Stewart Boosts JR. In Racing

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Vickers is now taking Stewart's advice seriously after Stewart hit him heading into turn 11 on lap 38. It triggered a seven-car pileup, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. among those involved. Earnhardt Jr. suffered a broken radiator and shortly after retired from the race with engine failure.

 

Stewart claimed that Vickers was blocking him and said he won't tolerate that kind of racing from him or anyone else.

 

"I wasn't blocking him," Vickers said. "That may have been his perception where he was sitting. [Kyle Busch] went off the racetrack in front of me. He was flying through the dirt. He was coming back on the racetrack, and I was trying to avoid him. The cars in front of me were slow, and I was in the inside of the guy in front of me. It's pretty early in the race to worry about blocking someone or wrecking someone."

 

Vickers did retaliated on lap 87.

 

Stewart wound up finishing 39th, while Vickers placed three positions ahead of him in 36th.

 

"I don't race guys that way; I never have," Stewart said. "If guys want to block, then they are going to wrecked every time. Until NASCAR makes a rule against it, I am going to dump them every time for it."

 

Even though Stewart and Vickers disagreed with each on their lap 38 incident, don't expect them to have the same feelings that Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch have for each other right now.

 

"The problem is turn 11," said Jeff Gordon, who finished second. "There's two places you can pass on this track, going into [turns] seven and 11. You couldn't really pass going into seven [Sunday]. It was so slick, you had to be so careful. So everybody gets to turn 11. Because you're racing one another, it seems like guys really block the inside lane and force guys to go around the outside lane. So it builds frustration. You get in a position where this is your only shot for that entire lap to try to make a pass.

 

"Either somebody gets aggressive and drives in there too hard, makes contact, or they just get frustrated and start using the bumper. It's hard to say. But it was pretty crazy from where I was sitting. I know that."

 

Seven Sprint Cup Series regulars are entered in the Nationwide event at Daytona. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not one of them. Earnhardt Jr. won at Daytona one year ago.

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Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back

With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.

"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."

Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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