Next two weeks could make or break the season

The NASCAR Nextel Cup season is just three races old, but the next two races can really make, or break your season. The early weeks have focused on big names buried in the points, trying to race out of that Daytona-deep hole they slipped into a month ago, and that single name at the top of the championship standings.

Atlanta has always seemed to be a turning point on the schedule. Certainly there have been outstanding races and stand-up-on-your-seat finishes, but in the big picture -- the Nextel Cup championship picture -- here is where the point race starts to show some personality. Bullying some of the boys, while others continue to enjoy piling up the points.

Bill Weber

Have you taken a good look at the standings since Sunday night? The possibilities for change are endless. Do you like to marvel at the pleasant surprises or focus on those that have fallen short in just three quick races?

And when it comes to listening to interviews this weekend, and next, or reading quotes from various drivers, sometimes you really have to listen to what they mean to understand what they say. Each week, every team would love to win, but for the next two weeks the mission is to gain points, and positions. It is not the perfect formula for motivating that desperate driver to make that daring late race pass, but it has worked for 50 plus years.

Jeff Gordon has gotten off to a solid start. He is second in the standings with finishes of 11th, eighth and then second last Sunday in Las Vegas. Gordon got out of the gate quickly in his championship season of 2001 as well. He marched into Atlanta second in the standings which led to his fourth championship season. Gordon has a knack for saying all the right things at the right time. He has shown leadership in the sport and leadership for his team. When Gordon is confident, you can hear it in his words. I can hear it.

"It is a great start to the season," Gordon said. "I feel like we are a much different team than we were last year at this time and even the team we had in 2005. I am excited about what we have in store for ourselves.

"We are bringing great racecars, having a lot of fun no matter where we start in the field. [Crew chief] Steve Letarte really stepped up as a leader. It is making it a lot of fun for me as a driver."

Gordon is confident and having fun. That means some of the other guys in the garage may not be having as much fun.

Having Dale Earnhardt Jr. 28th in points after the first three races is a little like picking a 15-seed to win the NCAA tournament. Gutsy, but before the action begins, nobody is going to believe you. Earnhardt cost himself some big points at Vegas by pitting while pit road was closed. Those are points you cannot recapture, and they are the kind that you really miss after Atlanta because unless you do something amazing Sunday, people are still going to be talking about the points that got away. (Continued)