Former college fullback now carries the gas
Mike Metcalf, a former football player at Appalachian State University, still gets in the thick of the competition as the gas man for the No. 84 team in Sprint Cup.

Finding harmony can be elusive
The recent race at Martinsville uncovered more problems with the new car: Some parts, such as the brakes, don't always work in harmony with others, in this case the tires.

Building a race car 101
NASCAR's focus on safety has created a stricter and drastically different process for certifying cars for racing than was done in the past.

Goodyear works to keep up with changes
Considering the pressure of trying to please 43 teams and NASCAR, Goodyear's track record is quite impressive despite some high-profile problems this year.