Notes: Gum wouldn't have helped Newman in pits

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Can NASCAR drivers walk and chew gum at the same time?

Yes. In fact, it helps one driver concentrate inside the car.

Lap-by-Lap

Tony Stewart made a gutsy move to take the lead, but Jeff Gordon wouldn't be denied in becoming the first driver to win from the pole at Phoenix.

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David Stremme, conveniently sponsored by Wrigley's, said on occasion he gets fidgety or anxious in the car.

One of two things can calm him down.

"My spotter, Mike Calinoff, or chewing gum in the car helps me relax," Stremme said.

Clint Bowyer said he chews gum. However, it's not to help him concentrate.

"It gets really hot in the car and chewing gum keeps me from getting cotton mouth," Bowyer said. "Plus, you don't want to have bad breath when you get out of the car."

Perhaps drivers should keep a stick of gum somewhere handy in their firesuit because, according to a recent study by Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., a considerable amount of college students rely on chewing gum to relieve stress and tension, as well as increase focus and concentration.

To help students with their stress relief, Wrigley is hosting a "Lounge in Your Town" tour that will take a "Gum Lounge" to eight college campuses around the country.

The "Gum Lounge" will visit the college students during peak finals season to provide free massages, live DJs, fresh college gear, free samples of Extra and Eclipse Fusion gum, Foosball and study tips.

The tour will wave its green flag this week and head to schools in California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas throughout the rest of this month and May.

A fine time to leave me, loose wheel

Ryan Newman pitted at the same time as eventual winner Jeff Gordon, just as an accident on Lap 285 brought out the caution. Unfortunately, when Newman left the pits and stopped, the left-front tire came off.

"I was just getting ready to roll off after the pit stop and the guys had the jack on the right side," Newman explained. "I thought we waved off the left-side tires and did right sides, and the jackman, I watched him stop like he got a signal from the crew guys that we were going to do two.

"I didn't know the guys came over and took off the left-side tires. On top of that it drug the sway-bar arm off when I backed up and rolled over the tires."

The incident, which occurred when Newman was running fifth, cost the No. 12 Dodge 11 laps and a 38th-place finish.

Petty's preparation pays off

Petty Enterprises' increased concentration on the Car of Tomorrow paid dividends, at least in Bobby Labonte's case. Labonte's eighth-place finish was his best of the season -- and the No. 43 was the only Dodge in the top 10.

"Obviously we got lucky when we caught that caution and some guys had already pitted," Labonte said. "That helped us out a few positions. That was a gift that sometimes you get and sometimes you don't.

"That was kind of our first real run in the COT. We didn't get to run Martinsville and Bristol was just kind of Bristol."

Fastest of the Fords

Matt Kenseth started 17th but immediately moved into the top 10 and stayed there for the rest of the evening, finishing fifth, the best of the Ford drivers in attendance.

"At the very end we were just too loose and we couldn't go anywhere," Kenseth admitted. "So we didn't have the car as good as some of those guys. On a long run we were able to run up, probably, in the top four or five times, so I was real proud of the guys for that.

"And they did a great job on pit road. We never had bad track position all day and that was really the key to us getting a good finish."

A new use for Coke

Just before the green flag in Phoenix, a crewmember on Joe Nemechek's team was busy spraying a can of Coke on their pit stall.

"For grip when we are running around out here," said jackman Ike Sneed.

Apparently, other crews use Coke for grip atop of the pit stalls, Sneed said, but as for what soft drink they choose ...

"We are not partial ... last week I used Dr. Pepper," he said.

Mark Aumann contributed to this report.