NASCAR Cup Series

Clint Bowyer’s No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota will turn pink in October. And that makes the Chase’s fourth-place driver happy.

No. 56 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota driver Martin Truex Jr. says Sunday’s restrictor-plate race at Talladega Superspeedway could be the most pivotal race in the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Last week’s sixth-place finish at Dover moved Truex to eighth place, 42 points out of first, after three of 10 Chase races. The Michael Waltrip Racing driver and his 11 Chase competitors know the high-speed, pack racing at Talladega is an easy way to quickly gain or lose points.

One of the main attractions at this year’s Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 Weekend is the return of the Miller Lite Infield Track Bar. Open until 2 a.m. Friday through Sunday, the bar serves up the coldest beer at the track and is a huge hub of excitement among race fans all weekend long. Over the years the bar has become the place to party and watch college football on Saturday.

Richard Childress began his driving career at Talladega Superspeedway in 1969 and leads team owners for the most all-time victories at the storied Ala. race track with 12 wins, including three of the last five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events. Dale Earnhardt visited Victory Lane nine times while Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer swept the 2010 events at the 2.66-mile superspeedway. Bowyer added to the Welcome, N.C.-based organization's total by claiming RCR's 100th Sprint Cup Series win when NASCAR's senior series visited the facility in October 2011. In 137 starts, RCR has four pole awards, 37 top-five, 58 top-10 finishes and has led 1,789 laps of competition.

Mix it up at the front of the pack? Race three-and-four wide in the middle of the pack? Try to avoid the "big one" by running behind the main pack? Jeff Gordon does not know which strategy to employ in Sunday's Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500. Nor does he know which one works best.

Gwaltney Foods, producer of quality bacon, franks, lunchmeats, sausage and hams, will wrap Aric Almirola's No. 43 Ford with its signature red and yellow colors for the October 7, 2012 race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Nicole Biffle is one busy young woman, as wife to Chase contender Greg and mom to 15 month old Emma. And while obviously completely committed to both of those roles, she is also passionate about her work with the Greg Biffle Foundation.

Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t see much difference in the Chase format than the regular season. It looks like the season will come down to Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Denny Hamlin.

I went into this weekend’s festivities at Dover International Speedway with a mindset of nothing but wanting the best. My favorite driver and my idol, Kevin Harvick, was doing a question and answer session on Saturday morning on the front stretch from about 10:30 – 10:45 with Elliott Sadler and car owner Richard Childress.

The Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 Weekend is only days away and with it comes a list of pre-race dignitaries that includes respected executives and stars of television and film.