Notebook: Double-dipping not so helpful at Bristol (cont'd)

Burton acknowledged that many of today's improvements in safety came at a terrible price -- coming in waves after the deaths of four drivers, including Dale Earnhardt, within nine months in 2000 and 2001. But he said that just because the COT has arrived and NASCAR now is going through a stretch where no similar tragedies have occurred is no reason to back off the continuing search for further safety improvements.

"Without people being hurt, we'd be thinking we were doing good enough -- and that's one of the things we have to guard against in the future," Burton said. "It's real easy to look around and say, 'Look how good we are, look how great we are.' It's real easy to convince yourself that you've done enough.

"But [back around 2000] we weren't good enough; we weren't doing enough to move the bar. We were doing enough to get by for a little while, but as we improved in some areas, that made other areas go down. ... And when I say 'we,' I don't mean just NASCAR. I mean all of us. It takes the teams, it takes the drivers, it takes the manufacturers -- it takes everyone. NASCAR has been taking the lead in the last three years, but it doesn't rest solely on their shoulders."

Evernham eyes prospective partner

Ray Evernham continues to talk with Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillette about purchasing an interest in his Nextel Cup team. Gillette, who attended the race at Las Vegas two weeks ago, is expected to be in Bristol for Sunday's Food City 500.

"We're still talking. George Gillett will be here this weekend and trying to learn the business. It's a matter of getting the right partner and getting the right timing. It's not about the money. I need the right partner. I want to win a championship. I spend a large part of my time now out talking about sponsorships and talking with CEOs, and I want to work on the racecars again," Evernham said.

A sigh of relief

As he prepares for his first race, A.J. Allmendinger knows he made the right decision to leave open-wheel racing.

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"That's what I do, work on the cars with my guys and go fast. I need a partner who can do his side and I can do my side. He likes the races. As long as he likes the races and has his own airplane, I'll keep getting him passes."

Jack Roush announced last month that he had sold 50 percent of his NASCAR operation to the parent company of the Boston Red Sox. Evernham said talks with Gillette had not progressed to the point where a specific share amount was being discussed.

How do you spell relief?

For Jeremy Mayfield and A.J. Allmendinger it's B-R-I-S-T-O-L.

Throughout the first four races of 2007, it was the same thing week after week for the two Toyota drivers -- go home after qualifying. But at Bristol, things have changed as both will race for the first time this season in a Nextel Cup event.

"I feel like we won the race," an elated Mayfield said after qualifying 23rd on Friday. "It is just a relief to know that we are going to get to race on Sunday. We've had some time to build some good cars and hopefully now we have turned the corner and things are going to start working our way. I'm just really pumped up. I can't wait to get out there and start the race on Sunday."

Allmendinger, who just missed qualifying for the Las Vegas race, said he was going to do whatever it took to make the 43-car field at Bristol.

"I wanted to get into this race so bad that I ended up brushing the wall on my first lap," Allmendinger said. "I was going to use every inch of the racetrack if I had to, I didn't care." (Continued)