Race For the Chase Update

By Adam Ruggiero
Love of Sports Correspondent

Halfway home, race fans.

Five down and five to go in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

I’ve been trying tirelessly to keep all you loyal NASCAR ’necks informed and, at the same time, trying to convert all the “They’re just cars going in circles” non-fans to our side.

In that same spirit, here’s a rundown on where we are, how we got here and what’s ahead as NASCAR “Sprints” toward the season finale in a month from now at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Race for the Chase Update

Going into the Chase it was Kyle Busch and everybody else: “Rowdy,” as the 23-year-old younger brother of Kurt came to be known this year, won a jaw-dropping eight of the first 26 races leading into the Chase. What made his wins even more amazing was that he wasn’t just crossing the finish line in first; he was killing the competition. He wasn’t passing; he was flying by other cars. And it wasn’t just the flat tracks, short tracks, or super speedways where he dominated. He won on them all – even the road courses! At the end of the “regular season,” everyone thought it would be a 10-race battle for runner-up.

Race One - New Hampshire: This venue opened the Chase with a raucous shake-up in the points. Greg Biffle entered the race in ninth, a long shot to say the least after having a mistake-ridden season that saw him approach a one-year winless streak. That changed when he capitalized on some Chasers’ misfortunes to win the playoff opener. Boy Wonder, Kyle Busch, finished 34th after a sway bar caused him major problems in the early going. Leaving New Hampshire, Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson were tied for the lead and Biffle launched to third in points. Busch dropped precipitously to eighth.

Race Two - Dover: NASCAR fans and analysts alike were shaking their heads in disbelief. Once again, Biffle soared to victory and quieted all his doubters. Busch, meanwhile, quieted all his believers and virtually nailed shut his own coffin after finishing dead last with engine failure. Johnson and Edwards both finished in the Top 5 and the standings stayed Edwards-Johnson-Biffle, all within 10 points of one another.

Race Three – Kansas: This one made it official: this Chase is about three guys. Johnson’s going for his third straight championship. Edwards is trying to cap off his charismatic, winner’s image with a legitimizing title. And Biffle’s attempting to put tough luck in his rearview and solidify his right to be a top driver. The boys did on track what they’d been doing in the points, going one-two-three, in Johnson-Edwards-Biffle order. The point standings continued to reflect that finish.

Race Four – Talladega: This one promised to be hair raiser, and it didn’t disappoint. One of NASCAR’s most unpredictable tracks, the super speedway 2.5-miler jumped and bit some the big names. With just 15 laps to go in the 189-lap event, Edwards inexplicably pushed the envelope by running too hard into the turn, with his teammates on either side of him, and took himself out, along with Roush comrades Biffle and Matt Kenseth. Tony Stewart managed to close the deal on his first win, not only of this year, but his first win ever at Talladega. Johnson stretched his point lead to 70-plus over Edwards and Biffle. Jeff Burton lurked in fourth in points, still within 100 of Johnson.

Race Five – Charlotte: It certainly kept the Chase storyline interesting and gave fans one more underdog to root for as the Series speeds toward its finale. Burton made good on his second win of the season. Not a nail-biter, but this race dealt Edwards some engine trouble and seriously hurt his bid for the title. Johnson saved a Top 10, and so did Biffle. Leaving the halfway point, the primary contenders are Johnson in first, Burton just 69 points behind in second and Biffle hanging tough in third, 86 points back.

Going into Race Six – Martinsville: The field will line up by points due to rain … again! Perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise, the rain-dictated starting grid puts the contenders nose-to-tail to kickoff the second half. This is great news for Johnson, who has four wins in his last nine starts here. Biffle and Burton have combined for none. Still, Martinsville’s a half-mile, nearly flat track. Those in the know have dubbed this track the “paper clip,” because of its sharp, narrow turns and low banking. The fun kicks off at 1:00pm EST.