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Monday, October 13 Charlotte develops Cup storylines By Mike Massaro ESPN
We begin with the championship race, which is suddenly competitive. What just a month ago appeared to be a runaway tile run for Matt Kenseth is becoming a bit more dramatic. For two consecutive weeks, Harvick closed the gap between himself and Kenseth. Kenseth did finish two spots in front of Harvick at Charlotte, but his points lead is down to 267 points. With five races to go, the pressure appears to be building for both of these contenders. Not only was there physical contact between them during the race but also there were some very telling radio transmissions. At one point Harvick instructed his team to tell him when he was near Kenseth so he could race him a little harder for the position. That's understandable. But the question is, how hard? Later, Kenseth radioed in saying he thought Harvick was trying to wreck him without wrecking him. Translation: He believed Harvick was trying to play with the air around the DeWalt Ford in an attempt to destabilize it to the point of crashing. This indicates one of two things. Either Harvick has reached the point of desperation or Kenseth is becoming paranoid. It's a tough case to prove -- you be the judge.
As the season winds down and the rumor mill hits full throttle you've got to wonder if a victory this year would be Elliott's last. It is fair to say Awesome Bill is at least considering retiring. But the way this season concludes might impact his decision. He definitely wants to go out a winner, so if he is shut out this season, will the year's strong finish inspire another campaign?
After a four-tire change during his final stop, the Home Depot Chevrolet came to life, enabling Stewart to close an eight-second gap and overtake Ryan Newman for the win. A tire change, the thing he said cost him the win in Dover a few weeks a go, was the key to his victory in Charlotte. The closing laps proved another thing, that Newman and the Alltel squad aren't a one-dimensional team. Fuel mileage was not a factor Saturday night yet they were very much a contender for the victory. Newman led 46 laps and when it came to defending the lead the second-year driver displayed the skills of a veteran. A slight bobble forced him to chase the car up the banking. Not only did Newman make the save but he temporarily fended off Stewart's charge despite completely opening up the bottom line. It was impressive and is another reason why Newman will be a championship threat for years to come.
Well, now that they've clinched the manufacturers title and the season's almost over, let's take a look at the stats. The Bowtie Brigade leads in every major category. Chevy has 15 wins, Dodge is next closest with eight and they all come from the same car (Newman). Ford has seven and Pontiac has only one win. In laps led, Chevy has dominated. They have led 4,937 circuits, more than double that of Dodge and nearly triple that of Ford. Pontiac has been abysmal and led just 64 laps. Undeniably, Chevy has been superior. The question is why? Do they have good teams? Yes. Do they have an aerodynamic advantage? Hard to say. One thing's for sure; it offers plenty to think about. Mike Massaro covers NASCAR for ESPN and ESPN.com.  Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories
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All is not as it appears to be on the surface. As one analyzes Saturday nights UAW-GM 500, there are lessons to be learned and much to contemplate.
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