A lifelong gearhead, Tom Jensen reports on automobiles and auto racing for SPEEDTV.com.
Jensen has been writing about both topics for more than 15 years and is the former managing editor of National Speed Sport News.
He is the recipient of the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award and numerous other journalism awards.
Jensen's latest book is "Cheating: An Inside Look At The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit Of Speed."
Click here for Tom Jensen's columns.
Past races: Daytona | California | Las Vegas | Atlanta
Same old racin'
Greg from Middletown, Pa.: What do you think so far? Has the Car of Tomorrow created better racing?
Tom Jensen: Has the Car of Tomorrow created better racing? No, but it's not worse, either. Seems mostly the same.
Too early to tell
Caeleb from Warsaw, Mo.: As far as you can tell, is the COT posing any longer repairs to get back on the track after the aftermath of a wreck?
Tom Jensen: I haven't seen enough wrecked cars to have an opinion yet.
The replacements
Brandon from Smiths Grove, Ky.: If a COT is involved in a wreck, can the front splitter and/or rear wing be replaced if it is damaged?
Tom Jensen: Yes.
Sadler communication
Alex from Richmond, Va.: Sadler was much slower than Riggs and Kahne in the first practice, but shares notes and qualifies third. It seems that after those good adjustments, he'd be practicing around their times by Happy Hour. After qualifying well the past couple of weeks but not converting the finishes, do you think communication with Josh Browne is the problem?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. I can't emphasize enough how new these cars are for everyone. Most every team is making wholesale changes in practice, trying to find everything that works and everything that doesn't on the Car of Tomorrow. I'm not worried about Sadler's communication with Josh Browne.
Is Regan ready?
Mojo from Houston Texas: How far will the No. 01 team drop in points without Mark Martin this weekend? How do you rate Regan Smith doing at the Bristol bullring?
Tom Jensen: My best guess is Martin will fall to between 5th and 7th this week and will fall out of the top 10 next week when he skips Martinsville. So far, Regan Smith's looked great in the car, better than I expected, frankly.
Burton steps up
Tony from Crofton, Md.: Please help solve a heated argument between friends. The question is on the old cars, do some of the teams move the grill on the car to the left or the right for better downforce. I know they move the front nose of the car and fan out the left side for downforce, but is the actual grill insert moved either way on any of the cars?
Tom Jensen: Jeff Burton just walked into the media center here at Bristol, so I asked him your question. "My understand is there was some flexibility on the old cars," said Burton said, indicating the grilles could be mounted with a limited, specified space. In other words, you could move it a little, but not a lot.
Pit road picks
Brian from Prairie Lea, Texas: How important is pit selection at Bristol and where can I find that information for the race today?
Tom Jensen: Pit selection is incredibly critical here, as it almost always is at a short track. Click here for the pit road selections.
Build like Bristol
Mike from Rich Hill, Mo.: Why aren't there more tracks like Bristol being built?
Tom Jensen: Good question. There aren't many tracks being built, period. With the expense involved - I've seen estimates of $150 million to $300 million for a NASCAR-quality track - and NASCAR pretty much saying the only new places they want to race are New York City and Washington state, new tracks just aren't popping up.
Wait and see
John from East Stroudsburg, Pa.: With the Car Of Tommorow, what safety measures has NASCAR taken in the event the rear wing breaks off in a crash?
Tom Jensen: Not to be flippant about it, but we're going to find out today what happens when one of these wings breaks.
Flying in Phoenix?
Tony from Grottoes, Va.: Bristol won't be a good test, but next month in Arizona should be. Do you think that wing will override the roof flap and make the car airborne?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. No, there's no danger of that. Remember, these wings provide downforce, not lift, and NASCAR has tested the car extensively in the wind tunnel.
Cars to move
Larry from Mulvane, Kansas: When the COT cars take over, what happens to all of the cars they have now? Can they use them for practice, and why would they?
Tom Jensen: Great question. I think you're going to see a lot of these old cars sold to ARCA teams for pennies on the dollar.
Controlling consistency
Ed from Mocksville, N.C.: In the Busch race, how can NASCAR put the No. 12 car in third place on the restart after leaving a lug nut off and having to make two stops on pit road? If he won, NASCAR would have really blown this call. NASCAR has got to get some controls of the rules they already have in place or these races are going to get as bad as the IRL. I am really starting to get upset with reactions they are placing on these races.
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the observation. The No. 1 complaint I've been getting from fans all year long is NASCAR's inconsistency, and I agree that they need to raise their game with rules enforcement ASAP.
Smoke on the concrete
Dave from Commerce, Okla.: I heard that, after this race, Bristol will be resurfaced. What type of surface will it be? Concrete, or black top, or what? It doesn't really matter because my driver is TONY STEWART, and he can race anything anywhere!
Tom Jensen: Welcome to race day. Bristol will still be concrete once the surface is replaced. And you're right, Stewart will be one of the guys to watch today, for sure.
Day of firsts
John from Des Moines, Iowa: What happens to the performance of the COT if the lower front end is wrecked?
Tom Jensen: That's a great question. And as I've said all week, nobody knows what's going to happen until the race begins. It will be a day of firsts on a lot of fronts, including what happens to wrecked cars here. Some of the teams have been doing simulated crashes back at their shops, trying to simulate emergency repairs. But until the race starts, we're all just guessing.
Smokey's solution
Al from McHenry, Ill.: Like it or not, the "clone" cars are here to stay. Too bad. I can envision Smokey Yunick, Curtis Turner and several others spinning fast enough in their graves to be bouncing off the rev limiter! Just what would Smokey do with this, anyhow? Probably still find a way to get protested!
Tom Jensen: Smokey was one of my all-time favorite characters in NASCAR — a brilliant engineering mind mated with a personality that was sharply distrustful of authority figures. The first thing Smokey would do is cuss up a blue streak. And the second thing he'd do is what every crew chief is saying now: "OK, NASCAR took away the body from us, now let's go to work on the chassis and suspension and look for some more speed."
Remembering Medlen
Ryan from Bruce, S.D.: I really hope NASCAR pays respect to one of the brightest young stars in NHRA drag racing, Eric Medlen.
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the thought about the Eric Medlen tragedy. There are actually two Top Fuel dragsters here at Bristol for a pre-race ceremony. I'm sure they'll acknowledge Medlen then.
Gordon closes on Earnhardt
Art from Blythe, Calif.: Why is it that Jeff Gordon is so good at Bristol, and what is his secret?
Tom Jensen: Glad you could be with us at FOX. Jeff Gordon doesn't really have any secret I know of at Bristol, other than the fact that he's an extremely talented driver. He has excellent vision and eye-hand coordination, plus he generally doesn't tear up his equipment. There are a lot of guys who can turn in fast laps, but don't have the brains or concentration to do it for 500 miles. Gordon does. The fact that he's about to tie Dale Earnhardt for fifth overall in Nextel Cup victories should tell you something.
Truck setup for Cup?
Scott from Boone, N.C.: I'm hooked. OK so I've watched all the practices on SPEED. I'm already getting used to the COT. But the thing I've noticed the most is the front end of the car looks chopped off. It kind of reminds me of the Craftsman Trucks and has a look of the cars of the 1980s. How much information is transferred from the Truck series and maybe even the info from the 1980s to these cars?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. In terms of technology transfer, there is almost none directly from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series or the cars of the 1980s. Some teams have tried older-school setups in trying to get their cars to turn, but not that old.
Top 35 for next week
Michael from Windsor, Ontario, Canada: I just realized even though Johnny Sauter and Front Row Joe Nemechek missed the race in Bristol, it looks like they are both going to be locked for the next race at Martinsville unless all the guys below Sauter can score well in Bristol. Do you think that could happen, and who do you think will be out of the top 35 when the race ends Sunday?
Tom Jensen: Welcome. Guys who definitely will be outside the top 35 in owner points are: Michael Waltrip, A.J. Allmendinger, Jeremy Mayfield, David Reutimann, Kenny Wallace, Paul Menard, Mike Bliss and Kevin Lepage. Guys likely out include Brian Vickers, Scott Riggs and Ward Burton. The guys right on the bubble include Dale Jarrett, Kyle Petty, Jeff Green, Kasey Kahne, Dave Blaney and Ken Schrader. I think Blaney and Kahne will make it in and Petty and Green will fall out.
Teardown in Thunder Valley
Shari from Olympia, Wash.: Is it me or are the track conditions at Bristol too rough and bumpy for this quality of racing? Better track...better driving ....better race. We all crave the need for speed. Am I alone on this?
Tom Jensen: You are quite correct. Bristol is really, really bumpy right now. And that's why on Monday, they are going to tear up the track and repave it.
A.J.'s first start is last
Zack from Nacogdoches, Texas: How come A.J. Allmendinger is starting 43rd at Bristol after posting the 35th-fastest qualifying lap?
Tom Jensen: Good question. Allmendinger did, indeed, qualify 35th-fastest. But because a past-champion's provisional was not used in this race, the slowest qualifier on time is automatically moved to 43rd, the spot that normally would be reserved for the past champion.
Splitting the splitter
Laura from Chesapeake, Va.: I was watching qualifying, and all of the drivers were slowing down and angling their cars to make it to pit road without damaging the front splitter. How are they going to be able to get onto pit road under race conditions in the COT at racetracks like Bristol where there is such a drop off to the apron of the track?
Tom Jensen: You are very observant! One of the big questions for Sunday is will
drivers bust their splitters heading to pit road? Bristol is one of the most
difficult tracks to get in and out of the pits and this could be a huge
issue. My guess is you'll see at least a couple of guys break their
splitters coming into the pits on Sunday.
Busch to Newman's setup
Donald from Chattanooga, Tenn.: Kurt Busch and Roger Penske should be embarrassed starting this race since they were the slowest of all entrants. NASCAR should be embarrassed too. The 35 rule must go. What happened to Busch, and will he be able to come from the back to win?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. I talked to one of Busch's team members and
he told me that Busch and his teammate, Ryan Newman, had totally different
setups in the car, each trying to find what worked in the new Car of
Tomorrow. Newman's setup worked, Busch's didn't, so it's expected that Busch
will run Newman's setup or something close to it, on Sunday.
Too soon to tell
Mike from Lancaster, N.Y.: Dodge re-entered NASCAR in 2001 with the Intrepid. A few years later, they switched to the newly reintroduced Charger. This year, they modified the nose. Ford ran the Taurus for years then switched to the Fusion last year. Of course, Chevys win more races. When was the last time they had to adjust to anything major? The introduction of the COT will show just how much Chevy has been favored by NASCAR over the years. The COT will finally level the playing field in a very fair way. Hey Chevy, get used to the new reality. I'm getting ready for more whining by Johnson, Gordon and Stewart. What do you think?
Tom Jensen: Welcome to FOX. The Car of Tomorrow is far from a finished product at
this point. In fact, it's much more of a work in progress. I think it might
be next year before we truly know how it's all going to play out in terms of
which drivers and manufacturers do well and which don't. It's just too early
to know for sure right now.
Half the downforce
Blake from Salt Lake City, Utah: How many pounds of downforce does the current Cup car generate, and how many pounds of downforce does the Car Of Tomorrow generate? What is the net loss of downforce?
Tom Jensen: Downforce numbers can vary tremendously, based on setup, the track
being raced on and a whole host of other factors. And, truth be told, teams
aren't too keen about divulging specific numbers. That said, Jeff Gordon
said yesterday after qualifying that the COT only has about half the
downforce of the old car.
Historic season
Doug from Sacramento, Calif.: It seems to me this year in NASCAR is about as exciting as it gets: the Car of Tomorrow, Toyota getting in and how about those cheaters. Let's get it on. What do you think about the season so far?
Tom Jensen: That's a great question. As a writer, I don't care who wins or loses.
What I care about is having interesting stuff to write about, which usually
means lots of news and great races. This year, from a writer's standpoint,
has been what we call a target-rich environment for all the reasons you
cited: The COT, Toyota, the Daytona 500 finish, NASCAR controversies, etc.
History is being made this year and I feel very lucky to not only witness
it, but to chronicle it as well.
Martin running in '08?
Bill from Lynchburg, Tenn.: Mark Martin is having a well deserved vacation this year, but do you think he will run a full season next year?
Tom Jensen: Greetings from sunny Bristol, Tenn., on a beautiful spring day. I don't think even Mark Martin knows what he's going to do next year. I think a lot depends on how much he enjoys himself away from the track these next two weekends.
Owner title in '07
Joe from Johnson City, Texas: If a team is in the top 12 when the Chase begins, are they eligible to be in the Chase? If not, is there a split championship that they are able to run for (drivers/owner)? Just wondering if the 01 team will be going after that owners championship?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. The Chase goes to the top 12 in driver points, not owner points, so the team has nothing to do with it. In theory, one driver could drive for three or four teams and still make the Chase. There is no formal car owner's championship, but if the No. 01 team amasses more points than anyone, I'd assume they'd be recognized at the banquet in New York.
Digging in the dirt
Staff Sergeant Adam Sorrell from Wilkesville, Ohio: I am in the Air Force deployed to Afghanistan for 6 months. My question is why doesn't NASCAR run on any dirt tracks? I am a big fan of NASCAR but i also grew up around dirt track racing all my life. NASCAR runs on road courses, short, intermediate and superspeedways and i believe that a couple dirt tracks would be awesome to see the drivers race on. A lot of the drivers started on dirt so i think they might like it too. What are your thoughts on this. Thank you for your time.
Tom Jensen: Sgt. Sorrell, thank you for defending this great country. I'd love to see a dirt-track NASCAR Nextel Cup race - I think it would be great fun. That said, it would be hideously expensive and time-consuming to create purpose-built dirt car and I can't think of any dirt tracks with the necessary infrastructure to handle the fans, media, etc. that you get at a modern Cup race.
Book 'em, Dano
Ed from Loogootee, Ind.: How do I get a copy of your book?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for asking about my book. The best way to get it is to go to www.bullpublishing.com or call David Bull Publishing at 800-831-1758. You can also check www.amazon.com.
Is No. 36 86'd?
Larry from Montgomery, Ala.: I heard that Bill Davis Racing is shutting down the No. 36 OTC 360 team. Any comments please.
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. There are a lot of rumors about the No. 36 team, but nothing concrete yet. We'll certainly be following the story this weekend at Bristol.
Mears is smart move
Khoury from Yeadon, Pa.: I'm a true Jeff Gordon fan so even if J.G. doesn't do well, if Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch wins, it's an alright day because at least they're teammates. But I have to worry about Casey Mears. I have to like him a little bit because he's Gordon's teamate, but I'm not sure he'll do better than Brian Vickers. Was picking him up a mistake?
Tom Jensen: Hello, there. Ultimately, Casey Mears will be a great pickup for Hendrick. As we learned last year when Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray went to new teams, rarely does a driver step into a new ride and start putting together top 5s immediately. It takes time to learn a new team, new crew members and new cars. He'll be fine in the long run.
Easy inspection
Chris from Miami, Fla.: I heard that the inspection process for the COT took and awful long time when the Nextel Cup cars were testing at Bristol last month. Is there anyway to have two inspection lines to speed up the process?
Tom Jensen: Hello, Chris, and welcome. The COT inspection process should be considerably easier this week and next because NASCAR is opening the track a day earlier at Bristol and Martinsville expressly to inspect cars. There will be no extra track time, just extra inspection time.
Splitter decision
Mark from Hays, Kansas: When the teams went to Bristol to test the COT, there were only a few cars on the track. What is it going to be like with 43 cars? Is the wing or spoiler the most important part that you don't want any damage to? Face it, there could be cars that are five or six laps down if someone has his car dialed in above the rest.
Tom Jensen: Hello, Mark. I think the most important thing to take care of at Bristol will be the front splitter. Frankly, we have no idea what will happen with 43 cars on the track — whether it'll be good, bad or indifferent. That, to me, is part of the excitement about this weekend. We flat don't know what's going to happen.
No strike zone
Ryan from Palm Bay, Fla.: If most of the drivers end up hating the COT, do you think that we would ever see the drivers go on strike in NASCAR to get the current car back?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question, Ryan. No, I don't think the drivers will go on strike to get the current car back. That'll never happen. They're all making too much money now to complain too loudly, let alone strike. Besides, the couple of other attempts the drivers had in the 1960s at striking all ended very badly.
Martin vs. Marlin
Tim from Dewitt, Mich.: I don't understand how Mark Martin can come over to Ginn Racing in his first year and get 4 top 10s and 3 top 5s, and Sterling Marlin — in his second season — has only one top 10 from last year. It's frustrating as a Marlin fan. Ginn gives all the good stuff to Mark Martin, I guess....
Tom Jensen: Tim, welcome to FOX. If you compare their career statistics, Sterling Marlin has 10 wins, 83 top 5s and 216 top 10s in 715 Nextel Cup starts. Mark Martin has 35 wins, 237 top 5s and 378 top 10s in 674 Nextel Cup starts. Given that, it's not surprising that Martin's results are better this year.
Busch vs. Harvick
Eddie from Douglas, Mass.: Mark Martin has done it all. Have a nice vacation, Mark. I respect any driver who begins each interview with the statement, "I want to thank my fans." Now, who is going to win Bristol?
Tom Jensen: What Mark Martin is doing is very unique, but the thing you have to understand is Mark Martin has earned the right to do exactly what he wants to do. He's a class act. He's a great driver. He made this deal with Ginn Racing last fall to do exactly what he's doing, and I think if Mark Martin wants to do it, he has every right to do it.
Here's who I think is going to look good at Bristol. You've always got to consider Kurt Busch a favorite. He's won five of the last 10 races at Bristol, and he just loves that track. The Penske team seems to have developed very strongly the Car of Tomorrow. They seem to be one of the teams on the front end of that curve. The other guy I really, really like this weekend at Bristol is Kevin Harvick. Harvick just finished Atlanta, which is arguably his worst track, and he loves Bristol. Plus, he loves the rivalry with Kurt Busch. And the Childress teams have also done an excellent job with the Car of Tomorrow. So I would suggest you watch out for Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick this Sunday.
Jersey from Mt. Holly, N.J.: I wanted to follow up on Karin from Sidney, Ohio's question about Bill Elliott possibly hopping in the No. 55. Didn't NASCAR modify the past-champion's provisional rule that limited a driver and TEAM to six? Would a TEAM be Michael Waltrip Racing or is a team considered a car number?
Tom Jensen: That's an excellent question, Jersey, and in this case, what we're talking about is a team would be considered a car number. I really want to stress this: I've heard no speculation that Bill Elliott might go in the 55, and I don't think it would happen. I really don't. But if it were to happen, his provisionals would be separate from Dale Jarrett's provisionals.
Elliott to the No. 55
Karin from Sidney, Ohio: Are Bill Elliott and his six PCP's hopping in the No. 55?
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the question. I have not so far heard any legitimate speculation that Bill Elliott might be getting behind the wheel of the No. 55. But in two weeks, if Dale Jarrett has used all his past-champion's provisionals, you can bet Elliott will be in high demand.
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