WEDNESDAY's NOTES

A quick poll at SI.com asked what folks thought of the COT debut at Bristol. I was surprised by the objectivity of this non-scientific poll:
54% said "It was too early to tell", while 31% "Didn't Like it."


AT&T is getting aggressive in trying to add it's logo to the 31 car, bringing a preliminary injunction against NASCAR to allow it to add it's logo to the 31 car now. It is no surprise that NASCAR / NEXTEL is saying no, just like it has from the very beginning, so this is nothing new. Yet with NEXTEL soon to become SPRINT or SPRINT NEXTEL, I'd think there might be some leniency and AT&T says there is no specific language in the contract about a company that has been bought by another. On another angle, it could just be a big media blitz for AT&T. (Hey, no media is bad media, right?) And I am also betting the 12 team is watching closely too.


In case you had not heard it, after Kyle Busch won the Bristol race, he got out and proclaimed that the new car design sucked.


In August of 1992, Bristol had it's first, all concrete NASCAR event. You can now have a piece of that history! Three versions of the collectible will be made available to fans. There is a piece of concrete in an acrylic case that will sell for $25, a 12”x14” framed piece that is $60 and the Concrete Showpiece, priced at $100. A portion of all sales of the concrete will benefit the Bristol chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.
Anyone wishing to order a piece of Bristol history can call the Speedway World souvenir store at BMS at (423) 989-6960 beginning July 1, order online at www.gospeedwayworld.com, or visit the BMS souvenir store or any Speedway souvenir stand Aug. 22-25 during race week.


When NASCAR rolls into Martinsville for this weekend's Goody's Cool Orange 500 — and for the rest of the season — the top 35 teams will be guaranteed starting positions based on points from the week before.


Here's the top 12 in points after Bristol:
1 JEFF GORDON - 791 pts,
2 JEFF BURTON - 788,
3 JIMMIE JOHNSON - 716,
4 MATT KENSETH - 697,
5 KEVIN HARVICK - 647,
6 KYLE BUSCH - 639,
7 MARK MARTIN - 629,
8 CLINT BOWYER - 621,
9 DENNY HAMLIN - 606,
10 CARL EDWARDS - 598,
11 DAVID STREMME - 587,
12 TONY STEWART - 575