**NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup 2010 Thread**

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Alright, so I know I'm one of the few on this site that follows NASCAR (and almost 100% certain I'm the only black guy who watches lol), but this "Other Sports" board specifically mentions we can discuss stock car racing, so indulge me, if you will, for the next ten weeks, and even if you still don't like it, maybe you'll learn something about the sport you weren't aware of before.

So, on to the Chase. For those of you unfamiliar with the format, NASCAR assigns points by finishing order throughout the first 26 races of the "regular season," which starts with the Daytona 500 in February and ends with the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400 at Richmond in September. The points are then "reset" for the top 12 drivers in the standings, with bonus points awarded to drivers with victories during the regular season (there are other ways to earn bonus points, such as leading a lap or leading the most laps in a single event [5 extra points]. This means that the drivers leading the standings going into the Chase may not retain their positions--this year, points leader Kevin Harvick starts the Chase 3rd, 30 points behind Denny Hamlin, and 2nd place at the end of the season Jeff Gordon will commence the Chase 8th, 60 points out of first (the highest in the standings of those Chase drivers that haven't reached Victory Lane this season). Normal scoring (i.e., no bonus points for wins) resumes with the first race of the Chase.

This year, several storylines are in play. The biggest question on the minds of race fans is, "can anyone stop the 48? [Jimmie Johnson]." He has had an unprecedented run of success since starting full time in Sprint Cup in 2002, ripping off 4 consecutive series championships from '06-'09 (he also finished 2nd in '04). The previous consecutive championship record of 3 was held by Cale Yarborough. Detractors will credit the Chase system as being the catalyst for Johnson's success, but there's no denying that during NASCAR's "playoffs," Jimmie and Crew Chief Chad Knaus (pronounced "kuh-NOWS") turn up the heat in the Chase to a level their compe ors just can't match (Jimmie has won more Chase races than any other driver). Johnson starts his "drive for 5" in 2nd.

For the first time since the Chase was ins uted, brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch are both in the playoffs. Kurt (the 2004 champ) looks to reclaim past fame since changing teams, while Kyle looks to continue his reign of terror in all three of NASCAR's series (he was the first to ever sweep the Truck series race, the Nationwide series race, and the Sprint Cup series race on a single weekend earlier this season at Bristol, Tenn.). Kyle is the "bad boy" of NASCAR, who's radio transmissions are frequently filled with profanity as he lets his emotions show both towards other drivers and his own crew chief. Kyle also has a fantastic ongoing rivalry with fellow driver Brad Keselowski (who didn't make the Chase). To say the two have unfinished business is an understatement--sparks may well fly with a le for Busch on the line.

Other drivers to watch include Kevin "Happy" Harvick, who you may remember took over the old Earnhardt car after the death of the Intimidator. He's enjoying one of his finest seasons, and beating back detractors by always finding a way towards the front in crunch time. Jeff Gordon climbed to second in the regular season points standings as one of the most consistent drivers, but his failure to reach victory lane lands him in an unenviable hole. This is a gut check season of sorts for Gordon. A four time champion himself, he's seen his role as alpha dog for Hendrick Motorsports usurped by his good friend and former mentee Jimmie Johnson (whose car Jeff Gordon is actually majority owner of). He's seen multiple seasons where he would have run away with the Championship under the pre-chase points system erased because of the nuances of the Chase ('07 was particularly painful, as Gordon spent most of the season schooling the field, only to have his top 5 average finishes nullified by a ridiculous hot streak of wins by Johnson). Lastly, Matt Kenseth sneaked into the Chase at 11th. He was the last driver to win a championship under the old points system (2003), and that season was viewed as the last straw in deciding to ins ute NASCAR's playoff (he won the le while only winning one of 36 events). One of NASCAR's most consistent drivers, he'll need to find the magic to get him to Victory Lane if he hopes to recapture past glory.

Here's a look at the points standings as the first race of the Chase at New Hampshire looms on Sunday:




2010 Chase






Pos. Driver Wins Points Behind 1. D. Hamlin 6 5,060 -- 2. J. Johnson 5 5,050 -10 3. K. Harvick 3 5,030 -30 4. Ky. Busch 3 5,030 -30 5. Ku. Busch 2 5,020 -40 6. T. Stewart 1 5,010 -50 7. G. Biffle 1 5,010 -50 8. J. Gordon 0 5,000 -60 9. C. Edwards 0 5,000 -60 10. J. Burton 0 5,000 -60 11. M. Kenseth 0 5,000 -60 12. C. Bowyer 0 5,000 -60











































































There are a plethora of other storylines I could leave you with, but I'll just leave it at this promises to be an exciting Chase for the Sprint Cup, and I'll do my best to keep y'all updated.[**disclaimer--my favorite drivers are Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, so if my postings are Hendrick-slanted, that's the reason**]

Let the Chase begin!

[LoneStarState'sPride]

NASCAR Chase Race 1:

Clint Bowyer, seeded last coming into the Chase, served notice to the rest of the field that he is not to be taken lightly in the playoffs. His win not only snapped an 88 race winless streak, but vaulted him 10 spots in the standings from 12th to 2nd in the points standings.

The race came down to the wire, as Tony Stewart ran out of gas while leading the race as the white flag came out, opening the door for Clint's improbable victory. Other big movers in the points (albeit in opposite directions) were Jimmie Johnson slipping 5 spots to 7th in the standings and showing yet another in his championship armor, and Jeff Gordon climbing 3 spots to 5th in the standings, 75 points out of the lead.

Here are the standings heading into race #2 at Dover, Delaware's "Monster Mile" next week:

1.) Denny Hamlin, 5230 points
2.) Clint Bowyer (-35)
3.) Kevin Harvick (-45)
4.) Kyle Busch (-62)
5.) Jeff Gordon (-75)
6.) Kurt Busch (-86)
7.) Jimmie Johnson (-92)
8.) Carl Edwards (-95)
9.) Greg Biffle (-108)
10.) Jeff Burton (-112)
11.) Tony Stewart (-124)
12.) Matt Kenseth (-136)

Pic of the day--full coverage available at nascar.com for those who want it!

[TDMVPDPOY]

i dont find this interesting, wheres the challenge in running around in circles?

[LoneStarState'sPride]

i dont find this interesting, wheres the challenge in running around in circles?

Every lap is different, each team's strategies are different (see: Tony Stewart running out of gas). The risk/reward factor of going for wins or "points racing," on top of pit strategy and on-track rivalries makes it interesting for me. It's no more "running around in circles" than soccer is just "let's kick the ball as hard as we can and hope for a goal," or basketball is just running back and forth on a ballroom floor. Every sport has its intricacies that make watching it more enjoyable.

But nobody's forcing you to read, my friend. Like what you want to like

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Race rewind from Chase Race #1. LOT of paint traded and 3 wide racing at what's typically a pretty tame track.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Good Q&A session with four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson after a rough outing (25th place finish) in the first race of the Chase, plus opposing perspectives on the viability of Clint Bowyer in the overall le hunt after vaulting from 12th to 2nd with his Sunday win.

"Johnson Thrives With Bull's Eye on Team's Back"

by Joe Menzer, NASCAR.com


He remains the four-time defending Cup Series champion.
He may have finished 25th in last Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway -- the first outing in the 10-race Chase. But Jimmie Johnson is a long way from being finished in his personal quest for a fifth consecutive le.
He talked about the pressures he faces entering this Chase, but also waxed poetic on some other off-the-wall issues that prove he is calm and relaxed as the championship hunt continues...........


Continued here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/feat...gle.html#page2


"Is Bowyer Now One of the Favorites for the le?"


By NASCAR.com



After 300 miles at New Hampshire, Clint Bowyer rocketed from 12th to second in the point standings thanks to a gutsy fuel gamble that paid off with the victory.
But after barely qualifying for the Chase, does this one victory now make him one of the favorites to win the championship? Bill Kimm thinks it does while Mark Spoor isn't ready to move Bowyer to the upper tier of drivers.........

Continued here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/feat...ase/index.html

[LoneStarState'sPride]

**New Hampshire Winner Clint Bowyer penalized for illegal car**

After coming off the high of pulling of an upset the first race of the Chase, NASCAR dropped the penalty hammer on the #33 team for failing a post-race inspection following the race. The Richard Childress Racing team plans to protest the penalty that docks the team 150 points and suspends Bowyer's crew chief for the next 6 races, claiming the area of infraction (rear bumper) was altered by the wrecker that pushed it after the race. However, NASCAR's penalty comes only a week after warning the #33 team about their car being dangerously close to template limits following the final race of the regular season.

The penalty drops Bowyer from 2nd back to 12th, 185 points back of Chase leader Denny Hamlin, and barring a string of improbable miracles, may have put a nail in the coffin of Clint's le hopes for 2010.

Full article here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/head...lty/index.html

[LoneStarState'sPride]

**Johnson follows up dismal New Hampshire finish with Dover pole**

4 time defending champ Jimmie Johnson put himself in a prime position to recoup his losses after race number 1 by winning the pole [first starting position] for the Dover race this Sunday. Johnson rounded the "Monster Mile" at 155.736 mph (23.116 seconds) to secure the top spot Although this is only his second pole of the 2010 season, it's Jimmie's 9th career Chase pole. He's parlayed such good starting positions (and the favorable pit road stalls that come with it) into excellent finishes in the past, and tends to pick up his production in the playoffs. More importantly, Johnson was one of only two Chase drivers to qualify in the top 5 (the other was points leader Denny Hamlin, in 4th), and hopes to lead laps to secure additional bonus points while his playoff rivals battle traffic in Dover's tight confines.

Full article here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/head...ase/index.html

Jimme Johnson, post-qualifying

[LoneStarState'sPride]

**Jeff Gordon Running Special Police Cruiser Paint Scheme at Dover**

In honor of the new National Law Enforcement Museum breaking ground in Washington, D.C., next month, Jeff Gordon's team (sponsored by Du Pont, which produces Kevlar vests for law enforcement) will be running a unique police cruiser-esque paint scheme during Sunday's race at Dover, in addition to hosting two police officers whose lives were saved by Kevlar vests. Props to the #24 team!

Full story here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/opin...ver/index.html

Here's a look at Gordon's paint scheme:

[LoneStarState'sPride]

First off, apologies for this update being late. Kinda in the middle of a round of exams so thanks for bearing with me!

**Jimmie Johnson Back On Track**

Going into race #2 of the playoffs at Dover's "Monster Mile," rumor was around the garage that 4 time defending champ Jimmie Johnson had showed weakness in his 25th place outing in race number one, and compe ors smelled blood in the water for the second race. Jimmie was having none of it, though, claiming the pole on Friday and backing it up with a win on Sunday to jump right back into the championship picture, 35 points behind Denny Hamlin.

Hamlin continues to lead the Sprint Cup Chase standings thanks in no small part to his putting up a strong top-10 run at a track that has plagued his FedEx team in the past.

But the day really was all about Johnson, who led the most laps of anyone in the field (191 of 400), and garnered maximum bonus points to put the rest of the chase field on notice: the way to a le is clearly through the 48 team.



A look at the standings as the series heads west to Kansas Speedway:

1.) Denny Hamlin, 5368 pts
2.) Jimmie Johnson (-35) (+4 positions from previous week)
3.) Kyle Busch (-45)
4.) Kurt Busch (-59) (-1)
5.) Kevin Harvick (-65) (-3)
6.) Carl Edwards (-73) (+1)
7.) Jeff Burton (-80) (+2)
8.) Jeff Gordon (-83) (-4)
9.) Greg Biffle (-140) (-1)
10.) Tony Stewart (-162)
11.) Matt Kenseth (-165)
12.) Clint Bowyer (-235)

[LoneStarState'sPride]

***Richard Childress Racing Loses Bowyer Appeal***

RCR lost it's appeal to NASCAR to overturn the 150-point, championship-ending penalty levied on Clint Bowyer's #33 car after it failed post race inspection in Chase race #1. Team owner Richard Childress has vowed to fight the ruling all the way to NASCAR's highest level, despite the fact that less than 8% of appeals have been overturned in the past decade.

The hearing took nearly 5 hours, and the ruling stood despite the insistence of the owner that the car's rear bumper being out of compliance could be blamed on contact from the wrecker that had to push Bowyer's car to Victory lane after running out of gas.

Bowyer struggled in the 2nd race of the playoffs, finishing 25th at Dover.

Full story and further coverage available here: http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/head...ase/index.html

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Last few laps of the Dover race (I apologize for the weird-sounding audio from the radio transmissions :P)

[LoneStarState'sPride]

**Chase Gets Tighter, and You-Know-Who Takes the Points Lead**

Greg Biffle won the Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway--exactly what he needed to start climbing out of the 140 point hole his 3M team had dug for themselves in the first two playoff races. The Biff absolutely dominated the field late in the race, beating the runner up to the finish line by over 7 seconds.

Problem (for the rest of the garage) is, that runner up was none other than Jimmie Johnson, who continues to turn up the wick on his playoff rivals with every playoff race. With the finish, Jimmie wrested the points lead away from Denny Hamlin, who finished 12th. There's still hope for the rest of the field, however--this is shaping up to be one of the closest points battles in Chase history. Only 101 points separate the top 9 drivers, and the top 8 are all within a mere 85 points of each other as the series heads to Fontana, California for the Pepsi Max 400 next week.

A notable storyline for this race also included a couple of dustups between Chaser Kyle Busch and non-Chaser David Reutimann. Busch tapped the left rear quarterpanel of David's #00 ride early in the race, causing him to spin. Reutimann stewed on the radio to his crew chief, then retaliated later in the race, slamming into Busch's left rear extremely hard under a green flag, yet ironically spinning himself out in the process. The damage was done, however, as Busch's car experienced major handling issues following the collision, causing him to have to make multiple stops on pit road for repairs, and ruining his run, which had been strong up to that point (he was running 7th when the #00 came for payback). The incident also cost Kyle 4 spots in the Chase standings.

Pictures will follow--for now, here's a look at the points standings after Chase race #3:

1.) Jimmie Johnson, 5503 points (+1 spot from last week)
2.) Denny Hamlin (-8 points behind) (-1)
3.) Kevin Harvick (-30) (+2)
4.) Carl Edwards (-53) (+2)
5.) Jeff Gordon (-58) (+3)
6.) Kurt Busch (-70) (-2)
7.) Kyle Busch (-80) (-4)
8.) Greg Biffle (-85) (+1)
9.) Jeff Burton (-101) (-2)
10.) Tony Stewart (-127)
11.) Matt Kenseth (-149)
12.) Clint Bowyer (-252)

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Here's video of the dustup between Kyle Busch and David Reutimann (pronounced "ROO-tuh-muhn"). Come to your own conclusions about whether Busch deserved it or not (remember he'd wrecked David earlier in the race--albeit unintentionally, according to Kyle).

Here's the link to the full article on NASCAR.com http://www.nascar.com/2010/news/opin...-kansas/1.html

And here's the video:

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Intriguing article on Jimmie Johnson as the series heads to Fontana this weekend for playoff race #4. The article (and even better espn.com video above it) give a pretty thorough analysis of how Johnson's vise on the Sprint Cup seems to grow tighter and tighter as the Chase wears on. Simply put, if someone is going to challenge the 48 team for a le, the time is now--these guys just don't make many mistakes down the stretch.

Best quote from the article, reminds me of the demeanor of some of those championship Spurs teams from the past decade:

"...someone needs to tell Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus that all good things must end, not that either of them would believe it if you did.

Johnson and Knaus say all the right things, such as "Anybody can win this. There's a long way to go. We're not thinking about the le yet." Blah, blah, blah.


But when you look them in the eyes, you get a different feeling. Deep down, I don't think Johnson and Knaus believe anyone can beat them.
A quiet confidence is like a force field around both of them. And the other drivers can feel it.


Dale Earnhardt intimidated drivers by his aggressive actions on the track and his fearless demeanor off the track. Earnhardt was scary.
Johnson and Knaus' intimidation comes from a different dimension. They just outsmart you. They outthink you. Even on a day when you're faster, they still find a way to beat you."


Here's the rest of the article. Again, be sure to at least check out the video at the top! Happy reading .

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar...rry&id=5657069

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Once again, apologies for the late update. Was in Arlington for the weekend for the TAMU-Arkansas game, and had to watch the race in pieces on the way back.

This was a real thriller of a race, however. The wide, sweeping turns of California's Auto Club Speedway proved to be the burial grounds for more than a few Chase hopefuls on this afternoon, while one may have rekindled one last shot at a le run. Amidst 5 wide racing towards the end of the race, Tony Stewart (a.k.a. "Smoke") finally notched his first win at California--his 39th overall. The win moved him to within 107 points of continuing Chase leader Jimmie Johnson, who finished 3rd and added a little padding to his lead over 2nd place Denny Hamlin, who came home 8th. Only Kevin Harvick (54 points back) and Jeff Gordon (85 back) join Hamlin as drivers within 100 points of Johnson with 6 races to go.

It was a rough day, however, for several le contenders. Roush Fenway team drivers Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle (last week's race winner) both experienced engine problems, with Kenseth's issues miring him in a 30th place finish, while the Biff's engine gave up the ghost and exploded, leaving him with a 41st place finish. Both drivers saw their le hopes all but disappear. Likewise experiencing problems was Carl Edwards. His car began having ignition problems late in the race, and while his crew did repair the issue, the #99 ford lost 14 laps in the process. Edwards finished 34th, also all but done in the Championship picture. Kyle Busch, too, had his le hopes take a major hit when his engine blew up late in the race, leaving him to finish 35th on the day. He now sits 9th in the standings, 187 points back and needing more than a few breaks to get back in the le hunt.

The win went to Smoke, but the day really belonged to Lady Luck, as those she frowned upon continued to lose ground to Mr. Johnson as the series shifts to Charlotte for a Saturday night showdown to mark the halfway point of the Chase.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Highlight video from the Pepsi Max 400 at Fontana. If you don't feel like watching the whole thing, at least check out the clip from 6:30-8:20 for the "Green-White-Checkered" finish (NASCAR's version of overtime) and some ridiculous 4 and 5-wide racing, including a scintillating battle for 2nd between Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer. Also, check out the end of the video for one of the best victory burnouts of the year by Tony Stewart. There's a reason he's nicknamed "Smoke"!

[LoneStarState'sPride]

Forgot to post the updated Chase standings after Fontana in my earlier post. Here y'all go!

1.) Jimmie Johnson, 5673 points
2.) Denny Hamlin (-36)
3.) Kevin Harvick (-54)
4.) Jeff Gordon (-85) (+1 position from last week)
5.) Tony Stewart (-107) (+5)
6.) Kurt Busch (-140)
7.) Carl Edwards (-162) (-3)
8.) Jeff Burton (-177) (+1)
9.) Kyle Busch (-187) (-2)
10.) Greg Biffle (-215) (-2)
11.) Matt Kenseth (-241)
12.) Clint Bowyer (-247)

[LoneStarState'sPride]

***NASCAR Announces it's 2011 Hall of Fame Class***

With NASCAR drivers, teams, and fans descending on America's self-proclaimed stock car racing capital of Charlotte, North Carolina for the halfway point of the Chase for the Championship, NASCAR announced it's much-anticipated 2nd ever class for the Hall of Fame.

The inductees included the "Silver Fox," David Pearson (winner of 105 career races--2nd on the all time list only to "The King" Richard Petty), Bobby Allison (84 wins, including 3 Daytona 500 wins--tied for 3rd all time), Lee Petty (54 wins and originator of the mammoth Petty Enterprises organization that had an unprecedented three decade run of success), Ned Jarrett (2 time champion and one of the first widely popular NASCAR broadcasters), and Bud Moore (one of the first wildly successful NASCAR owners--his cars achieved 63 wins, 43 poles, and 2 Grand National Championships).

While no one took issue with those selected, two surprising omissions from the 2nd hall of fame class were 3 time champions Darrell Waltrip and Cale Yarborough. Waltrip is the one tied with Allison for 3rd on the all time wins list, and Yarborough's 3 consecutive les were the most ever achieved in succession in NASCAR until Jimmie Johnson notched his 4th le in a row just last year.

Many have speculated that the omissions may have more to do with politics than anything, which is unfortunate. Waltrip's stellar career notwithstanding, many voters have had their feathers ruffled over Waltrip's frank broadcasting style as an analyst with Fox Sports. He's never been shy to speak his mind about NASCAR's most powerful figures, and it may well have cost him a shot at the Hall of Fame this year. Cale Yarborough, on the other hand, may have not been involved enough in NASCAR since his retirement in 1999. He insists on being paid at all of his rare NASCAR-sanctioned appearances, and otherwise does little to promote the sport, which voters most likely held against him, as the selection of the inductees seemed to have as much to do with character and perception off the track as with wins and stats.

There's still time, however, for both men who missed the cut to join those already enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The 2nd class will be officially inducted in May 2011. They will join the ranks of NASCAR's inaugural Hall of Fame class consisting of NASCAR founder Bill France and former NASCAR chairman Bill France, Jr., 7 time champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, and Junior Johnson.

[LoneStarState'sPride]

***Jeff Gordon wins pole for Bank Of America 500***

The 4 time champ picked a fantastic time to break his 32-race pole drought, posting a fast lap of 191.544 mph (28.192 seconds) to claim the top starting spot at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the first time since 2000. The driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy has won from the pole 19 times in his career and now is focused on snapping his ongoing 59-race winless streak. Despite having won on all but 3 of the tracks on the current NASCAR schedule in his illustrious career, Gordon hasn't visited victory lane in a Sprint Cup event since winning the spring race at Texas over a year ago.

The Coors Light pole award is Jeff Gordon's 69th career pole, tying him for 3rd on the NASCAR all time list with the legendary Cale Yarborough, who narrowly missed being selected into the 2nd class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame earlier this week. The pole was somewhat of a surprise for Gordon, who was not fast in practice early on, posting only the 33rd best time during the session.

But the pole has him in prime starting position to make up points desperately needed if he hopes to run down Jimmie Johnson in the Sprint Cup standings. Gordon sits only 85 points out of the series lead (good for fourth overall), but Johnson has been known to start to pull away from the rest of the field at Charlotte--also known as the "house that Jimmie built." Shaping up for a of a showdown on Saturday night!

Pics from qualifying:

[LoneStarState'sPride]

For those that care, I will be combining storylines from last week's race at Charlotte and the upcoming race at Martinsville. The short and skinny on last week: Jamie McMurray (non-Chaser) was the victor, and several Chasers (to include Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Burton) had mechanical issues. Jimmie Johnson also ran into trouble, spinning out early on, but came back to finish 3rd, extending his points lead over Denny Hamlin to 41, and further squelching the le hopes of those hoping to capitalize on his misfortune.

My apologies for the hack job--promise I'll be back to form this upcoming weekend. College is a crazy thing .