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CUP: Points Matter
Written by: Tom Jensen   
02/27/2008 - 07:06 AM
Harrisburg, N.C.
 
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series action. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR) ยป More Photos

It sounds crazy for NASCAR Sprint Cup teams to be worrying about points heading into the third race of the season, but for teams flirting with the top-35 bubble, this weekend’s UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be a critically important test.

Teams in the top 35 in Sprint Cup owner points are guaranteed to make the next race. For the first five races of 2008, NASCAR locks in top-35 positions based on 2007 owner points. But starting with the sixth race of the season at Martinsville on March 30th, the guaranteed spots will be set according to 2008 owner points.

After two races this season, the point spread from 30th place in owner points to 40th is just 48 points. Inside the top 35 at the moment are David Ragan (30th, 158 points), Denny Hamlin (157), Robby Gordon (156), Sam Hornish Jr. (152), Jeremy Mayfield (140) and Dario Franchitti (136).

Outside of the top 35 through the first two races are Travis Kvapil (36th, 128 points), Dave Blaney (127), Regan Smith (122), Bill Elliott (113) and Kyle Petty (110).



For guys outside the top 35, the pressure to get is enormous as last season demonstrated, when the only driver to start the year
outside the top 35 in points and end it inside the top 35 was Paul Menard. And Menard only made it in because his Dale Earnhardt, Inc. bought his way inside the top 35 when they purchased Ginn Racing midway through 2007.

So everyone will be turning up the wick at Las Vegas in an attempt to firm up their points position.

“Obviously, our main goal right now is to solidify ourselves in the top 35, and I have all the confidence in the world in this Cat team,” said Blaney. “We’ve gotten off to a bit of a rough start this season, but we know we’ll get it turned around.”

OFFICIAL CUP SERIES ENTRY LIST: LAS VEGAS

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDTV.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association.
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