Insider's View: Wally Dallenbach

Make no mistake; Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway is a long race. As a driver, you look up at the scoreboard, see 400 or 500 miles and think to yourself, " Hey, I should be home by now!" But not this weekend where the 600 miles you run in Charlotte is truly a long grind.

	Wally Dallenbach

Track conditions change so much during this race that the teams have to adapt in order to do well. If the track temperature changes even 5 or 10 degrees over the course of the race, when the transition comes from day to night, it will totally change the way a car handles. The teams that are always good with adapting to changing track conditions are the ones that will do well Sunday in Charlotte.

Lowe's Motor Speedway is a track that most drivers love to drive. You go into Turn 1 really hard and try to keep your car on the low side, even with your left wheels down a little on the apron. There's a lot of grip down there so you can get out of the throttle, keep your car on the low side and roll through one and two with good speed.

Then your car can drift out of Turn 2 as you head down the backstretch as you head into Turns 3 and 4, which can be very tricky. In fact these could be the most difficult two corners in NASCAR racing. Turn 4 features the infamous "Humpy Bump," and if you don't have a great shock and spring combo, you're going to be in trouble.

If your car is a little loose, it's going to be real loose after going over that bump. It just magnifies everything about your car and set-up is extremely important. I had the best spring/shock combo ever last fall when I raced at Charlotte in the Busch race. Tommy Baldwin came up with an excellent package and that proved to be the reason we were able to do so well.

You want to stay down at the bottom of the track through these turns as well but it's really hard when so much rubber gets put down. That's why you'll se guys start running up high as the race moves on, but then with the bump in your path it's quite an adventure.

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As I watched The Winston and the Winston Open, a few guys impressed me. Those events are really kind of like open practice and test sessions for teams to tune-up for the 600. Jimmie Johnson looked awfully good winning The Winston last Saturday night and I expect to see the Lowe's Chevrolet up front again Sunday.

Tony Stewart, despite his crash in The Winston, also looked strong as did Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Look for those two guys to be factors this weekend. Ryan Newman has had an awful lot of bad luck but his car is always strong. He runs well at Charlotte so watch the No. 12 Sunday as well as Mark Martin, who has the veteran's touch. And finally never count Bobby Labonte out of a race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Join the holiday racing fun by playing our Top Drivers Fantasy Racing game, the only weekly Winston Cup game with CASH prizes. Choose your favorites in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 and if they come in, you'll have some holiday weekend cash to enjoy. It's a great way to start the summer and take part in all the excitement of NASCAR racing.