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Tuesday, March 19

Chevy teams should be worried
By Jerry Bonkowski
ESPN.com

Thus far this season, Chevrolet is definitely living up to its slogan: "Like A Rock." The manufacturer's performance numbers in NASCAR have sunk that low.

In this season's first five races, a Chevrolet has failed to take the checkered flag once.

Sterling Marlin
Sterling Marlin and his fellow Dodge drivers have been running very well thus far in 2002.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Dodge, now in its second season since returning to Winston Cup after a nearly 20-year hiatus. For a program many thought would need three or four years to become competitive, DaimlerChrysler's Dodge division has been nothing short of dominating in 2002, with wins in three of the first five events -- two by points leader Sterling Marlin and one by Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton.

Even Ford and Pontiac -- Chevrolet's chief rivals for nearly the last two decades until Dodge came -- have one win apiece.

That's why Dodge is uncharacteristically dominating the Manufacturer's Championship after the first five races with 36 points, followed by Ford with 31 and Pontiac with 23. Pulling up the rear with just 20 points is Chevrolet.

About the only thing Chevy fans have had to cheer about thus far in 2002 is Jimmie Johnson. The rookie drove his Chevy to top qualifying spot at the Daytona 500.

When it comes to the standings, Dodge is dominating with Marlin atop the points, along with Burton in eighth place. Ford holds five of the top 10 places (with three of the cars coming from Jack Roush's stable). Pontiac isn't even represented in the top-10, with its highest driver being Tony Stewart, currently in 12th.

As for Chevrolet, three of its drivers have managed to creep up into the top-10. Johnson is in fifth, defending series champ Jeff Gordon jumped from 11th to sixth after Sunday's race at Darlington, S.C., and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounds out the top-10.

Check out the top-10 scorecard for the first five races:

Daytona: 5 Fords, 2 Dodges, 2 Chevys and 1 Pontiac.

Rockingham: 4 Fords, 3 Chevrolets, 2 Pontiacs and 1 Dodge.

Las Vegas: 4 Dodges, 4 Fords, 1 Pontiac and 1 Chevrolet. You have to go all the way back to 15th to find the next Chevy driver.

Atlanta: 5 Fords, 2 Dodges, 2 Chevrolets and 1 Pontiac.

Darlington: 4 Fords, 4 Chevrolets and 2 Dodges.

Overall scorecard: Of the top-10 finishers in each of the first five races, Ford has the most with 22, followed by Chevrolet with 12, Dodge with 11 and Pontiac with 5.

But in the all-important victory total, Dodge is making the most of what it has by having won 60 percent of this season's races.

That's why Sunday's Food City 500 in Bristol, Tenn., could be the biggest race of the season so far. In the last 10 spring races at the venerable .533-mile oval, Chevrolet has won five times, Ford has won four times -- including the last three events -- and Pontiac has won just once.

And now here comes Dodge with a full head of steam and three wins under its belt, just one victory short of its entire victory total from last season. And, since the last Dodge to win the spring event at Bristol was driven by Buddy Baker in 1975 and Marlin has never won a Winston Cup race at his "home track," it's no wonder Dodge is hungry to win Sunday.

When preseason testing at Daytona began in January, Dodges jumped out of the gate as the most powerful make around. Of course, Chevrolet, Ford and Pontiac team owners complained to NASCAR that Dodge had an unfair advantage.

So, NASCAR adjusted to the rear spoiler for Ford, which seemed to be hurt the most by Dodge's supposed preseason domination -- even though it's no secret among NASCAR teams that the aerodynamic lines on the Dodge are better than those found on the Pontiac, Ford and Chevrolet.

So where are we now? Dodge has the most wins, Ford has the most overall top-10s and Chevrolet and Pontiac are muddling along.

That's why, if a Dodge winds up winning Sunday's race, you can bet there will be a lot of protesting going on afterwards by General Motors team owners and drivers.

The completion of Sunday's race will mark the season's one-sixth point. And if the Chevy gang doesn't get back into the game -- and Victory Lane -- soon, the whole season may just wind up skipping away -- like a rock.

Jerry Bonkowski covers NASCAR for ESPN.com.

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