While on the subject, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Ryan Newman have emerged to the point that they could arguably be the three top favorites to win the points championship in 2004. Quite amazing when you consider that just two years ago Busch was a struggling rookie, Newman was a part-time driver in the ABC program, and Johnson was a not highly regarded briver in the BGN series.

What is just as remarkable is how the old guard has suddenly crashed, figurately and literally. Here are the ages of the top four in the Cup standings: 31, 28, 32, and 27. Michael Waltrip (40) and Bobby LaBonte (39) provide a couple of semi-graybeards at the fifth and sixth spots. The ages of the seventh through ninth sports are 27, 25, and 25. Rusty Wallace (47 next week) is the only truly veteran driver who is hanging on in the top ten, and even he has slipped with a 2 � year winless streak.

Robby Gordon (34), Jeff Burton (36), and Tony Stewart (32) occupy the 11th-13th positions before getting to Terry LaBonte (46) who has had a somewhat resurgent year. Terry is then followed by two drivers who figured prominently in the point standings as recently as last year in the form of Mark Martin (44) and Sterling Marlin (46). That�s right, they have gone from 1-2 to 15th and 16th. The oldest regular driver on the circuit, Bill Elliott (48 in October) has rebounded somewhat from an extended slump and resides in 17th.

And then there are former teammates Ricky Rudd (46) and Dale Jarrett (46). If you recall last year Rudd couldn�t get out of the Robert Yates camp soon enough despite a string of contending runs. Rudd has proven no better in the #21 than anyone else with the Wood Brothers car in recent years and now sits in 26th with only two top fives to show for his year. Jarrett may be the next to go from RYR, as sponsor UPS (who reportedly are paying $16 million per) is less than happy with the team still sitting in 28th place.

The latest scuttlebutt has Jarrett possibly returning to Joe Gibbs Racing, but only if Tony Stewart (who still as a contract through 2004) decides to jump to the Chip Ganassi team which would be an absolute blockbuster. I would rate the chances of the happening (for �04 at least) as less than 50-50. Not to mention that Stewart (even if he elect to be a lame duck) would be a much better option than DJ.

Other silly season rumors have Ward Burton leaving the #22 and winding up in the RCR #30. I see that as being a win-win for both WB and RCR and rate that as having a good chance of happening. And although I�m not a fan of hunting shows, I wouldn�t mind seeing a program chronicling an outing with Childress, Ward, Harvick, and Robby Gordon. THAT WOULD BE REALITY TV!!!!!

Jeff Burton could also be moving. Other than the sponsorship issue I think he is reasonably safe with the #99 (not to mention the Fords should be improved next year), but JB is also a possibility for the DEI #1 car next year. I have never looked at JB as a DEI posse member, but that is a car that�s had some success over the years. Burton is also a reasonably good plate driver, and that could give him at least an outside shot at being a Daytona 500 champ. DEI now also has some of the best pit crews in the business, which will also be of help. If Burton were to lose the #99 ride and the #1 fell through, he could also join his old Crew Chief Frankie Stoddard with the #22. Another option for the #1 would be to ink Bobby Hamilton Jr. (which will take some coin) who figures to be the top rookie of �04 if he comes out.

The shaking and rattling heard throughout Central Indiana late Sunday afternoon was not Kevin Harvick�s hellacious epic burnout and celebration. It was probably the carnage occurring in Tony Stewart�s motorcoach after somehow fading out of the Brickyard 400 for a second consecutive year. There had to be some great conversation between Smoke and Crew Chief Greg Zipadelli. That has to be much more interesting than a seven minute court hearing in Eagle, CO � even though we heard two more words out of Kobe in the courtroom than we heard from Stewart after the race.

But not like anyone could blame Smoke, with all due respect to Harvick (who won from the pole). Stewart was by far the class of the field. However a bad late pit stop dropped the #20 from the lead. Stewart suddenly found himself struggling in the dirty air, then made another stop during the final caution to change four tires. Even with the fresh rubber, Stewart couldn�t gain anything in the final laps and wound up a disappointing 12th.

Another big storyline involved points leader Matt Kenseth who have been a lock to win if the final debris caution hadn�t come out. Kenseth and Crew Chief Robbie Reiser debeted on whether to come in for a top-off as NASCAR was considering throwing out the yellow, in which Kenseth would probably still been leading as he was up by 40 seconds. The caution did fall, but Kenseth still came out of the pits third and even picked up another stop before the end. Kenseth was quoted afterwards as saying that perhaps he needs to shut up and just run. Understandably he is gripping and second-guessing himself in the season�s dog days. But even without the win, Kenseth sees his point lead balloon even more to 286 points over Jeff Gordon. I�m not ready to call the points championship yet, as Matt doesn�t do well at Watkins Glen and the demolition portion of the season is yet to come � but I am getting close.

The other capsules are as follows�

DeLana Harvick � The braids were great, the firesuit even better. Now on to Kevin, all that Harvick had been lacking recently is the win. As I said last week, the brief list of winners for this race resembles a select list of some of the legends in NASCAR. This is the second win for the Goodwrench car with Earnhardt winning back in �95. Things have come full circle for Harvick, who debuted in an all-white car under the most trying of circumstances just 2 � years ago, and now has four wins in arguably one of the most fabled of rides � while filling what was near impossible shoes.

Jamie McMurray � Even though it did not translate to good finishes, JamieMac had been showing tremendous potential along with some of the fastest laps over the past two weeks. At Indy it came all together. Having among the fastest cars all weekend, McMurray this time cashes in while having the second best car next to Stewart. Robby Gordon wisely helped to block McMurray away from Harvick in the late laps, but McMurray still has his best day of the season finishing third. Look for Jamie to start getting the best equipment/crewmen for Ganassi in the very near future and be a top ten racer come next season.

Jeff Gordon � Qualified and practiced awful all weekend, but scrambles with a great race day and finishes fourth. I don�t list him with the Busch/Johnson/Newman threesome but he�s in the mix.

Bill Elliott � Fifth place finish. What can you say, Elliott�s gold here.

Robby Gordon � DEI is really looking up. Gordon was strong all weekend and was a contender to win. Robby paid his I.O.U to Harvick blocking off McMurray and places sixth.

Kurt Busch � Crack of the week comes from Terry LaBonte, who blames Bush for a late race incident by saying �Busch can�t see past his ears�� Jimmy Spencer had to love that, Busch goes on for a seventh place finish.

Jimmy Spencer � The �decrepit has-been� finishes nipping at Busch�s toes in eighth, WHO WOULD HAD THUNK!!!!!

Rusty Wallace � I wish they quit hyping the guy � I know the crew is sensing that �THIS COULD BE THE WEEK�. Kind of sounds like Charlie Brown every time he used to take the bump, before being undressed by yet another liner through the box.

Ryan Newman � �Do you know the difference between an engine and a motor???� That was a question Newman posed to reporters earlier this season before giving a tour. Kind of like asking the differences between alligators and crocodiles. As far as I�m concerned crocs are just the more dangerous nuked-up Aussie/Asian version of Gators. So let the poor UF publicity guy off the hook already. Now back to Newman, definitely had a top-five car but was one of those shuffled back in the late pit stops and finished 11th. That�s an upset � something between a win and a DNF.

Dale Earnhardt Jr/Michael Waltrip � Were not factors and placed 14th and 16th respectively.

Jimmie Johnson � Avoided major damage in a multi-car late race incident and was able to stay on the lead lap placing 18th.

Bobby LaBonte � Was bit by his short-pitting strategy and finished a lap down in 22nd.

Jason Leffler � The good news for Leffler is that he landed the #0 ride for the majority of the season. Leffler impressed management by hanging around for 22 straight hours during a test session. But it was basically the same old results for the #0 as Leffler places 33rd.

Ricky Rudd/Elliott Sadler � Yet another banner day for RYR with as Jarrett and Sadler place 39th and 42nd respectively.

John Andretti � Why I never like drivers who qualify for races, but not with a regular Cup ride � no matter how well they do in practice. Andretti qualifies in the top ten in a fourth DEI car but crashes early and calls it day (no points to race for) finishing 43rd.

Now for my top 20 rankings, where I finally give Newman respect. But I still can�t diss someone leading by near 300 points�

1. (1) Kenseth, 2. (9) Newman (+5), 3. (4) Johnson (+2), 4. (3) J. Gordon (-2), 5. (7) Harvick (+5), 6. (2) Dale Jr. (-2), 7. (5) Waltrip (+1), 8. (6) B. LaBonte (-5), 9. (8) Busch, 10. (13) Stewart (-4), 11. (10) Rusty (+1), 12. (12) J. Burton (+3), 13. (21) McMurray (+6), 14. (11) R. Gordon (-1), 15. (14) T. LaBonte (+1), 16. (17) Elliott (NR), 17. (15) Martin (-3), 18. (19) Sadler, 19. (16) Marlin (-8), 20. (20) Biffle (-3)

They�re back. Boris Said (#01 car) and Ron Fellows (#1 car) are sure to be taken much more seriously this time around. Last time out Said and Fellows both qualified in the top five then followed that up with fifth and sixth place finishes respectively at Sonoma. But there are two road specialists who must be accounted for this weekend, as P.J Jones (#14 car) and Scott Pruett were both serious contenders in this race last year, with P.J placing fourth and Pruett sixth. However Jones has to qualify on his own (which he did not do at Sonoma) and Pruett will be in a fourth Ganassi car (#39) with a patchwork pit crew. However Pruett looked very strong at Sonoma and would had been up there with Said and Fellows had he not been knocked a lap down.

Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are the most recent winners of this race, but don�t count out Ryan Newman who placed second here last year and was also strong at Sears Point. Robby Gordon is another obvious contender while Ricky Rudd rounded out last years top-five. Also don�t forget about Mark Martin who dominated back in the mid-90�s and will still should be good for a top-ten. Rusty Wallace also has nine top-tens in his career including a pair of wins in the late 1980�s. Michael Waltrip is another sneaky play who finished ninth last year. Dale Jr. typically struggles at the Glen but has hundreds of hours worth of practice on X-BOX to his credit. What Junior and Waltrip will have to draw from is learning a few tricks from Fellows. Also Harvick has proven himself at the road venues as evidenced by his earlier duel with R. Gordon. Todd Bodine has also run strong lately, is from the area, and placed eighth last year. Steve Park is also from the area and is a one time winner, and will benefit well working off the notes of R. Gordon and Harvick.

Kenseth is one driver I would worry about, it did not take long for him to wind up in the bunker and a lap down last year � Kenseth did have a tenth place finish back in his rookie year of 2000. This can also be a dangerous track, especially if those brakes screw up going into Turn 1, just ask Kenny Wallace.

One final note, keep an eye on the weather forecast, this race is run rain or shine, although I can't imagine how they go two laps without an incident if the track did get wet. Bump up the road aces even more if that were to occur. Here is my top 30 for the week�

1. Tony Stewart	11. Michael Waltrip	21. Jeff Burton
2. Robby Gordon	12. P.J Jones	22. Bill Elliott
3. Jeff Gordon	13. Jimmie Johnson	23. Todd Bodine
4. Ryan Newman	14. Kurt Busch	24. Steve Park
5. Kevin Harvick	15. Rusty Wallace	25. John Andretti
6. Boris Said	16. Matt Kenseth	26. Joe Nemechek
7. Ron Fellows	17. Terry LaBonte	27. Ward Burton
8. Bobby LaBonte	18. Dale Earnhardt Jr.	28. Elliott Sadler
9. Mark Martin	19. Ricky Rudd	29. Sterling Marlin
10. Scott Pruett	20. Jamie McMurray	30. Dale Jarrett