Who’s Going To The Big Show
Tuesday, August 1st, 2006 12:47pm CDT
By Tim Spencer, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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[image:364:l:s=1:l=http://thunderlounge.com/articles/nascar/features/the-way-i-see-it/]It’s that time of year with only six races left in the Chase to see who will take the top ten spots and shoot it out for the championship. So who’s in and who’s out? It won’t take a four year degree to figure this one out. Then again, it might.
Let’s start with the obvious. Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth are going to make the Chase. Unless one of them pulls a stunt like Kurt Bush did last year. I think we all remember what that was and we will leave it at that. With the advantage that they have on the field, I really don’t see them falling out of the chase. No Chance!!
Kyle Bush has just kind of been hanging around and posting solid finishes to keep him in the hunt. That is what NASCAR is all about these days and he will be around for the Chase.
Who’s hurting the most out of the top 10? Kasey Kahne is my answer to that one. He started out the season steadily increasing in the points, until the last few weeks where he has hit the mid season slump and is dropping at a steady rate. Can Kahne make the Chase? Yes. All that team needs to do is get things under control and have good, consistent finishes over the next six races. This could prove to be a challenge with some of the tracks that are up coming though.
Mark Martin is stead fast and definitely will be in the top ten. While not having an overwhelming season, Martin has pulled off his usual consistency to keep himself solid in the top ten. I know he would like to be higher in the standings, but so wouldn’t the guy who is in 43rd place right now. When in doubt, just follow Rusty’s example last year and top 15 them to death.
RCR has had a good year even with all the other things going on in the shop last spring with talks of Harvick leaving and such. With that settled and well in the past, now RCR is looking at having two drivers in the Chase for the Cup with Jeff Burton coming out of no where and going straight to the top five. Burton is a definite for the Chase as he has always used his head and puts forth the effort to stay out of trouble. Harvick on the other hand is kind of on the bubble. If he can keep himself out of trouble then he will be around for the Chase. However, that has been one of Harvick’s down falls and he is about due for one to occur.
Even though sitting in the last two spots for the Chase right now are Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart I see them both staying around for the Chase. Why, because of both of their experience with being in tight spots before, and the quality of teams they have. Plus, look at the up coming tracks they have. Next up is their hometown track of nature, Indianapolis, and then they are off to the road course at Watkins Glen which they both excel at. Both drivers also know how to use the chrome horn from time to time to get that extra spot to keep them in the hunt. Plus they both have had their bad part of the season.
Can the rookie hang? It’s going to be close with the tracks that are left for Denny Hamlin to stay anchored in the top ten. The road course is going to be a killer on points for him. Richmond, even though it is consider his hometown track is another one that could bite him, or could propel him into the dance. Let’s not forget that Bristol has never been really good to Rookie Drivers in most cases.
So who is going to replace Hamlin in the top ten? There is only two possibilities, Jr. or Biffle. Both drivers have been up and down all season and have just failed to post a lot of good finishes that they should have. With the way they are presently running I would have to put the tic beside Biffle’s name for Chase and leave Jr. in the spot no one wants to be and that is the first guy to miss the big show.
And… That’s The Way I See It!!
Filed Under: Features, Guest Authors, Nascar, Nextel Cup, The Way I See It, Tim Spencer
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