The Sprint Cup action in Kansas did more to give a few drivers an added lease on life and better shot at the championship than it did eliminating competitors. While points leader, Mark Martin increased his margin by just a few points, Tony Stewart’s win put him solidly in striking distance of the top while Juan Montoya continues to be an interesting factor in 3rd place. At this point, it would appear anyone below Greg Biffle, 114 points out in 8th place would find it next to impossible to crawl back in the chase with Ryan Newman -164 and Carl Edwards -165. Kasey Kahne’s poor fortune already had him looking far out of the chase while Brian Vickers’ failure shot him to dead last -250 points out of the action.
While Mark Martin continues to impress, how many fans don’t have a chill thinking that Jimmie Johnson just might be inevitable standing only -18 points behind? No team knows Chase racing like Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus. Further, traveling to Fontana is a virtual homecoming for the California driver who is engaged in numerous public appearances for his sponsors and associated charities near his home.
No one has the experience advantage that the 48 team enjoys. While Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are both former champs and Mark Martin’s been in the top ten many times, their teams have more variables than the 48 team. Juan Pablo Montoya enters as the real fresh face in the upper level of competition, quite a surprise from a team that was on life support patched back into shape as Earnhardt-Ganassi racing.
We’ll look at qualifying and practice to see what materializes for Sunday’s competition. NASCAR will also be checking the stands and gate receipts as California racing has not done well since Fontana split to two dates. This year, the event was moved from Labor Day weekend, a difficult date to promote with searing hot temperatures and much competition for the entertainment dollar. NASCAR is banking the Los Angeles area facility might attract a bigger audience switching to mid-October. Labor Day looked pretty good for the swap partner, Atlanta taking that date back to Dixie where many feel it belongs.
Using past history at the track might be a little misleading considering this is the first October race with weather forecast to be in the low 70’s, sunny and mild. Jimmie Johnson has won the last two later events at the Auto Club Speedway while the early race has belonged to Matt Kenseth this year and Carl Edwards a year ago. We’ll stick to recent races since the Car of Tomorrow has been in service that Mark Martin won in Fontana for Jack Roush in ’98 probably has little bearing on this contest. Likewise, Jeff Gordon shows three wins as well.
Increasingly, we’ll say it, the story of the races ahead will be, who can stop Jimmie Johnson? Love him or hate him, this is reality.
While Mark Martin continues to impress, how many fans don’t have a chill thinking that Jimmie Johnson just might be inevitable standing only -18 points behind? No team knows Chase racing like Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus. Further, traveling to Fontana is a virtual homecoming for the California driver who is engaged in numerous public appearances for his sponsors and associated charities near his home.
No one has the experience advantage that the 48 team enjoys. While Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon are both former champs and Mark Martin’s been in the top ten many times, their teams have more variables than the 48 team. Juan Pablo Montoya enters as the real fresh face in the upper level of competition, quite a surprise from a team that was on life support patched back into shape as Earnhardt-Ganassi racing.
We’ll look at qualifying and practice to see what materializes for Sunday’s competition. NASCAR will also be checking the stands and gate receipts as California racing has not done well since Fontana split to two dates. This year, the event was moved from Labor Day weekend, a difficult date to promote with searing hot temperatures and much competition for the entertainment dollar. NASCAR is banking the Los Angeles area facility might attract a bigger audience switching to mid-October. Labor Day looked pretty good for the swap partner, Atlanta taking that date back to Dixie where many feel it belongs.
Using past history at the track might be a little misleading considering this is the first October race with weather forecast to be in the low 70’s, sunny and mild. Jimmie Johnson has won the last two later events at the Auto Club Speedway while the early race has belonged to Matt Kenseth this year and Carl Edwards a year ago. We’ll stick to recent races since the Car of Tomorrow has been in service that Mark Martin won in Fontana for Jack Roush in ’98 probably has little bearing on this contest. Likewise, Jeff Gordon shows three wins as well.
Increasingly, we’ll say it, the story of the races ahead will be, who can stop Jimmie Johnson? Love him or hate him, this is reality.
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