CAMERON REACHES END OF ROAD WITH MCANALLY.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

Austin Cameron, the defending Grand National Division All-Star Showdown champion, will make his final appearance for Bill McAnally Racing this weekend at Irwindale Speedway.

Cameron, a driver from El Cajon who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma that sidelined him for four races last year, wants to explore his options in one of the NASCAR national series.

``Leaving BMR has not been an easy decision to make,'' said Cameron, a late-model rookie of the year at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond. ``I have had a great relationship with Bill McAnally, but we both know my potential to achieve higher goals.''

Cameron will be one of 15 drivers from the West Series, including Sean Woodside of Saugus, to compete in this weekend's NASCAR Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway. Cameron, in his third year with Bill McAnally Racing, finished second in the West Series championship.

``I want to thank Bill McAnally Racing and NAPA Auto Parts. They have given me the opportunity to work with a great team,'' Cameron said. ``I want to thank all the fans, my family, and friends. With their support, I have beaten cancer. I am excited about what tomorrow holds as I continue to pursue my career in racing.''

In 2003, Cameron pulled off one of the most unlikely victories of the year in the inaugural All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway. As he battled cancer and endured regular chemotherapy treatments, Cameron won the Grand National Division portion of the Showdown, competing against the best drivers in the West Series and Busch North Series.

Kerry Earnhardt also is entered in the All-Star Showdown. He will replace Bobby Hillis in a car being prepared by Bill McAnally Racing.

The top-10 drivers from the NASCAR Elite Division's Southwest Series will compete against the top-10 drivers from three other Elite Divisions in the country.

Rip Michels of Mission Hills, a three-time Irwindale Speedway track champion and Southwest Series rookie of the year, Craig Raudman of Bakersfield and Greg Voigt of Santa Barbara are entered in the Elite Division Showdown.

--No defensive driving: It makes sense that Kurt Busch would have a little insight on what it takes to win a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series championship. His Roush Racing teammate, Matt Kenseth, is the defending NASCAR champion. With the Chase for the Championship format in place, there is little Kenseth can offer Busch in the way of advice.

For one, Kenseth was able to take a defensive approach to racing at the end of his championship run. He built up such a huge lead that finishing races became more important than winning them. By this time last year, Kenseth was a lock to win the title.

Busch doesn't have that luxury as the series heads to Darlington Raceway in South Carolina. The Chase leader with two races to go, Busch must hold off four drivers within striking distance. And even if he had built a huge lead in the standings, it would have been wiped out when the Chase started.

There was no chance for any driver in the top 10 to take a defensive approach to racing once the Chase started.

``It's not going to take a conservative role,'' said Busch, driver of the No. 97 Ford Taurus. ``That's what Matt Kenseth was able to do last year. This time around you've got to be on your toes, and you have to race each lap for your best - at your best ability, and, of course, forecast what's coming up next.''

The Chase definitely has changed how NASCAR drivers approach the last 10 races of the season. There remain some similarities to Kenseth's championship year, as Busch will attest.

``It's definitely a different type of mentality and a different focus on what has to be done to win this championship,'' Busch said. ``But yet you can take bullet points from what my teammate Matt Kenseth did last year, and that's to race smart and to be consistent, and when you have an opportunity to turn a bad day back into a good day, you have to overcome those.''

--NASCAR Week on ``Family Feud'': Name something a NASCAR driver does right before a race?

Pray.

Put on his race helmet.

Turn on the engine.

See how the real NASCAR drivers answered this question on NASCAR Week on the ``Family Feud.'' It's a little surprising how, um, well the drivers know themselves.

The special ``Family Feud'' episodes were taped at the Tribune Studios in Hollywood the week before the California Speedway races on Labor Day weekend. Kevin Harvick, Jeremy Mayfield, Kenny Wallace, Ward Burton and their respective crews faced off against each other.

The shows will air nightly next week on KCAL Channel 9.