Coca Cola 600. Advantage Junior?

Predicting a winner in a race of 600 miles is difficult at the best of times but with this season's Winston Cup being so close, picking a winner is nigh on impossible.

With ten different winners in the first eleven races and the top five in the points standings being separated by less than 100 points. This weekend's Coca Cola 600 can honestly be called anyone's race.

Amongst the favourites, if that is the correct word, for Sunday's event are Dale Earnhardt Jr and Bobby Labonte. Earnhardt Jr made history last weekend by becoming the first rookie to win The Winston, NASCAR's prestigious non points scoring sprint race while championship leader Labonte took pole position at both Winston Cup events at the track last year.

All those who competed in The Winston will hold the advantage of having a 70 lap (the length of The Winston) head start over their rivals as far as set-up data is concerned and therefore will have a better idea of how their cars will react to various changes. Both Jeff Burton who won this event last year and Jeff Gordon who was victorious in October's UAW-GM 500, also held at the Lowe's Motor Speedway, competed in The Winston last year.

Little E has now won three events this year whereas noone else has managed more than one victory. However this season consistency is the name of the game and despite Junior's two points scoring successes he languishes 17th in the championship table, more than 400 points adrift of the championship leader.

Others to run strongly throughout The Winston were Bill Elliott, Steve Park and Jerry Nadeau. Elliott controlled the opening stages of The Winston, winning the two 30 lap segments that preceded the final ten lap dash to the flag. The McDonalds Ford driver has yet to win a race this year and is looking for at least one last victory for his self run team before he leaves to join the new Dodge Intrepid effort next year.

Park meanwhile qualified for the main event by virtue of making it through the No Bull sprint race along with Jerry Nadeau. Both drivers then performed well in the main event, Park finishing fourth in segment one and sixth in segment two before being eliminated in a crash. Nadeau improved from seventh in the two opening stints to fourth in the overall classification.

Of the other major championship contenders, Ward Burton will be looking for his ninth top ten finish in twelve races as will elder brother Jeff. Figures like these brought Dale Jarrett the Winston Cup last year meaning just one mistake from any of the top five in points could make the difference between keeping their championship position or dropping four or five places. With a maximum of 185 points available at each race, any one of Labonte B, Burton W, Mark Martin, Burton J, Dale Earnhardt Sr or Jarrett could leave Lowe's Motor Speedway with the championship lead on Sunday night such is the close level of competition this year.

The circuit has closed a second access bridge adjacent to the one that collapsed injuring over 100 race fans as they left the circuit after The Winston last Saturday. Circuit owner 'Humpy' Wheeler has said the second bridge will remain closed until a thorough check up can be completed.

Steve Grissom will make a sombre return to the Winston Cup in place of the grieving Kyle Petty. Grissom normally drives for Petty Enterprises in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series but will take over the wheel of Petty's Hotwheels Pontiac in the wake of Adam Petty's death.