A DIVERSIFIED MARKETPLACE.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

In another move to show how diversified NASCAR is becoming, comedian George Lopez will start Sunday's Nextel Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in a unique way.

Lopez will deliver the command, ``Gentlemen, start your engines,'' in Spanish before the race.

And while there is still some debate on whether NASCAR gentlemen translate into hombres or caballeros, there is little confusion on where stock-car racing is headed.

NASCAR started its move into the Latino market by running a Busch Series race in Mexico City in March. It was the first NASCAR points race held in Mexico.

According to Texas Motor Speedway officials, Sunday will mark the first time in NASCAR Cup history that the start-engines command will be given in Spanish.

The move into the Latino market is something Lopez said is difficult to ignore. From his perspective, it's a market that has existed a long time.

``We're already fans without the visibility,'' said Lopez, who stars, directs and produces ``The George Lopez Show'' on ABC. ``It just validates the fact that we are fans.''

Lopez will be sharing the grand-marshal duties with former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman at Texas Motor Speedway. Aikman will deliver the command to start the race in English.

Lopez said he follows Dale Jarrett's team. Jarrett drives the UPS-sponsored Ford Taurus for Robert Yates Racing, and uses the slogan ``What can Brown do for you?''

``That's my slogan,'' Lopez joked.

All kidding aside, Lopez said he likes the moves NASCAR is making because he sees the sport reaching out to all Americans, not just Latinos.

``NASCAR is no different than golf, than basketball,'' Lopez said. ``All that antiquated thinking goes out the window.''

For a sport that built its reputation going around in circles, it's pretty clear the direction has changed. NASCAR is moving south - south of the border - and gaining momentum.

--All about respect: It looks like Shane Hmiel is making a bad name for the young drivers in NASCAR. First he spins Dale Jarrett, the 1999 Cup series champion and three-time Daytona 500 winner, in a race at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

Then he demonstrates his youthful arrogance by flipping off Jarrett, an obscene gesture caught not only on his in-car camera, but on national TV cameras, too.

Rusty Wallace has been on the receiving end of a middle finger as recently as last year. Tony Stewart flipped him off during the race at California Speedway in May 2004.

Hmiel, who has been disciplined by NASCAR for substance abuse, doesn't need more negative publicity.

But by showing such disrespect for a storied veteran, he is going to get it.

``It was a big blow to the sport because we don't need stuff like that, because, obviously, these kids look up to what we do,'' said Wallace, a former Cup champion.

``I mean, Tony Stewart knows a lot about what I feel about getting flipped off. I'm real sensitive to it, and I'll probably overreact if somebody ever did that to me again. I thought it was rude. I thought it was uncalled for, and I know for a fact that there's going to be a judgment on it.''

NASCAR penalized Hmiel 25 points in the drivers standings, fined him $10,000 and his team owner, Todd Braun, lost 25 points in the owners standings for the ``inappropriate gesture.''

Wallace made it clear other young drivers in NASCAR demonstrate a degree of respect toward the veteran drivers.

``I think the respect is there,'' said Wallace, driver of the No. 2 Dodge Charger for Penske Racing South.

``I mean, you've got some guys out there. I think Reed Sorenson has been respectful. I think that Brian Vickers, absolutely, has been respectful.''

If only Wallace had some nice things to say about his young teammate Ryan Newman.

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Photo:

JEFF GORDON

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RACE WEEK

BY TIM HADDOCK