There is sure to be excitement at the front of tonight's Sharp Aquos 500 at California Speedway. The Nextel Cup contenders will pull out the stops for the win and precious ten bonus points that come with it. For Dale Earnhardt Jr and Ryan Newman fans, the drama will be at the back of the pack. They hope.
Three drivers hold the keys to a chance at ultimate success - or relative failure - for the #8 and #12. Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr or Kurt Busch have big leads over their pursuers for the Chase's top twelve - roughly 160 to 180 points - but catastrophe lurks. Just ask Brad Kesolowski.
Kurt Busch has looked, to me, like a solid contender for the championship - if he can just get in the Chase. Truex Jr had a couple non-descript races but has come on lately. Harvick has faltered a bit.
On the chaser side, Earnhardt Jr and Newman have been pretty solid for most of the last dozen races. The problem has been that their respective team-mates have outshone them. Not by much - just enough, it seems, each race to stretch the deficit to where it is today. And it is their team-mates that they chase.
It shapes up to be an interesting race. Could it be that if a Harvick or Truex Jr falls laps down, allowing Dale Jr to claw back into points contention, that NASCAR leaves the debris caution flags furled? Lucky dogs be damned?
Picture credit: Beth Anne Heisler - ON PIT ROW
Out of the three Harvick is the most vulnerable..That team has been inconsistent all year..Busch and Tryson are strong and Truex has some momentum...
Posted by: robert bourne | September 02, 2007 at 12:54 PM