Viewer's Guide: Talladega

It's almost impossible to talk about a restrictor-plate race and not talk about Dale Earnhardt Inc. and, more specifically, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Not surprisingly, DEI will be a big part of Sunday's pre-race show from Talladega on FOX.

	Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won four of the past five Cup Series races at Talladega. Credit: Autostock

Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip, his Dale Earnhardt Inc. teammate, have become the dominant drivers in "plate" races. Between them, they have 10 victories in restrictor-plate events, continuing the "big track" legacy left by the late Dale Earnhardt.

"Remember this: Dale Earnhardt was the best at Daytona and Talladega, and he knew that to be the best, you had to have the best cars," Waltrip said.

"When he started DEI, he made sure that everyone understood that he would have the best restrictor-plate cars. He was going to have cars that were faster than everyone else's, to give the drivers a chance to win. That was his signature at DEI."

Earnhardt Jr. took the lead in the Nextel Cup points race last week at Martinsville after finishing third. Meanwhile, Waltrip is mired in one of the slowest starts of his Cup career. He's currently 31st in the standings. Still , he'll likely feel very comfortable this weekend.

"We're not panicking," Waltrip said. "We can still make things work."

	Jeff Hammond

Let's party: Talladega is known as one of the more party-friendly tracks on the Nextel Cup circuit. This weekend, the FOX crew will try to find out why the Alabama superspeedway has such a reputation.

Anatomy of a pit stop: The action on pit road each Sunday goes a long way in determining who goes to Victory Lane at the end of the day. Jeff Hammond will look at pit crews and pit stops and take you behind the scene to show you how much prep and work it takes to pull off a quick pit stop.

Ask The Producer: This week's question comes from Brian Douglass of Benton City, Wash.:

"Why does FOX not use the term "Lucky Dog" to describe the car granted a lap back during cautions. The term was created by NBC last fall and became highly recognized and accepted by NASCAR and the Fans. Being that this position has become so significant to the sport, it is only fitting that a single recognized term be assigned to the spot, just like "Pole Position" or Back marker". Fox's indecisive use of "Free pass" or " pardon" has been awkward."

NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg gives his view:

"Not using the 'lucky dog' name had nothing to do with NBC naming it. We chose to go in the direction of the free pass because it easily bridged us into explaining of what it is each time it happens.

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"We are getting new viewers every day and find these things can not be taken for granted. We felt if we said 'lucky dog' all the time, it would leave questions in many viewers' minds. If we say 'free pass,' they instantly know that something is going on, we then try to explain what it means each time.

"The times we do not detail it right away, we feel 'free pass' signals something happening better than throwing out the term 'lucky dog.' I think NBC did a fine job with the changing rules and the name is very catchy but we are just trying to service the growing audience as we enter the new season."

Let your voice be heard: Each week, we'll pick one question to ask the producer of the FOX telecast. Why did they do things this way? Why did they talk to that driver? Any question that eats at you could be answered right here in the Viewer's Guide.

Send your questions to the e-mail box in this piece.

The Rant: This week, we give the reins to Tom Steen of Medford, WI, who says not everyone is happy when Dale Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead:

"Early in Sunday's race, Dale Earnhardt, Jr passed Jeff Gordon for the

EMAIL Send Mark your thoughts for "The Rant" or a question for "Ask The Producer"

lead and FOX cameras panned out to the crowd, with the voices of Larry Mac and DW immediately chiming in 'The crowd goes crazy as Dale Jr takes the lead...' or something to that effect.

"This has been a recurring theme in the broadcast this year. Whenever Junior takes the lead, we hear how seemingly the entire grandstand is euphoric because Junior is at the front.

"I know this may come as a shock to NASCAR and FOX, but there actually are some fans who DON'T cheer when Junior takes the lead. Yes, Junior has a large fan following, but perhaps many of those fans yesterday were cheering because Gordon got passed.

"The heavy coverage was irritating when Junior was an average driver, but now that Junior has actually become a title contender, the overkill coverage of Junior is only getting worse."

Thanks for writing in, Tom. It's tough to disagree that the Junior love is excessive. Still, believe me when I tell you that at any racetrack anywhere in the country, the loudest ovations, far and away, are for Junior. I think that's the point that the FOX folks are trying to make and it is a valid one.

	Larry McReynolds

Get in on the action: In "The Rant," we'll pick e-mails each week to argue about a TV coverage issue, be it a commentator's comment, a driver's comment, a pre-race feature -- basically anything you want to spout off about.

Come with an intelligent, passionate argument and you may see your take on NASCAR.COM.

Quote of the week: "That's like Sampson going against Goliath." -- Larry McReynolds when Morgan Shepard found himself between two Richard Childress Racing cars during Sunday's race at Martinsville.

Uh ... OK. I guess.

On to this weekend's schedule:

Nextel Cup Series: Aaron's 499

Site: Talladega, Ala.

Track: Talladega Speedway (2.66-mile oval, 33-degree banking in turns. Frontstretch: 4,300 feet. Backstretch: 4,000 feet).

Race distance: 500 miles, 188 laps

Last year Earnhardt Jr. makes it four in a row at Talladega Play video Junior wins a fierce battle to the checkers Play video The Big One strikes early at Talladega Play video

TV: Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED 4 p.m. ET Friday. Happy Hour: FX. NoonET Saturday. Race: FOX, 1 p.m. ET Sunday.

Last year: Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead with three laps to go and held on to win the Aaron's 499 for his fourth straight win at Talladega Superspeedway.

Last race: At the end of a long day, Rusty Wallace's long winless streak ended Sunday at Martinsville. Wallace visited Victory Lane for the first time in nearly three years after holding off Bobby Labonte to win the Advance Auto Parts 500.

Potential storyline: The SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) walls have been installed at Talladega Superspeedway. The walls have been installed in all four turns, as well as the tri-oval and inside retaining wall on the backstretch.

The walls are 40 inches high, and extend through the turns and tri-oval about 30 inches from the wall. In 2002, SAFER walls were erected in the inside retaining wall at the exit of Turn 4 and the entrance of Turn 1.

Point to ponder: Earnhardt Jr. finished 42nd in his first race at Talladega, the 2000 spring race.

Busch Series: Aaron's 312

Site: Talladega, Ala.

Track: Talladega Speedway (2.66-mile oval, 33-degree banking in turns. Frontstretch: 4,300 feet. Backstretch: 4,000 feet).

Race distance: 311.22 miles, 117 laps

Last year Junior continues his dominance at Talladega Play video A final-lap shootout is cut short and fuel is an issue Play video Twenty cars are collected in an early mishap Play video

TV: Race: FOX, 2 p.m. ET Saturday.

Last year: Earnhardt Jr. won the Aaron's 312 in a race marred by a 21-car accident.

The race ended under caution after Ashton Lewis Jr. ran out of fuel. The win was Earnhardt Jr.'s 17th of his Busch Series career.

Earnhardt Jr. and Joe Nemechek led all but eight of the 117 laps. Nemechek finished second and Shane Hmiel was third. Ron Hornaday was fourth, and Mike Bliss finished fifth.

Last race: Michael Waltrip avoided a crash that took out the top four drivers with two laps to go, and won the Pepsi 300 on April 10 at Nashville Superspeedway.

Potential storyline: Nemechek, with wins in 1998 and 2000, is the only driver with more than one NASCAR Busch Series victory at Talladega. He has finished first or second in five of the last eight races at the track.

Point to ponder: Terry Labonte's 1999 NASCAR Busch Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway on April 24 by just .002 second over Nemechek is the closest finish in the history of the NASCAR Busch Series.

Mark Spoor is an interactive producer of NASCAR.COM. The Domino's Viewers Guide appears each Thursday during race weeks.