However, the points winner won�t get too much popularity, at least outside of Wisconsin, as Matt Kenseth coming through the field to finish sixth, maintaining a 228 point lead on Earnhardt with just two races remaining. Much of the focus of the racing media is on Junior building momentum on what many think could be a successful title run in 2004. It may be nice to be looking through Budwiser-rose colored glasses, but Ryan Newman will win next year�s title.

At least that will play in Indiana.

Now for the race recap�

Dale Earnhardt Jr. � It isn�t like the #8 hasn�t been in the neighborhood before. 13 top-fives� on the year rank him third, while 21 top-tens rank him tied for second behind Matt Kenseth�s 24. Junior has also led a lap in 24 of the 34 races this year, including each of the last nine. Before assuming the lead, Junior seemed magnetically attached to the Ryan Newman car, as those two are beginning to develop a major rivalry.

Jimmie Johnson � Yes, it was yet another huge Chevy Day. The second place showing keeps Johnson mathematically alive (and I stress mathematically) in the title chase, and just 13 points behind Junior. The #48 was leading before Junior, armed with a fresh set of rubbers, ran him down in the waning laps.

Ryan Newman � Yes, he won his tenth pole of the year. It also look for much of Sunday that a ninth victory may come along with it, as a two-tire gamble paid off midway through the race. But the #12 didn�t perform quite as well one it was out of the clean air and Newman settles for third.

Kurt Busch � It was a huge day for the Rosch drivers, all five cracked the top-15 with four finishing in the top ten. Busch led the way with a fourth-place showing.

Michael Waltrip � Proof positive that this is a DEI track, as Waltrip breaks a long slump with a fifth place finish.

Matt Kenseth � Didn�t repeat last years win, but sixth all but assures Rosch Racing�s first-ever season champion.

Jeff Gordon � His typical Phoenix performance, no win � but a strong run placing seventh.

Jeff Burton � A tire went down along the way, which ended the #99�s chances of being a serious contender. Eighth not bad though.

Scott Wimmer � Enormous salary cap play for many fantasy teams, as the rookie driver has a huge breakthrough race with a ninth. Appears capable of at least being as competitive as Ward Burton in the #22 next year.

Mark Martin � Yes, even Eye-ore was in the mix, rounding out the top-ten. There was also news off the track as Crew Chief Ben Leslie will be moving over to Ricky Rudd�s team, with Rudd�s current Crew Chief moving over to the #6.

Jamie McMurray � Finishes 12th while closing in on Rookie of the Year honors.

Brian Vickers � Rebounds from the Atlanta debacle to place 13th, Wimmer and Vickers are perhaps providing an early preview to the 2004 Rookie of the Year race.

Tony Stewart � Was involved in a crash with teammate Bobby LaBonte, along with Rusty Wallace and Kevin Harvick. Only Tony was able to continue on and eventually place 18th.

Sterling Marlin � Finished 11th in this race but is still only 19th in the standings. Marlin finished 18th in points last year despite missing the final seven races.

Tony Raines � Second consecutive top-20 finish, and that may not even the best news. Raines name has also surfaced as a possible successor to Steve Park in the #30 car.

Larry Foyt � He finished on the lead lap!!!!! Albeit it was in 28th and he needed the Lucky Dog not once, but twice (yet another indictment of that rule) � still has to be the best showing of his career which is not exactly saying much.

Dale Jarrett � The last of 29 drivers to finish on the lead lap, at least DJ never utilized the Lucky Dog.

WARNING!!!!!! The following Silly Season rumor will not sit well in the camp of the #99 team. Despite signing a recent extension with Rosch Racing, Jeff Burton is still being mentioned as a possible driver for the #30 RCR car next year. Burton himself has asked why his name keeps coming up even after re-upping with Rosch. According to a source, there is a �drop-dead� date for finding a sponsor for the #99 for 2004. If a sponsor is not found, then Burton can become a free agent if he so desires. Meanwhile Jack Rosch is talking about adding perhaps a couple of additional Cup teams as early as next year, although he maintains that finding a sponsor for the #99 remains a priority. Possible sponsors for the #99 include Visa, Kodak (longtime #4 sponsor), Smirnoff Ice (#17 secondary sponsor), the National Guard (currently with the #54), and an un-named pharmaceutical company.

Rosch teammate Greg Biffle has also been linked with the #30 opening, a possibility that seems to have more legs. However, Biffle continues to maintain that he will be back in the #16 next year, along with running a number of Busch races. Should Tony Raines land the #30 line (which would be a tremendous upgrade for him), it�s possible that Johnny Benson (recently released from the #10) could be moving to the #74, which would at least be good for BACE Motorsports.

It�s the final fall race ever at Rockingham, the next-to-last race ever for Winston�s long-time affiliation of the sport � and should also officially mark the end of this year�s championship chase. Only Dale Jr., Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff Gordon remain mathematically alive. Gordon has to win both races while leading the most laps while Kenseth finishes 43rd in both, while leap-frogging past his teammate and Junior in the process. Gordon might have better luck buying Powerball tickets at this point. If Kenseth finishes seventh or better, then he is your champion. An 18th or better finish means that Kenseth need only to take the green flag at Homestead to clinch the title. Even a pair of 30th place showings gives Kenseth the title, no matter how any of his competitors fare. As Kenseth himself says, �if I can�t do any better than that � then I don�t deserve to be champion�. By the way, Kenseth has a first, a third, and an eighth in his last three Rockingham appearances. Like I�ve said since August, this race is over.

Ryan Newman won the pole for this race last year, expect him to qualify first again and to collect pole #12 at Homestead. Guess he doesn�t want a lot of competition for the Shootout. Bobby LaBonte will be another contender, with seven top-tens in his last nine starts. Conversely, teammate Tony Stewart typically struggles here. Bobby LaBonte will be honored for clinching the championship in this race back in 2000 this weekend, that year LaBonte completed 10,158 of a possible 10,167 laps.

Dale Jarrett was the winner of the Spring race, more incredibly Johnny Benson won last year's fall race. Ricky Craven (fifth, ninth, fourth) has also enjoyed tremendous success here recently.

TRIVIA: Who was the Rockingham pole sitter back in February???