IN SIGHT Gettin' Shiggy with it. FOCUS: JEREMY MAYFIELD Mayfield It's been a tough run with Ray Evernham for Jeremy Mayfield. After displaying promise -- not to mention winning some races -- with Roger Penske, Mayfield moved on Evernham's Dodge operation following the 2001 season. But after finishing a disappointing 26th in points last season, Mayfield sits just 30th in the standings after 11 races this year, adding fuel to rumors of his imminent demise. But Evernham is quick to dismiss those rumors. "Jeremy Mayfield is in the 19 -- there's no question about his future," Evernham told NASCAR's official Web site. "We're working as hard as we can work to get that 19 car back to the front (and) they're probably closer than you think." This weekend's Coca-Cola 600 could be the place for Mayfield and Co. to get back on track. The 33-year-old has five top-10 finishes -- including a second in 2000 -- in 18 starts at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Mayfield also has two Winston Open victories at Lowe's. "You do approach this race a little differently than you do a 500-mile race," said Mayfield, who has just two top-20 finishes this season. "You've got to take care of your equipment so it's around at the end and that includes having good pit stops all day. "You also have to be a little more patient than usual, but you also have to run hard to stay up there. It's a fine line between being aggressive and being conservative, and the guy who does the best job at it is usually around at the end. You have to prepare yourself a little more mentally. "You make sure you really get your rest and eat well -- things you normally do, but you may be extra careful for the 600." Being extra careful could be a good strategy for Mayfield, who probably doesn't have much room left for error. PIT PASS Sidelined: It was a tough weekend for Brandon Bernstein. A great rookie campaign was interrupted by breaks in his back suffered in a nasty crash at Englishtown, N.J. But it appears Bernstein should eventually be OK and ready to return to his Top Fuel dragster -- possibly later this season. "We're all very disappointed," Brandon's father Kenny Bernstein said. "The good news is Brandon will come through this just fine and it will make him even more determined to win that championship next year." "Brandon has a lot of friends in the sport," said Darrell Russell, the 2001 NHRA Rookie of the Year. "Everyone wants him to get well quickly and get back out there. He's done a great job so far this year and he'll definitely be missed while he's laid up." Brandon Bernstein himself will be missed, but that doesn't mean the competition just got easier. Kenny Bernstein will be taking over the Bud machine until his son is ready to return. Brandon's father, a six-time Top Fuel champion, had retired following the 2002 campaign. But Kenny Bernstein's not planning a full-time comeback. "It's Brandon's ride," said the elder Bernstein. "That hasn't changed and it won't change." Still, don't be surprised to see Kenny win a race or two in the meantime. It's hard to determine which is the bigger event. Suffice it to say that with the American motorsports world, the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 tower over anything else. Both are more about a month than a day. And both feature tremendous buildup to one 500-mile battle. In short, both are the crown jewels of their sports. "It certainly is a big event," Jeff Burton said of The Great American Race. "As the sport has grown, it's become more and more a big event." Both races have a deep history to lean on, as well. "The fact that it's been going on 86 years. It's the most historic race anywhere on the planet, the most documented. It's the single most important motor race in the world," Greg Ray said of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. "If you go to any third world country and say "Indy 500" in any language, and people know what it is. "I think the documentation of this race the last 50 years and as time goes on and society changes, this is one constant. There is not going to be something new come along that will replace these events. Until they start racing space shuttles across space, this will still be the race of all races." But while Daytona and NASCAR have thrived in recent years, the same can't necessarily be said for Indy. Some blame the open-wheel split, most cringe at the small crowds present at the Speedway during May. Could the event schedule and structure itself play a role? Daytona's Speedweeks are more condensed, while May at Indy really is a month-long event. Daytona also has action every day, while Indy has several off-days, including four the week of the race. But Dayona's schedule includes several races -- IROC, ARCA, Trucks, Busch, Bud Shootout, Gatorade 125s -- in addition to the 500. This year's Infiniti Pro Series debut marks the first time another race was held at Indy during May. And while many purists were angered about the inclusion of a minor league series, it seems Indy tradition might need some tweaking. This year's Indy field is good, but the lack of extra cars took the drama out of Bump Day. NASCAR, meanwhile, has Speedweeks so jam-packed that it's easy to find excitement. So maybe the Indy 500 is turning into a one-day event. Possible solutions? Condense the schedule or add more events. And if other series racing at Indy during May doesn't float your boat, what about Bud Shootout-like races under some lights? That would surely attract huge crowds. Indy might not be what it used to be, but it's still a great event. And despite what else happens in May, fans likely will go home happy on the 25th -- that is, if weather or ill-timed cautions don't get in the way. EXHAUST FUMES Clear heads: So let's recap: Arie Luyendyk was involved in a hard crash during practice at Indy. The IRL medical folk checked him out and eventually cleared him to drive. Several days later, Luyendyk still wasn't feeling so hot. His back was still sore and he was still having trouble concentrating. He had no energy, didn't want to do anything but sleep, and his headaches were constant and pounding. So he went back to the IRL medical team and was reexamined. This time, Dr. Henry Bock did not clear him to drive. This after Luyendyk was cleared? Something ain't right here. Had Luyendyk not done the responsible thing and reported his ailments, he could have been back in the car for Bump Day and the Indy 500 when he clearly shouldn't be driving. And thankfully Luyendyk realized this, even though the IRL medical team -- which usually does err on the side of caution -- did not. This was a bad (and to be fair, a rare) miss on the IRL's part. A disturbing error. Who knows what could have happened if it was a headstrong rookie and not an experienced veteran that suffered these injuries. A younger, more eager driver might have tried to hide the symptoms and raced after being initially cleared to drive. The league might have dodged a bullet on this one. OVERHEARD Helio Castroneves On his fence-climbing routine: "It's a way to demonstrate my feelings very spontaneously. I'm having fun when I do that." Tony Stewart On The Winston: "I want to be racing a long time, and I don't want to get wrecked on a non-points race that has turned out to be a hack-fest every year." Jimmie Johnson On his Winston-winning strategy: "This year we played our cards right and focused on the big prize and went out and got it."

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