From the pits of a champ

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- One of my favorite sports moments ever came during the first round of the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest when upon completing another "nobody else in the world can come anywhere close to that" jam, Vince Carter looked right at the camera and declared what everyone watching knew to be true -- that the event was indeed over. All other dunkers were vying for second place.

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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These days whenever I'm absolutely sure of the outcome of any sporting event I simply pull a "Vince" and mentally end any possibility of an improbable outcome. Unfortunately, I'm not Vince Carter and therefore this cavalier attitude has burned me in the past. Still, following his sizzling performance in the desert last week I gave Jimmie Johnson the "Vince" stamp of approval and decided to spend the hour before the Homestead race trying to wrest some sort of clue from the 48 team that would lead me to the secret of their success.

I posted myself at the 48 team's pit stall 60 minutes before the start of Sunday's race at Homestead and what follows is a moment-by-moment account of what I saw.

2:36 p.m. -- En route to the pits I see eight cameras huddled around one hauler and nary another camera in sight. Surprise -- it's the 48 hauler. Apparently, the networks have pulled a "Vince" as well.

2:47 p.m. -- I've walked past every single stall and each team has at least one crew member on site in attendance. Maybe they're sweeping the stall, or just stretching, but someone is there. When I arrive at the 48 team's pit box there isn't a person in sight. It's a ghost town. Are they pulling a "Vince" or perhaps this is just a ploy to intimidate the other teams?

2:48 p.m. -- "Maybe I'll just have a look around this place and see if I can uncover any secrets on my own [subtly look left, subtly look right]. Now seems like as good a time as any," I think to myself. Quickly I stumble upon a nugget or maybe it's just a nugget fragment or nugget dust, but if you want to clean your probe box like the two-time champ's team here are the step by step instructions -- and I am quoting here:

1. Clean off pressure lube.
2. Inspect top rubber seal.
3. Inspect bellows for holes.
4. Spray top and inside with silicone spray.
5. Lightly spray bellow with silicone spray.

Is this the magic formula for championships some sort of secret code? Could this be the type of thing Chad Knaus cranks out on a Tuesday at 1 a.m. in January from his dimly lit racing lair that pays off with championships in November? Somehow I doubt it, but for those of you who clean probe boxes, I hope you find this useful.

2:50 p.m. -- Next door in Jeff Gordon's stall four crew members prepare for the race, but there is still nobody in the 48 stall. What's going on here? Are they still in homeroom and haven't been dismissed?

2:52 p.m. -- With nobody to entertain me my eyes begin to wander. I notice that atop the 24 and 48 pit boxes all the seats are unmarked save one leather chair in each that bears the signature of the puppet master, Rick Hendrick. (Continued)