By Tom Groeschen
The Cincinnati Enquirer

KENTUCKY SPEEDWAY COVERAGE

• Kentucky Speedway host to Nextel stars • The 'Next' best thing • Money the biggest difference between NASCAR series • Kentucky Speedway facts, map • Fultz wins for 3rd time at track

SPARTA, Ky. - Jeff Fultz, a 1987 graduate of Sycamore High School, competed in the Kentucky 150 race late Friday night. The race, a companion event to tonight's Busch race, was not complete at Enquirer press time.

The Kentucky 150, a NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Southeast Series event, has been a staple at Kentucky Speedway since the track opened in 2000.

Fultz, 35, won the series' 2002 points championship and was runner-up in 2003, 2000 and 1997.

GORDON, BIFFLE IN AND OUT: Robby Gordon and Greg Biffle hightailed it from Michigan late Friday afternoon, just in time to reach Meijer 300 qualifying at Kentucky Speedway.

The two Nextel Cup drivers jetted in from Michigan International Speedway (Brooklyn, Mich.) following Cup qualifications. Gordon will start No..5 and Biffle No..7 in tonight's 43-car Busch field.

PULLING DOUBLE DUTY

Four drivers - Greg Biffle, Robby Gordon, Kasey Kahne and Michael Waltrip - will compete in the Busch series Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway today and the Nextel Cup series DHL 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. Here's a look at Biffle's schedule. Friday 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.: Nextel Cup practice at Michigan International Speedway 3:10 p.m.: Qualifying at MIS, take helicopter to airport, fly to Cincinnati, take helicopter to Kentucky Speedway 5:05 p.m.: Qualifying begins at Kentucky Speedway 7:30 p.m.: Final practice for Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway 9 p.m.: Helicopter to airport 9:15 p.m. Fly back to MIS Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.: Nextel Cup practice 11:10 a.m. - 11:55 a.m.: Final Nextel Cup practice 12:15 p.m.: Helicopter to airport 12:30 p.m.: Fly to Cincinnati, take helicopter to Kentucky Speedway 5:45 p.m.: Drivers meeting at Kentucky Speedway 7:30 p.m.: Drivers introductions 8 p.m.: Meijer 300 begins Take helicopter to airport, then fly back to MIS after race Sunday 12:30 p.m.: Drivers introductions for DHL 400 at MIS 1:30 p.m.: DHL 400 begins

"It's been two years since I've been here, so that lap was tough for me," said Biffle, still wearing his Nextel Cup driver suit. "I wish I could have been here for a little bit of practice."

TV feeds from Michigan showed Gordon and Biffle - moments after their Cup qualifying - literally running to their street vehicles. They had planned to go separately to Kentucky, but Gordon waited a couple of extra minutes for Biffle so they could travel together.

The two drivers boarded a helicopter at 4:05 p.m. to catch a private jet, which took them on a 40-minute flight to the CVG airport in Northern Kentucky. From CVG, They took a short helicopter ride to Kentucky Speedway and touched down at 5:42 p.m.

Scheduling conflicts prevented two other Nextel drivers, Michael Waltrip and Kasey Kahne from making Kentucky qualifications Friday, with backup drivers qualifying their cars. Under NASCAR rules, Waltrip and Kahne must start at the back of the field tonight.

Waltrip did arrive at Kentucky early Friday evening for "Happy Hour" practice. Kentucky Speedway spokesman Tim Bray said Kahne did not make it to Kentucky on Friday.

All four Nextel drivers in tonight's field also are driving full Busch schedules, one reason Biffle (sixth in the Busch points race) and Gordon (13th) made so much effort to make qualifying.

"The most important thing is that the crew knows what kind of balance that I need," Gordon said of his car. "This car is the same car we drove last weekend in Nashville. This thing should have been to Victory Lane, but it hasn't. We are a new team. We've had our ups and downs, but we're always towards the front of the grid."

ATTENDANCE: A crowd of 16,111 attended Insight Communications Pole Night Friday.

RALLY TOWELS: Speedway general manager Mark Cassis said all fans will receive white "rally towels" to wave at tonight's race, thanks to sponsors Meijer and Timberland Boots. All fans also will receive some Oreo cookies, compliments of the race's presenting sponsor.

THE BRASS: Speedway officials said several of NASCAR's top executives including CEO Brian France, president Mike Helton and senior vice president Paul Brooks might attend tonight's race.

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Email tgroeschen@enquirer.com