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Here We Go Again…
You may get tired of me bringing up my pet idea to change the Chase for the Sprint Cup system, giving a driver a 500-point bonus for his first win in the regular season and then again in the Chase.
But under that format 19 drivers still would be in position to earn one of the 12 Chase slots with two races left to the cutoff.
Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth would not be in the Chase, but would go into California and Richmond knowing that a win would put them safely and solidly in.
Ryan Newman, the winner of this year's Daytona 500 would be in. Kasey Kahne, who has won a pair of races, would be in.
But Kurt Busch would not be in despite the fact he's won a race. Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick have not won but they'd still be in ahead of Busch, showing this bonus system doesn't discount consistency.
Here's how my standings would look now:
In as of now
1. Kyle Busch 4,109
2. Carl Edwards 3,897
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3,693
4. Jimmie Johnson 3,691
5. Jeff Burton 3,617
6. Denny Hamlin 3,400
7. Clint Bowyer 3,355
8. Kasey Kahne 3,299
9. Ryan Newman 3,174
10. Tony Stewart 3,013
11. Greg Biffle 2,984
12. Kevin Harvick 2,972
TRYING TO GET IN
13. Jeff Gordon 2,951
14. Kurt Busch 2,942
15. Matt Kenseth 2,921
16. David Ragan 2,843
17. Brian Vickers 2,672
18. Martin Truex Jr. 2,592
19. Jamie McMurray 2,492
My Two Cents
I can't help but laugh when people wring their hands about putting Joey Logano in a Sprint Cup car at the age of 18.
Is there risk involved in such a move? You bet there is. Eighteen is young to be thrown into the deep end of the pool. There is no guarantee that Logano will be a success. But there is every indication he will have every opportunity to be.
He's going to be with one of the sport's best teams (Joe Gibbs Racing), have one of NASCAR's top crew chiefs (two-time champion Greg Zipadelli) and he's got a sponsor (The Home Depot) that is committed to success in the sport.
You can't find anybody in racing who'll tell you anything other than that Logano is an exceptional talent. He's won once and finished in the top 10 seven times in 10 Nationwide Series races so far.
The idea that Logano should choose not to pursue or even decline an opportunity like he's getting to drive the No.20 Toyotas is laughable.
You hear people say that Logano should spend a year or two in the Nationwide Series learning how to race. What? Are you kidding me? He's been racing since he was 6! He's got it pretty well figured out.
Being a Cup driver will put demands on Logano's time and energy that might be beyond the years of a typical 18-year-old. But if Logano were typical, he wouldn't be getting this chance.
Notes
Busch, Edwards get 6-race probation
Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards are on probation for the next six Sprint Cup Series races as a result of their on-track incident after Saturday's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
NASCAR announced the penalty Wednesday.
The probation begins with this weekend's event at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.
Edwards won at Bristol after executing a “bump-and-run” pass of Busch on Lap 470. Following the checkered flag, Busch banged into the side of Edwards' car. Edwards turned into the rear quarterpanel of Busch's car, spinning it around.
Davis gets shot in Truck
In the same week that Logano got the nod to take over in the No.20 Cup ride, another 18-year-old development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing got the final word that he'll get a shot in the Truck Series on Sept.6 at Gateway.
Marc Davis will drive the Randy Moss Motorsports truck in the Camping World 200.
“This is a big day for me,” said Davis, who in his second season in the Camping World East series. “I have been preparing for it all my life – a chance to race in NASCAR on a national level.”
Moss, the New England Patriots receiver who bought into the team earlier this year, is happy to be working with Davis, one of the most promising black drivers in NASCAR's developmental pipeline.
“This is why I came to NASCAR,” Moss said.
“This is pretty cool deal. Marc has worked hard and raced his way up to this level. I'm glad I have the opportunity to help him develop and succeed”
Wheeler to be honored
Former Lowe's Motor Speedway president and general manager H.A. “Humpy” Wheeler will be the first inductee into a new hall of fame at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia.
Wheeler will be honored at the track on Sept.5 at the “Hall of Fame 50” race for Carolina Clash super late models. The winner of that race takes home $5,000.
Gates open at 5p.m. with racing at 8p.m.. For more information visit www.carolinaspeedway.net or www.carolinaclash.com
