The playoffs are here. The long regular season has ended and as has been evident for a long lime, the Hendrick cars, or at least the Chevys, are the "pick of the litter".
Jimmy Johnson ran away with the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 500 at Richmond. Teammates Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch are in The Chase. Chevy teams represent nine of the 12 spots. Only Roush/Fenway drivers Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards hold the Ford banner and Kurt Busch drives the lone Dodge to make the field.
Interestingly half of the field has incurred some form of points penalty this season. The teams of Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch have all been hit with 100 point penalties. Matt Kenseth had been docked 50 points, while Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart have lost 25 points each.
I guess Grandma Christine was wrong--"cheaters ARE beaters" after all.
The Buzz ON PIT ROW:
Given the long shot chance Dale Earnhardt Jr. had at making The Chase--did ABC/ESPN over play that story?
The Fast Lap this week asks:
1) Did Richmond replace Bristol as the best short track night race?
2) Which open-wheel defector will be more successful through the final 10 Cup races--Sam Hornish or Dario Franchitti?
3) Which rumor is more plausible; Gilett-Evernham Motorsports signing Patrick Carpentier or GEM merging with Petty Enterprises?
4) Would you take the 3 Hendrick cars or "the rest of the Chase field", if you were betting on the 2007 Champion?
Let us know how you feel about these questions, or anything else that happened during the week in Richmond. If we like your comments, whether we agree or not, we may use them on the air during Tuesday's ON PIT ROW. Leave us a comment on the blog or call the show--toll free at 1-877-502-8255 between 5-7pm edt on Tuesdays.
photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images
I think Richmond is must see TV not only for the racing but the fact that it's the final race prior to the Chase.
I'll take Hendrick vs the field. "Suspending" Knaus and Letarte for 6 weeks to stay home and build fast cars will pay off during the Chase.
Posted by: Mike | September 10, 2007 at 02:21 PM
1 yes but Richmond was my favorite before anyway
2 neither
3 both which will set back both as they go through the merger pains...
4 being a cantankerous old fart.. I will take the field....
Posted by: robert bourne | September 10, 2007 at 06:05 PM
Dale Jr: No I don't think ABC/ESPN did
1)I don't know about that, we'll have to see what happens next year when the teams have more experience with the CoT
2) Dario
3)Carpentier - Richard has too much pride, and he doesn't like hockey that much either
4)Money says Hendrick, heart says rest of field (esp Jeff Burton)
Posted by: 4ever3 | September 11, 2007 at 08:24 AM