Viewer's Guide: Shootout

Jarrett a fixture at the front of season-opening exhibition

ATLANTA -- Sure, Dale Jarrett has had a tough time of late in "regular season" Nextel Cup competition, but he's clearly one of the favorites heading into Saturday night's "Dash for Cash" on FOX.

Jarrett will go for his fourth Shootout win Saturday. He became the active leader in Shootout wins last year when he won his third.

	Sharp shooter Dale Jarrett's career record in what's now known as the Budweiser Shootout Year Start Finish 2004 15 1 2003 9 18 2002 9 6 2001 3 4 2000 15 1 1999 14 8 1998 16 11 1997 4 7 1996 12 1

He's got added cause for optimism this season. His team posted the fastest lap during Preseason Thunder at Daytona last month.

"The testing at Daytona went well for us," Jarrett said."I'm pleased that some of the things we've worked extremely hard on with these cars have resulted in good numbers at testing.

"We literally started building our speedway cars back in September of last year and had them in the wind tunnel quite a bit, so we feel pretty prepared for what is about to take place the next few weeks in Daytona."

Jarrett says the format of Saturday's race makes it fun for as well.

"I've always said that racing at night makes everything appear to be a little more spectacular. It's fun racing at Daytona at night. The Shootout is the perfect race to have at night because it is such a spectacle. It's just about winning. It doesn't matter where else you finish in this race."

FOX's coverage of the Budweiser Shootout begins at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.

"Ask The Producer" returns for the 2005 season. This week's question comes from Jo Koster of Rock Hill, S.C.:

"What percentage of the questions that are asked by the pit reporters and the camera coverage is dictated by a producer or director in the booth and how much is the reporter/camera person's own initiative?"

NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg says its a bit of both.

NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg

"We rely on the pit reporters to be our eyes and ears with what goes on in pit road and the garage," Goldberg said."There really is no percentage to put on it because we support each other equally.

"The reporters come up with great stories and insight on their own while at the same time listening to the booth announcers in order to support or answer any questions they raise during the telecast.

"Most often if a question is raised, the reporter has the answer or they are discovering and alerting us to potential developments in the race," Goldberg said. "The pit reporters work directly with Pam Miller (Pit Producer) during the show. It is a constant flow of information. I take all the information and weave it into the telecast. It is a true team effort."

Each week, we'll choose one fan's question to ask a NASCAR on FOX producer. Does something on the broadcast leave you shaking your head? Have you always wondered how or why the TV crew does something? Use the link to the right to e-mail your question and you just might read the answer right here.

"The Rant" also returns this season. Susan Rettig says she's concerned that NASCAR may be heading down the wrong path.

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

"When I became a fan of racing I was amazed that family values were engraved within the sport. Wow, these people still prayed! And moreover, that prayer hadn't been stripped from them yet like everywhere else!

"And for the most part the drivers were 'real people.' In fact, the driver I chose had nothing to do with his record or experience. He seemed to be the person with the most integrity.

"How quickly it's been that unethical and immoral actions are showing up. I'm sure I don't have to name them. I'd hate to see this sport become like every other sport.

"Us fans can be blamed too. The beer can incident at Talladega was completely disrespectful and dangerous. The booing is ugly and unnecessary. Greed is starting to run rampant between the owners and the promoters."

I don't know that I wholeheartedly agree with you, Susan. In fact, I wrote a column last month saying that NASCAR is on the right track, particularly when you compare it to the other major U.S. sports.

To each their own.

Now to this weekend's -- and next week's -- schedule:

Track: Daytona International Speedway
•2.5-mile oval
•31-degree banking in turns
•18-degree banking in tri-oval
•3-degree banking on straights
•Length of Frontstretch: 3,800 feet
•Length of backstretch: 3,400 feet

TV Schedule (All times ET)

•NASCAR Live: 2 p.m. Fri., SPEED
•Bud Shootout practice: 4 p.m. Fri., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 5 p.m. Fri., SPEED
•Bud Shootout Final Practice: 6:30 p.m. Fri., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 7:30 p.m. Fri., SPEED
•Daytona 500 Practice: 10:30 a.m. Sat., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 12:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
•Daytona 500 Practice: 1:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 3 p.m. Sat., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 6 p.m. Sat., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 7:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
•Budweiser Shootout: 8 p.m. Sat., FOX
•NASCAR Live: 10 p.m. Sat., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: Noon Sun., SPEED
•Daytona 500 Qualifying: 1 p.m. Sun., FOX
•NASCAR Live: 4 p.m. Sun., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: 1 p.m. Mon., SPEED
•NASCAR Live: Noon Tues., SPEED

CelebrationDale Jarrett savors another Shootout victory Run to the finishA mad dash to the checkered flag decides it all Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

One year ago, Jarrett won the first race of NASCAR's Nextel Cup era by holding off Dale Earnhardt Jr., the driver who would go on to win the Daytona 500 eight days later.

The most recent checkered flag went to Greg Biffle at Homestead last November, but he was hardly the story. Kurt Busch won the inaugural Nextel Cup after being Jimmie Johnson by just eight points following a mad dash to the checkers.

Keep an eye on the reporters on pit road. It's not so much the 70-lap sprint that makes the Bud Shootout difficult. It's the format to which the 70 laps are run.

The shootout is divided into segments of 20 and 50 laps, the latter of which far exceeds the distance for one full tank of fuel. As a result, teams are required to make one pit stop at some juncture of the final segment, leaving the balance of the race not only in the hands of the driver and crew chief, but also the pit crew.

Mark Spoor is an interactive producer for NASCAR.COM. The Domino's Viewer's Guide runs each race week. The next installment will post on Wed., Feb. 16.