The Chase for the championship has tightened up. What seemed to be all but locked up for Jimmie Johnson is unexpectedly open to the three motorists behind him, while the other 39 appearance to steal the spotlight…and a win.
WinnersJimmie Johnson: He along with his team have now been exceptional in the final 10 races of the year. They’re so great that lots of teams appear to be fighting for second on back. On Sunday, Johnson did just what he needed to do to secure his place ever.
This team is poised to win their fourth in a row next Sunday. What Johnson is doing is completely unbelievable.
Points: FirstJeff Burton: We are finding a turnaround at Richard Childress Racing and Jeff Burton led the charge today. Qualifying was a struggle as well as the team climbed their approach to the front.
Burton had a terrific car on Sunday and made his way into the top 15 early on. Halfway through, his pit crew had him in the top five.
He did the rest.
Burton is certainly pleased by the changes which are occurring at RCR; his performance on track has revealed that. He ran in the top 10 for many of the day although they didn’t have a car for the win.
They concluded second.
This team was hungry for a win and they were fast when it counted. It was the most competitive we have found the top five all year long. A run like Sunday instills trust in the team as well as the organization that the top five are heading in the correct way.
Points: 17thMarcos Ambrose: To me, Marcos Ambrose has become the most refreshing driver in NASCAR this season. He might not have got the Chase, but his team has established that the top five can run with the top teams in the series.
Sunday was no different for the top five.
Ambrose quickly moved up shortly following the race began; he was threatening in the top 15. Narrowly missing the “big one,” he went on to finish 11th. The team did an excellent job on pit road and Ambrose got it done on the track.
He’s fully committed to NASCAR, and when the organization wants to become more international in their reach, his is the ideal face to sell it.
You can not help but cheer for Ambrose; even when he has a poor finish, he finds something to grin about.
Points: 18thLosersKevin Harvick: In recent weeks Kevin Harvick and his team have seen something of a “late-in-the-season” revival. On Friday he declared that all three of the autos Truck, Nationwide, and Cup he was running this weekend were fast.
Sunday was a different narrative; the team fought a really loose race car.
He compared early on the very first green flag stop, but the loose race car cost them on the track. They were a lap down early and were fighting to keep up with race. They finished 24th.
It’s been a challenging season for Harvick, and he has not concealed the reality that he’s looking forward to it being over. Harvick and his team are looking to Homestead to end the season on a strong note.
Points: 21stMichael Waltrip: Michael Waltrip is a team player and promotes all his patrons in every medium he has access to. He is an excellent ambassador for the sport.
On Sunday he had a poor qualifying, but was still managing to have a decent run about mid-pack using a really loose race car. He’d no power steering as well as on the restart following the first debris caveat of the day, Waltrip was hanging back.
Himself did get back out there, but was only running laps for points.
The past week have been going well for Waltrip and his business, having pronounced new sponsorships. Waltrip was probably expecting to cap it off using a solid finish.
Points: 33rdBobby Labonte: It continues to be an up and down weekend for Bobby Labonte. After climbing his way into the top 20 and moving forward, he got swept up in the Dale Earnhardt Jr. wreck and saw a promising day quickly turn.
Labonte was battling all day having a loose race car, but they managed to maintain track location and were getting it done on pit road. Rather than racing for a great finish, Labonte was packing around head back home. They finished 39th.
Labonte has a great deal to anticipate in 2010. They had a fairly competitive advance auto parts store coupons printable advance auto parts discount coupon code advance auto parts promo code december 2014 coupons for oil (8bitgamer.com) today and that is a great indication for Labonte and his team.
Carl Edwards: It wasn’t fairly for Carl Edwards on Sunday. The team struggled and actually were fortunate to finish as the finished car on the lead lap. It was only one race in what has been an entire disappointing season with this team.
They began deep in the pack and Edwards wasn’t very happy with his race car. Even so, he continued to give feedback to his team, however a long green run had them down a lap early on. As the saying goes, caution breeds warning and Edwards could earn his lap back.
Edwards was never in a position to get to the front and he battled back to 16th place for the rest of the race. He has to be looking forward to 2010.
One year ago Edwards was fighting for a championship; this year he has struggled to compete.
What many people had predicted on Sunday came true. Johnson also developed his point lead on and all he has to do now is finish 25th or better at Homestead. Yet again the Tournament will be his.
Johnson’s run is unbelievable and something to be applauded.
The race by itself was just a little disappointing. It appeared that any passing would have to be done early in the run. With only a couple of cautions to bring the field back together, you had to get your track location on pit road.
Next weekend will likely be an exciting one. It is history in the making and no matter who you are rooting for, the race is going to be something to see.
The concluding race is Sunday, Nov. 22 at Homestead Miami and starts at 2:30 ET.