Matt's Thread of Racing...

[El_Citrus]

The Chase is set, and Hamlin quickly grabbed the momentum of the field heading into the Chase.

1) #11-Denny Hamlin [6 wins], 5060
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [5 wins], 5050, -10
3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 5030, -30
4) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 5030, -30
5) #2-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 5020, -40
6) #14-Tony Stewart [1 win], 5010, -50
7) #16-Greg Biffle [1 win], 5010, -50
8) #24-Jeff Gordon, 5000, -60
9) #99-Carl Edwards, 5000, -60
10) #31-Jeff Burton, 5000, -60
11) #17-Matt Kenseth, 5000, -60
12) #33-Clint Bowyer, 5000, -60

Jimmie Johnson is still my front runner to win the Chase, though, as you've said NYS, Hamlin looks to be the guy to have a shot to dethrone him. Don't count out Harvick, who mastered Dega earlier this year. My dark horse to win the Chase? The man who won the first Chase: Kurt Busch.

 

[Paroxysm]

[YT]IdXJYc4CpXA[/YT]

Travis Pastrana makes his Subie dance.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

The Chase is set, and Hamlin quickly grabbed the momentum of the field heading into the Chase.

1) #11-Denny Hamlin [6 wins], 5060
2) #48-Jimmie Johnson [5 wins], 5050, -10
3) #29-Kevin Harvick [3 wins], 5030, -30
4) #18-Kyle Busch [3 wins], 5030, -30
5) #2-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 5020, -40
6) #14-Tony Stewart [1 win], 5010, -50
7) #16-Greg Biffle [1 win], 5010, -50
8) #24-Jeff Gordon, 5000, -60
9) #99-Carl Edwards, 5000, -60
10) #31-Jeff Burton, 5000, -60
11) #17-Matt Kenseth, 5000, -60
12) #33-Clint Bowyer, 5000, -60

Jimmie Johnson is still my front runner to win the Chase, though, as you've said NYS, Hamlin looks to be the guy to have a shot to dethrone him. Don't count out Harvick, who mastered Dega earlier this year. My dark horse to win the Chase? The man who won the first Chase: Kurt Busch.

I'm pulling for Edwards since he's my favorite driver. The guy that I really want to see win it is Burton. If I had to pick a guy to win it all right now, it would be Hamlin. He's been consistent every where they've went. I hope they go into Homestead with at least 4+ drivers separated by 100 points or less. The 2004 and 2006 Chase's are good examples.

 

[El_Citrus]

Denny Hamlin gets beat up, spun around, and beat up some more and still comes home 2nd in a New Hampshire race that looked like a flat Bristol. That will win him a Championship if he can survive the next 9 races. Clint Bowyer winning was huge for him and a major loss for Stewart, but everyone still have 9 races to gather themselves up.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

I would love for Clint Bowyer to come out of no where and win the championship. He hung right with Johnson and Gordon in the '07 Chase right to the end. I'm sure if he puts together some good runs, he'll have a shot.

 

[El_Citrus]

Well, it looks like, after Kansas, we're down to 8 drivers in contention for the championship, but even then, Johnson is getting himself into championship form once again. It's going to be interesting to see if Hamlin or Harvick can stop him.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Harvick is still doing what he needs to do and that's have consistent finishes. I still hope we get a 5 driver battle for the title at Homestead.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Kasey Kahne released from RPM. Will be in the #83 Red Bull car the rest of the year.

 

[El_Citrus]

Craziness, I tell you. He completely blows up Saturday night, and by Wednesday he's gone. In a way, I can't blame him. RPM is bleeding money left and right, the team's going nowhere, and soon might not be able to even field a car.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Kasey grabbed a 14th place finish with his new team. I was pretty impressed seeing how his car was crap all day long.

I'm loving this chase battle. Hamlin has closed the gap to 6 points and Harvick isn't too far behind. Hell, if Johnson and Hamlin end up in the big one next week at 'Dega, then we could have more drivers with a chance come Homestead.

 

[El_Citrus]

Gotta love Martin, who was closing in on a victory with a bent up car that gave him more downforce. I agree that this Chase is getting more and more exciting with each race, all of which is building towards Dega, which is the big crap shoot luck of the draw in the Chase. Can't wait to see what happens.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

How about that race? Great finish, 3 drivers still in contention and a FIGHT! Congrats to Hamlin. The next two races are gonna be exciting.

 

[El_Citrus]

How obvious is it that Denny Hamlin is feeling the pressure to win this championship? He takes the lead after Texas, riding high, then ends up losing points at Phoenix and the frustration showed while Jimmie just kept chugging along. Homestead is going to be a dog fight.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

And all three drivers are good at Homestead. I hope Denny pulls this off, or Harvick comes from third to win it.

 

[El_Citrus]

I hope we see Jimmie and Denny running side by side all night. Can you imagine if Jimmie bumped Denny out of the way? I think Harvick will try so hard and overdo it in some way, whereas it's obvious Hamlin will be feeling the pressure while Jimmie has to actually race at Homestead this weekend after years of coasting.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Today's the day! I can already tell this is gonna be a great race. I'm just praying the Johnson doesn't win it. If he does win it, then hats off to him.

 

[TheOnlyOmega]

So, I put 40 bucks on Harvick, looks like its coming along very well :3

 

[El_Citrus]

Congrats to Johnson for his FIFTH straight championship. This is just pure insanity how stable and skilled this team is.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

I think you could debate that he's the greatest driver in history. He's the fastest to 5 championships at age 35. I think Petty was 37 when he won his 5th. Johnson will win at least 2 more before he's done. I'm pretty sure he'll get close to 100 wins.

 

[El_Citrus]

No one will ever touch 200 wins, but that was such a different era that Petty was racing in.

I think Johnson is on par with, if not RIGHT below, Earnhardt and Petty. To take a car in an era where every car is strictly monitered to be as similar as possible, where every driver is a potential winner ready to break through, where the big teams are on such equal footing in terms of resources, and where drivers, engine builders, and team members can come and go from year to year like a free agent, and win FIVE championships is historic enough. To do it five years in a ROW is simply impossible, especially in this era of equality, and yet Johnson and Knaus have done it. At this point, there's almost not much left to say anymore except sit back and just watch him rack up more champiosnhips.

You just know that Nascar has to be hating his success right now. They implement the Chase to liven and fresh up the end of the season, and for five straight years, the same guy ends up winning the damn thing.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

And I really thought this would be the year they stumble and lose it. I actually think you could say Hamlin gave him this title. Hamlin seemed a little agressive at the start of the race when he made contact with Biffle. I think that screwed up his day and why he lost the title. Gotta feel bad for both Hamlin and Harvick. Harvick would have ran away with this title if the chase wasn't there. And Hamlin has been on an even playing field with Johnson since last season.

 

[El_Citrus]

Hamlin felt the pressure as soon as he took the Chase lead and it cost him the title, while Johnson just kept cruising.

Speaking of Harvick running away with the title, I found this chart rather interesting and hypothetical.

Year_____Champ_____Chase Champ
1975_____Richard Petty(6)_____Richard Petty(6)
1976_____Cale Yarborough_____Cale Yarborough
1977_____Cale Yarborough(2)_____Cale Yarborough(2)
1978_____Cale Yarborough(3)_____Cale Yarborough(3)
1979_____Richard Petty(7)_____Richard Petty(7)
1980_____Dale Earnhardt_____Cale Yarborough(4)
1981_____Darrell Waltrip_____Darrell Waltrip
1982_____Darrell Waltrip(2)_____Darrell Waltrip(2)
1983_____Bobby Allison_____Darrell Waltrip(3)
1984_____Terry Labonte_____Harry Gant
1985_____Darrell Waltrip(3)_____Darrell Waltrip(4)
1986_____Dale Earnhardt(2)_____Dale Earnhardt
1987_____Dale Earnhardt(3)_____Dale Earnhardt(2)
1988_____Bill Elliott_____Bill Elliott
1989_____Rusty Wallace_____Rusty Wallace
1990_____Dale Earnhardt(4)_____Dale Earnhardt(3)
1991_____Dale Earnhardt(5)_____Harry Gant(2)
1992_____Alan Kulwicki_____Kyle Petty
1993_____Dale Earnhardt(6)_____Rusty Wallace(2)
1994_____Dale Earnhardt(7)_____Dale Earnhardt(4)
1995_____Jeff Gordon_____Dale Earnhardt(5)
1996_____Terry Labonte(2)_____Jeff Gordon
1997_____Jeff Gordon(2)_____Dale Jarrett
1998_____Jeff Gordon(3)_____Jeff Gordon(2)
1999_____Dale Jarrett_____Bobby Labonte
2000_____Bobby Labonte_____Bobby Labonte(2)
2001_____Jeff Gordon(4)_____Sterling Marlin
2002_____Tony Stewart_____Kurt Busch
2003_____Matt Kenseth_____Jimmie Johnson
Year_____Classic Points_____Champ
2004_____Jeff Gordon (5)_____Kurt Busch (2)
2005_____Tony Stewart (2)______Tony Stewart
2006_____Jimmie Johnson_____Jimmie Johnson (2)
2007_____Jeff Gordon (6)_____Jimmie Johnson (3)
2008_____Carl Edwards_____Jimmie Johnson (4)
2009_____Jimmie Johnson (2)_____Jimmie Johnson (5)
2010______Kevin Harvick_____Jimmie Johnson(6)​

Basically, showing what Nascar would have been like without a Chase and if the Chase were around since 75.

In other news, Hendrick didn't take long to shake things up, switching crew chiefs around internally for Gordon, Martin, and Earnhardt, who get Gustafson, McGrew, and Letarte respectively. Also, I'm not sure how much of an effect moving the 88's shop in with the 48's will have, but it seems like Hendrick taking a big swing at everything except Johnson's team.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

Daytona 500 is 33 days away! Also, NASCAR looking to change point system. I really like this idea.

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=6031384

 

[El_Citrus]

I think it's much simpler and can work (even though 43 cars/points will eat away at my OCD wanting it at a multiple of 5) at making things easier for everyone. I wouldn't mind the change, though I'd like to see how previous seasons would have turned out with it.

Also, I know that Nascar is just looking for ways to improve their sport, but I can't but feel like they're looking for a new way to keep Johnson from winning the title year in and year out. Rather amusing to think about.

 

[NewYorkSpider]

The only problem I have is the "wild card" drivers. The two drivers outside the top 10 with the most wins gets in. Meaning if said driver is 20th in points and won 2-3 races, they could get in the chase.