Chase living up to name
The 2007 Chase for NASCAR's Nextel Cup is officially in full swing now, especially after what happened at Kansas on Sunday. Rain delays, wrecks, and angry drivers (especially the Chasers) made for a wild and wacky day.
Since there are 12 drivers truly strong enough to be power-ranking worthy for the balance of the season, we're going to tell you for the rest of the way if the favorites have a great shot, definite potential, are a long shot, or have no shot to win the 2007 Nextel Cup.
Read on for installment No. 1.
We'll talk about the drivers based on their current points standing and go forward from there.
1. Jimmie Johnson: Real survivor of the carnage at Kansas Sunday. Continued the swap of the points lead for the third straight week with teammate Jeff Gordon. If he can survive Talladega and keep the lead, he's capable of closing the deal for the repeat.
Great shot
2. Jeff Gordon (-6): Still nipping at Johnson's heels with one of his better tracks in Talladega coming up. It'll be intriguing to see how he does with the Car of Tomorrow in its first race on a really big track.
Great shot
3. Clint Bowyer (-9): Even with missing out on the win for the home folks Sunday, the Kansas native's good fortune over the last three weeks has been a beautiful thing to watch. I'm honestly wondering how long he can keep it up, though. He was 35th at Talladega in April, and that can't happen now.
Long shot
4. Tony Stewart (-117): Had a truly bad weekend at Kansas after winning there a year ago as a non-Chaser. From his position on back, the stress level is beginning to mount. He won three Chase races last year, but needs another one soon.
Definite potential
5. Kevin Harvick (-126): Strong sixth-place Kansas run sent him zooming up four spots in the standings. The Daytona 500 champ has some life left in him yet.
Definite potential
6. Kyle Busch (-136): Has to quit crying about what everyone else has done to him and focus on his own skills, which he has in abundance. Only three COT races left in the final seven, so that should help his psyche somewhat.
Long shot
7. Carl Edwards (-142): Got a bad break Sunday when he was collected by Tony Stewart and finished 37th. In his first trip to five of the repeat Chase tracks - Atlanta, Martinsville, Phoenix, Lowe's and Texas - Edwards' average finish was 12th. At Talladega, he was 42nd. Get by this race, and he'll be in good shape.
Definite potential
8. Martin Truex Jr. (-158): Was one of the many Chasers victimized by wrecks Sunday. His best '07 finish at the repeat Chase tracks was a 7th at Texas. He was 10th at Talladega in April.
Long shot
9. Kurt Busch (-177): Honestly, did we really need to hear the Top Gun references on the radio? Although I thought the exchange with his car owner, Roger Penske, was funny, Busch hasn't been in the top 10 in any of the three Chase races. So far, he's shooting blanks.
Long shot
10. Jeff Burton (-186): Was 34th on Sunday and is fading fast after rallying from 36th to 7th at Dover. Did manage a win at Texas in April, but needs a lot more help than that.
Long shot
11. Matt Kenseth (-219): Mr. Consistency has been anything but, with back-to-back 35th-place runs the last two weeks. Started on the outside pole Sunday, making the finish even more tragic. His average finish from the repeat Chase tracks is 9th (including a second to Burton at Texas), and he needs finishes like those the rest of the way.
Long shot
12. Denny Hamlin (-248): Where did it all go so wrong for Hamlin all of a sudden? Wrecked Kyle Petty, got into another wreck Sunday. The season of promise is falling apart.
Long shot
Talladega track fact: Jeff Gordon won his 76th career Cup race there in April, passing Dale Earnhardt for fifth on the wins list. Impressive, but next Sunday's Talladega trip will be raced with the COT.
12. Denny Hamlin (-248):
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