Even though a lot of people relate Talladega to Daytona -- they are both restrictor-plate races -- the tracks are totally different from one another. Talladega got a new surface last fall, and the place has a ton of grip. So nobody's car drives poorly here. And the good news is teams already have a race with the (new car) Car of Tomorrow under their belts.

--(Cont'd From Front Page)-- Talladega is about two things from the race car standpoint: aerodynamics and horsepower with carburetor restrictor plate. With the (new car) Car of Tomorrow, it's going to be more about who can make the most of the horsepower, because the aerodynamics are pretty much the same for everybody. There's not much gray area to work with.

It's crucial to have a driver who understands how the draft works and can be patient and pick the right line late in the race. But there's a lot of luck involved. A lot of times we don't see the best race car win the race, but the guy who made the right moves at the right time.

The most important person on the team besides the driver is the spotter on top of the grandstand. He can make or break the day with the information he's giving the driver. Remember, the driver is going to be running in a pack of 25 or 30 cars all day long.
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Larry McReynolds was a successful crew chief -- 23 victories, 21 pole positions, 122 top 5s and 209 top 10s in 457 Cup starts -- before becoming a race analyst for FOX Sports. Each week, Larry Mac is breaking down the Chase track. You can get more insight from Larry Mac at his website, larrymcreynolds.com.

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