Was there any real new ground broken two weeks ago, when Robby Gordon managed to pissed off both Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon. Of course it was interesting that both drivers got on Robby was breaking the so-called �gentleman�s agreement of taking the lead going back to stripe under yellow. Of course Harvick cost R. Gordon a win here two years earlier by not getting out of the way as a lapped car (another �un-written� rule) while Jeff Gordon passed Matt Kenseth back to the line earlier this year to keep Kenseth�s Rosch teammates a lap down. And of course Jeff and Robby Gordon went at the close of the 2001 season. In fact in-house disputes between the Goodwrench car and the #31 are not even new, as Mike Skinner and Dale Earnhardt went after each other during the Spring 2000 Atlanta race.

I have to defend Robby Gordon on this one. First off, the racing gods own him one � especially at the road course venues. Anyone who lost a race because telemetry equipment to be used for the TV telecast catches fire (as what happened to Robby in 2001) definitely is owed one. And about the racing back to the stripe issue � like other things it is a �gentleman�s agreement� that can be broken. If it had been the closing laps of a race anywhere that rule definitely goes out the window. The incident in question occurred with about 30% of the race remaining. Had it been anywhere else, then Robby doesn�t need to go out of his way to ruffle feathers. But this was Sonoma where passing and track position is at an absolute premium. Furthermore, the wreck that brought out that particular caution occurred in Turn 7 � or clear on the other side of the track. Thus there was zero danger in racing (and passing) under the stripe. Call it chicken (as Harvick did) if you want, but it ultimately gave Gordon the win - not to mention Harvick would do the same damn thing and he knows it.

The other two things that caught my eye were road aces Boris Said and Ron Fellows, along with point contenders Matt Kenseth and Dale Jr.. In my Sonoma preview I said not to get too carried away with Said and Fellows, that no road ringer had finished any higher than 11th since 2000. Well, with each driver in quality rides both drivers blew that away, with Said taking the pole (will he race in the shootout in February???) and placing fifth, while Fellows was third-quickest in qualifying and finished sixth. Look for both the #01 and #1 teams to re-up with those two in Watkins Glen. Same goes for Scott Pruett (Ganassi #09 car) who was looking at a top ten day before losing a lap late.

Here is my sick thought for the week. Dale Jr. is an American icon who wouldn�t be recognized in most other parts of the world. Meanwhile, soccer star David Beckham is as big as Christ himself most everywhere else in the world, but would only be recognized as someone with a whacked hairstyle in the states. Let�s have Becks and Junior change places for a day � not unlike what Jeff Gordon and Juan Montoya did with their race cars a few weeks back. Becks can hang around the DEI camps and perhaps even take a couple turns in the #8. Meanwhile Junior can kick around with Real Madrid or whomever Beckham ended up defecting to (kind of like Favre signing with the Vikings). The switch would go something like this�

BECKHAM IS THE DALE JR. OF THE SOCCER WORLD

FAN TO BECKHAM AT THE TRACK �

�Hey, Junior. LIKE THE MULLET!!!!! Think it�s a great addition. Don�t know what�s with that soccer jersey though. Don�t tell me you actually like that sport. Anyways, best of luck in the second half. And don�t let those idiot fans/media folks that say the races are being dictated in your favor get to you. And don�t take any SH*T FROM KENSETH EITHER!!!!!

SOCCER FAN TO JR. AT THE PITCH �

Hey mate, I can�t believe it�s actually you BECKS. Watched your physical on TV the other day. You�ve always been my favorite footy player. I have had your back, even when you got red-carded out of that World Cup game. But what�s with the haircut??? And what�s with the hat advertising that crap-ass American brew??? Defecting from our beloved MAN-U for a few million more pounds is one thing, but I can�t handle plugging Budweiser. Anyways, best of luck � SAY HI TO VIC FOR ME!!!!!

Beckham and Junior go back to their original roles after BECK takes the #8 into the wall while Earnhardt forgets to protect the family jewels on an opposing free kick, putting his All-Star softball appearance with Picabo Street in jeopardy.

Of course this start the second half of the season, which you will immediately notice due to the absence of DW (Thank God) in the broadcast booth. My only worry is that Michael Waltrip may suddenly retire one of these years and end up replacing Wally at NBC/TNT. Then what do you have, 36 weeks of BOOGITY, BOOGITY, BOOGITY � I wouldn�t be able to handle that. Hopefully it will be about ten years or so before we have to worry about that one.

Besides the other obvious storylines (The Junior/Waltrip show, will there be another �Big One�), we have this nugget involving the Bill Davis Dodge/fued. Kenny Wallace will apparently be racing a car that does say DODGE on the front, but clearly has a Ford nose and window. We�ll see if that one gets past the Tech line. Also, the #43 car is out of provisionals � with Shane Hmiel attempting to qualify as Christian Fittipaldi gets the #44 this week. There are 47 cars attempting t qualify, so chances are pretty good that the green may occur without arguably the most famous car in the history of the sport taking part. I don�t think too many would notice�

If looking for some darkhorses, Consider either RCR�s Robby Gordon or Kevin Harvick � along with possibly Jeff Green in the third DEI car. Remember Green took the pole for the Daytona 500 in the #30. Rosch didn�t even have a bad Daytona weekend, with Kurt Busch taking third with Mark Martin fifth. Sterling Marlin and Jimmie Johnson also rank near the top this week. I close with my top 30...