Lowe's boss says Gordon man to beat in All-Star race

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jeff Gordon became the favorite to win NASCAR's All-Star race Saturday night when the president of Lowe's Motor Speedway predicted he would win the event.

Humpy Wheeler picked Gordon to win the Nextel All-Star Challenge during his annual selection ceremony Monday. Wheeler has correctly chosen the winner nine times in the last 16 years, but hasn't gotten one right since predicting Dale Earnhardt Jr. would win in 2001.

Gordon, who has won NASCAR's All-Star race three times in his career, was picked by Wheeler because of a successful test session he had earlier this month at the speedway. Wheeler used a grinder on the track surface to smooth it out and Gordon quickly adapted to it.

"Jeff Gordon has this place figured out," Wheeler said. "He knew more about what we did to the track than anybody, and he even picked out the little secret things we did.

"Jeff has shown an ability to adapt to new tracks as fast or faster than any driver I have ever seen. In fact, he might have found a groove nobody knows about."

Wheeler has picked Gordon to win the race four other times, but only got it right once, when Gordon won in 1995.

Wheeler said his choice for Saturday night's winner came down to Gordon, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman.

He passed on picking Biffle because he is bringing a new car to the race, and he didn't pick Newman because Newman didn't test his Nextel Cup car on the track's new surface.

Wheeler also said he plans on keeping a close eye on Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace, who are both retiring at the end of the season.

"This will be the final time these two guys compete in the (race) and that will be extra incentive for them to get up on the wheel," Wheeler said. "It would be a very popular victory if either of these guys can claim the $1 million first prize."