So this year’s field for NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup has been set. 12 drivers racing over the final ten events of the year for the season championship. While no one can predict who will win it all, there are some among the field who could be considered contenders, and some pretenders.
1. Mark Martin. Martin has four wins this season. He’s tied for the most wins in the series with Kyle Busch. Busch is failed to make the Chase, while Martin starts at the top. Busch didn’t make it in due to the lack of consistent finishes, while Martin being the cagey veteran that he is knows that if you can’t win a good finish certainly can’t hurt.
2. Tony Stewart. In his first year as an owner/driver Stewart has won three races and while his detractors might point out that he and his teammate Ryan Newman get support from Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the day Stewart still signs the checks. The problem for Stewart is that his history has shown that he is a ‘streak’ driver. Winning multiple races during a certain time of the year or struggling for a time. Unfortunately for Stewart he’s currently in one of those ‘struggling’ streaks having finished outside the top ten in the last four races. He’ll need to turn that around if he hopes to have chance.
3. Jimmie Johnson. The three-time champion is hoping for number four and if he can put together the kind of Chase he has the last two years he may just very well do it. Three of his seven wins last year came in the last ten races, and the year prior he won four inside the Chase, all in a row. Johnson and his team are always a threat and if they put together a run like the last two years it won’t matter too much what anyone else does.
4. Denny Hamlin. One thing Hamlin may have lacked in the last few years is maturity. He seems to have a little more maturity this year and combined with the fact that his two wins this year, at Pocono and Saturday night at Richmond, have come in the second half of the season he will be a legitimate threat.
5. Kasey Kahne. In his second ever Chase appearance Kahne won’t have to put up with the same distractions he did during his last Chase- in 2006- when his former team owner seemed almost indifferent to his drivers. That dirty laundry ended up being aired and Kahne’s performance never seemed to match his talent. But this season under the wing of the ‘King’, Kahne has already improved and should be a much bigger threat.
6. Jeff Gordon. This could turn out to be Jeff Gordon’s last championship run. He has the experience to get it done, but despite a win this season it still seems as though him and crew chief Steve Letarte have yet to really find their stride. Should the two begin to mesh, Gordon could easily go all the way. But if his Chase turns into disaster his continued back problems may force him to reconsider whether he wants to campaign an entire season again.
7. Kurt Busch. Despite two DNF’s in the last four races, Busch was able to make the Chase with a second place finish Saturday night. His ‘hot and cold’ season filled with either great finishes or lousy ones needs to heat up, or Busch will quickly fade. News that he will lose his crew chief at the end of the season can either hurt or help the team. If the team can rally behind their leader on the pit box then it will be a positive one, if not Pat Tryson’s impending departure may be Busch’s undoing.
8. Brian Vickers. Certainly the Cinderella story of the Chase, Vickers did exactly what he needed Saturday night. But while everyone was celebrating, few pointed out that had Matt Kenseth put together at least a decent run Saturday night, Vickers would have joined Kyle Busch at the bar. The team needs to make sure they try to make their own way in the world. In other words they will almost need to be the most aggressive team on the track and show they are indeed for real.
9. Carl Edwards. Carl hobbled into the Chase, literally and figuratively. Despite going winless all season, Edwards put together enough consistently decent finishes to make it in. But if he and his team can’t the cure for what’s causing their winless fever it will be all over but the physical therapy. Despite what others may say, no one will be able win the Chase without winning races, no one.
10. Ryan Newman. As Stewart’s teammate Newman has enjoyed the fruits of Tony’s labor. The problem with Newman is like Edwards he too has a winless streak this year. Unlike Edwards, Newman has only won one race since 2005. That’s a trend that needs to be turned around, now.
11. Juan Montoya. Like Vickers if Montoya wants to win the Chase he will need to be among the most aggressive drivers on the track each and every week. Of course that’s always been his style. Unlike Vickers though, Montoya has won championships and plenty of races in some of the world’s most elite motorsports and could be a huge threat if Montoya and his team can be strong and consistent.
12. Greg Biffle. Biffle has had a so-so year. With no wins and only eight top-5 finishes he may be the last person to watch in this years Chase. However the last time he won was at Dover last Fall, and that win came on the heels on a win the week prior at the first race of the Chase at Loudon New Hampshire. Biffle finished the year third in the Championship points and it he puts together a run like that during the Chase he may just rise above it all.
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Comments
Excellent review of the 12.
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