Burning Questions: Las Vegas

1. What's wrong with Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

Probably nothing that a little patience can't cure. Yes, every point counts every Sunday, but it's much too early to push that big, red panic button. Which goes for Junior's fans, too; give all the wailing, teeth-gnashing and dialing of toll-free talk show numbers a rest.

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A bad alternator and contact-induced mechanical problems are just that. Parts fail. Banging someone's rear bumper, and setting off chain-reaction ills is one of those oops-gone-bads that happens to everybody at some point over the course of 38 events. The truest test may not be performance in these early weeks; it may be chemistry. New guys abound in the No. 8 shop, on the pit crew. Junior's relationship with his car chief, and future crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., is still evolving, and their reaction to this initial adversity will be important.

No, 38th in the points after two races isn't ideal for a universally proclaimed title contender, but wait a month. If Junior's still languishing in the low 20s after, say, Darlington (March 16), then you -- and he -- can race each other for the panic button.

2. Can anyone stop Kurt Busch?

See Question No. 1: Parts fail. But he sure looks like a freight train right now. Back-to-back second-place finishes -- Busch came this close to winning at Rockingham -- make him a first-time-ever points leader heading into Las Vegas, his hometown, and the favorite to become this season's Sterling Marlin (read: jack rabbit).

	Kurt Busch Credit: Autostock

Marlin, of course, had two wins and one runner-up finish in the first five races of 2002. He also led the points standings until mid-September, when a late slump knocked him back to fifth, and a fractured bone in his neck knocked him out of action. Meanwhile, Busch finished strong, winning three of the final five races.

What does all that summary mean? In his first five races last year, Busch finished fourth at Daytona, 12th at Rockingham, 20th at Las Vegas, 11th at Atlanta and 28th at Darlington. He nabbed his first Cup win in Week 6, at Bristol, and he may not have to wait that long in 2003. The success of his May-September pairing with veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig obviously wasn't a one-year wonder, and if Busch can master his sometimes sharp temper and tongue, he soon may become Roush Racing's standard-bearer.

3. Who desperately needs a good start and isn't getting it?

The clock is ticking for Steve Park, who signed a new contract last season with Dale Earnhardt Inc., and whose primary sponsor, Pennzoil, is in the last year of its contract.

	Steve Park and crew chief Tony gibson. Credit: Don Bok.ISC Photos

So far it's not happening: Park finished 29th in Daytona and 21st at Rockingham. He's pronounced himself fully recovered from the brain bruise he suffered in late summer 2001. He's soooo tired of discussing it, but other issues remain, mostly the reconstruction variety. There's a boatload of new personnel to accommodate, from the No. 1 shop to the pit crew, and Park's still adjusting to crew chief Tony Gibson, who joined the team last September. If improvement is to be, it may require more than a few weeks. Park's situation is similar to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s: Check back in a month.

Another guy who needs a boost -- more for sanity than security -- is John Andretti. He re-upped with Petty Enterprises at the end of last season, and so far, only has more rough rides to show for it. Andretti finished 34th at Daytona and 39th at Rockingham. He's been a patient soldier in teammate Kyle Petty's reorganization of PE, but with points finishes of 17th, 23rd, 31st and 28th the last four years, Andretti probably would like to experience some clean air. Soon.