It all comes down to one race and two drivers. While others are still mathematically eligible to make this year's Chase for the Sprint Cup Series Championship, all eyes are on Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon going to Richmond.
Busch holds the second Wild Card spot, with his one win from May at the same track. Gordon sits 14th, fighting a year of bad luck and many mechanical failures. He too, has a lone win from Pocono. And the scenario is simple: whoever finishes ahead of the other will make the Chase.
Yet, while both Busch and Gordon have had their fair share of success at the Virginia track, Busch enters the weekend as the favorite. He's the most recent winner at the track and it's Gordon who has to beat him. A tall task simply because of the fact that anything and everything that could happen to a driver and team this season, has to Gordon.
They must continue to fight from behind if they want a shot at the Chase. A situation neither company, Joe Gibbs Racing with Busch and Hendrick Motorsports with Gordon, imagined themselves in before the season started. Except here they are, Busch not wanting to miss the Chase again as he did in 2009 and Gordon hoping to have something go right in his season. Saying it's never over until it's over, and he too, doesn't want to experience being on the outside looking in as he did in 2005.
Each driver knows what they have to do, Busch feeling confident in his team and the track. Gordon looking to avenge a heartbreaking loss to Hamlin at Atlanta, saying he won't make the same mistake twice.
But ...
What if Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon are running together on the last lap Saturday, who makes it back to the checkered flag and into the Chase?
@ARosser14 Whoever's third
@HarpAmyStabler Kyle makes it to the Chase and the checkered flag
Showing posts with label Richmond. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Richmond. Show all posts
Friday, October 19, 2012
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Monday, April 25th 'What If' Question
If the fastest car won each week there wouldn't be much drama, excitement or even much competition in NASCAR. It would be a runaway with the fans having a pretty good idea who was going to take home the trophy maybe before the race even started.
The fastest car doesn't always win though and it helps set up some of the most intense racing on any given weekend. In May of 2008 the fastest car at the Richmond International Raceway was Denny Hamlin who spanked the field and led 381 of 400 laps. The problem for Hamlin was that when the pay window opened and the laps wound down he wouldn't be around for the finish.
On lap 383 Hamlin lost the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. as his right-front tire started to go down. Eventually the tire went down and Hamlin would stop on the track to bring out the caution. He would be penalized by NASCAR for doing so and set up a six lap fight to the finish for Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer.
With three laps to go Earnhardt Jr. was sideways and into the turn three wall off the front bumper of Busch who from that day forward would become public enemy No. 1 to Junior Nation. Meanwhile, Clint Boywer would go on to win as Busch fought off Mark Martin for second.
The win was second of Bowyer's career and the first of the 2008 season. For Earnhardt Jr., he was three laps away from taking home his first win in 71 races. It wasn't meant to be as Earnhardt Jr. would have to wait until a month later to snap a 76 winless streak at Michigan.
But ...
What If @DennyHamlin hadn't stopped & brought out caution in 2008, would Dale Jr. have won or would KyBusch have caught & beat him #NASCAR
@18Winning: Dale Jr would of won and saved Kyle and Junior both a lot of grief, but if Clint didn't win, would be as successful today?
@Tmac2824: NOOO!
@88myjr: I was so pissed! DH was being a baby again bc he had a flat. Jr wld have won that race!
The fastest car doesn't always win though and it helps set up some of the most intense racing on any given weekend. In May of 2008 the fastest car at the Richmond International Raceway was Denny Hamlin who spanked the field and led 381 of 400 laps. The problem for Hamlin was that when the pay window opened and the laps wound down he wouldn't be around for the finish.
On lap 383 Hamlin lost the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. as his right-front tire started to go down. Eventually the tire went down and Hamlin would stop on the track to bring out the caution. He would be penalized by NASCAR for doing so and set up a six lap fight to the finish for Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer.
With three laps to go Earnhardt Jr. was sideways and into the turn three wall off the front bumper of Busch who from that day forward would become public enemy No. 1 to Junior Nation. Meanwhile, Clint Boywer would go on to win as Busch fought off Mark Martin for second.
The win was second of Bowyer's career and the first of the 2008 season. For Earnhardt Jr., he was three laps away from taking home his first win in 71 races. It wasn't meant to be as Earnhardt Jr. would have to wait until a month later to snap a 76 winless streak at Michigan.
But ...
What If @DennyHamlin hadn't stopped & brought out caution in 2008, would Dale Jr. have won or would KyBusch have caught & beat him #NASCAR
@18Winning: Dale Jr would of won and saved Kyle and Junior both a lot of grief, but if Clint didn't win, would be as successful today?
@Tmac2824: NOOO!
@88myjr: I was so pissed! DH was being a baby again bc he had a flat. Jr wld have won that race!
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