Cronrath always will have burning desire to race

She walks over, smiles and shakes his hand. Small talk follows and before he leaves, she gives the man her card. The encounter lasts maybe a minute and then with another handshake and a smile -- whoosh -- Richard Childress is gone ... on to meet the next person wanting his attention at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He'll do this routine ad nauseam on the day of the Nextel All Star Challenge, yet she sees the meeting quite differently. In the sport that values time more than the Swiss -- these could be the most important 60 seconds of Brianne Cronrath's career.

Beau Estes co-hosts the Jack Daniel's Post-Race Show with Nikki Alexander. It can be seen following every Nextel Cup race live on NASCAR.COM.

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For the Pennsylvania native, though, it's the handshakes and small talk that may be the most difficult aspect of her racing life. "Having to go and sell myself to owners is an uncomfortable thing because there are millions of us out there that are trying to do the same thing," Cronrath explains. "I would much rather come in on the quiet, have the results and have them meet me personally rather than kind of trying to sell myself in five seconds."

As long as she can remember, Brianne has been a racecar driver. In fact, it's not a metaphor to say it's in her blood -- it's just plain fact. Her dad, Bret, raced on the back tracks and since the age of 3 she has had a single favorite driver: "Dale Earnhardt is my idol." And with that kind of inspirational role model it's no surprise that she'd rather be in a racecar than on a television commercial.

Still, if ever a driver was born marketable -- it's Brianne. She has a down to earth personality combined with a smile that screams Madison Avenue. Truly, it seems in this day and age she'd be fast-tracked to the big leagues of the sport -- but Brianne doesn't want anything handed to her, especially a ride in NASCAR. She prefers to pave her own way around the track.

"To me that is the most important thing," Cronrath said. "I want to be there for the right reasons. I want to be there because I made it there. Marketing is a huge part of the sport and I'm well aware of that and that's fine but I don't just want to be another face out there."

Well, suffice to say she wouldn't be just "another face out there." Right now there are exactly zero drivers on the Nextel Cup circuit with a face like hers and to Brianne's way of "earn it" thinking, that's just fine.

"I think to a point NASCAR is a boy's sport -- racing is a boy's sport and that's OK with me," says Cronrath, who's quick to add, "The racecar doesn't know what parts you have and what parts you don't have."

All-American girl

Brianne Cronrath has renewed primary sponsorship with Checkers/Rally's that will enable her to run a second season in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series.

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So until the day arrives when the she gets "the call" from one of the big team owners, the girl who spent a year-and-a-half in NASCAR's Drive for Diversity program works three jobs that includes picking up some spare change babysitting to help fund her love for driving racecars. Sometimes this is the only road if you are not born into one of the royal families of racing and next year her path will take Cronrath to the inner city of Charlotte where she will begin a new career as a kindergarten teacher. "It's a move I had to make financially, and I love kids. They are our future and they need us."

But before her fall of finger-painting commences, she has 18 races in her family owned car that Checker's has sponsored in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. Last year she was rookie of the year in the Late Model division at Caraway Speedway and if the results keep coming so will the meetings with racing's luminaries like the face-to-face with Richard Childress on the day of the Nextel All-Star Challenge. "Competitively racing in the Nextel Cup Series," she says, "that is the ultimate goal for me. I want to be there and I want to be competitive."

For Brianne Cronrath, a ride in a Nextel Cup car may well be in her future, however, right now my guess is that Childress has his eyes squarely set on another very marketable driver.

Question of the Week

Debate all you want about the quality and setup of the All-Star race, but one thing it does provide is a good stopping point: a chance to assess what has happened thus far in the season and to look ahead. With that in mind I am going to steal a simple, yet fun question from the Jack Daniel's Post-Race Show chat room and employ it as the QOW. As ever, send your answer directly to me at Beau.Estes@turner.com and I'll dust off my rudimentary math skills to produce another poll.

From Laura in Sarasota, Fla.
Who do you think will win the championship at this point?

I made my answer clear on the show. The series starts off the middle third of the season at Lowe's so I'll always ride with the 48 car in their own house and see if they can surf that wave of momentum to a repeat championship performance. Jimmie J. and Chad K. have won more races than anyone else this year and, given the current format, that nearly eliminates the chance of a runaway by Jeff Gordon. I'll go with the team that wins races above all others.

Last week's question

The poll format proved to be an immediate hit; both in terms of the rate of response and also as a more direct "hit" on my e-mail account. For a moment I thought we might shut down power to the Eastern Seaboard. Here are the results to the question from a week ago when I asked, "Where do you think Dale Jr. will end up next year?"

I said I'd save my thoughts until after the poll so here goes. First of all, let me say that I am in agreement with the minority-majority here. I believe that at RCR the pieces fit -- Chevy team, expansion spot available and a family connection.

Still, I hear what some of you are saying. Dale Jr. wants to be his own man and the only way he can is to step completely, not just partially, out of his father's shadow. For my money, though, I'll take him at his word and look simply for the team that gives him the best shot at a title. To my way of thinking, considering all the factors that make a champion, RCR lands the hottest free agent in NASCAR history.

Here are some of my favorite responses of the week regarding how this scenario might play out ...

From Hank in Cottageville, S.C.
Dale Jr. should go with RCR. If Richard Childress and Teresa Earnhardt were smart, they would negotiate a swap of car numbers -- 3 for 8. Teresa could capitalize on running Dale Sr.'s number and Dale Jr., along with Budweiser, could take the car he has made famous with him. It would be a win/win situation for everyone.

I like where your head's at Hank, but DEI's recent record in negotiating is slightly worse than Michael Waltrip's racing record on the year.

From Scott in Fantasyland
Mr. NASCAR will end up at RCR, with a different number but same sponsor. Teresa will prove the distaste she has for Jr. by keeping the No. 8 and eventually will struggle the way the Petty's do now. Jr. will win a few championships over the next few years and plenty of races, make millions, get married, have kids, buy his father's company at a rock bottom price and live happily ever after.

This may be a first; a NASCAR fairy tale. On a similar note ...

From Chris in Seattle
Once Teresa Earnhardt runs DEI into the ground Dale will be able to buy a controlling share on the cheap and move back to his dad's company where he belongs. It's just a matter of time.

Say what you will about the head of DEI, but I've always understood her to be decent in business. Still, Chris hit on a popular theme.

From James in New York
Dale Jr. going to Hendrick would be like Derek Jeter going to play for the Red Sox ... can't happen.

Yeah, or like Roger Clemens pitching for the Yankees!

Whilst sitting atop the NASCAR 24/7 Live truck at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, these were the two comments that caught my eye.

From NASCAR MOM-50
I don't think Teresa has it in her to support her drivers. You never see her in victory circle. I don't even see her on TV like you see the other owners in the pit boxes.

I see what you're saying, but wouldn't it be a little disingenuous if she started showing up trackside as the biggest DEI cheerleader now? Imagine the eyes that would be rolling on pit row if that happened.

From Jeff in Michigan
How about Johnny Sauter? He had a great night and is really running well this season!

Great point, Jeff. After starting 20th and finishing second in the Nextel Open just to qualify for the All-Star Challenge, here is a partial list of drivers Sauter beat in the night's biggest race: Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin and the Busch brothers. If the 70 team keeps beating that list we will be talking more and more about Johnny Sauter.

Finally, here are a few storylines to watch as the season unfolds.

1. Can the Ford guys of Jack Roush and company get some momentum going if for no other reason than to satisfy the furious e-mailers who've ranted about ...

2. Hendrick Motorsports' domination: Can they make a run at the greatest season an owner has ever had in the modern era? They'll have to win eight of the final 25 races to do so and you can bet the rest of NASCAR will be banding together to stop them.

3. Every driver with a win this season has won in the past. Will we see any first time winners on the circuit this year? Paging Mr. Bowyer. Mr. Clint Bowyer.

Enjoy the race everybody.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.