First, in NASCAR�S scariest moment since Black Sunday in Daytona two years ago � Jerry Nadeau suffers �a moderate to severe� head injury after slamming the wall at 160 G�s (160 x force of gravity), twice the greatest impact previously recorded.. There have been only sporadic reports on Nadeau�s condition since the accident, which has made speculation rampant. Most of that has to do with the new patient privacy (HIPPA) laws, so don�t read too much into the lack of reporting. It is simply too early to speculate on Nadeau�s recovery and whether he actually returns to racing. In the race itself, Steve Park would wreck early for the second consecutive week sealing his fate in a pair of races that he had to finish well in. Then Jeff Green (apparently on thin ice already) was clipped by a charging Kevin Harvick, and Green let the Harvick crew chief know about it � sealing Green�s fate.

The net effect saw Park and Green effectively trade rides. Park has now resurfaced with the RCR #30 while Green takes over the DEI #1. There is some difference though. It appears Park�s deal with RCR will be for the balance of the season, while Green�s pact with DEI lasts through September 30. It appears that DEI will use the final portion of the schedule to audition young drivers such as Shane Hmiel and/or Jason Keller. Also, road course ace Ron Fellows has been tabbed to replace Green in the races at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. One of the two victories for Steve Park came at the Glen, so Fellows becomes an instant contender in those two events.

And don�t forget Green�s great run for most of Daytona week, it is very possible that DEI could be a three-team monster come Daytona in July. For the most part, look for improved finishes from the #1. An similarly optimistic report cannot be said about the #30. As if RCR didn�t have enough of a time repairing torn up cars with Robby Gordon, they will now have to deal with Park as well.

Jason Keller was tapped on short notice to replace Nadeau for the Richmond race, basically since Keller is about the same size as Nadeau (5�6� 150). Mike Wallace was tabbed to be Nadeau�s long-term replacement. Considering the work Wallace has done in the #10, #12, and #14 cars over the past two years, look for some nice finishes. The most concerning thing about the Nadeau crash itself was the worst incidents seem to now be happening at the short-track venues. Johnny Benson, Derrick Cope (60 G�s), Bobby Hamilton (58 G�s) and Sterling Marlin (60 G�s) were hurt in Richmond crashes last year along with Kyle Petty (80 G�s) and a Busch car being torn in half at Bristol in the last year. SAFER barriers were already on the agenda for Richmond, but had not been signed off due to insurance issues.

Speaking of Robby Gordon, he had his most impressive performance in memory as he erased an early three lap deficit to actually lead the Richmond race for a while before using the car up � just as impressive than a similar deficit made up by Matt Kenseth in the same race last year and more remarkable considering Robby hasn�t exactly been known as a short track specialist over the years. Joe Nemecheck had a tremendous weekend all around, qualifying second and then rebounding from a mid-race pit strategy snafu to win in a car which ironically had Jerry Nadeau as it�s predecessor. Unfortunately Joe�s mother did not make the trip (was no doubt performing a raindance), but the gyrations of Andrea Nemecheck also held some entertainment value as she must have figured every incident in the waning stages was going to involve the #25. And who just does grip more when their guy is at the point late?? Andrea or Kim Burton??? I would hate to see Kim when the #99 blows up 50 laps in. Kevin Harvick also had a nice run from 36th into the lead lap, and was not going to let a jabroni like Jeff Green get in the way. Ryan Newman had a strong run going but yet another in a long line of weird setups would come back to bite him early as the car�s rear end housing would burn up, forcing a black flag for the #12. An agitated Newman would then stubbornly race the leaders (not getting out of the way) later on while more than a 100 laps down.

Speaking of Jeff Burton, his car looked very solid in the practice sessions, and also followed that up in the Richmond race with a ninth place showing. That was followed up by winning (as expected) the hooligan race (for drivers who had not yet qualified for the All-Star race) to advance to the main event in Charlotte, where the #99 would then place fifth. For all the talk about whether the Winston should or shouldn�t remain at LMS, some drivers/teams are beginning to sound in favor of just taking the weekend off, as once again the All-Star race degenerated into a �hack-fest�. Virtually all of the trouble occurred in the second 30-lap segment (with the field whittled down to 20 cars), as race favorite Jimmie Johnson was sandbagging � I mean was holding back seeing how his car could �handle in traffic�. Meanwhile a heavyweight field including Mark Martin, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Dale Jarrett were desperately trying to move up after gambling on a pit stop.

First Newman would get caught on the bottom of a three-wide when a charging Tony Stewart joined that fray, Newman would then get loose and wreck. Although Stewart never made contact with the #12, that did not stop Newman from venting on him. Meanwhile Stewart radios over �I don�t know what his problem is�� The problem is Newman�s now crapped out five weeks in a row. Ryan had to be corrected by Dick Berggren, who told him that replays showed that there was definitely no contact. Ryan then stomped off (the man has boiled over) with a radio reporter (Danielle Frye?? Actually, I thought this was a PRN race) trying to catch up with him. This driver and this team is a wreck right now, and I�m now beginning to think Newman�s at a crossroads. Bad luck started his downfall, but the radical setups (Formula 1-style brakes at Martinsville???) have sure not helped. This thing�s multiplied beyond recognition and there is a gorilla on his back right now.

EVERYONE WRECKED IN STAGE TWO...

The second segment is red-flagged after the Newman incident and restarted with two laps remaining. With everyone going for broke to get into the top-14 (to advance to the final segment) Terry LaBonte gets loose and along with himself collects Stewart, Martin, Elliott, Junior, and Jarrett as if they were simply bowling pins � eliminating all from the final segment and leaving only 12 drivers remaining. The only casualty would be Bill Elliott (46 G�s) who would be diagnosed with three broken bones in his left (clutch) foot. Elliott does plan on being in the #9 for this coming Sunday. Terry LaBonte referred to the incident as Exhibit A on what happens when races are red-flagged in the late going (couldn�t agree more) while Stewart placed part of the blame on Johnson (and others) sandbagging to finish eighth, ninth, or tenth � with full knowledge that the fans were going to vote (on-line) for the maximum ten cars to be inverted for the final segment. Stewart then lays into Newman, noting that the #12 �had been trying to wreck himself� for several laps before finally doing so.

Johnson (second after the inversion) easily beats Jeff Gordon at the start of the third segment and goes to an easy win from there, it is the ninth time out of 15 years that LMS president Humpy Wheeler had correctly predicted the All-Star winner. Fortunately, Johnson still had a car that the governor of North Carolina had not wrecked yet, which he did do (they only gave him a show car) after turning laps of 165 MPH the previous weekend. Unperturbed, the Hendrick stable then let him drive a few laps in Terry LaBonte�s rig. I�m just glad they didn�t give him the #24, wreck that and he would of guaranteed his re-election. On the other hand had he managed to wreck the #8 that would be a fate worse than the media catching him on a date (and a $1,000 room service bill with campaign contributions) with Destiny at the Pensacola Gentleman�s Club. About the only other suggestion I have for this race is not to do the fan voting for inversion and just let Sgt. Slaughter spin a wheel or something to determine the # of cars to be inverted. If NASCAR insists the fans must vote on something let them vote a driver in who's not already qualified.

This is also the race where qualifying consists of a pit stop as well as running three laps. Here are the pit times: Elliott 12.6, Stewart 13.4, Harvick 13.5, Junior 13.6, Marlin 13.5, Nemechek 14.5, Craven 13.0, T. LaBonte 13.6, Waltrip 12.9, J. Gordon 12.9, Busch 14.1, Newman 14.2, W. Burton 13.0, Martin 14.1, Benson 13.1, Johnson 14.4, Kenseth 13.9, Rusty 13.8 (loose lug), Sadler 14.1 (loose lug), Rudd 17.6, B. LaBonte 13.2 (but speeding penalty), Jarrett 14.5 (speeding), McMurray 15.5 (biffed - lug fell off)

HEY, BURTON WON SOMETHING!!!

1. Jimmie Johnson	2. Bobby LaBonte	3. Kurt Busch
4. Matt Kenseth	5. Jeff Gordon	6. Tony Stewart
7. Sterling Marlin	8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.	9. Mark Martin
10. Jeff Burton	11. Kevin Harvick	12. Joe Nemecheck
13. Jamie McMurray	14. Rusty Wallace	15. Terry LaBonte
16. Elliott Sadler	17. Michael Waltrip	18. Dale Jarrett
19. Ricky Craven	20. Greg Biffle	21. Ryan Newman
22. Dave Blaney.	23. Ricky Rudd	24. Johnny Benson
25. Ward Burton	26. Mike Wallace	27. Bill Elliott
28. Jimmy Spencer	29. Robby Gordon	30. Jeremy Mayfield
31. Kenny Wallace	32. Casey Mears	33. John Andretti