Countdown: Connecticut

The Constitution State may be small, but it contains a diversity that belies its size. While many residents of weathy Fairfield County commute to New York each day and Hartford boasts of its insurance and financial prowess, there are still farms in the rolling mountains of the Lichtfield Hills. Samuel Clemens put a Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's court, while the state song is "Yankee Doodle."

Despite being the 48th largest state in area (while fourth in population density), Connecticut is home to four tracks with ties that reach back to the beginning of NASCAR.

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Best behind the wheel

• Jerry Nadeau, Danbury

Finding himself in the driver's seat of a go-kart by age 4, Nadeau had won more than 50 major races by his 14th birthday, then went on to capture the first of his 10 karting championships in 1984.

He graduated to open-wheel racing in 1991, taking the Skip Barber Pro Series by storm, winning eight of 12 races that season, and a championship in the following year. In addition, he competed in the 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race with Gene Felton. Following stints in the Zerex Saab Pro Series and IMSA Firestone Firehawks Series, Nadeau moved to Charlotte in 1995 with the intention of making his mark in stock cars.

Success came slowly, as Nadeau made only seven Busch Series starts in the next two seasons, instead concentrating on open-wheel racing in Europe, where he posted nine top-10 finishes in 13 races, good enough for sixth in the Formula Opel series.

Nadeau's patience paid off in 1997, when owner Richard Jackson put him in a Cup car for five races, with a best finish of 30th in the Pepsi 400. Released from a full-time ride with Bill Elliott midway through the 1998 season, Nadeau latched on with Harry Melling, scoring a season-best 15th at Watkins Glen.

Jerry Nadeau hasn't given up on a return to racing. Credit: Chris Stanford/Getty Images

A fifth-place finish at the Glen the next season caught the eye of Rick Hendrick, who hired him to drive the No. 25 Chevrolet in 1999. Nadeau responded with a win in the season finale at Atlanta, one of four top-10 finishes. However, Nadeau was unable to find Victory Lane again with Hendrick in the next two seasons.

Released from his contract after a crash at Richmond, Nadeau came within three laps of victory for Petty Enterprises at Infineon when a broken rear end gear ended his day. He drove 12 more races for the Pettys until he was injured in a go-kart accident in October.

The following season, Nadeau signed to drive the No. 01 Pontiac for MB2. He finished fourth at Texas, but suffered severe head injuries in a May practice crash at Richmond, which left him in a coma for three weeks.

Since then, Nadeau's progress has been slow but steady. He returned to the track in late 2003, testing a car at Concord Motor Speedway -- but has not returned to Nextel Cup racing. However, the competitive drive is still there.

"I haven't totally got [driving] out of my mind, but after dealing with the doctors the last two years, it's not a good chance for me to come back," Nadeau said in July.

"But I'm still hoping. It's only been two-and-a-half years, and they said these injuries could take three years to heal. So I'm hoping in these next six months I'll get better."

Other noteworthy drivers from Connecticut

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• Ted Christopher, Plainville: 2001 NASCAR Weekly Series national champion; 16 career NASCAR Featherlite Modified wins, nine career Busch North victories

• Jack Ely, Bethel: Three starts, including a 20th at Pocono in 1986

• Eddie Flemke, New Britain: Finished 12th in his only NASCAR start in 1961 but had more than 600 career Modified wins

• Bill Holland, Bridgeport: Eight NASCAR starts, but best known for his 1949 Indianapolis 500 victory

• Randy LaJoie, Norwalk: Two-time Busch Series champion has one top-five in 39 Cup appearances

• Rob Moroso, Madison: 1989 Busch Series champ and 1990 Cup rookie of the year died in an accident heading home from North Wilkesboro

• Paul Pettit, Danbury: Posted a ninth at Langhorne in 12 career starts

• Bob Riley, Norwalk: In 10 starts, his best was a 14th at Dover in 1985

We wish ...

Olympic decathlete Bruce Jenner had become a NASCAR driver.

Anybody who can throw a javelin in the Olympics should certainly be able to drive one. Actually, the Newtown native, who set a world record score on his way to the decathlon gold medal in the 1976 Montreal Games, drove an IMSA GTO Ford Mustang to two victories in 1986 for a guy named Jack Roush.

Keeping it on the track

• Thompson International Speedway

Nicknamed the "Indianapolis of the East" when it was completed in 1940, Thompson International Speedway claims to be the first asphalt track in the United States. The five-eighths-mile, high-banked track was considered the "superspeedway" of its day -- and later included a quarter-mile midget track and road course.

NASCAR first discovered Thompson in 1951, when Neil Cole outlasted a field of 38 cars over 200 laps to win $1,000. It would be another 18 years before Thompson returned to the circuit, as David Pearson and Bobby Isaac collected victories there.

Nearly every top Northeast driver -- from Pete Hamilton to the Bodine brothers -- seems to have excelled at Thompson, which continues to host the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.

Other tracks which host NASCAR races

Lime Rock Park, Lakeville: Matt Kobyluck won the 2005 Busch North Series race (soon to be Busch East) on this classic 1.53-mile road course, which has been in operation since 1957

Stafford Motor Speedway, Stafford Springs: A NASCAR mainstay since 1959 and paved since 1967, this half-mile crowned Lloyd Agor as its 2005 modified champion

Waterford Speedbowl, Waterford: This three-eighths-mile bullring has been thrilling fans since 1951, with Robert Summers the 2005 modified champ

A word from our sponsor

• Duracell, Bethel

Duracell is the world's leading manufacturer and marketer of high-performance alkaline batteries. Duracell also markets primary lithium and zinc air batteries as well as rechargeable nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Autolite, the official spark plug of NASCAR, is headquarted in Danbury. Whelen Engineering, which makes emergency warning lights for police and fire vehicles, is located in Chester.