Joe Nemechek is one of dozen drivers that needs to qualify on time for the final eight available slots at the Brickyard. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) » More Photos

FRONT ROW OR GO HOME? Joe Nemechek, driver of the Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, is one of 12 drivers vying for the final eight available slots in the field for Sunday’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. And the man known by the nickname “Front-Row Joe” for his qualifying prowess is feeling pretty good about his chances to make the second-largest race of the year in NASCAR, behind only the Daytona 500.

Nemechek has qualified for seven straight Sprint Cup races and 16 of the 19 events this season, plus he qualified fifth last month at Pocono Raceway, a track that like Indianapolis Motor Speedway has very little banking in the corners. “When we practiced at Pocono we also had Indianapolis on our minds,” said Nemechek. “Qualifying in the top five at Pocono gives us plenty of data to go on for Indy. But we also have to be careful, because the two tracks are not identical and the air conditions will most likely be different.”

CASEY AT THE BAT Casey Mears, who earned his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2004 when he set the current track qualifying record of 186.293 miles per hour, will compete in his 200th Cup race on Sunday.

“I can't believe I'm at 200 already,” said Mears, who will leave Hendrick Motorsports after this season and has not yet announced his 2009 plans. “It's been a lot of fun. The past five years or so have just kind of gone by in a blur. I feel so lucky to have the career that I do and to be able to race these cars every weekend. And to do it for a living — that's all I wanted growing up. The past 200 have been fun, and I hope the next 200 are even better.”

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to