NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Chase begins this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The twelve drivers to compete for the title have been finalized. Only forty points separate the leader to the final seed. And nearly every driver that could win this year’s championship has their personal story to accompany their winning headline.
Let’s start with Mark Martin. Is there a larger sentimental favorite for the Cup? I don’t see one. Many fans root for their favorite driver only. But in the back of their mind a thought comes across that goes something like “If my guy can’t win, I’d like to see Mark Martin win it all”. Agreed that everyone has his or her driver likes and dislikes, but if Martin pulls it off, nobody will be upset. Can Cinderella’s shoe fit a fifty-year-old man?
Tony Stewart has impressed a lot of people in his first year in Cup ownership. His performance has gone above and beyond what many thought was possible during the initial season. If he were to finish twelfth in points, he already would have exceeded my pre-season expectations. But to win a championship as an owner/driver? A very exciting story potential rests within Stewart-Haas Racing.
Jimmie Johnson is trying to accomplish something nobody has ever done in this division. Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and others have tried. Johnson is taking aim at a fourth straight title. Only one other man, Cale Yarborough, has even accomplished the three consecutive titles Johnson has already earned. His will be one of the careers that future Hall-of-Famers look at when describing greatness.
Jeff Gordon has one of his best chances at a title win in years. If successful, Gordon will have five Cup-championships. Currently only “The King” and “The Intimidator” have more. This would bring Gordon to within two trophies of the historic seven-championship duo.
It was recently announced that Kurt Busch’s crew chief, Pat Tryson, will resign at season’s conclusion and move to Michael Waltrip Racing. Martin Truex, Jr. will be the beneficiary of Tryson’s leadership in 2010. How do Busch and the Penske team adequately put in the effort to win the Cup when the crew chief is packing up his desk after the final race? What if they win? Then Pat has to gather his belongings the next day to move to MWR. At best, the challenge in front of this team is difficult. There could be some drama here during the last ten races.
Juan Pablo Montoya has earned his first Chase berth. If a native Colombian were to score a championship in NASCAR’s premiere series it would be a huge shot in the diversification arm. Stock car racing, with its roots firmly established in southern, good-old-boy tradition, would have a champion from the furthest southern birthplace ever. An Indy 500, Monaco Formula 1, 24 Hours of Daytona, and Sprint Cup trophy all over one mantle would be most impressive.
Could a champion be crowned without winning a race? Montoya, along with Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle have not won a Cup race all year and they are only forty points from the lead. NASCAR is always under scrutiny by fans that are critical of the points awarding process. If the championship winner fails to win a race, the criticism will loudly fill much of the off season. The system is designed to reward consistency. We shall see if winning or consistency weighs more on NASCAR’s scales.
Denny Hamlin could win a title in his Grandmother’s memory. Kasey Kahne might give Richard Petty a trip to the head table. Brian Vickers may turn not qualifying for thirteen races in 2007 to a Miami Cup-hoisting party in 2009. By not making the Chase, Kyle Busch might now turn his points-chasing concerns into victory lane visits. Kevin Harvick is showing some strength late in the season and is looking for headlines of his own.
The final ten Sprint Cup events are about to start. The big storybook is filled with interesting characters and their private plot twists. I believe NASCAR envisioned an end to a year like this finale that is forming up. Race fans can hope for the on track action to reflect the off track events.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Patrick, you have just found one fan that does not like Mark Martin. He’s too much of a cheerleader. If you listen back to when he was with Roush Racing, no one in the world would ever be a better owner than Roush. Then it was how great and wonderful it is to have a car owner like Teresa Earnhardt. Now it’s how great Hendrick Motor Sports is. I know no driver is going to ditch the team they race for, but come on. Talk about being over the top. I will be rooting against him. Sorry.
Janine, are you serious? Speaking as someone who’s been an employer, I’d love to have 10 Mark Martins with “gratitude in their attitude.” Frankly, I get tired of people going around like somebody spit in their Cheerios all time. But hey, to each their own. I’m laying aside my “Drive For Five” cheer for Jeff Gordon this year in hopes that MM gets the championship that has eluded him.
I’m serious. But I love the part about spitting in the Cheerios. But don’t get me wrong, Martin is a great driver and I won’t ever take that away from from him. And thanks for letting me have an opinion.
That’s what its all bout Janine. And BTW- you are not one of those perpetually, over-the-top professional cranks either. I can see why someone would feel that wya, but that what I like about him.