"You can't help who you're born to. ... I'm very proud and I'm very fortunate. But, (by) the same token, I want to earn my own merit." JON WOOD NASCAR DRIVER, WHO WILL MAKE HIS NEXTEL CUP SERIES DEBUT TODAY. WOOD IS THE GRANDSON OF 1950S STOCK-CAR RACING STAR GLEN WOOD.

Forget for a minute the controversy about the need to repave an 11-year-old superspeedway. And the necessity -- or lack thereof -- of creating steeper banking to make for more exciting racing for those who pay to watch it. And about tires that can't provide proper grip for stock cars zipping around an alternately slick and bumpy track at top speeds of 170 mph.

Forget about all the attacks and counterattacks -- well argued, but flawed on both sides -- that were lobbed Saturday and certainly will be thrown about like hand grenades today at Tony Stewart's new favorite facility, Las Vegas Motor Crashway.

Wave away that stench of discontent and take a deep, refreshing breath of young NASCAR driver Jon Wood. Not literally, of course; no one smells particularly good after three-plus hours and 300 miles of hard driving in 100-degree, in-car temperatures.

Not even the grandson of one of NASCAR's premier racing families.

But when it comes to needing a breath of fresh air from a gee-is-anyone-having-any-fun standpoint -- and, boy, does that define this weekend at this racetrack -- you won't find it much fresher than that provided by Wood, the 25-year-old who finished 11th in Saturday's Busch Series Sam's Town 300 but, more significantly, will make his Nextel Cup debut in today's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

Admittedly, Wood, the grandson of Glen Wood, a 1950s stock-car racing icon, and son of Eddie Wood, who co-owns the team and No. 21 Ford that Jon Wood and Ken Schrader will share this Cup season, is excited about his inaugural go-round at his sport's highest level. He just thinks a tad too much is being made of it, including, perhaps, this interview.

"(Sunday) is a big day. But people have hyped it up to be more than I think it is," Wood said, running his left hand through his shaggy brown hair after his No. 47 Busch Series Ford was one of 15 on the lead lap when Jeff Burton took the checkered flag. "There's 42 other guys out there who have to get into their fire suits exactly the same way that I am, so there's no sense in me being nervous or taking this for more than it is -- just another race."

Ah, but this is a first Cup race, and those only come around once in a career.

In fact, in a teleconference last week, Wood, of Mooresville, N.C., said it might not be a bad idea for him to have a psychologist around for the week, leading up to his big day.

With a chuckle, Wood dismissed that sentiment Saturday, saying not even a shrink could "mentally prepare" him for what awaits when the green flag drops at 1:46 p.m. today.

"I don't think there's anyone or anything that can prepare you," Wood said, allowing a sheepish smile. "It's a big deal, sure. There are only a handful of people who get to experience it every week. ... A handful.

"Mentally, I don't think there's anything that can prepare you for something like this. It's more about the physical, about the stamina to go that extra 100 miles. I've been in a car all day (Saturday) and all day (Friday, for testing and qualifying) and now I've got a whole day of racing (Sunday). For as fun as it will be -- and, believe me, it will be fun -- it'll be long."

That is, provided Wood doesn't cause or get collected in what is expected to be an unintentional, but likely unavoidable, demolition derby -- what with the same track conditions and cars more powerful than those that tried to cover 200 laps Saturday. Add 67 more laps of controversy today.

In that regard, Wood, who finished 14th in Busch Series points last year, isn't sure what to expect. He knows the racing will be hard and that while some drivers will be cautious, others will attempt to pass caution up high along the wall, regardless of track and tire conditions.

Wood said he listened to the sage words of his grandfather, who said last week, "My advice to him is to do what he can do and what his car is capable of and he'll be OK."

Because of his lineage, he knows great things will be expected of him -- if not today, necessarily, eventually.

"You can't help who you're born to. I can't help it. That last name is what it is," Wood said. "I'm very proud and I'm very fortunate. But, (by) the same token, I want to earn my own merit. I want to live up to my own standards, not standards that are set by somebody else."

In other words, he wants to stand on his own four Goodyear tires. Provided they hold up in today's guaranteed-to-be-interesting race.

"The thing, the way I see it, is to finish," Wood said. "No matter what, do what you have to do to finish."

Speaking that way, Jon Wood doesn't sound like a first-time Cup driver. No, he sounds more seasoned -- and reasoned -- than some of the more veteran drivers who will be on the track with him today.

Joe Hawk is the Review-Journal's sports editor. He can be reached at 387-2912 or jhawk@reviewjournal.com.