Drivers feel COT may lead to more accidents at 'Dega 

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Ever since Talladega Superspeedway opened for business in 1969, drivers have worried about one thing: getting caught up in the eventual multi-car accident.

The Car of Tomorrow has apparently done little to ease those fears. Based on Friday's two Nextel Cup practices, the new design not only promotes closer packs of three- and four-wide racing, but the flatter nose and tail allows for more aggressive bump-drafting.

Wing and a prayer

The height of the rear wing and wickerbill has drivers concerned as to how well they'll be able to see, not only looking behind them, but also ahead.

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If you're the kind of fan who likes bent sheet metal and tire smoke, Sunday's UAW-Ford 500 might be right up your alley.

"It's gonna happen," Bowyer said of Talladega's penchant for spectacular pileups. "I don't know how big it'll be and when it'll be, but it's definitely going to happen. It's always kind of a recipe for disaster here. I think we just built a little bit better recipe."

Bowyer, coming off a win at New Hampshire and a runner-up finish last weekend at Kansas, has not had much success at Talladega. In three previous visits, he's been caught up in a big wreck -- with a best finish of 35th.

Bowyer's best lap in Friday's Happy Hour was 186.047 mph, which placed him 40th of the 49 cars which made at least one lap. Jeff Gordon -- who was second-fastest in the morning session -- and Denny Hamlin -- called into the Nextel Cup hauler for "excessive bump-drafting" after the first practice -- stayed in the garage for the final 45 minutes.

"I've played it both ways," he said. "I've tried to play it conservatively and tag along at the back, kind of like the Dale Jarrett approach -- and the one car that was behind me ran me over when the wreck happened.

"It can happen anywhere so you've just got to have a little bit of luck on your side. You've got to control that luck a little bit and put yourself in the right situation. And if you're in a situation you don't want to be in, you've got to get out of it."

So what's the best strategy for avoiding trouble?

"You've just got to use your head," Bowyer said. "You've got to make sure you're not the only who causes the wreck. If we all do that, maybe we'll get through it. Everybody's going to get antsy out there. You're able to maneuver around out there and make things happen and everybody wants to lead. It's going to be interesting."

Bowyer's not the only driver in the garage area with that opinion. Points leader Jimmie Johnson said it may be harder to complete a pass without assistance, if practice was any indication.

"It seemed that the bigger hole that these cars punch, you close up in that draft inside that hole and get to someone's bumper but you really couldn't pull out and pass someone and finish a pass," Johnson said. "It meant more bump-drafting and trying to set up a pass even if you're the guy looking for the opportunity. You drag the brakes even harder to get a bigger shot from behind to push you and try to get by someone.

"Hopefully in a 43-car pack, it's not that way, but when you have all this energy too close and you can't go anywhere with it and can't execute a pass, in my opinion that's going to create the more intense racing than what we have." (Continued)