On the Loose Side
A NASCAR BLOG BY Kenny Bruce
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Chase For The Sprint Cup still a mystery
Oct
12
CONCORD, N.C. – Any way you slice it, 10 races isn’t a whole lot of time to gain ground in the point standings in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series. For whatever reason, it seems a lot easier to lose points that to gain them when the series’ Chase For The Sprint Cup gets under way.
Perhaps there’s a mathematical equation at work here that I just don’t understand. Something to do with 43 cars in the field divided by 12 drivers in the Chase, multiplied by 10 Chase races. If there’s a formula, I’m not even sure the folks at NASCAR have it figured out. And they were the ones who gave us loop data and the Lucky Dog rule.
So despite the fact that those of us who cover the sport seem to think we know a lot more than we actually do, figuring out the favorites, the near-favorites and the not-so-favorites is tricky work.
Jeff Burton’s victory in Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway only confirmed that fact. But no more so than the failures of Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, who finished outside the top 30 in the same race.
Some folks would call what Burton did “driving his point home” and I guess it’s especially appropriate given the circumstances. The win, coupled with point leader Jimmie Johnson’s sixth-place finish, didn’t wipe out the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s points advantage but Burton whacked 30 points off the deficit to trail by only 69 with five races remaining.
More importantly, perhaps, Burton jumped from fourth to second in the standings. That could be as big, if not bigger, than the 30-point gain. Because at least for the next race, Burton only has one driver between himself and the points lead.
But again, it may be best not to get ahead of ourselves here. Consistency’s a fleeting thing in the world of NASCAR. Today’s advantage is tomorrow’s heartbreak. There’s a reason the wise ones tell us they don’t look any further ahead than the next race on the schedule. Because the next race could be the beginning of something wonderful.
Or the end of the road to title town.
Perhaps there’s a mathematical equation at work here that I just don’t understand. Something to do with 43 cars in the field divided by 12 drivers in the Chase, multiplied by 10 Chase races. If there’s a formula, I’m not even sure the folks at NASCAR have it figured out. And they were the ones who gave us loop data and the Lucky Dog rule.
So despite the fact that those of us who cover the sport seem to think we know a lot more than we actually do, figuring out the favorites, the near-favorites and the not-so-favorites is tricky work.
Jeff Burton’s victory in Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway only confirmed that fact. But no more so than the failures of Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, who finished outside the top 30 in the same race.
Some folks would call what Burton did “driving his point home” and I guess it’s especially appropriate given the circumstances. The win, coupled with point leader Jimmie Johnson’s sixth-place finish, didn’t wipe out the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s points advantage but Burton whacked 30 points off the deficit to trail by only 69 with five races remaining.
More importantly, perhaps, Burton jumped from fourth to second in the standings. That could be as big, if not bigger, than the 30-point gain. Because at least for the next race, Burton only has one driver between himself and the points lead.
But again, it may be best not to get ahead of ourselves here. Consistency’s a fleeting thing in the world of NASCAR. Today’s advantage is tomorrow’s heartbreak. There’s a reason the wise ones tell us they don’t look any further ahead than the next race on the schedule. Because the next race could be the beginning of something wonderful.
Or the end of the road to title town.
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