Newman keeps his focus despite a rocky start

DOVER, Del. -- Ryan Newman sees no problem with being far back in the Winston Cup standings, even though much more was expected of him this season.

After all, he was the rage of NASCAR when he moved from 16th to a final standing of sixth last year and became rookie of the year. It was obvious that he was the fastest driver, leading the circuit with seven poles.

Today he'll try to parlay his series-leading fourth this season into a victory at Dover International Speedway. He's badly in need of a win that will move him up from 24th position, 608 points behind leader Matt Kenseth.

"If we can lose that many points in 12 races we can gain that many more with 24 to go," Newman said. "We're not out until we're mathematically out."

But he can't afford anything other than a great run in the MBNA 400 on a track where Kenseth is always a threat to win. Newman enters the race with a simple plan.

"We've got a good shot at getting those five bonus points fast by starting on the pole," he said. "We try to lead every lap, so we're really going to try to lead the first one."

That would be a tiny first step, one Kenseth could counter quickly because he starts fourth. The rest of the story might be determined by fate, as it so often is on The Monster Mile.

If good luck plays a part, the law of averages might be kinder to Newman than Kenseth. Newman is one of four drivers bitten four times by the dreaded DNF -- a failure to finish that frequently proves devastating to title aspirations. Kenseth is one of only six drivers to avoid a DNF.

"We've had a lot of mistakes, unlucky situations and things like that," Newman said. "We're just trying to do what we can, the best we can."

That's also the story of Jimmie Johnson, who will try to win for the third week in a row and tie a Dover record. He swept the races last year on the high-banked concrete oval, and could join teammate and car owner Jeff Gordon, Rusty Wallace and David Pearson as the only drivers to win three straight at Dover.

"I love this track in race trim and can find the right thing," Johnson said.

Wallace, who starts second as he tries to end a career-worst drought of 74 consecutive losses, also is confident.

"I feel real good about it," he said, but thinks Johnson might have the car to beat. "He's running great, and he always runs great here. I wouldn't put it past him."

There also are several other legitimate contenders.

Gordon and Tony Stewart have had considerable success at Dover. Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kenseth also are formidable here.

Stewart swept the races at Dover in 2000, Martin is a three-time winner on the track, and Labonte and Earnhardt have won here in both Busch and Cup cars. Kenseth has won in Busch competition and come close in his Cup car.

Because he went to a backup car, Earnhardt will have to move to the back of the field on the final pace lap.

Nemechek wins after Kenseth's Dover miscue

DOVER, Del. -- Joe Nemechek took advantage of Matt Kenseth's late-race blunder and became the first driver in 17 years at Dover International Speedway to win a NASCAR Busch Series race from the pole.

Kenseth dominated the race but missed a shift on a restart on the 155th lap of the MBNA 200. Kenseth went on to finish fourth.

Scott Riggs was second, nearly a half-second behind the winner.

Kimmel takes second straight BPU 200 pole

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Three-time defending ARCA champion Frank Kimmel continued his red-hot run through May, winning the pole for today's BPU 200 at Kansas Speedway for the second straight year.

Kimmel, the series points leader, also won last year's ARCA race here en route to his fourth title since 1998.