This is the best start for Dale Jarrett this year. Does this mean that the number 44 UPS team is finally getting their act together? I hope so. I am not a die hard Dale Jarrett fan but I like the guy. I hated seeing him run so badly this year. I was hoping for better for Dale since this was probably going to be his last full year in Nextel Cup Competition. After all he is no spring chicken, he will turn 51 years old this November. Nascar racing is one of the few sports where the athlete’s can compete fairly well on up into their years. try playing NFL football at 51. I for one would like to see Dale Jarrett win today in Atlanta, Him and his fans need the boost.

Who is on the pole?

Greg Biffle got the pole during Bud Pole Qualifying Friday at The Atlanta Motor Speedway and will lead team mate Kurt Busch, Dale Jarrett,Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Junior to the green today in Hampton Georgia. Greg Biffle turned a lap at Atlanta in 28.807 seconds and 192.453 miles per hour. The chase drivers will start spread out through the field. Starting with the two roush drivers who were more than a little P.O.’d at each other following the race at Martinsville, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth will start 16th and 17th. Might there be a little fire at the start of the race? Or do you think they have had time to cool down? Could be interesting to watch the start of the race a little back from the front. Jimmy Johnson will start sixth and Johnson’s Hendrick team mate and points leader Jeff Gordon will start from the eighth position. The rest are Denny Hamlin 18th, Kyle Busch 19th, Martin Truex Jr. 20th, Clint Bowyer 26th, Jeff Burton 28th, Tony Stewart 30th and Kevin Harvick starting back in 34th rounds up the 12 chase contenders. Check out the rest of the field at nascar.com.

Race day coverage

Today they will start the Pep Boys Auto 500 at 1 P.M. eastern time on ABC. Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54 mile quad-oval with 24 degree banking in the turns. Its a pretty steep grade in the turns causing Atlanta to be known as the fastest mile and a half track on the circuit. Today you will see speeds heading into the turns in excess of 190 miles an hour. It is always a great race at The Atlanta Motor Speedway and there are usually really good finished there. Some close ones to boot. Here are the facts on The Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Location: 20 miles south of Atlanta on Highways 19 & 41
Constructed: 1959-60; reconfiguration completed Nov. 1997

Property: 870 acres

Track: 1.54-mile quad-oval

Racing surface: 55-60 feet wide

Turns: Approximately one-quarter mile, banked 24 degrees

Straightaways: Banked 5 degrees

Length of frontstretch (including dogleg): 2,332 feet

Length of backstretch: 1,800 feet

Pit Road: 1320 feet

Infield: Approximately 120 acres

First race: July 31, 1960 (Dixie 200)
Winner - Fireball Roberts
Pole - Fireball Roberts (133.870 - four-lap average)

One-lap qualifying record:
NASCAR Nextel Cup - Geoffrey Bodine
- 197.478 mph, 28.074 seconds (Nov. 15, 1997)
Indy Racing League - Billy Boat
- 224.145 mph, 24.734 seconds (Aug. 28, 1998)

500-mile race record (1.54-mile configuration): 159.904 mph (3 hours, 7 minutes, 48 seconds) set by Bobby Labonte (11/16/97)
500-mile race record (1.55-mile configuration): 163.633 mph (3 hours, 3 minutes, 3 seconds) set by Dale Earnhardt (11/12/95)
Owner: Bruton Smith purchased Atlanta Motor Speedway on Oct. 23, 1990; Speedway Motorsports, Inc. - a public corporation - was formed in 1995

The weather looks to be nice today In the Atlanta area and cooler Temperatures will translate into faster lap times and better racing action. Tune in to ABC in your cab or plug into Idle air and check out a great race today. Once again the race starts at 1 P.M. and pre-race starts at 12 noon eastern time all on ABC. I’ll be back with the post race wrap up later. Stay safe out there on the road and thank you for keeping America Moving.