Road racers wheeled out for Sears Point

The Cup hits Sears Point in California this weekend, and its resident road racing experts Jeff Gordon, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin will be battling with Le Mans GTS winner Ron Fellows, reigning Trans-Am champ Brian Simo, Wally Dallenbach and veteran Dorsey Schroeder.

Fellows, who will drive a Joe Nemecheck-owned Chevrolet Monte Carlo, is tipped as a potential pole-winner and could seriously threaten for a victory, but all four are capable of running in the top 10.

Simo replaces Hut Stricklin in Junie Donlavey's Ford and Dallenbach replaces the still injured Nemechek at Andy Petree Racing. Schroeder is a late addition at Chip Ganassi Racing, but is an additional entry, not a replacement.

Ganassi has chosen to move rookie Jason Leffler from his usual 01 Dodge and into the team's so far un-raced 04 entry. Schroeder takes over the 01 car, but both will carry the colours of regular sponsor Cingular. Title-contender Sterling Marlin will drive his usual Coors-backed 40 car.

"Dorsey is a fantastic road course driver," said Ganassi. "When you have an opportunity to add a driver like Dorsey, you have to take advantage of it."

However, Winston Cup points leader Jeff Gordon remains the hot favourite for victory on Sunday. The triple champion has won the last three races at the track and comes to California on a roll.