Martinsville a crucial stop for Bowyer and Stewart (cont'd)

Gordon also leads the series with six poles, 19 top-fives and 25 top-10s in '07.

And Johnson's not far behind. He owns three victories, has one pole, seven top-fives and 10 top-10s at Martinsville.

He's also eyeing the '07 series sweep, having won the April event there as he and Gordon battled door-to-door to the finish, with Johnson prevailing by 0.065 seconds -- the season's fourth closest finish to date.

"Jimmie and I had a great battle over the closing laps during the spring race here and I expect the 48 team to be strong again," Gordon said. "We just couldn't get the DuPont Chevrolet to turn the middle of the corners last time here, so we'll focus on making that better this weekend."

Given the two drivers' similar statistics at the half-mile track, it's not unrealistic to expect a repeat. And there is this: Gordon and Johnson have finished one-two on three other occasions this season.

"There's no doubt he wants to beat me, we saw that at Talladega," Johnson said of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. "He made a move and got it done."

Flexibility important for COT

The Car of Tomorrow returns to Martinsville, where it ran in only its second event in April. Sunday will mark the 15th of 16 races it will run this season before going full time in 2008.

Teams already have realized one of the new car's goals -- flexibility. The ability to use the same car at multiple (and different) tracks is a key component.

Five teams have used the same chassis in seven of the previous 14 events. And most recently at Talladega -- also the car's restrictor-plate debut -- five teams used a car that had raced at one or more of the new car's previous events.

Using the same car at different tracks, rather than building track-specific cars, is a major cost-containment plus of NASCAR's new car. Here's a quick look, to date, at this season's savings-come-to-life:

• Five teams have used the same chassis in seven of the previous COT events.

• Four teams have used the same chassis in eight of the previous COT events.

• Two teams have used the same chassis in nine of the previous COT events.

• One team has used the same chassis in 10 of the previous COT events.

Hendrick Motorsports has won seven of the 14 previous COT races. The Nov. 11 event at Phoenix International Raceway is this season's final COT event.

Petty to make historic start

Veteran driver Kyle Petty will take sole possession of fifth place on the all-time series start list Sunday when he takes the green flag at Martinsville Speedway.

Petty is currently tied with three-time series champion Darrell Waltrip with 809 career starts.

"Yeah, 809 starts, that's something I've not given much thought to. It just means I've been doing this for a long time," Petty said. "When I started racing in '79, if you would have told me that I would have more starts than Darrell Waltrip or some of these other guys I would have said 'no way.'

"As the years go by you really can't picture yourself doing anything else. So then they start to add up. It's not something I was conscience of. I just wanted to race. So, I don't think too much of it. I just think of the next race or what's happening now."

Petty also will make his 54th career start at Martinsville.

"I've been racing there, man, since the early 80's. I've had some good runs there. It's a great place for our family," Petty added. "My grandfather [Lee] winning, my father [Richard] winning and just all the blessings we've had at this track. Before I started driving I would be there watching and helping The King win his 15 races.

"It's great to reach another milestone in my career here. Maybe it means more here than another place that isn't as close to home. It's neat how things work out like that."

France to be honored

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France will be inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame on Oct. 22 at Cipriani on 42nd Street in New York, during the 17th annual induction ceremonies. France is one of 12 inductees this year; the others include ABC World News Tonight anchor Charles Gibson and Univision CEO Joe Uva.

Established in 1991 by Broadcasting & Cable Magazine, the Hall of Fame membership includes, among others, Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow and Ronald Reagan.