Kasey Kahne has fallen
from grace the last few weeks but remains in the hunt. As long has he gets a few more top 10 runs, he will make the chase. He was the hot hand at the mile and a half tracks and larger. There are only two of
those left until the chase starts.
Kasey can make it, and if he
does he will be a threat each week. But to win it, you must be in it.
If any of the above slip,
then the guys listed below will gladly take there spot.
On the outside looking
in;
NASCAR’s most popular
driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., is one of many drivers fighting for spots nine and ten or trying to be with in 400 points. Due
to circumstances beyond their control Jr. has finished 43rd in the last two Cup races.
To make the Chase the team
is going to have to keep their cool. When things get tough this team usually folds like a cheap card table. If they want to
make the Chase this season they must win, or at least have solid top five finishes over the next few races. If Earnhardt misses
the Chase two years in a row… well lest just say drastic changes in the Chase could come about in 2007.
Greg Biffle is a dog foaming
at the mouth at the sight of the Chase. He should be top five in the points. If it were not for bad luck, Biffle would have
no luck at all this year. Biffle has to have solid top five’s for the next six of the races if he has any hopes on making
it to the dance.
The drivers that are out or
need a minor miracle include, Carl Edwards. Kurt Busch and Casey Mears. They have all stumbled as of late.
Edwards has had some just plain
bad runs with six top 5’s and nine top 10’s you would think that would be enough to make the Chase. But with eight
finishes of 25th or worse including a 43rd in the Daytona 500 Edwards has been bitten by the sophomore
slump. Who can forget the incident with Stewart that was the final nail to take him out of the Chase.
Casey Mears luck turned when he announced he was leaving the Chip Ganassi stable for the greener pastures of Hendrick Motorsports. It is extremely tough for someone to win races and
compete at the top of their game when the team knows the driver is moving on next season.
Busch’s season has been horrible
at best. He did win at Bristol but other
than that he has faded like his Penske teammate, Ryan Newman. Maybe next year Busch can try for championship number two.
Overall this year’s chase looks to
be the best one going in to the last race of the regular season. With six races left a lot of things can change and probably
will.
2006 StockCar Review.
