Team Infidel
Forum Spin Doctor
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nascar/2006-09-07-richmond-preview_x.htm
Q: Why is this race such a big deal?
A: The Chevy Rock & Roll 400, under the lights, is the final race leading up to NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup. The championship field will be set once the results of the race are final. The top 10 drivers (and ties) as well as anyone within 400 points of the leader will earn their way into the 10-race Chase — the equivalent of NASCAR's postseason.
Q: Is there any way the 400-point mark could come into play?
A: There is a remote chance if points leader Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson falter badly. If both finish 21st or worse and Kasey Kahne (11th place) leads the most laps and wins the race, 11 would make the Chase.
Q: Which drivers have already qualified for the Chase?
A: Kenseth and Johnson are the only two drivers who have clinched spots in the top 10. Several others are close. Kevin Harvick needs only to finish 40th or better in the 43-car field, no matter what any other driver does.
Four other drivers don't even have to finish in the top 15 to guarantee their spots in the Chase. Jeff Gordon can finish 25th, Kyle Busch 22nd, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 16th and rookie Denny Hamlin 16th and they're in.
Q: Who is most squarely on the bubble — and how did they get that way?
A: Defending champion Tony Stewart is eighth but has only a 45-point cushion on Kahne, the driver on the outside looking in. Stewart is followed by Mark Martin, who's just two points ahead of Jeff Burton for ninth. Stewart vaulted to fifth with his victory July 1. Since then, it's been a mixed bag with five top-10s but finishes of 32nd (Chicagoland), 37th (New Hampshire International Speedway) and 22nd (Bristol Motor Speedway) sprinkled in.
Martin was fourth in the standings with a 138-point lead over Kahne after his fifth at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 20. But a 28th at Bristol and a 12th at California Speedway have left him ninth, only 32 points ahead of Kahne.
Burton was third in points after the race at Pocono Raceway on July 20 but has plummeted in the standings despite starting no worse than seventh in seven of the last eight races. Bitten by an engine failure at Michigan, where he failed to finish for the only time this season, he fell to ninth in points. A 16th at California left him 10th and most vulnerable to fast-charging Kahne.
Kahne, who leads all Cup drivers with five victories this season, stood third after winning the 15th race of the season at Michigan on June 18. He turned up the heat with Sunday's victory at California — just his third top-10 performance since his win at Michigan.
Q: Who's breathing a bit easier after California?
A: Eight drivers in the top 10 gained or lost position in last Sunday's race. Earnhardt profited most with his second-place finish, moving up three spots to sixth in the standings.
Q: Who's had the most success at Richmond?
A: If you're looking for a spoiler, consider Ryan Newman, who has been in the top 10 in six of his nine starts at Richmond. He won here in 2003.
Earnhardt has been in the top 10 nine times and the top five on seven occasions, including three wins in 15 starts. That's similar to Stewart, who has three wins and 10 top-10s in 15 starts. Gordon leads active drivers with four poles at Richmond. He's won twice and finished in the top five in 16 of his 27 Cup races.
Q: Who struggles at Richmond?
A: Historically, this has been a tough track for Johnson, whose second-place run in 2004 is his only top-10 in nine starts.
Presuming he qualifies, Kyle Petty will be making his 50th start at Richmond. He's won once (1986).
Joe Nemechek's victory in 2003 is his only top-five showing in 25 races. Michael Waltrip has only two top-10s in 41 starts. Kahne's teammate, Elliott Sadler, has made the top 10 once in 15 races, and Casey Mears has yet to crack the top 10 in seven tries.
Q: What will the crowd be like?
A: The race will be the 30th consecutive sellout for a Cup event at Richmond.
And in next spring's race, nearly 5,000 more seats will be available when the racetrack adds an 18-story grandstand.
Q: Why is this race such a big deal?
A: The Chevy Rock & Roll 400, under the lights, is the final race leading up to NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup. The championship field will be set once the results of the race are final. The top 10 drivers (and ties) as well as anyone within 400 points of the leader will earn their way into the 10-race Chase — the equivalent of NASCAR's postseason.
Q: Is there any way the 400-point mark could come into play?
A: There is a remote chance if points leader Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson falter badly. If both finish 21st or worse and Kasey Kahne (11th place) leads the most laps and wins the race, 11 would make the Chase.
Q: Which drivers have already qualified for the Chase?
A: Kenseth and Johnson are the only two drivers who have clinched spots in the top 10. Several others are close. Kevin Harvick needs only to finish 40th or better in the 43-car field, no matter what any other driver does.
Four other drivers don't even have to finish in the top 15 to guarantee their spots in the Chase. Jeff Gordon can finish 25th, Kyle Busch 22nd, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 16th and rookie Denny Hamlin 16th and they're in.
Q: Who is most squarely on the bubble — and how did they get that way?
A: Defending champion Tony Stewart is eighth but has only a 45-point cushion on Kahne, the driver on the outside looking in. Stewart is followed by Mark Martin, who's just two points ahead of Jeff Burton for ninth. Stewart vaulted to fifth with his victory July 1. Since then, it's been a mixed bag with five top-10s but finishes of 32nd (Chicagoland), 37th (New Hampshire International Speedway) and 22nd (Bristol Motor Speedway) sprinkled in.
Martin was fourth in the standings with a 138-point lead over Kahne after his fifth at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 20. But a 28th at Bristol and a 12th at California Speedway have left him ninth, only 32 points ahead of Kahne.
Burton was third in points after the race at Pocono Raceway on July 20 but has plummeted in the standings despite starting no worse than seventh in seven of the last eight races. Bitten by an engine failure at Michigan, where he failed to finish for the only time this season, he fell to ninth in points. A 16th at California left him 10th and most vulnerable to fast-charging Kahne.
Kahne, who leads all Cup drivers with five victories this season, stood third after winning the 15th race of the season at Michigan on June 18. He turned up the heat with Sunday's victory at California — just his third top-10 performance since his win at Michigan.
Q: Who's breathing a bit easier after California?
A: Eight drivers in the top 10 gained or lost position in last Sunday's race. Earnhardt profited most with his second-place finish, moving up three spots to sixth in the standings.
Q: Who's had the most success at Richmond?
A: If you're looking for a spoiler, consider Ryan Newman, who has been in the top 10 in six of his nine starts at Richmond. He won here in 2003.
Earnhardt has been in the top 10 nine times and the top five on seven occasions, including three wins in 15 starts. That's similar to Stewart, who has three wins and 10 top-10s in 15 starts. Gordon leads active drivers with four poles at Richmond. He's won twice and finished in the top five in 16 of his 27 Cup races.
Q: Who struggles at Richmond?
A: Historically, this has been a tough track for Johnson, whose second-place run in 2004 is his only top-10 in nine starts.
Presuming he qualifies, Kyle Petty will be making his 50th start at Richmond. He's won once (1986).
Joe Nemechek's victory in 2003 is his only top-five showing in 25 races. Michael Waltrip has only two top-10s in 41 starts. Kahne's teammate, Elliott Sadler, has made the top 10 once in 15 races, and Casey Mears has yet to crack the top 10 in seven tries.
Q: What will the crowd be like?
A: The race will be the 30th consecutive sellout for a Cup event at Richmond.
And in next spring's race, nearly 5,000 more seats will be available when the racetrack adds an 18-story grandstand.