Viewer's Guide: Coke 600

If a Nextel Cup Series race is taking place at Lowe's Motor Speedway, you can bet that Jimmie Johnson will get plenty of air time.

You see, Johnson has seven victories at the track named for the primary sponsor on his No. 48 Chevrolet, including last Saturday night's Nextel All-Star Challenge. When it comes to the Coca-Cola 600, (5 p.m. Sunday, FOX), the numbers are even more impressive, as Johnson will try to become the first driver to win NASCAR's longest race four consecutive times.

	Inside the Numbers Jimmie Johnson in points-paying Cup races at Lowe's Motor Speedway Starts 9 Wins 5 Top-5s 6 Top-10s 8 Avg. Start 8.6 Avg. Finish 6.7 DNFs 1 NOTE: Johnson also has won two Nextel All-Star Challenge races at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"I think there is just a line around the racetrack that my driving style fits," Johnson said. "We keep adjusting to it. We have had so much success here that I just stay set in my ways and work on my line that I need around this racetrack and we keep adjusting the car to it."

And in a race that starts in daylight and ends in darkness, the ability to adjust is crucial.

"Once the sun goes down and the grip is in the racetrack, we end up working our way to the front," Johnson said. "I am not so sure it is the right line and that I drive this place right when the sun is out in the heat of day. But when the checkered flag is around the corner, we always seem to come to life."

However, there is a bit of a wrinkle this time around. Teams will have to deal with the same harder tire that gave teams fits during last weekend's Nextel Open and All-Star Challenge What's more, the smaller fuel cell NASCAR has mandated will mean more pit stops.

"When the car is not handling right, it definitely picks up a chatter," Johnson said. "Instead of the tire slipping like it used to, because it is so hard, it chatters now. That is kind of the tire slip that you feel.

"The way I kind of look at it and at times [during the All-Star race], I did have it when my car was too tight, the front tires would chatter across the racetrack. It is something we are all paying attention to and trying to understand why because this is the only track where we have such a severe chatter with the tires."

Trackside goes to the Speed Street festival in uptown Charlotte for a special edition this week (7 p.m. Fri., SPEED). Among the guests scheduled for the live broadcast are Jeff Burton, Kyle Petty, country music star Blake Shelton.

	NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg
	E-MAIL •   Send Mark your take or an "Ask the Producer" question

In this week's "Ask The Producer" question, several fans want to know how it's decided which pit reporter will talk to which driver during the pre-race show.

NASCAR on FOX producer Neil Goldberg said each weekend starts with a plan.

"With the driver and TV times so tight all interviews are scheduled and formatted into the show," he said. "All drivers know where and what time we will be looking for them. Often our pit reporters will shadow them up to that time in the event they get held up in any way.

"With that said, we always know that anything could happen and remain prepared to capture any unexpected moments."

On to this weekend's busy schedule:

Nextel Cup Series: Coca-Cola 600

Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway
• 1.5-mile oval
• 24-degree banking in turns
• 5-degree banking on straights
• Length of frontstretch: 1,290 feet
• Length of backstretch: 860 feet

Race length: 400 laps/600 miles

TV schedule: (All times ET)
• Practice: 4:30 p.m. Thurs., SPEED
• NASCAR Live: 6 p.m. Thurs., SPEED
• Bud Pole Qualifying: 7 p.m. ET Thurs., SPEED
• Trackside: 7 p.m. Fri., SPEED
• NASCAR Live: 1 p.m., 5:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
• Final Practice: 4:30 p.m. Sat., SPEED
• NASCAR Raceday: 3 p.m. Sun., SPEED
• Pre-race: 5 p.m. Sun., FOX
• Race: 5:30 p.m. Sun., FOX

2005 FlashbackReview last year's long, strange night at Lowe's Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

One year ago, Johnson slid past Bobby Labonte in the final turn to win the Coca-Cola 600 for the third consecutive year. This one was nowhere near as easy as his previous wins.

Unlike his past two dominating victories, Johnson had to come from fourth place to chase down Labonte after a restart with five laps to go. Labonte did his best to hold off Johnson, who needed just three laps around Lowe's Motor Speedway to pull onto the leader's bumper.

The most recent checkered flag went to Johnson, who got his seventh Lowe's Motor Speedway win and a million-dollar payday in the Nextel All-Star Challenge.

Keep an eye on engines. With 100 extra miles in the equation, you can bet at least one driver's powerplant won't make it to the finish line.

Busch Series: Carquest 300

Track: Lowe's Motor Speedway
• 1.5-mile oval
• 24-degree banking in turns
• 5-degree banking on straights
• Length of frontstretch: 1,290 feet
• Length of backstretch: 860 feet

Race length: 200 laps/300 miles

TV schedule: (All times ET)

• Pre-race 7:30 p.m. Fri., FX
• Race: 8 p.m. Fri., FX

2005 FlashbackSee another wild night at Lowe's end well for Kyle Busch Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

One year ago, a record number of cautions fell Kyle Busch's way and he did the rest, holding off a trio of fellow Nextel Cup regulars

The most recent checkered flag went to Denny Hamlin, who got his second Busch Series victory of 2006 after holding off fellow Nextel Cup Series regular Matt Kenseth on the final restart to win the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at Darlington Raceway.

Keep an eye on Mark Martin, who'll make his first NBS start at Lowe's since 2000. He holds a majority of the series track records, including most wins (6), most top fives (13), most top 10s (13), most races led (18) and most laps led (1,257).

Craftsman Truck Series: Town of Mansfield 250

Track: Mansfield Motorsports Speedway
• .5-mile oval
• 12, 14 and 16-degree banking in turns
• 8-degree banking on straights
• Length of frontstretch: 545 feet
• Length of backstretch: 545 feet

2005 FlashbackReview Bobby Hamilton's caution-filled victory Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

TV schedule (All times ET)

• Race: 2 p.m. Sat., SPEED

One year ago, Bobby Hamilton survived 13 caution flags en route to his second Craftsman Truck Series win of the season.

The most recent checkered flag went to Kyle Busch, who dominated the Quaker Steak and Lube 200 and called himself "Rowdy Busch" in Victory Lane.

Keep an eye on Mike Greenwell, a retired Boston Red Sox outfielder with a career batting average over .300, moves up from the Florida late model circuit to drive the No. 08 Chevrolet.