There are just six races left until the Chase for the Championship begins. So, getting into the top 10 in points, or winning one of the two wild-card spots by having the most wins of a driver in the top 20 in points, but not in the top 10, is becoming more urgent.
The two drivers who helped themselves the most at Indianapolis Sunday were Paul Menard, obviously, with his first career win, and Tony Stewart. Menard, who became the first driver to win his first Sprint Cup race at Indy, is 14th in points, but would make the Chase based on his win, even though he sits behind Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle, who are each winless this season. Bowyer and Biffle have run well at this week's venue, Pocono, in the past, so they're not out of it yet.
Stewart put himself in better position by moving from 11th to ninth in the point standings with a sixth-place finish at Indy. Stewart doesn't have that coveted win yet, but he does have a 22-point lead over 11th place Denny Hamlin, who does have a win, and 35-point lead over Bowyer.
Though he didn't have a disaster of a day, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 16th, which bumped him back to 10th in the points. He also does not have a coveted victory this season as his winless streak reached 113 races (for those of you snoring at home). He's 19 points ahead of Hamlin and 32 ahead of Bowyer. His chances of making the Chase are slipping every week as he inches closer to falling out of the top 10 and with the fact that there have been 14 different winners in 20 races this season. Junior needs one of those different winners to be him in these next six races.
Until next time.
Showing posts with label Paul Menard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Menard. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Some Bristol clear thoughts
Some observations from Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol.
Right now it's Kyle Busch's track. He's won the last five times he's raced there. It's a little ironic that a guy who has been known to have a short temper at times, has mastered a track that is known for making the most patient guys lose their saneness. So has Kyle matured a little or has he just figured out how to race around that half-mile bullring? Probably a little of both.
Speaking of maturity could that be happening to Carl Edwards as well? After the final restart when Busch and Edwards were close for a few laps, Edwards had the opportunity to do some pushing and shoving that is typical at Bristol. And with Kyle Busch as the main competitor, it would have seemed like an inevitable confrontation was ready to happen. But it didn't. While Edwards said he was thinking another yellow would bunch the field back up, the fact is he didn't bump the younger Shrub out of the way when he had the chance.
Other random thoughts: A nice rally by Dale Earnhardt Jr. to finish 11th after going a lap down. He was actually racing, not just riding around out there. ... Paul Menard had a good day taking fifth. It was nice to see somebody different up there. And now he's fifth in points, too. ... Jimmie Johnson fans shouldn't be worried. He's done nothing spectacular but is seventh in points, just 20 behind the leader. ... Kurt Busch's car was all beat up, front and rear, yet he still finished seventh and is now the series points leader by one over Edwards. That's the beauty of Bristol.
Right now it's Kyle Busch's track. He's won the last five times he's raced there. It's a little ironic that a guy who has been known to have a short temper at times, has mastered a track that is known for making the most patient guys lose their saneness. So has Kyle matured a little or has he just figured out how to race around that half-mile bullring? Probably a little of both.
Speaking of maturity could that be happening to Carl Edwards as well? After the final restart when Busch and Edwards were close for a few laps, Edwards had the opportunity to do some pushing and shoving that is typical at Bristol. And with Kyle Busch as the main competitor, it would have seemed like an inevitable confrontation was ready to happen. But it didn't. While Edwards said he was thinking another yellow would bunch the field back up, the fact is he didn't bump the younger Shrub out of the way when he had the chance.
Other random thoughts: A nice rally by Dale Earnhardt Jr. to finish 11th after going a lap down. He was actually racing, not just riding around out there. ... Paul Menard had a good day taking fifth. It was nice to see somebody different up there. And now he's fifth in points, too. ... Jimmie Johnson fans shouldn't be worried. He's done nothing spectacular but is seventh in points, just 20 behind the leader. ... Kurt Busch's car was all beat up, front and rear, yet he still finished seventh and is now the series points leader by one over Edwards. That's the beauty of Bristol.
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