The 12 driver line up for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase For The Championship is now officially set. NASCAR has now reset the standings for the top 12 and has given each driver 5,000 points plus 10 bonus points for each race won.
Now it’s time for the process of dissecting the data associated with each of the drivers from NASCAR’s class of 2009. Over the next several weeks there will be massive commentary from the national media all the way to Monday morning water cooler debates in America’s work places. In short, this is going to be a lot of fun.
This week we’re presenting a run down on the 12 Chase drivers,their finish stats for the first 26 races of the season and a synopsis of their Chase potential. Just to add to the fun, for you financial thrill seekers, we’re also presenting the numbers from two different Las Vegas odds makers: the World Sports Exchange-WSE and Las Vegas Insider-LVI.
1. MARK MARTIN. #5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET.
5,040 points. 100 bonus points per race win and for either leading a lap or leading the most laps. 4 wins. 9 top five finishes. 14 top ten finishes. 3 DNFs, (did not finish). Season earnings: $3,938,103. WSE rating: 4 to 1 odds. LVI rating: 10 to 1.
On an emotional level it would be very hard to find a NASCAR fan in the entire country who wouldn’t be thrilled to see Mark Martin get the NASCAR championship he so richly deserves. His pre Chase stats are very strong and that alone makes him a major player in the championship picture.
But there’s another strong emotional element here that could give this team an edge in the Chase. Martin is a class act who is truly grateful for the opportunity before him. He always makes it a point to sincerely say thank you to the organization that he drives for, his team members and his sponsors. Human nature dictates that if someone lets you know how much your appreciated then you have a tendency to want make an extra effort on that person’s behalf. What we have with this #5 team is a mutual admiration society and that could provide an extra incentive both on the track and on pit road.
2. TONY STEWART. #14 STEWART HAAS RACING CHEVORLET.
5,030 points. 80 bonus points. 3 wins. 13 top five finishes. 18 top ten finishes. 0 DNF’s. Season earnings:$5,496,541. WSE rating: 4 to 1. LVI rating: 7 to 1.
Last winter when Tony Stewart announced that he was leaving Joe Gibbs Racing to form his own two car Sprint Cup operation everyone said he was crazy. By the time the 2009 Cup season was half over it was clearly evident that Stewart had proven us wrong. Now he’s considered a heavy favorite to win the Sprint Cup. We’ve always known that this former Cup champion is a great driver. Now we’ve discovered that he’s also a great leader as a team owner and that’s going to be a major plus in this year’s Chase.
The other major factor here is Stewart Haas Racing’s affiliation with Hendrick Motorsports who provides the team with engines and chassis. Because of this strong tie the media has been calling Stewart Haas a Hendrick satellite operation. The four regular drivers from the Hendrick stable has even been referring to them as their team mates.
On the down side there has been a noticeable slip in quality control over the past three races. This was very evident during last Saturday’s Richmond race. But you can bet that Stewart will have this under control long before the green flag falls on the Chase this weekend in New Hampshire.
3. JIMMIE JOHNSON. #48 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET.
5,030 points. 130 bonus points. 3 wins. 9 top five finishes. 15 top ten finishes. 1 DNF. Season earnings: $5,172,424. WSE rating: 5 to 2. LVI rating: 6 to 1.
Now here’s a Chase favorite who is lined up to make NASCAR history by becoming the only driver to win the Sprint Cup Chase For The Championship four consecutive times. This team has all the elements in place to achieve that historical accomplishment. First there’s the talent of the driver Jimmie Johnson. Then there’s the intellectual shrewdness of crew chief Chad Knaus. When you add those two elements with the treasure chest of resources that comes with Hendrick Motorsports, then you’ve got the making of a four time championship.
There are many media observers who are saying that the 2009 championship is going to come down between Johnson and Stewart and the difference maker will be based on which one of them suffers a mulligan, or poor finish, during the ten race series.
4. DENNY HAMLIN. #11 JOE GIBBS RACING TOYOTA.
5,020 points. 80 bonus points. 2 wins. 9 top five finishes. 14 top ten finishes. 1 DNF. Season earnings: $3,708,739. WSE rating: 8 to 1. LVI rating: 11 to 1.
With the surprise of Kyle Busch getting bumped from the Chase line up last weekend, Denny Hamlin now becomes the sole focus for Joe Gibbs Racing’s championship hopes. The good news here is the fact that this driver and his team have been red hot as of late. They certainly proved that with that dominant win at Richmond last Saturday. Now he’s been touted as a strong dark horse candidate to win the championship.
There also seems to be a sense of a new level of maturity with this young driver. The racing elements that often made him angry, as recently as several months ago, now barely gets on his personal radar. That’s likely an off shoot of the benevolent leadership of his team owner Coach Joe Gibbs. From NASCAR championships to NFL Super Bowl championships, the Coach knows how to motivate his people and that’s going to be a major plus during this title run.
5. KASEY KAHNE. #9 RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS DODGE.
5,020 points. 35 bonus points. 2 wins. 5 top five finishes. 10 top ten finishes. 0 DNF’s. Season earnings: $4,338,831. WSE rating: 15 to 1. LVI rating: 18 to 1.
This is one of the big surprises of the 2009 season. When Gillette Evernham Motorsports merged with Petty Enterprises last winter it was regarded as an economic protection measure. No one really expected them to create some highlight reel moments. They certainly weren’t expected to win two races and making the Chase seemed out of the question. Kasey Kahne’s consistency this season stunned everyone and he’s the reason why this organization is in the Chase.
But there’s a major distraction here that needs to be resolved quickly to insure the Chase gets the focus that it requires. The merger of the two teams is fixing to merge again. This week’s very surprising merger announcement with Yates Racing, that also said Richard Petty Motorsports was switching manufacturer’s from Dodge to Ford, caught everyone off guard even the team’s drivers. Again, this piece of business administration needs to be put to bed in quick order so Kahne and company can keep their attention on the grand prize.
6. JEFF GORDON. #24 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET.
5,010 points. 75 bonus points. 1 win. 12 top five finishes. 18 top ten finishes. 1 DNF. Season earnings: $4,912,175. WSE rating: 5 to 1. LVI rating: 8 to 1.
Is this four time champion’s drive for five still alive? You bet it is. He’s got the on track stats, along with some healthy Las Vegas numbers, to back the effort up.
Most of all Gordon has the resources of Hendrick Motorsports backing his effort. He also will be working off of the strong momentum of a good showing at last weekend’s Richmond Race. This is a rock solid championship effort.
7. KURT BUSCH. PENSKE RACING DODGE.
5,010 points. 70 bonus points. 1 win. 7 top five finishes. 14 top ten finishes. 2 DNF’s. Season earnings: $3,158,284. WSE rating: 15 to 1. LVI rating: 15 to 1.
The second of the Dodge Chase hopes, this is a rejuvenated Penske Racing team. Kurt Busch has been very consistent especially since that convincing win at Atlanta last March.
But there’s a major distraction here that the team needs to get behind them rather quickly. Last weekend it was revealed that veteran crew chief Pat Tryson will be leaving the team at the end of this season. It;s been reported that Tryson will be moving over to Michael Waltrip Racing to become the new crew chief for driver Martin Truex Jr.
No one planned on making a formal announcement anytime soon. This was an unexpected cat got out of the bag situation that surfaced last weekend when the team still needed a good run at Richmond to secure a Chase berth. We are already hearing comments such as “lame duck crew chief.” That, of course, is nonsense. But it’s important that it no longer remains a team distraction with the Chase starting next weekend.
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