Bill Elliott's Wood Brother Racing Ford. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Trivia time

Jimmie Johnson swept the two Charlotte points races in 2004 and 2005. Another driver swept both races in 2006. Who did that sweep in 2006?
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Track tidbits

Most victories: 6, by Jimmie Johnson, Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison

Most poles: 14, by David Pearson

Most top-fives: 23, by Bobby Allison and Richard Petty

Most top-10s: 31, by Richard Petty

Most lead changes: 54, in 1979

Most leaders: 21, in 2005

Most cautions: 22, 2005

Fewest cautions: 1, in 1962

Most on lead lap: 26, in 2009

Fewest on lead lap: 1, 13 times, most recently in 1987

Closest margin of victory: .027 seconds, in 2005

Greatest margin of victory: 11.982 seconds in 1996
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Fired up

The paint scheme on the Wood Brother Racing Ford of Bill Elliott will feature flames today.

Eddie Wood, co-owner of the team was asked about the flames.

“There were a lot of flames, but flames go all the way back to the George Barris days. I don’t know who started it, but you can look at some of those old, old movies with nice-looking hot rods and they all had flames. I can remember model cars I had when I was a kid and the decal pack always had a version with flames, so flames are cool.”
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Rating the ratings

Television ratings are a real concern for NASCAR. They seem to go down every week.

Driver Jeff Gordon was asked why that is this weekend. He said:

“My only argument is rivalries. I think there needs to be some more rivalries out there. When I won my first championship, obviously the rivalry with Earnhardt and even in the other championships I never really had the rivals like that, but there was always Ford versus or Chevy, or with Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett, or Bobby Labonte—some things like that. I just think it’s important to have rivalries. I don’t think it’s anything about Jimmie Johnson, it’s just nobody has really rivaled him. The only one that has besides Carl (Edwards) I guess, I would have thought that that would have been pretty decent ratings that year, but Carl is probably just too nice.

My SPEED is devoted to the passionate fans who celebrate motorcycles, motorsports and the automotive lifestyle.

“It’s two nice guys going against each other, even though its Ford vs. Chevy; I think there is a certain entertainment aspect to it that plays out and that just depends on the guys’ personality and their fan base. Right now if it was
Kyle Busch versus Jimmie Johnson, I think it’d spark a lot more interest. I think that (Kevin) Harvick kind of plays that role a little bit and he’s there. If that battle heats up, I think it could be interesting. I think right now anything that sparks a good battle with Jimmie, even if it’s me I think will spark some things. Those guys have dominated so much that when we get to this position I think a lot of people just go, ‘oh man, he’s going to do it again.’ But, I also think they’re waiting to see if somebody else can beat him.”
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Trivia answer

Kasey Kahne won the two points races at Charlotte in 2006.
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Up next

The Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville.

Denny Hamlin won the race a year ago and Ryan Newman won the pole. Hamlin also won the spring race there earlier this year when he beat Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano by a half second.

Jim Pedleyis a veteran, award-winning sports journalist who has worked at, among other places, the Boston Globe, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Kansas City Star. Pedley spent more than 10 years covering auto racing for the Kansas City Star. Pedley can be reached at jpedley@racintoday.com

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