Kansas new to Jarrett after accident last year

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Never mind that the NASCAR Winston Cup Series hits Kansas Speedway this weekend for the second annual Protection One 400 and that Dale Jarrett started the 2001 race.

As far as the 1999 Winston Cup champion is concerned, Sunday's race (NBC Sports, MRN Radio 12:30 p.m. ET, Pre-race; 1 p.m. race coverage) might as well be his first on the fast 1.5-mile trioval.

	Jarrett's Ford hit the Turn 1 wall hard last year at Kansas. Credit: Autostock

Jarrett's No. 88 Ford was bumped entering Turn 1 -- the site of several rough wrecks a year ago -- hit the wall and suffered a head injury serious enough to erase from his memory everything from the layout of the garage area to the site of his motorhome in the track's infield.

"I don't remember anything -- it's kind of strange," Jarrett said earlier this week. "It was actually the first time I've had a concussion, especially one of this magnitude.

"I don't remember arriving in Kansas City -- the only thing I do remember is that entrance into Turn 1 and getting tapped.

"From that point, I don't remember anything before the race started and I don't remember anything after that until I was getting on the airplane to come back to North Carolina -- it's all kind of wiped from my memory."

In the case of such drivers as Jarrett, Ward Burton, Jerry Nadeau, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sterling Marlin, Terry Labonte and a bunch of others, that wouldn't be a totally bad thing.

The new Kansas racetrack limited the amount of racing grooves available -- while not extending anyone's patience. A lack of set-up knowledge led to tire problems for several contenders.

ALSO Dale Jarrett hits the wall during last year's race at Kansas. Play video  •  Jarrett's Driver Page  •  Jarrett's 2002 Statistics  •  Driver vs. Driver

But in 2002, if success breeds success, Jarrett and his Robert Yates Racing crew are counting on the chassis with which he won two races earlier this season and was competitive with last weekend at Dover International Speedway.

"It'll be like my first time at Kansas City (but) I'm looking forward to it," Jarrett said. "We're taking the same car that we ran last weekend and the car that won both races for us this year, so I know we should have a good car and, hopefully, a good weekend."

Jarrett did say that he knew enough to liken Kansas to Chicagoland Speedway, another track that staged its debut a year ago.

"I think we're looking at a racetrack like Chicago where you've got a year on it," Jarrett said. "You've had more races there with other forms of racing, so I think it's gonna have more than the one groove I believe we had there last year.

"I think that's how I got into a lot of trouble I got in, so I think it'll be a very competitive race once again. You're gonna see the championship contenders battling and it should be a very exciting race."

One thing Jarrett has acknowledged is that he's given up this season on any hopes of the Winston Cup championship. He's 11th in the closest points race since the current method was adopted, in 1975.

Much more than the 310 points that he's out of the lead with just eight races remaining, it's that there are too many good racers between himself and point leader Mark Martin that would have to have trouble, too.

"I think we would certainly like to see a Ford win," Jarrett said, "and Mark Martin has given a lot to this sport. But I couldn't sit here and say that I'd rather see him win than Jimmie Johnson, who has come in here and made a great impact on this sport.

"Tony Stewart is a great driver and individual that would be great representing our sport. Sterling has been at this a long time and it's been a long time since Rusty (Wallace) has won a championship.

THEY SAID IT  "It'll be like my first time at Kansas City (but) I'm looking forward to it."  •  Dale Jarrett

"Of course, Jeff (Gordon) is trying to get to that level of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt with seven (titles), so you can't pick a favorite there. I'm gonna try to go out there and outrun 'em all and make their life miserable in that respect -- that they're not gonna get there as easy as they thought."

Qualifying out front was no guarantee a year ago as cars in the front of the field tangled on the first lap of a caution-plagued event. But Bud Pole Qualifying at 4:05 p.m. ET on Friday will be important nonetheless.

Jason Leffler, the 2001 pole-sitter, has gone on to be a qualifying terror in the Craftsman Truck Series, leaving his Kansas record lap of 176.499 mph, 30.595 seconds for 46 entries to shoot for as they attempt to make the 43-car field.

The NASCAR Winston Leader Bonus will shell out a record $240,000 if the race winner can also lead the point standings after the 29th event of the 36-race season.

If two hours of practice Friday afternoon before qualifying, followed by two 45-minute sessions on Saturday morning get everyone dialed-in, Gordon's 110.576 mph race record speed is probably in jeopardy Sunday.