Beginning this weekend, most eyes will be focused on the 12 drivers who qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. While the remainder of the 43-car field won’t be forgotten completely, the “outsiders’ ” only hope for recognition comes in form of one word: spoiler.
Nothing can completely salve the sting of missing the Chase, but a win – and taking a few points away from the anointed 12 drivers – certainly can make a driver’s day.
While spoilers accumulated 10 wins from 2004-06, their successes have been few and far between over the past four seasons. Just three non-Chase qualifiers went to Victory Lane from 2007-10:
• Jamie McMurray won at Charlotte Motor Speedway a year ago.
• McMurray was victorious at Talladega Superspeedway in 2009.
• Greg Biffle was the Kansas winner in 2007.
Chicagoland offers hope to the non-qualifiers. The track’s past two winners, David Reutimann and Mark Martin, failed to qualify for this year’s Chase.
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