As Seen and Heard on ESPN’s NASCAR Countdown from California Speedway

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers battled record temperatures at California Speedway on Sunday in Fontana, Calif. Brent Musburger hosted Sunday’s NASCAR Countdown on ESPN; the race telecast began at 8 p.m. ET. Some NASCAR Countdown highlights:

What Number Will be on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Car for the 2008 Season?

ESPN.COM WRITER TERRY BLOUNT – “I asked him that question directly on Friday, I said, ‘Do you have a number?’ and he said, ‘Yeah, I think I do.’ I said, ‘Would you like to tell us that?’ and he said, ‘Dude, I’m not going to tell you that on pit road after a qualifying lap.’ So, he’s going to make us wait probably a couple of weeks, and it’s probably going to be No. 81. Now, they wanted No. 38, that belongs to Robert Yates. He doesn’t appear inclined to want to give that up. So it’s probably 81.

“When he announces the number, he’s also going to announce his new sponsor. I’ve learned today that announcement’s probably going to be PepsiCo Inc. products, Mountain Dew and the Amp energy drink. That announcement could come in Dallas, Texas, in the middle of this month because PepsiCo has an executive conference there in a couple of weeks.”

Can Dale Jr. Follow Appalachain State’s Improbable Success and Make the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup?

EARNHARDT, SPEAKING TO ESPN’S ALLEN BESTWICK – “To be realistic, we haven’t won any races this year, so we just have to go out there and run as good as we can, try to work on our car and get it as good as we can. And, obviously, anytime you show up at the racetrack you don’t show up to do anything but win, so that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

Racing for the Chase: Go for broke or Sit Tight?

ESPN ANALYST AND 1989 NASCAR CUP CHAMPION RUSTY WALLACE – “Hey, if it was me, if I’m locked in the Chase, hey, man, I’m going for it. It’s hammer down. I want the wins, I’m going to drive hard. You know, I might change my driving style a little bit, get more aggressive because I know I’m already locked in.”

ESPN ANALYST AND FORMER WINNING NASCAR TEAM OWNER BRAD DAUGHERTY – “I think it’s a mistake to do that. I think if you’re only out here – and you have the wins – and you’re going for that race win every time, you can lose rhythm. And in what other sport is momentum as important as in racing? You have to have momentum.

“Someone like Clint Bowyer, doesn’t have a win, he’s been very consistent all year long. He could sneak into that Chase and win the whole thing.”

Hollywood Nights

NASCAR COUNTDOWN AND NASCAR ON ESPN RACE HOST BRENT MUSBURGER: “Ah, yes. Paris Hilton. Now a NASCAR fan. Worked her way through the NFL, Major League Baseball … now she’s with bachelor Denny Hamlin, (shown in a photo) snapped at the party at the Avalon earlier this week.”

Drivers name their all-time favorite movie:

DRIVER, ESPN ANALYST AND 1999 NASCAR CUP CHAMPION DALE JARRETT – “Fast Times at Ridgemont High. My wife said, ‘You’re 50 now. You need to come up with a new movie.’”

DAVID STREMME – “Chick flicks, they’re kinda cool. I like them.”

About NASCAR on ESPN:

ESPN and ESPN on ABC have comprehensive, multi-platform coverage featuring telecasts of the final 17 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races, including the 10-race “Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup” championship on ESPN on ABC. Additionally, ESPN2 is the home of the NASCAR Busch Series all season. For the first time in the history of televised motorsports, all programming is being produced totally in High Definition. ESPN’s comprehensive, multimedia NASCAR coverage will extend to ESPN.com, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Deportes Radio, SportsCenter, ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPNRadio, ESPN360.com and ESPN International, among other ESPN platforms. ESPN aired 262 NASCAR Cup Races over a 20-year period starting in 1981. The network's award-winning, live flag-to-flag coverage on ESPN was honored with 17 Sports Emmy Awards, as well as many industry honors. ESPN is widely credited for helping to popularize the sport nationwide. NASCAR races have appeared on ABC for decades, beginning with broadcasts on the award-winning Wide World of Sports program in the 1960s.