-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Sprint Cup
CUP: Welcome To CMS, AKA, Jimmieland
NASCAR Sprint Cup Drivers are not ready to surrender yet...
Charlotte Motor Speedway is set to host the 29th annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour. (Photo: LAT Photographic)
Yes, the Chase hits the halfway point today and, yes, Jimmie Johnson is leading the points and, yes, today’s race is at the track formerly known as Jimmieland, Charlotte Motor Speedway.
But no, other members of the Chase said this weekend, Johnson has not won this year’s championship. Not yet, not even close.
Certainly not mathematically and not even psychologically.
Some even got a little bit indignant when asked questions about Johnson’s invincibility and their own possible demises.
Here is what they said:
Carl Edwards, No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford: “Hell yes we’re still in it. I go out here and race as hard as I can and if we’ve got a mathematical chance of being in it, then we do have a chance. We don’t quit. That’s not what we do. I talked to my crew. I talked to PK (Pierre Kuettel) in the window of the car when he was putting up my window net a minute ago and his words were, ‘We don’t quit until Homestead is over.’ And that’s the way we do it. Now, that doesn’t make it any easier or anything, I just think that’s the way you have to approach it. If I gave up with six races to go, I think that would be pretty foolish.”
Kurt Busch, No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge: “No, not at all. Anything can happen at any given moment. Whether it’s an engine failure, another competitor running into someone on the track, points can swap so fast that anything can happen and it’s anyone’s game. There’s no reason to panic. There’s no reason to do anything out of the ordinary. If you’re running around fifth or sixth in points and you win, you can’t expect to vault into second-place
anymore, you have to work your way around those guys. But if the leader has problems then it opens the door for everybody.”
Jeff Burton, No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet: “We haven’t run the white flag up just yet. This is an interesting sport. As I said, we are certainly not a position that we want to be in, we’re certainly not is a position that I thought we would be in, but we’re in the position that we are in. Certainly the odds are against us but our focus is on still trying to go out and perform so we can win the championship. We have to have some help to do that. If those top-three or four guys go finish top-five, even top-10s the rest of the year, it is probably not going to work out for us. There are a lot of events that are going to happen between now and then.”
—
Fast facts
What: Bank of America 500
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway
When: Saturday, 7:45 p.m. ET
TV: ABC, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 334 laps/501 miles
Estimated pit window: 50-55 laps
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval
Banking: 24 degrees in the corners
2009 winner: Jimmie Johnson
2009 polesitter: Jimmie Johnson
Tonight’s polesitter: Jeff Gordon
—
Three to go
If Kurt Busch can win tonight, it will give him three victories at Charlotte Motor Speedway in one year as he won the Coke 600 there in May and also the All-Star race.
Cool, he said.
“We have a very unique opportunity,” Busch said. “There have only been seven guys to have the opportunity to sweep all three Cup races in the same season here at Charlotte. I feel excited about it. We’re definitely pumped up about it inside the team with the challenge that’s out in front of us during these 10 weeks of the Chase. To bring home a win here at Charlotte on Saturday night would boost us up in the points and get us back on track to where we need to be. It’s a win-win for us. We like the extra pressure. It’s a chance to do something special and hopefully we can deliver with the Miller Lite Dodge.”
But no, other members of the Chase said this weekend, Johnson has not won this year’s championship. Not yet, not even close.
Certainly not mathematically and not even psychologically.
Some even got a little bit indignant when asked questions about Johnson’s invincibility and their own possible demises.
Here is what they said:
Carl Edwards, No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford: “Hell yes we’re still in it. I go out here and race as hard as I can and if we’ve got a mathematical chance of being in it, then we do have a chance. We don’t quit. That’s not what we do. I talked to my crew. I talked to PK (Pierre Kuettel) in the window of the car when he was putting up my window net a minute ago and his words were, ‘We don’t quit until Homestead is over.’ And that’s the way we do it. Now, that doesn’t make it any easier or anything, I just think that’s the way you have to approach it. If I gave up with six races to go, I think that would be pretty foolish.”
Kurt Busch, No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge: “No, not at all. Anything can happen at any given moment. Whether it’s an engine failure, another competitor running into someone on the track, points can swap so fast that anything can happen and it’s anyone’s game. There’s no reason to panic. There’s no reason to do anything out of the ordinary. If you’re running around fifth or sixth in points and you win, you can’t expect to vault into second-place
anymore, you have to work your way around those guys. But if the leader has problems then it opens the door for everybody.”
Jeff Burton, No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet: “We haven’t run the white flag up just yet. This is an interesting sport. As I said, we are certainly not a position that we want to be in, we’re certainly not is a position that I thought we would be in, but we’re in the position that we are in. Certainly the odds are against us but our focus is on still trying to go out and perform so we can win the championship. We have to have some help to do that. If those top-three or four guys go finish top-five, even top-10s the rest of the year, it is probably not going to work out for us. There are a lot of events that are going to happen between now and then.”
—
Fast facts
What: Bank of America 500
Where: Charlotte Motor Speedway
When: Saturday, 7:45 p.m. ET
TV: ABC, 7 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN/Sirius Satellite Ch. 128
Race distance: 334 laps/501 miles
Estimated pit window: 50-55 laps
Track layout: 1.5-mile oval
Banking: 24 degrees in the corners
2009 winner: Jimmie Johnson
2009 polesitter: Jimmie Johnson
Tonight’s polesitter: Jeff Gordon
—
Three to go
If Kurt Busch can win tonight, it will give him three victories at Charlotte Motor Speedway in one year as he won the Coke 600 there in May and also the All-Star race.
Cool, he said.
“We have a very unique opportunity,” Busch said. “There have only been seven guys to have the opportunity to sweep all three Cup races in the same season here at Charlotte. I feel excited about it. We’re definitely pumped up about it inside the team with the challenge that’s out in front of us during these 10 weeks of the Chase. To bring home a win here at Charlotte on Saturday night would boost us up in the points and get us back on track to where we need to be. It’s a win-win for us. We like the extra pressure. It’s a chance to do something special and hopefully we can deliver with the Miller Lite Dodge.”
Shake and Bake: Recent Posts
-
Pedals Of Fury: Justin Allgaier & James Buescher Tricycle Race (Video) »
-
Winner's Weekend: Johnson Captures Unprecedented 4th All-Star Win »
-
It Wasn't A Good Weekend For The Star-Spangled Banner (Video) »
-
Tweets Of The Week: All-Star Edition »
-
Mustang GT + Mark Martin's Engine = 800HP Of Street-Legal Awesomeness »
-
Kurt Busch Is Focused, But Is He A Chase Contender? »
-
Ricky vs. Danica: All-Star Race - Who's On Top This Week? »
-
Feud of the Week: Joe Gibbs Racing vs. the Sprint All-Star Race »
Kansas Speedway
LATEST HEADLINES: NASCAR
-
CUP: 'NASCAR: An American Salute' Pays Tribute To Military
Initiative rallies fans, industry and partners to reach one million… -
CUP: Interesting Comments From Jack Roush On Race Hub
Jack Roush, co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing, spent some time with… -
NNS: Allgaier Getting Closer To Victory
Justin Allgaier is fourth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series points… -
CUP: Would Moving Help All-Star Race?
While spending two weeks in Charlotte provides a nice respite for… -
MCREYNOLDS: All-Star Race Brought Excitement
I think the changes made for this year’s Sprint All-Star Race… -
SPEED ALERT: Race Hub To Broadcast NASCAR Hall Of Fame's 'Class Of…
NASCAR Hall of Fame announcement on FOX Sports’ SPEED starting… -
CUP: Monday NASCAR Notebook
Jimmie Johnson has the most victories of any active driver at Charlotte… - More News
