Cross' Words: Talladega (cont'd)

From Stewart ...
I understand that NASCAR has a stake in keeping the sponsors happy by making it easier for the big name drivers to make the Sunday show, but it's really gotten beyond ridiculous. Poor Michael Waltrip, with a very NASCAR-friendly sponsor in NAPA, has yet to make a race after Daytona this year because of the Top 35 qualifying rule, and yet when you look at the qualifying times on paper, he should have made a total of six races this season. To make qualifying more fair to everyone, it would be a better idea to do away with impound races, allow the top 40 cars on speed to make the show, allowing for three provisionals: One for a past champion and two for the top placing cars in owners points should they wreck during qualifying, and allowing that each of these provisionals go to cars qualifying on speed should no past champions take their provisional and no cars wreck during qualifying. Then, I believe, we would have a much better, much more fairly inclusive race on Sunday.

It was (again) unfortunate that Mikey didn't make the show; it's killing him to have a car that posts a good qualifying lap only to load up the hauler and head home before the show. But like many of the rules the competition angle is governed by business. Everyone knows the rules before they sign the dotted line -- drivers and sponsors alike. Nonetheless, if NASCAR is looking to tweak the top 35 / qualifying rules, it's keeping those thoughts in-house.

From Gretchen ...
Why did Tony Stewart get fined for not consenting to an interview, yet Kyle Busch "declines" to be interviewed week after week and isn't fined?

In short, Stewart violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-H (any member who violates 7-2B: Failure to meet obligation of an accepted entry; failure to fulfill post-race media obligation -- with addition to the winning driver, the second- and third-place drivers and the highest finishing rookie of the year candidate must also report to the media center upon the conclusion of the race) of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series rule book.

Six of one ...
Drivers with momentum heading to Richmond:

• Jeff Gordon -- Back-to-back victories, the pressure to win No. 77 is off ... and he is the class of the field with a 4.1 average finish.

• Jamie McMurray -- Raise your hand if you had Mac as Roush's second-highest driver in the point standings this far into the season?

• Kurt Busch -- Duh comment of the week: Keeping the car on the lead lap is key -- 10.1 average finish in the six races he's run every lap.

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Another "duh" comment: His average lead-lap finish is 9.3; it's the three DNFs that are dragging down Driver 8.

• David Stremme -- Nice job at 'Dega; fourth top-15 run in the past six races and two top-10s in the past three weeks.

• Scott Riggs -- OK, so there's a pattern: Two lead-lap finishes (9.5) vs. the other seven (34.8). Running 11th at 'Dega is a start, right?

Half a dozen of the other ...
And six drivers who need a jump start:

• Kyle Busch -- He did the 'Dega Double: crashed-out in the Busch and Cup races.

• Carl Edwards -- A blown engine ended his day after only 27 laps.

• Clint Bowyer -- Consecutive finishes outside the top 20. It's a case of the hiccups ...

• Juan Montoya -- Thirtysomething was an '80s TV show, not something to strive for in back-to-back races, hoss.

• Robby Gordon -- Began the year with three top-20s in four races but hasn't finished better than 24th in the past five starts.

• Ricky Rudd -- One top-15 finish this year, only two lead-lap finishes ... not the return anyone was hoping for from The Rooster.

Feel the power
Three names you'll see in the Power Rankings' top 10 on Wednesday:

2. Jimmie Johnson -- Six top-fives, including three wins. Jeff Gordon can't lose, as a driver or car owner.

3. Jeff Burton -- Has lost 195 points to leader Jeff Gordon in the past two races but remains in second place overall.

4. Matt Kenseth -- Sunday was his sixth consecutive top-15 finish at Talladega and seventh in the past eight plate races. Who knew?

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.