11.   Defending truck series champion Bob Panella qualified second followed by fellow Californian Jeff Gracia.

12.   Defending series champion Butch Gilliland of Anaheim, who has struggled so far this year, won the event and moved up into eighth place.

13.   Defending series champion Randy Lajoie was upside down after colliding with another car but escaped serious injury.

14.   Earnhardt is Dale Jr., the defending race and series champion.

15.   Emig entered the race with a six-point lead on archrival Jeremy McGrath, the reigning four-time series champion and defending race-winner.

16.   Favorites in Top Fuel include Dixon, two-time defending series champion Gary Scelzi and veteran Kenny Bernstein, who won the Winston Finals on this track this past November.

17.   Even race winner Randy LaJoie, a two-time series champion, was impressed.

18.   Gossage plans to aggressively promote the BGN race as a one-on-one between Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., the reigning series champion and its hottest property.

19.   He might not even trade places with two-time series champion Gil de Ferran.

20.   Hornaday is the two-time defending series champion.