Associated Press
The NASCAR notebook …
MONSTER OF A TIME: Jeff Gordon visited Dover International Speedway Wednesday afternoon to dedicate the new 46-foot Monster Monument at Victory Plaza.
iItís an amazing monument and it really symbolizes what this track is all about to the drivers and the fans,î said Gordon, a four-time Dover winner. iThe Monster Mile brings out the monster in all of us. Itís a grueling, fast race track that is very, very tough.î
Gordon has his name etched on the plaque at the base of the monument.

A TRIO OF TESTERS: Jamie McMurray, Mike Skinner and Bobby Labonte participated in a Goodyear tire test Tuesday and Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the July 5 race, the eventís 50th running.
iItís exciting to come back to Daytona,î said McMurray, last yearís winner. iI came back here for the go-kart race in December and that was the first time I was back since winning (in July). I got to my hotel room last night and the 1978 Daytona 500 was being replayed on television. Daytona just has a lot of history and itís a great place to come back to.
iA lot of guys will joke around and say itís boring, but with the size of the restrictor plate that we have on the car to run 47-second lap times, itís pretty thrilling to go around. Its kind of fun to do that.î
McMurray will be attempting to join Fireball Roberts, A.J. Foyt, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Tony Stewart as the only drivers to win consecutive summer races at DIS.

FLIPPINí A COIN?: Loweís Motor Speedwayís H.A. iHumpyî Wheeler picked Carl Edwards, Jack Roushís back-flipping driver, to win Saturday night in Charlotte.
iCarl Edwards is a racerís racer in the mold of Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough,î said Wheeler, LMSís president and general manager. iHe will put his car in places angels fear to tread, and beneath that big smile and his trademark back flip, Carl has an abnormal fire in his heart to win that I have seldom seen.î