Tropicana 400

The e-mails kept coming during over the weekend from irate fans that thought TNT and NBC were trying to change the most famous words in racing from "Gentlemen, start your engines," to, "and now a word from our sponsor."

The commercial breaks were outrageous during the Pepsi 400, the commercial time & race time were equal and as a fan I am offended. I know NBC has to make money, but give me a break. -- C. Kelley5

Needless to say showing four to five laps of the race and going to four to seven commercials will not make NASCAR fans happy. -- Donna Bishop

During the Busch race, I noticed that for every three laps of racing there was at least three-plus laps worth of commercials. Come on now!! I understand about needing money, but 50 percent or more is a bit too much. If they truly need all that money by commercials, how is it TNT doesn't go broke over the rest of the year? -- Beth Fitzpatrick

To C., Donna and Beth, while I agree that the number of commercials was more than a bit excessive, I offer the following explanation:

What do you think? Send Mark an e-mail

Between the two races, there were only five caution flags ? three on Friday night and a mere two on Saturday. Therefore, TNT and NBC had no choice but to break away during green-flag runs. You would hope that there was an effort to keep the breaks short, so therefore, to fill the required commercial time, there were several breaks.

Ask yourself this: Would you rather have half-as-many commercial breaks that were twice as long? Particularly on green-flag runs? I'm sure that's one option, but I would guess it wouldn't be a popular one.

Plus, let us not forget that NASCAR, the networks, the sponsors, the drivers and nearly everyone else in the NASCAR community are in this business to make money ? not just break even. Do you think Nextel is paying $700 million to NASCAR just because they love the sport?

Uh ... no.

	Bill Weber

Oh, and by the way, if you haven't noticed, the economy isn't exactly booming. Advertisers likely aren't paying as much for the ads as they used to, thereby creating a need for more commercials.

Here's a simple solution: Talk 20 of your friends into becoming NASCAR fans. If everyone reading this column does that, the ratings will skyrocket, the networks will be able to charge more for the ad time, thereby reducing the amount of commercials.

On to this week's batch of awards ...

We don't need no stinking cue cards: During the pre-race show, we got to see Bill Weber sneak a peek down at a stack of what looked like note cards. Are there not some cue cards or a teleprompter Weber could be looking at so he doesn't look like a guy that needs help getting through a segment?

A little overdressed: The "Dave Discovers" segment returned with a piece on the "Gentlemen's Agreement." First, what was up with the jacket and tails Dave was sporting? Does an outdated jacket make you a gentleman?

Second, as Elliott Gordon mentioned in (dis)believe the dialogue earlier this week, if it's not a "rule," why did Helton say anything about it at all? What's more, where was the follow-up question from Burns on why it was mentioned in the meeting?

Seeing yellow: In his first "Wally's World" segment of the year, Wally Dallenbach spent his "lap" explaining his views on the yellow-line rule. Why did Dallenbach have to be in a car for this? Isn't this something that could have been said during the broadcast if it came up?

Instead, why not discuss how restrictor-plate racing looks from a driver's perspective. How is it different from other races?

Nice insight: After Greg Biffle's win, Weber told us that Biffle told his crew that someone needed to tell him where Victory Lane was. It was a nice aside to let us know what a first-time Daytona winner goes through.

Thanks: After Biffle's win Saturday, a nice moment between Benny Parsons and Greg Biffle was ruined when Parsons told Biffle "You owe me a big dinner."

Let's hope this is the last we hear of the Biffle/Parsons relationship. We've heard it all too many times before.

Quote of the week: "I don't want to be the voice of NASCAR." ? Dale Earnhardt Jr. during a very good piece during the pre-race show on his popularity and maturation.

On to this weekend's schedule...

Winston Cup Series: Tropicana 400

Site: Joliet, Ill.

Track: Chicagoland Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval, 18-degree banking in turns, 11-degree banking in tri-oval, 5-degree banking on backstretch. Length of Frontstretch: 2,400 feet. Length of backstretch: 1,700 feet.)

Race distance: 267 laps, 400.5 miles

TV: Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED, 4:05 p.m. ET Friday. Happy Hour: SPEED, 12:10 p.m. ET Saturday. Race: NBC, 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

Last year Fuel economy helps Harvick go from ninth to first Play video Harvick spins and causes a pile-up behind him Play video Ward Burton brings out two cautions in the first 17 laps Play video

Last year's race: Kevin Harvick made a gutsy fuel mileage gamble, staying out on the track during the race's final caution with 25 laps to go -- despite having already exhausted 42 laps of that tank of fuel. That decision pushed him from ninth to first -- and effectively to Victory Lane.

Last week's race: Greg Biffle played the fuel mileage game to perfection in the Pepsi 400, taking advantage of 81 green flag laps to capture his first career win.

Potential storyline: Jeff Burton is expected to make his 250th consecutive NASCAR Winston Cup start this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Burton currently ranks eighth among active drivers in consecutive starts.

Point to ponder: Bill Elliott is the only driver to start and finish in the top 10 in both races at Chicagoland Speedway.

Next race: New England 300, New Hampshire International Speedway, July 20

Busch Series: Tropicana Twister 300

Site: Joliet, Ill.

Track: Chicagoland Speedway (1.5-mile tri-oval, 18-degree banking in turns, 11-degree banking in tri-oval, 5-degree banking on backstretch. Length of Frontstretch: 2,400 feet. Length of backstretch: 1,700 feet.)

Race distance: 200 laps, 300 miles

TV: Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED, 2:35 p.m. ET Friday. Race: NBC, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

Last year Sauter captures his first Busch Series victory Play video Scott Riggs makes hard contact with the wall on lap 125 Play video Kerry Earnhardt brings out the first caution of the race. Play video

Last year's race: Johnny Sauter grabbed the lead after the final round of pit stops, then survived a late red-flag situation to win the 2002 Tropicana Twister 300.

Last week's race: Dale Earnhardt Jr. led every lap in the Winn-Dixie 250 at Daytona last Friday to claim his third NBS win of the year.

Potential storyline: Scott Riggs holds a slim, two-point advantage on second-place David Green in the series point standings. Just 84 points separate the top-five drivers.

Point to ponder: Jason Keller will attempt to pull double-duty this weekend. Currently fifth in the Busch Series points race, Keller will make a Winston Cup qualifying effort in the Dale Earnhardt, Inc. No. 81 Chevrolet entry. Keller has one NASCAR Winston Cup start under his belt.

Next race: New England 200, New Hampshire International Speedway, July 19

Craftsman Truck Series: Built Ford Tough 225

Site: Sparta, Ky.

Track: Kentucky Speedway (1.5-mile oval, 14-degree banking in corners, 8-degree banking in straights. Length of backstretch: 1,600 feet.

Race distance: 150 laps, 225 miles

TV: Race: SPEED, 8 p.m. ET Saturday.

Last year Bliss dominates in his second consecutive race Play video Eric Jones spins and brings out the caution flag Play video Bliss dominates on the track, but not in the pits Play video

Last year's race: Mike Bliss not only won, but shattered a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series record for margin of victory, winning the Kroger 225 at Kentucky by 18.197 seconds.

Last week's race: Jon Wood scored the first Craftsman Truck Series win of his career, holding off teammate Carl Edwards to win the O'Reilly 250 at Kansas Speedway.

Potential storyline: Ultra's No. 2 team is a perfect three-for-three in top-five finishes at Kentucky Speedway ? with three different drivers. Wallace finished third in 2000, Riggs won the following year and Leffler was fifth in last season's race.

Point to ponder: Wood's win last week ranks the Stuart, Va. competitor as the second youngest (at 21 years, eight months) to win a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race. Ricky Hendrick was 21 years three months when he won at Kansas Speedway in July 2001.

Next race: Dodge Ram Tough 200, Gateway International Raceway, July 19

Mark Spoor is an associate producer for NASCAR.com. The Domino's Pizza Viewer's Guide appears each Thursday.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.