Q: Which driver is angriest coming off 500 laps of bumper tag at Bristol Motor Speedway?

A: Martin Truex Jr.

Among those surveyed during Busch Series testing at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this week, the Dale Earnhardt Inc. rookie ranked first on the road rage meter.

Asked if he was still mad about being nudged out of the way and into the wall by Jeff Gordon, Truex said he was over it. And then he said he wasn't.

"I'm still (ticked)," he said. "I can't lie. I don't race people like that. If faster cars get to me, I let them go. One guy decides he won't give me straightaway to get out of the way. So I'm probably going to stay mad. The day will come that somebody's in my way like that, and if they want to race like that, then I can, too."

It's unlikely Sunday's race will be decided between Gordon, who has won four of the past six races at Martinsville, and Truex, who is making his first start on the tricky paper-clip-shaped oval. But round two could occur much earlier than the checkered flag.

Q: Who else's emotions are simmering?

A: For Gordon, the dust seems to have settled with Matt Kenseth after a $10,000 postrace shove. Kenseth said he and Gordon shared the obligatory Monday phone call to smooth out differences stemming from the on- and off-track contact.

Yet Kenseth remains miffed at Dale Jarrett (claiming his stubbornness cost him a win) and Kurt Busch (whose winning bump will make Kenseth think twice about giving any quarter to his former teammate). And Jeff Burton is peeved at Gordon after getting collected in Truex's wreck.

That's a lot of pent-up frustration to carry into Martinsville, a 0.526-mile oval where payback will lurk in every corner.

"If you do to me what you shouldn't have done, you can expect it back," Burton said. "I give my opponent the opportunity to decide on how we're going to race each other. If there's somebody in front who I know would knock me out of the way, they have a choice. They can get out of the way or tighten their seat belts."

There should be plenty of opportunities for conflict on the circuit's tightest track, which Greg Biffle says is even tougher for passing than Bristol. "There was a lot of headlines coming out of Bristol," Biffle said. "There'll be some more coming out of Martinsville."

Q: What about the feud between Busch and Kevin Harvick?

A: As much fun as it is to follow a rivalry with high school overtones (in Hollywood terms, Harvick is playing the Biff role to Busch's Marty McFly), Harvick's non-stop verbal jabs at Bristol might have been calculating.

Busch could have nailed it when he insinuated the trash talking is really about Toyota. Harvick's contract with Richard Childress Racing is in its final year, and his name has been linked often as a candidate to join Toyota. The Japanese manufacturer enters Nextel Cup next season and lacks a star on its roster.

Harvick and Childress have set an April deadline for negotiations. As Harvick is the top free agent in Cup, his decision will draw much attention.

"He just wanted to turn the audience to a different direction," Busch said.

Of course, don't expect Harvick to stop picking on Busch when his future is set. He seems to relish playing the bully.

Q: What's the significance of Jimmy Spencer replacing Brent Sherman this weekend?

A: Besides ensuring a headache-free Sunday for Sherman (a four-time spinner at Bristol), expect the outspoken Spencer to bring a jolt of personality to the politically correct garage. And if the No. 49 Dodge is strong enough (Ken Schrader finished 13th in the car at Martinsville last October), "Mr. Excitement" won't be afraid to mix it up in his first race since the 2005 season finale.

Q: Is Jimmie Johnson having his toughest week of the season?

A: Without a doubt. After wining two of first four races, Johnson caught a flat tire on the first lap at Bristol and finished 13 laps down in crew chief Chad Knaus' return from a four-race suspension. Three days later, Johnson slammed the Turn 4 wall at Lowe's Motor Speedway with another flat tire during a Goodyear test of the track's new surface.

On the other hand, no one on the No. 48 team was kicked out or accused of stealing from NASCAR's cookie jar this week, and Johnson still is ranked a solid third in points, so how bad could it be?

Q: Who's in trouble in points?

A: This is the first race in which this year's points will be used to set the field, and David Stremme, Sterling Marlin, Scott Wimmer and Travis Kvapil are outside the top-35 safety zone that guarantees a spot. Jeremy Mayfield and Scott Riggs are on the bubble.

The news is better for Tony Raines, who has a cushion to work with as he takes over for Terry Labonte in the Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet owned by Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach for the rest of the year except for the two road course races.

Q: Who is good at Martinsville?

A: It begins and ends with Gordon, who has finished outside the top 10 three times in his past 22 starts here. He has seven victories; the only other active driver with more than one is Mark Martin (two).

Q: Who hasn't been so good?

A: Southwest Virginia hasn't been so sweet for Roush Racing. Biffle's best Martinsville finish is 18th in six starts, and Kenseth has placed in the top 10 three times in 12 attempts. Carl Edwards has a 26th, 38th and 24th.

I say they all gang up on Gordon!, lol