Garage Talk

A Cup team insider dishes on the hottest topics in NASCAR.

1 The biggest fear that Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin should have right now is Kurt Busch (right). That [ Penske Racing] team is peaking. There's no question that Hendrick had a huge advantage over everybody at the beginning of the year. That advantage is no longer there.

2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in 14th place in the points now and in a pressing situation. He has to go for nothing less than top five finishes in the next four races. They're not bad tracks for him. He should do well at Michigan and California. He's done well at Bristol before, but you never know what's going to happen there. Same with Richmond. But a single finish outside the top 20 would destroy his chances. The good thing for him is, he's not just battling one person. There's only 158 points between him and 11th place. With a win he could conceivably make that up in one race.