Viewer's Guide: Atlanta

ATLANTA -- As the NASCAR community tries to make sense of last Sunday's Hendrick Motorsports tragedy, NBC has a special pre-race show planned Sunday from Atlanta.

Jimmie Johnson, center, winner of the NASCAR Subway 500 race, is escorted to a Nextel Cup trailer after the race at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. Johnson's series-high sixth victory of the season was tempered by news of the plane crash. Credit: AP

The network is slated to run three features related to last weekend's plane crash that killed 10 including John Hendrick, Ricky Hendrick, team vice president Jeff Turner and team engine director Randy Dorton.

The first piece will look at how the crash affects the Hendrick family. In addition to John and Rick Hendrick, the plane crash also killed Kimberly and Jennifer Hendrick, John's 22-year-old twin daughters.

The second looks at how the crash affects Hendrick Motorsports as a corporation. After all, the team president, general manager, engine director and the owner of two teams -- the man many considered the heir apparent -- were killed in the accident.

The third is a look at how air travel has become even more common than car travel for NASCAR's top drivers and teams.

"We use planes just like our cars," Ricky Rudd, one of several NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers who are also pilots, told the Associated Press recently. "We put a lot of hours in the air and have some of the best pilots in the country that fly these things, and some of the best equipment."

Sam Flood

Ask The Producer: This week's question comes from several users that want to know how it's decided which pit reporters will cover which drivers on raceday

NBC/TNT producer Sam Flood said after qualifying is completed, pit road is split into four parts. Lead pit reporter Bill Weber is then given first choice of the four parts. Flood says often times Weber will choose based on what driver he has done a pre-race feature on so that he may follow up.

After Weber makes his choice the other three pit reporters choose their spots based on a season-long rotation.

Let your voice be heard: Each week, we'll pick one question to ask the producer of the NBC/TNT 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's Rant comes from Eddie Hull of Cary, N.C.:

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

"I know it's trendy and popular to beat up on the so called "field fillers," (I hate that term, it's very degrading to those guys who are struggling to make it the old fashioned way), but not every racing fan is as consumed with the (Chase) as the media seems to be."

In any other sport, the teams that aren't winning aren't even on the field of play in the closing weeks. Regardless of what some think, these are the playoffs. Professional sports are about winning championships, not just competing.

If you want to get attention just by showing up, go play Little League.

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.

On to this weekend's schedule:

Site: Hampton, Ga.

Last year Connect four Jeff Gordon celebrates his fourth AMS win Blown away Engine woes take Martin and Waltrip out of action Low five A multicar accident brings out the caution flag early

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54-mile oval, 24-degree banking in turns).

Race distance: 500 miles, 325 laps

TV: Bud Pole Qualifying: SPEED, 7 p.m. ET Friday. Happy Hour: SPEED, 11 a.m. ET Saturday. Race: NBC, Noon ET Sunday.

Last race: Jimmie Johnson's win at the Subway 500 in Martinsville, Va., was marred by the news that a plane owned by his team, Hendrick Motorsports, crashed in thick fog en route to the race, killing all 10 people aboard, including the son, brother and two nieces of owner Rick Hendrick.

Last year: Jeff Gordon held off a strong challenge from Tony Stewart on Monday to win a rain-interrupted event.

Potential storyline: Atlanta Motor Speedway looks like it would be an appropriate place for Jeff Gordon to start a late-season charge to a fifth title. And, of course, whatever transpires for the balance of the season, will no doubt be emotional for Gordon, the standard-bearer for Hendrick Motorsports.

Atlanta was where Gordon ran his first NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event, in November 1992. That race, the Hooters 500, is considered to be one of the most significant in NASCAR history.

In addition to being the debut of a future great, it was the final Cup race for seven-time champion Richard Petty. Also, it was the day that Alan Kulwicki pulled a considerable upset, finishing second but edging Bill Elliott in the final standings by only 10 points --- the narrowest margin in series history.

Point to ponder: A Dodge has not won at Atlanta Motor Speedway since Richard Petty won there in the 1977 spring race. Of course, Dodge left NASCAR competition in the late 1970s and didn't return until the 2001 season.

Site: Hampton, Ga.

Track: Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54-mile oval, 24-degree banking in turns).

Race distance: 312.62 miles, 203 laps

Last year Wire to wire Biffle celebrates after winning from the pole Heavy damage Chad Blount and Mike Wallace make hard contact Short day Busch and Vickers have problems in the early going

TV: Busch Pole Qualifying: SPEED, 1:30 p.m. ET Friday. Race: TNT, 1 p.m. ET Saturday.

Last race: Martin Truex Jr. extended his points lead by holding off Greg Biffle in a green-white-checker finish to win the Sam's Town 250 at the Memphis.

Last year: Michael Waltrip's decision to stick with old tires on the final caution proved to be the wrong one. Greg Biffle ran down Waltrip for the lead just a few laps after the final green flag was unfurled, pulling away for victory.

Potential storyline: David Stremme, announced last Saturday as the driver for the No. 14 Dodge for 2005 in conjunction with the Navy's sponsorship renewal and FitzBradshaw Racing's alliance with Chip Ganassi Racing, will step up his learning process with his new team right away.

Stremme, who has spent the season with Braun Racing, takes over the No. 14 U.S. Navy Chevrolet for the remaining four races beginning at Atlanta. Shane Hmeil is scheduled to drive the No. 32 Dodge at Atlanta.

"We weren't sure if we were going to be able to get Stremme in the car for the remainder of the season, but we're thrilled we can," said FitzBradshaw co-owner Armando Fitz. "We can start working on our '05 program immediately."

Point to ponder: Jason Keller is $7,610 away from the $9 million mark in career winnings, no other driver has reached that total in Busch Series history.

Kyle Busch, second to Truex in the championship chase, has scored 832 points in the past six events.

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