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Lap 3: Word is that Casey Mears is out at Hendrick in favor of Mark Martin. That's good for Martin, who will have a competitive car for the last (we think) segment of his career. But that's disasterous for Mears, who will never ever have a ride as good as the No. 5. In a season and change with Hendrick, Mears has a win (his only career win) and 13 top-10s. That's pretty good if he was driving for DEI or Ganassi or any of the one- and two-car teams. But that's horrible at the Hendrick shop, whose active drivers have combined for six Cup titles and who knows how many future ones. Mears had what he needed to succeed but didn't. EPIC FAIL.

Lap 4: Marcos Ambrose acquitted himself reasonably well in his first Cup start for the first three-fourths of the race. He qualified second, got as high as second and consistently ran in the top 10. Then he got dumped by Elliott Sadler and wound up 42nd. If he had been subbing for someone well above the 35th spot in owners points, 42nd place wouldn't have been a problem. But the Wood Brothers need owner points, and a top 10 finish would have been huge. Now they go to New Hampshire next week mired in 43rd in the owner standings. If they don't make the race, it's a long drive back from Boston to Stuart, Va., and Saturday traffic on I-95 is murder. FAIL.

Lap 5: David Gilliland finished second? Where was everyone else? Seriously, though, that's great news for the Small Teams, who I thought were going to get shut out Sunday after Bobby Labonte spun himself out early and Ambrose got punted. PASS.