Small Busch field heads to Watkins Glen

If no one else enters the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen International, the smallest Busch Series field in six years will start Saturday's race. Only 39 cars were on the preliminary entry list released Tuesday for this weekend's road-course race.

Thirty-nine cars started at Watkins Glen in 2001, four short of a full field. There have been three Busch races this year short of a full 43 cars.

Several road-course specialists are entered at the Glen, including Max Papis (Phoenix Racing), Boris Said (Gillett Evernham Motorsports), John Graham (Braun Racing), Patrick Carpentier (Fitz Motorsports), Jorge Goeters (Brewco Motorsports), Ron Fellows (Kevin Harvick Inc.), Scott Pruett (Chip Ganassi Racing), Andy Lally (Wood Brothers/JTG Racing), Scott Gaylord (Means Racing) and Andy Pilgrim (JR Motorsports).

Robby Gordon is among 17 Nextel Cup drivers entered, driving his own Robby Gordon Motorsports Ford a week after NASCAR parked him for his actions at the end of the Montreal Busch race.

Other Cup drivers entered are Casey Mears (in Hendrick Motorsports' No. 5 instead of his usual No. 24), David Ragan (Roush Fenway Racing), Ryan Newman (Penske Racing), Paul Menard (Dale Earnhardt Inc.), Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway), Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing), Kevin Harvick (Richard Childress Racing), David Gilliland (Team Rensi Motorsports), Johnny Sauter (Jay Robinson Racing), Jamie McMurray (Brewco), Kurt Busch (Penske), Juan Pablo Montoya (in the last race for Ganassi' No. 42 team), Carl Edwards (Roush Fenway), Bobby Labonte (KHI) and David Reutimann (Michael Waltrip Racing).

Part-time drivers entered with full-time teams include Kevin Lepage (DDL Motorsports), Todd Kluever (Roush Fenway), Brad Coleman (JGR) and Scott Wimmer (RCR).

• Mentioned Drivers:
• Andy Lally