Topical issues that have been problematic in 2003 reappeared in New Hampshire this weekend. Pit road safety and the gentleman's agreement were again in question. There was triumph amidst a feeling of sadness and in the end there was plenty to discuss after the Winston Cup series' second visit to New England this season.

Surprise of the day: Ricky Rudd and the Wood Brothers appear to be on the verge of turning the corner. With his second-place finish Sunday, he has now finished among the top-three two weeks in a row. He was third in Richmond last week. It was Rudd's fourth top-five finish this season and his best finish since winning in Sonoma (Calif.) last year.

Hard luck award: Jeff Gordon was running second at lap 276 when he stopped for a splash of fuel. As it turned out ,they should have hung around for two splashes. By lap 294, Gordon had regained second position. But, just three laps later they car ran dry, 2½ laps shy of the finish. Gordon ended the day 19th.

Gordon has led 1,206 laps this season but has only one win to show for it. Ryan Newman, who has led the second highest number of laps (890), leads the series with six victories.

Championship turning point: For the first time since Watkins Glen (N.Y.) five weeks ago, Matt Kenseth's Winston Cup championship points lead decreased. Despite running the second half of the race with only seven cylinders, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fifth and nibbled at Kenseth's advantage. Kenseth finished seventh and still has a commanding 404-point lead with nine races remaining.

Tough working conditions: On lap 128, Jeff Gordon made a mistake that sent his car sliding into several of Jimmie Johnson's crew members -- a team that Gordon partially owns.

Gordon attempted to slip by Michael Waltrip's inside heading down pit road. What Gordon didn't realize was that Waltrip was only feet from his pit box.

When Waltrip turned left Gordon was squeezed into Johnson's jackman, Chris Anderson, then hit tire changer Cory Quick and tire carrier Ryan McCray who both ended up on the 24 car's windshield. It was a dramatic moment but all of the Team Lowe's crew members escaped injury.

Hard charger of the race: Ricky Rudd came from the 31st starting position to finish second.

Freefall of the race: Greg Biffle started fourth but engine woes relegated him to a 43rd-place finish.

Question of the week: Why does NASCAR continue to permit racing back to the yellow?

When the caution flag is waived, NASCAR allows drivers to race for position until they complete that lap and reach the flag stand. Simultaneously, there is a "gentleman's agreement" -- one that NASCAR quietly endorses despite their rule -- where drivers abide by an honor system and agree not to race for position. It is all very convoluted and has resulted in several problems this season. Add Sunday's race to that list.

After being hit by Jimmy Spencer on lap 161, Dale Jarrett bounced off the wall, spun toward the inside of the front straightaway and came to rest just before the start-finish line.

At that point the field was forced to perform a balancing act between the gentleman's agreement and the rule.

Leader Bill Elliott backed off heading into Turn 3. But that created a near disaster because other drivers had a different agenda. Ryan Newman and Michael Waltrip continued to race hard for the second position. However, when they approached the slowing car of Elliott in Turn 4 they wouldn't pass him. Instead they slowed, fanned out and the field knotted up. This all while lapped cars charged ahead and attempted to pass Elliott before hitting the start-finish line in order to get their laps back.

A swarm of traffic came off Turn 4 at varying speeds and several drivers had to take last-second evasive action to avoid hitting Jarrett, who had already removed his steering wheel and began to unbuckle.

Afterwards, NASCAR reprimanded Newman and Waltrip for racing for position. This doesn't make sense. If NASCAR doesn't want drivers to race for position heading to the yellow, then why not outlaw it?

Statistic of the race: 43. That's the number of cars that carried Tara Parker memorial stickers Sunday afternoon.

Parker, the wife of team UPS crew chief Shawn Parker, was tragically killed, along with two sisters, last week when a limousine they were traveling in was rear-ended by a drunk driver and caught fire.

Before the accident, the 29-year-old Parker had fought a lifelong battle with heart problems. She received a heart transplant in 2000 and was beginning to enjoy a normal life.

Regardless of affiliation or function, everyone in the NASCAR community mourns her loss. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Shawn and Tara's family.

Developing story: When rumors began to swirl suggesting that NASCAR President Mike Helton would leave his post to take over Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, many dismissed it as being incomprehensible. But now that Brian France has replaced his father Bill France Jr. as CEO and Chairman of NASCAR's Board -- which was first reported by ESPN.com last week -- the possibility of Helton making such a move seems much more feasible.

As CEO and Chairman, Bill France Jr. played a passive role, giving Helton much of NASCAR's ruling authority since he was appointed the position in 2000. However, it is anticipated that the 41-year-old Brian France will take a much more active approach to the position, essentially bumping Helton from power.

Mike Massaro covers NASCAR for ESPN and ESPN.com.