And of course we know what that means for the TV production. Endless interviews with the drivers before they finally get bored � followed by taped replays from events earlier in the season. After 5 PM Eastern, NBC was still on, with Bestwick saying �the track-drying efforts continue, and we are hopeful of resuming this race sometime tonight � whenever that occurs, we�ll bring it to you�. Wishful thinking.

The rain finally subsided just in time to re-start on Monday morning, with everyone back at work and the TV coverage switched to cable. Nothing like trying to dial up race updates when the boss isn�t looking over your shoulder. Perhaps they should had just waited till Monday Night and give the rest of the race to ABC, hell it wasn�t like the Chargers were going to show up for their game, wherever the venue of that was going to be. Then Madden and Michaels could do the race and provide commentary such as this�

(LAP 104) Michaels: �Green flag stops continue but now RICKY RUDD GETS LOOSE AND IS IN THE INFIELD, but the green flag stays come out � even though Rudd is in what we would call an un-playable lie. And now the caution does come out BUT KURT BUSCH IS STILL LAPPING EVERYONE INCLUDING JIMMY SPENCER, AND HOW IRONIC THAT IS � THEIR HISTORY IS WELL CHRONICLED��

Madden: �Look at the #21 spinning his tires in the mud. That�s what I love about rain-delayed races. You have the rain, then you have the racing, then you have cars spinning and getting stuck in the mud. I LOVE SEEING CARS WITH MUD ALL OVER THEM, that�s why I hope they never have racing in domed stadiums with phony grass on the infield. Now here, you have the #7 car, the #9 car, the #24 car, and the #29 car. The #21 spins � everyone slows down, but the #97 keeps on going and BOOM, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!!!! I know there was not a caution yet, but I think there should be a gentlemen�s agreement in this case, even though there is not supposed to be a gentlemen�s agreement anymore. And I'll tell you what I like about Jimmy Spencer, Jimmy Spencer likes to eat - in fact me and Jimmy are going to get in the MaddenCruiser on Thanksgiving in a few weeks - and we're going to down a TUR-DUCK-EN together. Jimmy Spencer is what is good about NASCAR, and what is good about Thanksgiving.

After Mark Martin blows an engine�

Michaels: �And now there is blue smoke coming out of the Viagra Ford, Mark Martin already had to change an engine once this weekend � so a bad weekend now gets even worse for the #6. In fact I�m sure Martin would like to take a mulligan on the entire season, he has had a year that Dan Reeves here in town with the Falcons could relate to.�

Michaels: �You may want to say the #6 is not reaching the top floor right now�.

And then there was the final incident�

COMING SOON TO A VIDEO STORE NEAR YOU, MADDEN RACING 2005!!!!!

Michaels: �Tony Stewart is saving himself to make one last run at Jeff Gordon, but now Dale Jr. gets into the back of RYAN NEWMAN, AND THE RACE WILL FINISH UNDER THE YELLOW!!!!! That means 64 laps will had been run under the caution, which will be VERY SIGNIFICANT to some people�� (A quick look at the Vegas line reveals that the over/under for caution laps was 63.)

Now are you ready for some driver capsules???

Jeff Gordon � He�s back� A second straight victory along with a sixth-straight top five as Hendrick and Joe Gibbs cars dominated this track, per usual. The PRN commentary as Gordon took the checkered flag was epic, �Some fans are cheering, some are not��

Tony Stewart � Actually this was the best car on the track all day and led the most laps, but two consecutive biffed late pits stops mired him back in 17th, and did well just to have a shot at Gordon at the end. Stewart actually said he was happy with the finish but then skipped some other post-race obligations.

Jimmie Johnson � Third place finish, again Hendrick and Gibbs own this joint.

Bill Elliott � The momentum continues with a fourth place showing, which makes for three top fives along with a top ten in the last four races. Would had been caught a lap down after the Rudd incident but fortunately got the �Lucky Dog�. Incredibly, Elliott is now ninth in the point standings.

Bobby LaBonte � As usual, a tremendous Atlanta run as the #18 was second in laps led and placed fifth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. � His punt of Newman got him up to sixth for the race and moved him to second in a hotly contested battle for the runner-up spot in the point standings.

Jeremy Mayfield � You can only hope to contain the Evernham Dodges right now, Jeremy�s seventh caps another great weekend for the #9 and #19.

Kurt Busch � The top Ford finisher wound up being eighth here. NASCAR�s ruling on the Rudd caution was that Busch had passed Spencer and Elliott, but not Harvick or Gordon before the caution. Busch was then penalized to the back of the longest line, the last car on the lead lap at the time and managed to rebound. The #97 also had to bang out some early sheet metal damage � and restarted on Monday back in 40th. If the Fords can be on a level playing field next year, Busch will be as good a bet as anyone to win in Atlanta.

Jimmy Spencer � Never mind Kobe and Shaq, as Spencer/Busch is still as good as ever. Spencer did not waste his opportunity to pile on Busch, referring to the controversial driver�s tactics in lapping him as �unsportsmanlike�. Next to Bristol, Atlanta has become Spencer�s favorite track. Even after getting rooked in the Busch controversy, Spencer would later get his �Lucky Dog� then rally to finish 9th, giving him top-tens in both Atlanta events this year.

Joe Nemechek � Different car, same result. Rounds out the top ten, and like Spencer also went top-ten in both Atlanta races.

Matt Kenseth � The bad motor Mark Martin had, that was borrowed from Kenseth, so the #17 selected the right motor to sacrifice there. Was driving his usual dump truck and was on the ropes after being involved in an early incident, but yet again the #17 makes a Houdini-like escape to finish 11th. That coupled with some bad lock from the other contenders gives Kenseth a commanding 258-point lead. If he accumulates just 298 markers in the final three races (or 99.3 per race), Kenseth will close out all of his rivals to win the championship.

Dale Jarrett � According to the Yates camp, driving with Ford�s these days is like �bringing a knife to a gun-fight�. How about bringing a knife to a gunfight involving Ward Burton??? DJ had one of his better runs of the entire year after recovering from an early tire problem, finishing 12th and is always strong at this track.

Ward Burton � First the bad news, Burton and the #0 team were busted for a rules violation during practice/qualifying, which comes with a fine along with a points penalty. But both Burton and his new team are not in contention so that�s not a loss. Ward would go on to place 13th, giving the #0 team one of it�s best finishes of the season.

Sterling Marlin � As opposed to being a Florida Marlin or a Miami Marlin. 16th was actually one of Sterling�s better showings of the entire year. Incredibly, Marlin is still looking for his first top five of 2003. And this mind you from someone who was leading the points chase for most of last year.

Tony Raines � Think of him as Dick Trickle without the three packs per day. He will never win in this or probably any other ride, and is operating on a budget that is only a mere fraction of the big boys. However, his bang for the buck is as good as anyone and runs very competitively. Leads a lap en route to a 18th place finish, becoming the 47th different driver to lead a lap this year.

Kevin Harvick � Was in the mix and in fact led 41 laps. But any realistic chance of winning the points title ended when he was collected by Dave Blaney, resulting in a 20th place finish a lap down.

Ryan Newman � Had it not been for the Earnhardt incident, Newman would now be only 13 points out of second place. As it is, Newman is now mired in sixth � 91 points out of second.

Steve Park � A hard crash on Lap 223 ended Park�s day. However the more significant news is that Park�s name has surfaced as a possible replacement for Kenny Wallace in the #23 for next year.

Have you been annoyed by the pop-up with the skydiver yet??? That's Kenseth plummeting through my latest top-20 rankings...

1. (6) Newman, 2. (5) J. Gordon (+7), 3.(7) Stewart (+5), 4. (3) Harvick (-1), 5.(4) Johnson (-1), 6. (9) Elliott (+5), 7. (1) Kenseth (-5), 8. (2) Dale Jr (-3), 9. (8) B. LaBonte (+4), 10. (19) Mayfield (-3), 11. (11) Busch (-1), 12.(15) McMurray (-6), 13. (10) T. LaBonte (-1), 14. (12) J. Burton (+3), 15. (13) Wallace (+1), 16. (16) R. Gordon (+2), 17. (17) Martin (+3), 18.(14) Waltrip (+1), 19. (18) Biffle (-4), 20. (29) Spencer (NR)

Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton will be among the favorites based on that duo accounting for the three most recent wins at this track. Kenseth also has a $350,000 Cup Leader bonus waiting if he can win another race before the year is out. Look for Rusty Wallace to be another trendy pick as he�s perennially a factor here. Dave Blaney also ranks as a darkhorse based on scoring two top tens in three races here. However the handicap of being a Ford may prove to be too much for Kenseth, Burton, Blaney et al. One thing that should level the playing field somewhat over the next two weeks is that success at Phoenix and Rockingham are based more on set-up and tire use more than sheer horsepower and aero-dynamics.