The Chase, Round One…
Tuesday, September 19th, 2006 3:31pm EDT
By Tim Spencer, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
[thumb:364:l:s=1:l=x]Week one of the Chase for the Cup has already started shaping up. Yep, I’m by no means a Ford fan, but sometimes you just have to say “That’s the way I see it†and let the dice roll. Which owner has the best shot, I would like to say RCR has the best shot, but I just don’t think it’s there yet. Kasey Kahne is in the lone Dodge so if he goes looking for help where might he find it? The person who would most likely offer the most help would be Denny Hamlin. However, I don’t see it coming down to any of them. I would have to put the combination of Mark Martin and Matt Kennseth in the front spots.
With Mark’s recent concerns about contracts and such I don’t see him bringing home the big one even though I know it would bring a lot of tears to a bunch of people. I see Kennseth pretty much setting the pace. Kennseth will out do his teammate by putting up more victories while Mark will spend his time working toward the top on constantly finishing and finishing well. Sorry to say it for Mark, I just don’t think the Chase style Cup is in his favor. I think Kennseth will back up a win or two with just as many consistant finishes. It just seems to be his year as the DeWalt Ford has peaked at the right time.
Yep, Kevin Harvick is leading the points, but I don’t think he can hang on the top for long. I think he has the ability to win races and post good finishes, but his problem has been the consistence that he needs never since he entered Cup. He is an aggressive driver and I like that about him, but sometimes he goes just a little to far and push the edge to close and has that one bad race which will take him out.
Burton, will finish in the top six, but on consistence right with Mark. You have to like guys like Mark and Jeff as they know how to driver the wheels off of a car, but they know when to back down when the car just isn’t gripping the track. They have the old school attitude of let’s see what we can hold on for this week, bring the car home in one piece and then go after them again next week.
Jimmie Johnson has dropped off a bunch in recent weeks and just hasn’t been able to post the finish he needs. Johnson has a strong team and I’m sure they will recover to be in the top five, but I don’t see them going much father unless a couple of the drivers up front have problems. Johnson peaked at the wrong time of the year and needs to turn his season back around.
You just always have to wonder with Mr. Gordon knocking on the door when the Drive For Five will actually happen. I’m not a Gordon fan, but after watching him grow through sprint cars and such I do have respect for him. I think he will make the top three, but Drive for Five will continue next year as he had to fight just to make the Chase. It has been an up and down year for the entire team.
I do think it will be a very interesting Chase to the Cup this year just because of the diversity of the group of drivers and teams. You have Kahne in the lone Dodge and Hamlin in the lone Joe Gibbs car, but that organization has a tendence to go with the Jr. camp and will probably also be seen from time to time teaming up with the Hendrick cars. Of course You can’t leave out the old and new as Mark Martin and teammate Matt Kennseth attempt to put another one in the book for Roush Racing either. You also can count on Gordon looking for Johnson and if they can find their teammate Kyle Busch then he will be in tow as well.
What more could you ask for? All makes of cars; veterian drivers to rookie driver; and everything in between. It’s going to go to the wire.
And… That’s The Way I See It!!
Filed Under: Features, Guest Authors, Nascar, Nextel Cup, The Chase, The Way I See It, Tim Spencer
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