throttle this early in the proceedings. Park would place blame on Compton as well. As usual, enough blame to go all the way around.

The ensuing restart would mark the beginning of Jeff Gordon's phase of the race. Jimmy Spencer was doing a good job at keeping up with the #24 car on the short runs but falling back as the tires wore on the notorious Darlington surface. Meanwhile teammates Jeremy Mayfield and Bill Elliott move into the top ten, while a great pit stop elevated Elliot Sadler from seventh to second. Ward Burton would also move up into the top five. Before the cars are forced to pit under green Robby Gordon (who else) makes contact with the wall, forcing out the yellow as parts fall off the #31 machine. After the ensuing pit stops Marlin is suddenly up to third with the race not even at the halfway point. Dale Jarrett, whose stock is taking a nosedive fast, becomes the first non-bum to retire from the race when a oil pump valve belt breaks, taking out his motor. Always remember to check those belts boys. Mayfield spins to bring out a yellow, but that doesn't slow Gordon down as he quickly builds a 4.5 second lead on the next restart, until a charging Sterling Marlin begins to chop away at that as the run wears on. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart has fought his way into the top ten while Ryan Newman moves up to 15th. Dale Jr., who previously had not done well at Darlington had moved up to third. Jeff Green would see yet another run ruined with a lugnut problem in the pits. Gordon and the other leaders then head into pit road for green flag stops when Kurt Busch spins trying to get onto pit road. Busch would escape damage, but Hut Stricklin and Brett Bodine would wreck behind him. That would bring out the yellow and change the complexion of the race.

Heading into the next restart, Gordon was still first, followed by Marlin. The problem now is that a number of cars were ahead of the #24 and #40 on the tail-end of the lead lap. The circuits start to wind down on the ensuing restart, and we are down to 70 laps remaining as FOX goes to commercial, but not for long. The commercials are interrupted to bring us the aftermath of a grinding, feroucious 11-car pileup with Tony Stewart, Jimmy Spencer, and Ken Schrader smack in the middle of it. Isn't Schrader involved in every big wreck??? Replays would show Buckshot Jones getting loose off Turn 2, as many cars did during the day. In the process he was tagged by Tony Stewart, who would then glance the outside wall. Cars behind Stewart would slow but the Schrader car would get into Spencer who in turn clobbered the passenger side of the Stewart machine in frightening fashion, which had nearly stopped by that point. Before Spencer and Schrader got involved the machines of Jeff Gordon, Sterling Marlin, Bill Elliott, and Bobby LaBonte squeezed through, but Gordon and LaBonte sustained damage. With Spencer, Schrader, and Stewart blocking the racetrack, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Ward Burton, Dave Blaney, and Johnny Benson would be collected. Schrader would climb from his machine to check on Stewart, then waves for help. Talk about deja vu all over again. Stewart would be shown on TV sitting up before being laid down and loaded into an ambulance. Tony would be transported to a local hospital and held overnight for observation. Except for some lower back pain and some other bruises, Stewart espaced serious injury and should be available for this coming week.

By the time the track gets cleared and the green waves again 52 laps remain, with Dale Jr. in first followed by Sterling Marlin, Elliot Sadler, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon was forced to make five pit stops during the yellow to fix nosecone damage. Marlin and Sadler would quickly overtake Dale Jr. on the resumption of green glag racing, and Kevin Harvick would eventually overtake Junior as well, but not before a little bumping on Harvick's part. Sure there was some heavy discussion on that in the RCR/DEI camps. Marlin would end up winning, followed by Sadler, Harvick, Dale Jr. and Newman. Jimmy Johnson would have his third straight top ten run by placing sixth, followed by Rusty Wallace, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, and Bill Elliott. Those were the only cars on the lead lap. Other notables include Kyle Petty in 14th, Buckshot Jones in 19th (thanks to taking out ten cars), Bobby LaBonte in 21st and Kurt Busch in 28th. Ken Schrader would return to run one more lap and finish 35th, ahead of Spencer and Stewart. Steve Park would also return to run some laps and finished 39th. Marlin's point lead increases to 99 points over Ryan Newman, followed by Kenseth (-143), Rusty Wallace (-148), Johnson (-158), Jeff Gordon (-161), Jeff Burton (-175), Ward Burton (-185), Mark Martin (-187), and Dale Jr. (-204). Tony Stewart's misfortunes drop him from fifth to out of the top ten.

BRISTOL PREVIEW

We now embark upon the first short-track adventure of the season, on the cereal bowl/bullring/roller derby track known as Bristol. In past years Bristol has been a track difficult for cars starting outside the top 22 to contend for a victory, as those cars were forced to pit on the backstretch, causing a valuable loss of track position each time, as virtually all pit stops are under yellow. A rule change in place for this season should give those in the rear of the field a break. All cars will now have to drive through the front and back pit areas, regardless of where they are pitting. That should level the playing field for everyone, even if it may also make proceedings an absolute mess at times. Bottom line is do not necessarily give up on drivers forced to the back of the grid. Also this tends to be a race that nearly anyone can contend. In 2001 Jeff Gordon was the only driver to place in the top five in both the Spring and Summer races. Finally, pay attention to the weather, as cool weather could also factor in. Now for who to look for...

Rusty Wallace - In this race as much a threat as Jeff Gordon. Since 1998, Rusty has three wins and five top-fives in eight races. Qualified and finished in the top ten both time in '01.

Jeff Gordon - As just said, finished in the top five both times in '01. Led 110 laps in the Spring race and 199 in the Summer. The Darlington run should at least prove the personal issues are not affecting the racing end of things.

Elliot Sadler - The defending champ of the Spring race. That coupled with last weeks second makes him a prime darkhorse.

Sterling Marlin - Led 81 circuits in last years Spring race. Sterling, Rusty, and Gordon are the top three choices for the week.

Kevin Harvick - Racing insiders were wondering if Harvick was still getting the "A" equipment from RCR, as obviously Dale Sr. would always get. That talk should be laid to rest as Happy finally had a strong run and didn't shy away from anyone in the trading paint department - a trait that works well in Bristol. Qualified eighth and finished second in last years Summer race.

SLEEPERS

Ryan Newman - You can be sure that teammate Rusty Wallace will give him some pointers in mastering Bristol.

Jimmy Spencer - Always a good track for Mr. Excitement, had a strong top-five run going before the Darlington big wreck.

John Andretti - Qualified 11th and finished second in the '01 Spring race. Also lead for 51 circuits. Good class C candidate for Yahoo.

Jeff Green - Won the pole for the Summer race and led 71 laps that night before dropping out.

Ricky Rudd - Like teammate Dale Jarrett, Rudd is way down, but qualified fifth and finished fourth in the Summer race.

Matt Kenseth - Not a factor in either race in '01, but teams with great pit crews always have to get consideration. It would be nice if he just qualified well for once.

RISKY PICKS

Tony Stewart - It is possible the hula girl could bring Tony right back to victory lane Sunday. Stewart won the Summer race, and had a strong finish in the Spring ruined by a tangle with Jeff Gordon on the final lap. Not to mention a strong run will be needed to get back in the points race. On the downside, Tony will be hurting and 500 circuits on NASCAR's most bruising track will be a challenge. Look for Stew to be a safer bet after the off-week in Texas.

Steve Park - Park led 46 laps of last years Spring race, and holds the qualifying speed record (2000) for the Spring. Still, it is not a good bet that Park will get through the whole race without wrecking. Wait until Park has a strong run before going with him.

Look for the race to finish something like this...1. R. Wallace, 2. Marlin, 3. J. Gordon, 4. Harvick, 5. Stewart, 6. Newman, 7. Kenseth, 8. Sadler, 9. Martin, 10. Dale Jr.

The odds (for information purposes only) are as follows: R. Wallace 3-1, Marlin 4-1, J. Gordon 9-2, Stewart 5-1, Harvick 6-1, B. LaBonte 7-1, J. Burton 8-1, Kenseth 9-1, Rudd 10-1, Jarrett 11-1, Park 12-1, Newman 13-1, Sadler 14-1, Dale Jr. 15-1, Martin 16-1, Mayfield 17-1, W. Burton 18-1, Elliott 19-1, Johnson 20-1, Spencer 22-1, Hamilton 24-1, Craven 26-1, Busch 28-1, T. LaBonte 30-1, Benson 32-1, Nemechek 34-1, J. Green 36-1, Nadeau 38-1, Waltrip 40-1, Schrader 42-1, Petty 44-1, Andretti 46-1, Skinner 48-1, R. Gordon 50-1, Blaney 55-1, B. Bodine 60-1, Stricklin 65-1, Buckshot 70-1, Atwood 75-1, Compton 80-1, Mast 85-1

ANDY HOUSTON AWARD

Zero question this week, Shawna Robinson and Andy Hillenburg both went out in the opening laps and thus qualify. In fact the Realtree trailer was leaving the track before FOX even went off the air.