Kurt Busch won NASCAR's first Chase for the Championship in 2004. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Interestingly, the very existence of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship has come under scrutiny at times in recent weeks. It seems that not everybody loves a winner or, at least, a winning organization.
Very little of that scrutiny emanated from the Sprint Cup garages at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend, however. Competitors, some of whom were the loudest critics of the playoff system when it was introduced for the 2004 season, now sound as thought they can’t live without it.
Here is what a select group of drivers this weekend had to say about the Chase:
Ryan Newman: “The Chase is the reward after getting to the Chase. I think that there’s way more emotions, there’s way more stress levels or sense of stress in those five races getting up to Richmond. The Chase itself to me is rewarding. It’s time to sit down and relax and at the same time work hard but be grateful for what you’ve accomplished and at the same time use that positive attitude to build on those last 10 races. To me it more, especially in our position this year, those previous five before the Chase to get everything right. I think a lot of times teams think of that in the Chase but to me it’s a time to go out and have fun and use your experiences that you’ve gained throughout the year to go back to the tracks a second time and put it to them.”
Greg Biffle: “Being in the Chase is just super-important for a team because, number one, you kind of become an icon in the sport. The Chase cars are viewed as ‘made the playoffs,’ so it’s certainly important, mentally, emotionally for a team, and for success to make the Chase each year. Then you view each week as ‘What do we have to do to win here?’ or ‘Catch the next guy in front of us?’ and I guess you do the same if you’re not in the Chase, but it sort of just takes the wind out of your sails when you’re not. With 10 races to go, you’re really looking forward to next year instead the next 10 with an opportunity to try and close in on that top five in points or whatever it might be, whatever reachable. It’s super-important to make it. That definitely is the highlight of our season, running well enough all season to be in it.”
Kurt Busch: “This Chase format for us feels like you’re in a play-off atmosphere where every position counts, every decision that you make seems to be magnified. And every time that you feel like you leave something out on the track, you’re clenching your fists a little tighter saying, ‘Man, maybe I gave up something too much today.’ And when you win, it’s that much sweeter when you come out on top and beat the other Chase guys. All of us have a shot at the championship when Loudon fires up and then we go on through the Chase. Week after week, you hope you are gaining points and staying in the mix and you want to go to Homestead mathematically eligible to have a shot at the Championship.”
Jimmie Johnson: (Well, take a guess)
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Race Day facts
What: Ford 400 Where: Homestead-Miami Speedway; Homestead, Fla. When: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. ET TV: ABC, 2:30 p.m. ET Radio: MRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128 Track layout: 1.5-mile oval Race distance: 267 laps/400.5 miles Estimated pit window: 50-55 laps 2008 winner: Carl Edwards 2008 polesitter: Jamie McMurray Today’s polesitter: Jimmie Johnson
Points leaders: 1. Jimmie Johnson, 6,492; 2. Mark Martin, 6,384; 3. Jeff Gordon, 6,323; 4. Kurt Busch, 6,281; 5. Tony Stewart, 6,207; 6. Juan Pablo Montoya, 6,203; 7. Greg Biffle, 6,171; 8. Denny Hamlin, 6,140; 9. Ryan Newman, 6,081; 10. Kasey Kahne, 6,016; 11. Carl Edwards, 5,972; 12. Brian Vickers, 5,826.
Hanging on
Hope springs eternal. Well, for one more day, at least.
Mark Martin may trail Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson by 108 points entering Sunday’s Ford 400 finale but it’s not in his DNA to go down without putting every ounce of his skill and determination into the fight.
And who knows — witness the recent Indianapolis Colts-New England Patriots game — what could happen.
If anyone can stage a comeback, it’s the veteran Martin who, on nine occasions, has gained more than 108 points on Johnson. It happened most recently two weeks ago in Texas, when Martin’s fourth-place finish coupled with Johnson’s accident-troubled 38th, resulted in a net gain of 111 points.
Regardless of how matters shake out, “I’m pretty proud of what we’ve done this season,” said Martin, only the second NASCAR Sprint Cup driver past the age of 50 to win five times in a season.
Trivia time
Name the 10 drivers in the first Chase.
Chasing another Earnhardt
There’s one very important spot up for grabs this week — 35th place –- and with it goes a guaranteed starting position in the 2010 Daytona 500.
The No. 34 team owned by Teresa Earnhardt currently ranks 35th with 2,667 points. The only team with a shot at taking the position is the No. 82 of Dietrich Mateschitz.
Mateschitz and driver Scott Speed, however, trail by 114 points. Speed, who has a single top five in his rookie season, will at least have to match his best performance of the year (fifth) to overcome the deficit.
