Sometimes the favorite at other tracks isn’t so obvious. You’d think that would be the case at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson has represented his primary sponsor well and takes occasion to even make a token appearance at the old Charlotte Speedway.

But picking Jimmie would be too easy and he’s got some competition.

Based on what we’ve seen in the practice sessions, the Gillett-Evernham boys are poised for a good run. Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler have put together some nice work. They’re also joined at the top of the speed charts by the surging Greg Biffle and by the familiar faces of Carl Edwards and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

If certain teams have an edge at certain tracks, I’m seeing two teams that have a knack for success at Lowe’s. Hendrick Motorsports is look stout with Johnson, Gordon Junior, and even the soon-to-be-departed Casey Mears is driving with a purpose. GEM has been good all year there, and their success would be even more evident if Elliott could match his practice prowess with race success. I even expect the flavor of the week in the #10 car, this week that would be Lauren Wallace’s favorite cousin Mike-to fare well this evening.

My vote for this race belongs to Kasey Kahne.

Kahne got in the all-star race here in May by virtue of the fan vote. He capitalized for a win. The Bud Man followed that up with another victory at the Coca-Cola 600 here a couple of weeks later. Thinking back to that hot streak, it seems inconceivable that his Chase hopes derailed and missed NASCAR’s “playoff” run. In view of that, it would be vindication for Kahne to do what no other Cup driver has done, and that’s pull the trifecta at Lowe’s by winning the all-star race, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Fall race in the same season.

The key for Kahne will be to stay away from the danger. There’s little doubt Ray Evernham and is gang have got those Dodge engines in good running order. Sadly, while some drivers have a knack for avoiding the messes, Kahne and Sadler have not. To be fiar, it should also be noted that there’s been some brake trouble along the way as well.

Jimmie Johnson may very well march one step closer to a third Cup title in a row by winning at Lowe’s. But right now, my money’s on Kasey Kahne. we’ve been talking about the importance of confidence in racing success, and Kahne is no more confident than he is here.

So- look for fans to be raising a little Kahne at Lowe’s.

#5- Matt Kenseth- Everybody, all together now: “Gloom, despair and agony on me.” Poor Matt Kenseth, if it weren’t or bad luck, so the old “Hee Haw” song goes, he’d have no luck at all. Just when it looks like the Wisconsan is about to make a move, something sets him back. To add insult to injury, it was a teammate taking him out. It was tempting to give this spot to Harvick, but “Happy” also got collected in that wreck and the 20th place finish wasn’t enough to dislodge Kenseth.

#4- Carl Edwards- On principle, I should give Flipper a demerit for the bonehead stunt at ‘Dega, but the overall body of work that is the 2008 season outweighs the foible on Edwards’ part. Somebody needs to put his game controller on the shelf until the season’s over. The video games aren’t helping.

#3- Jeff Burton- This dude’s so quiet, somebody’s gonna forget about this guy, and he’s going to sneak away with a Cup. Burton had the best finish of any chaser at Talladega not named Tony Stewart. J.B. in typical J.B. fashion manage to dance his way around every mishap. Sometimes, the crown gos not to the swift, but to the survivor. If I need someone to rush me to the hospital- Burton’s my guy.

#2- Greg Biffle- I can’t justify docking him for a wreck that was someone else’s fault. He’s the hottest Chase driver not named Jimmie Johnson. If you’ve got the car and you can drive it well, MOST races that’s more than good enough.

#1- Jimmie Johnson- Warm up the engraver, but don’t start on etching his name just yet. Jimmie’s come to the Chase to race, and if anyone can take it from him, they know they’ve accomplished something. Can we finally admit Jimmie Kenneth Johnson may just deserve to be numbered among the greats? The boy’s been good off the truck.

Knocking On The Door: Kevin Harvick is just right there. If those RCR engines had a little more juice, he’d be there…..Junior’s still a factor, and I predict at least one more win if not two before the season ends…..Smoke’s not finished yet….Though some of the others are fading, I won’t write the likes of Busch, Bowyer or Gordon off until they are mathematically done.

This championship chase is nowhere near over, though the odds favor Jimmie.

Stewart and Gibbs have proven the skeptics wrong one more time. The two-time champion bobbed and weaved his way through the hazards of Talladega for his first win of the 2008 campaign, crossing off one more ttrack he had not won at. Making the feat truly amazing was the “Rushville Rocket”’s penchant for not being anywhere near the mayhem. This is the same Tony Stewart who earlier in the year couldn;t buy a break with all the gold in California. For Stewart, that’s career win 33 and the affirmation that he wishes to leave Joe Gibbs Racing in classy fashion.

Regan Smith tried to re-write the ending with a pass to the inside that took him out of bounds, underneath the yellow- a NASCAR no-no that was covered during the drivers meeting. He must have been catching some “z’s” in the back with Carl Edwards when they covered that. While Smith crossed the line first, NASCAR ruled the pass illegal, and placed Smith in 18th, which would have been the end of the longest line on the lead lap had the race not been complete. Apparently, NASCAR has arrived at a differing conclusion than Smith concerning his contention that Tony blocked him down.

You know the youngster from DEI could have passed from the outside and even got a little push from Elliott Sadler, who found no willing dance partners on the final lap. Smith knew better than to pass on the inside and it’s a bummer that the error results in dropping Smitty from his most impressive finish yet.

For all of you ready to write off DEI as a viable NASCAR team, Talladega proved they’re not finished yet. The soon-departing Paul Menard ran as well as I’ve ever seen him and teammate Aric Almirola was a major player as well. DEI frontman Martin Truex was strong before getting collected in of this race’s many fender benders.

This was a race of attrition. Casualties included such luminaries as Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr.- who looked like a winner until getting caught in the Edwards-caused mess.

Memo to Cousin Carl: What were you thinking? Ya didn’t win any fans with that move and you really irked a bunch of Kenseth fanswho don’t care for you to begin with. Bup drafting in the turns? Come on man, you knew better. I’m a fan Flipper, but you’re on your own on this one.

What about those tires? You can’t ignore what was going on out there. I’m not ready to rush to judgment, because like Junior said in his post-wreck interview, the Hoosiers weren’t doing well either. At the same time, this doesn’t look good. NASCAR- this is yet another area where you’re your own worst enemy. Get out there and talk to to the fans about this and other issues. Make ur case that you’re not so wedded to Goodyear that you put “loyalty” to a brand above safety. I’m willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, but you’re not helping me any.

Anybody who thinks NASCAR racing has become boring with the CoT needs to be given tapes of the last handful of races. On a track known for wildness, this race at Talladega will go down as one of the wildest ever. We had a record number of lead changes, two “big ones”, some lesser-known leaders and the end of a long dry spell for one NASCAR’s top racers.

It was cool to see Tony win. Even if this is his final victory for Joe Gibbs, he couldn’t have picked a better place and a better time to make it happen.

The Chase’s “wild card” race lived up to its hype.

Now that attitude can come in all shapes and sizes. If a “sunny” personality like Carl Edwards is down, that’s bad. You’ll note, you’d have to go back a ways to find when he was down in the mouth. No reason to think he would be, as Edwards hold down the number two spot in the points. Now here’s Kyle Busch as exhibit “B.” Rowdy is not one to mince words, so when he’s up, we know it. Life is good and his emotions reflect it. Lately, things have really gone gunny bag on Busch and his words and demeanor don’t hide it.

Then there are guys like Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. For the most part, these guys never look especially joyful, even when things are going great. When they’re going really bad, there’s not necessarily a huge difference, although they really, really look down- although by most of the field’s standards they’re not that bad. It’s almost like Junior and Matty thrive on adversity. What can I say? That works for some guys.

Talladega is a wild place, and that goes for more than just the fan camps littered about campus. The 2.66 mile track inspires drama, fear and excitement. Commentator Krista Voda likened racing here to a “pinball on Red Bull.” That’s what made the young Busch’s run all the more meaningful. Until the spring race, Shrub had always struggled here. Usually, Talladega is much like a road course….either you do exceptionally well here, or you just hope to survive and get it over with quickly.

When it comes to prowess on a super speedway, some interesting names come to mind. All of Michael Waltrip’s Cup wins come on the big speed tracks. Bill Elliott was always good on a speedway. And then there’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. No doubt an ingredient in his insane popularity was his 4-race winning streak in in ‘Tide Country between 2001 and 2003. Though “Lil E” is in many ways different from his progener, he did pick up Dale Sr.’s penchant for excellence at Talladega.

With 5 wins at ‘Dega, Junior has to be considered a favorite to win tomorrow.
“Are you kidding?” the skeptics may say. Isn’t he starting in the back of the grid with a back-up car after yesterday’s practice mishaps? True that. Yet consider this: the starting grid doesn’t mean much here. What makes racing at the Alabama mecca such a wild card is the drafting, the speeds and the wrecking. In just a matter of a turn, you can go from checker to wrecker. This track is one place where a great starting position is really pretty meaningless.

What Junior also has going for him is his study of restrictor plate racing. He KNOWS he’s good on the high speed tracks, and he’s gone to great pains to maintain his reputation. It also seems Junior has gained as much popularity in the draft as he has on among the fans. Junior and Smoke ran together nicely in the spring. Earnhardt also has HMS teammates Gordon, Johnson and even Mears (who qualified second) to keep up with him and lend support.

And then there’s that attitude. In spite of some recent bumpy spots, Junior seems much more relaxed and confident. On top of that,the “88″ team seems to thrive on adversity. It’s a lot like other sports teams who seem to be at their best when they’re coming from behind. Dale Sr. was never a good qualifier and had all those come from behind wins. Heck, his old buddy Tony Stewart has never been much of a qualifier either, and Tony’s two Cup collection suggests it hasn’t hurt him any.

Junior will get plenty of challenge from his teammates. Mears looks poised to give him a run, though if his girlfriend goes into labor, it may be Brad Keselowski who takes the wheel. Jeff Gordon also has a history of success at ‘Dega. Call it a hunch, but I’m looking for Jimmie Johnson to struggle. Johnson has reported a rattle in his car, and at these speeds, it suggests something may break on the Lowe’s Chevy.

It may not be the most “fearless’ forecast I’ve ever made, it’s looking like Junior has all the pieces in place to pick up his second win of 2008 and the 19th of his Sprint Cup career.

#5- Jeff Burton- J.B. gets here primarily by hanging around and capitalizing on attrition, just like he does in the races. This approach won’t often win you championships, but it’ll make you a lot of money and earn you a lot of respect. Burton has both.

#4- Matt Kenseth- The way he interviews after races, you’d think he was running 40th. Oh well, that’s Matty. He may have had the fastest car at Dover. Like Burton, Kenseth has a somewhat conservative approach. Unfortunately for Kenseth, that can running a consisten top 10 without winning can burn you if you hit an unlucky stretch, and he’s had some. The Killer Bee may be peaking at the right time.

#3- Carl Edwards- Kind of an odd spot for the points leader, but Edwards’ grip on the top spot is pretty shaky. I’ll be interested to see how he handles the big track at Talladega and the short track at Martinsville. Cousin Carl is mainly a mile and a half kind of guy.

#2- Jimmie Johnson- He’s got the intelligence of Burton with a streak of aggressiveness. Going for three Cups in a row wil be a battle unlike any other the sunny southern Californian has ever had. He’s holding up well. Very well. Ya gotta go through this guy to win it all and he’ll battle down to the bloody end with the best equipmetn and best crew chief in the business.

#1- Greg Biffle- It’s gotta be his for now. The Biff will tell you just how tough it is to win a race, he’s just missed victory lane a handful of times, but now he has the mojo. It has to be a confidence builder knowing you’re going back to the track where youpicked up your lone 2007 win.

Knocking On The Door: Kevin Harvick need only overcome a slight lack of power in his RCR engines to be better….Don’t count out Kyle Busch just yet….In spite of the rough week, I like Junior’s attitude. Earnhardt is still in a great position to make a charge.

Pushed out the back: Busch can’t have another lousy week. Which Kyle Busch will show up?….Rumor has it Jeff Gordon crew chief Steve Letarte is under pressure to produce better results. What will that do for the #24 team?

Has he lost it? Is Busch succumbing to the pressure of crunch time? Are we seeing NASCAR’s equivalent of the Atlanta Braves- a team dominant during the regular season who comes up a little short at the end?

Contrary to what the driver of the #18 Toyota may have believed, he still very much has a chance.

What may be the curse of the Chase, may be the beauty of the Chase at the same time. What Busch has going for him is there are still 8 races left. There’s really no such thing as an insurmountable lead at this point in the schedule. “Rowdy” will still have turn it around in a big way, and he’s going to have to track down the best in the business to make it happen. Jimmie Johnson’s hot, Greg Biffle has found the ever so slight difference between being good enough to being a winner, then you have Carl Edwards sitting precariously in first place.

It won’t be easy, but then what Busch did early in the year was pretty darn close to unprecedented too. If I’m Busch, I’m salivating at the idea of going back to Talladega- where I won earlier in the year. I’m looking at Kansas and thinking that’s an easily winnable track for me. I’m knowing that I’ve been winning at every kinds of course imaginable including the dreaded road courses of Infineon and Watkins Glen. I start thinking about that, and I start feeling pretty darn confident, and I’m ready to rally.

I won’t suggest that Busch is too immature to pull himself together for a monster stretch run. How crazy drivers get in the heat of the moment is only too well documented by the much-publicized radio communications by the likes of Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Shrub himself in the last two races. The pressure of winning in crunch time does funny things to people and there as many ways to cope with it as there are drivers out there trying to do it.

Is Kyle Busch choking? I wouldn’t bet on it. He’s gotta race uphill to get out of the hole he’s in, but only Busch really knows whether or not he’s got the huzpah to pull it off.

I wouldn’t be the one to bet against him.

For years, my favorite team is the Denver Broncos. My second? Whoever the Raiders are >playing. Some players have come and goen from that franchise I like: Mark van Eeghen, Dave Casper, Howie Long, Lester Hayes, Art Shell, Bob Chandler and Gene Upshaw. My appreciation for these Raiders of the past has been offset by one individual.

From the time I first took football seriously back in 1977, I was properly schooled by my father to passionately love the likes of Tom Landry and despise the likes of Al Davis. The Raiders were the anti-Cowboys back then. Oakland was a regular rogue’s gallery of thugs like Jack Tatum, whose nasty hit paralyzed Daryl Stingley, and other loons like John Matuszak. The Raiders were a reflection of their owner, the NFL’s original gangster, Al Davis.

As AFL commissioner, Davis gained his reputation as a swashbuckler, pirating as many player away from the NFL as he could by any means necessary. After returning to the Raiders in the early 70s after the merge, Davis muscled away the franchise to take total control, essentially while Wayne Valley was watching the Munich Olympics. He also had a way of turning on his players. Former Oregon State fullback Bill Enyart had come to the Raiders to convert to linebacker and blew his knee out on a cheap shot in a pre-season game. The team doctor had recently had a heart attack and the physicians who attended Enyart failed to care for the injury and the player’s career was essentially over. After Enyart sued for malpractice, Davis had given orders to the attorneys to tie up the lawsuit as long as possible to make sure Enyart never got a dime. He’s left a string of other casualties in his wake, and it looks like Lane Kiffin is about to become the latest.

I get that, as owner, Davis has the right to run his franchise as he sees fit. I’m also sure that anybody who signs on with Oakland is well aware of how this soap opera plays out. Kiffin had to know it might not last long. Just ask Mike Shanahan.

By the way, thank you Al Davis for your gift to the Broncos. It’s been a sheer pleasure watching “The Master” get the best of you the last several years.

I suppose I should take pity on the old man, but I don’t. Davis has won his Super Bowls, he has given us some of the games greats- like John Madden and Tom Flores. I even allowed myself to root for Darth Vader’s gang when Jim Plunkett led the Silver and Black to a title in 1981. I will give him a begrudging respect for rescuing a number of NFL careers off the scrap heap.

By the same token, how Al Davis has handled Lane Kiffin’s situation as coach has been utterly classless. If you really don’t want him there, spare him the torture and let him move on. I can’t imagine staff meetings are a lot of fun right now with the rift between Kiffin and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. Mr. Davis, if you’re going to keep Kiffin, let him do his job, and have his guys there. This lunacy is doing nothing to improve the fortunes of a team that may actually some potential.

As far as I’m concerned his can go on another 20 years, though “The Genius” will be long gone before then. To me, Al Davis is the embodiment of thuggery in the world of sports, and we can’t be rid of him fast enough as far as I’m concerned.

My contempt as a fan for the Dallas Cowboys is thinly veiled. I once was a fan during the Tom Landry- Roger Staubach era, and I never forgave Jerry Jones for how he handled Landry’s ouster (though it was no doubt Landry’s time to hang it up), and for the band of Raider-types he brought to the team afterwards. It was, to me, fitting that the Cowboys took on that character after bringing former ‘Canes coach Jimmie (”We’re number one in three polls. The AP, the UPI and the FBI.”) Johnson to town. I also believe Jones has crossed several more lines for his public comments on the Ed Hochuli situation. If you ask me, it’s none of Jones’ freakin’ business.

But for Wade Phillips’ sake, I wish good things for Dallas. The son of a Bum has long worn the mantle shared by Gunther Cunningham, Art Shell, and dare I add Romeo Crennel to this list: “Successful assistant, failed head coach.” Phillips has long been heralded for his defensive prowess, going back to the days when he toiled for his father. You could always count on Phillips’ name coming up for a coaching vacancy anytime a team needed a defensive-minded head coach. There’s no question that Phillips is a master of the old 3-4 scheme, and anyone who’s followed football for more than five minutes knows However- his previous gigs in Denver and Buffalo have proven disappointing.

To be fair, Phillips has never been given a fair shake. Though I am a Broncos man, I always wondered “What if Pat Bowlen had been a little more patient with Wade?” Phillips would have been the beneficiary of the arrival of franchise cornerstones Terrell Davis and Rod Smith. and just maybe HE’d be deep into a great career in Denver. Not that I’m complaining about Mike Shanahan, mind you.

Buffalo wasn’t much different. I don’t think blame can really be laid on Phillips for the perceived underachievement there. Any reasonable person can see there wasn’t much “there” there in upstate New York.

He may not be in a much better situation in Dallas. if you understand my perspective, then you know I suspect Phillips may be on a short leash in “Big D” under Jones’ ownership. It’s just a matter of time before Jason Garrett takes the reins and everybody knows it. What the old ball coach has going for him is the ‘Boys are winning and it’s like Emmitt Smith once said, “Winning is a great deodorant.”

It’s not hard to see why Phillips is a winner here. Unlike his predecessor Bill “The Big Tuna” Parcells, Phillips has no desire for the spotlight. Phillips likes an aggressive defense (as evidenced by last night’s game. Dallas threw everything but the kitchen sink at Green Bay), and he gives offensive coordinator Garrett the latitude to run an aggressive offense. Phillips is more than happy to let the glow of the limelight shine on the guys who seem to need it: Terrell Owens and Tony Romo, and his own dear boss Jerry Jones. This is seems as an admirable quality in most leaders, though the way they roll in Dallas, I’m just hoping people don’t forget who’s orchestrating the chaos.

As long as they’re winning, Phillips should be o.k. For his sake, I’ll not suffer the Dallas wins too badly.

We’ve also had some feel good stories in 2008. The Tampa Bay Rays are headed for the playoffs for the first time ever. The Chicago Cubs may win their first World Series in 100 years. Slugging outfielder Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers overcomes a drug addiction and lights up the scoreboard in the Major League Baseball home run derby. How about Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce finally getting their ring in winning an NBA title for the Boston Celtics? We even have a great story tonight with undrafted receiver Austin Myles playing the hero in Dallas’ Sunday night win over Green Bay.

How about Greg Biffle for NASCAR’s feel good story?

You never hear about this guy because he generally doesn’t make waves- save for incurring the wrath of Sterling Marlin and Kevin Harvick. “The Biff” doesn’t possess a flambouyant demeanor, he’s not known for a bad attitude. and he certainly doesn’t talk smack. We know he can win- the native of Vancouver, Washington has a Nationwide Series and Craftsman Truck title to his credit- BUT with a baker’s dozen wins coming into today’s action, his Cup career has generally been ho-hum.

Today’s win may have woke a few people up.

There’s no denying Biffle has been consistent this year in a way he hasn’t been for the past two seasons. If you think aaboutit, Biffle has quietly factored into nearly every race. He’s also managed to avoid some of the horrific bad luck and managed to stay out of other people’s messes. To be sure, having the “Nutty Professor” Jack Roush backing doesn’t hurt. In fact, it was no less than RFR teammates Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards that gave Greg a run for his money. The “Cat In The Hat” must have a Cheshire grin on his face watching his top 3 drivers duke it out.

It was quite a race, watching Edwards, Biffle and Kenseth all side-by-side. Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick were also poised to pounce should someone up front slip up.

Today they didn’t.

Perhaps Greg Biffle is winning hearts in the same way Clint Bowyer did in the 2007 Chase. It’s not hard to root for a lunch pail, blue collar guy who minds his business, takes good care of his wife and doesn’t embarrass the sport by playing the fool.

It will get interesting, because I don’t think the “16″ will sneak up on anyone now.

Other notes: Today we saw a study in contrast as is pertains to handling adversity. After his equipment went gunny sack, Kyle Busch said “It’s over” after his 43rd place finish. I want to root for the guy who’s so fearless and no doubt possesses talent, BUT YOU DON’T QUIT ON YOUR TEAM. Yes, I’m yelling. Kyle is still “bush league” in my opinion. I hope Joe Gibbs can talk some sense into him.

Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. keeps hacking away even though todays race was a disappointment. He gets my “Rocky Balboa” award. It wasn’t a good day for Junior, but the “88″ didn’t quit…and he won’t quit. He’s got a rough road ahead if Earnhardt wants to win the title, but he knows he owes it to his team and himself to fight ’til there’s no fightin’ to do. You never what will happen. This Chase is far from over.

Props to Mark Martin for perhaps previewing for us what’s in store for the #5 HMS team next year- evoking memories of Harry Gant.

Nice to see Mikey in the top 10.

Great race today. Great chase in 2008. I think this is what NASCAR had in mind, and I hope it keeps up.

Here’s what we know about confidence in NASCAR: Michael Waltrip may not win many races, but there’s no denying his confidence on the big super speedways. Dale Earnhardt’s record of success at Talladega suggests a similar wiring. Then you have your road course experts. In terms of the regulars who have confidence on the windey tracks- you have to agree former open wheel racers like Jeff Gordon, Marcos Ambrose and Juan Pablo Montoya feel like they can ANY race on a road course. What about Bobby Labonte at Atlanta? Texas Terry’s younger brother has 21 NASCAR Sprint Cups wins, 6 have come at the Georgia track.

Then there’s confidenceon concrete surfaces.

Nobody’s more confident on concrete than Carl Edwards.

Cousin Carl is the “King of Concrete” when you look at his Nationwide and Sprint Cup series track record. Go stand out on the street in front of your house. Now jump up on the sidewalk. Even with your feet you can feel the difference. Concrete has a slicker feel and is generally less grippy. It’s not hard to imagine how that surface will wear differently over the course of the race as well.

You couple Edwards’ skill on concrete with that good Roush Ford equipment, as well as the guidance of crew chief Bob Osborne, it makes a strong combination. It also has to be a confidence boost that with the Chase points standing re-set, Edwards is now tied ith Jimmie Johnson for the lead.

Who else stands a good chance of winning? Given the boost of confidence from last week’s win, I expect a good race from Edwards’ teammate Greg Biffle. Jeff Gordon’s pole qualfying position has to leave him feeling good about getting his first win of 2008. Mark Martin will start from the 2nd position, and I’m sure he’d love to end his lengthy winless drought.

I also expect a good race from Dale Earnhardt Jr. Both Junior and Jeff Burton are carrying themselves with a certain uncharacteristic swagger that suggests they feel like they belong in this title hunt and they intend to prove it.

Then you can’t EVER count out two-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson. The “48″ simply puts himself in a position to win every week, using a bit of a Burton strategy, he could simply win it, by making sure he finishes near the front every week.

The guy has that much command at the wheel.

The “Monster Mile” always makes for an interesting race. The tight quarters and funky surface can always throw a monkey wrench in the best laid plans of a NASCAR racer.

But when to confidence on concrete, Nobody’s more sure than Carl Edwards.