The Chase, Round Two…
Tuesday, September 26th, 2006 8:40pm CDT
By Tim Spencer, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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[thumb:364:l:s=1:l=x]Week number two of the ten week shot at the title has come and gone. Not only has it come and gone, but it has left a couple of the contenders scratching their heads and wondering exactly how it went so wrong from the beginning.
Look at Kasey Kahne, who did not have a stellar performance at New Hampshire, but it was something that he could have over come. Or at least until here comes Tony Stewart at Dover to knock him out of contention for a good finish shortly after the race began. Not bad for a guy who last week was crying about drivers racing against the Chase contenders. It is kind weird when the guy you knocked out of the Chase knocked you out of sight of the Cup. Granted it was a freak deal, but you could hear the sweet chin music of irony in the background.
Kyle Bush just had another one of those weeks. Kyle stayed in the top ten most of the season by finishing near the top and staying on top of his game. That team has just not been able to pull it together for the Chase as they have had two really bad finishes and all but been eliminated from the Chase. Whether accidnet or part failure, the timing has cost him a shot this year.
As much as I hate to say it, Kahne and Bush need to start adjusting for next year. I know it’s only two races into the Chase, but they are all but eliminated from the big show. They may be able to climb a couple positions, but it will be hard for them to climb back into the top five come close of business on the Cup. Stranger things have happened but comon sense says their done fighting for the top spot in the end.
Jeff Burton brought his “A†game to town and has proven that RCR can still put cars up front without crashing the competition. Burton is one of those small town boys like Mark Martin that everyone just kind of pulls for inside from time to time. Burton can’t rest assured on the top though, as it’s way too close to even be content with being on top right now.
Jeff Gordon is knocking on the back door just merely six points behind. We all know that Gordon knows how to wheel a race car and that his team knows what it takes to win championships. Gordon is peaking at the right time, and that should put the other teams on full alert. He’s always had that “streaky” side to him, and when he gets on a roll you’d better watch out.
Using the chrome bumper on Gordon is Matt Kenseth, as he sits in the third spot. What a battle it is shaping up to be with three different car owners holding the top spots shaping up the shoot out. All three front runners are putting up good consistent finishes during the Chase and are making the best of what they have. And considering Hamlin is tied at -18 back, better make it a 4-way.
Martin is holding tough. However, if Martin wants to take the Cup home this year then he needs to get it in gear. He finished in 14th this week which was enough to keep him toward the front, but as the other drivers progress they are slowly pulling away. It was actually a surprising finish. Martin had a lot vested in a stronger performance at Dover, so 14th almost seems like 28th. It was a place he could capitilize at but he fell short.
Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick both survived the week, but they can’t afford to many more performances like they had this weekend or in a couple weeks they will find themselves all but eliminated too. Hamlin didn’t fair bad, and being tied for 3rd (until you pbump him to 4th because of the win column) isn’t bad at all. However, next time the point fairy just might not be so kind.
Dale Jr. and Johnson have to have the win attitude throughout the garage. They both need to post a couple wins if they plan on being near the top at the end of the show. This season could very well be the first where someone doesn’t have trouble during the Chase, so they need to pick up the pace.
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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