It's no secret that The Winston, held annually at Lowe's Motor Speedway, is an event designed expressly for the fans. There's nothing else like it-and that includes events taking place behind the scenes, too. As an example, we followed Jeff Gordon's qualifying attempt for the all-star race.
Qualifying begins with a two-tire stop followed by a mad dash down pit road (no pit-road speed limit here) and two laps around the track. After the two-lap sprint the California native's crew hurriedly unbuckles him from his Chevrolet for his mandatory interview, only to find that Gordon will have to wait in line for his turn with the media. But there's no rest for the weary; Gordon's speed of 148.155 mph was only good enough for the 11th starting spot, and as soon as he completes his obligatory interview, he hurries back to the garage area to join his crew as they prepare the car for the real race.