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This forum has been pretty quiet recently, so to get some comments going, although a bit premature, lets get your predictions of who will make the case and who won't.
Obviously as each race ticks down, you can change your predections.
Taking a look at the Chase standings, going into Saturday's Bristol race, we already know that points leader Tony Stewart has clinched his berth and is now free and clear to improve on his three wins and run for the ten bonus points that comes with them. It's also safe to assume that Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, second and third respectively, will clinch their Chase spots very soon and will also be in good shape.
1. Tony Stewart is IN.
2. Jeff Gordon - all but in
3. Jimmie Johnson - all but in
Ranked fourth through seventh in the current points are drivers Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch and Montoya. It's generally believed by many that this group will also be in the 2009 Chase line up but their positions are no where as secure as the top three. A run of bad racing luck at Bristol Saturday night, or at the remaining two pre Chase races, could make their team owners very nervous.
4. Carl Edwards
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Kurt Busch
7. Juan Pablo Montoya
It's the drivers in positions eight through twelve that will bear the most scrutiny during the Bristol race. These drivers are the so called "bubble group", the drivers that could easily find themselves out of the Chase due to bad racing luck. The "bubble group" is currently comprised of drivers:
8. Kasey Kahne
9. Ryan Newman
10. Greg Biffle
11. Matt Kenseth
12. Mark Martin
Then these guys on the outside looking in:
13. Brian Vickers -13 points out of 12th place
14. Clint Boyer -58 points out
15. Kyle Busch -70 points out
16. David Rutimann -118 points out
As of right now, I don't see a whole lot of movement going on. I'm predecting there will be no change of who's in/out, but there will be some shuffling among the bottom 4-5 in positions.
As for the Bristol prediction, right now there is a 70% chance of a rainout for qualifying on Friday. That will put Tony on the pole and the first pit stall. Pretty good chance for Tony to score his 4th win.
If they do qualify, I'm going with Jeff Gordon. He had a strong finish Sunday even with his sore back.
Kyle will do well, probably move up to 13th in points.
I'd hate to see it, but I have a feeling Martin could drop out. Although he has 4 wins already, he certainly hasn't been consistent. Plus, with iffy strategy like his team showed in Michigan last week, chancing an extremely long and risky fuel run with a Chase birth on the line, it doesn't give me a lot of confidence. Sure Johnson did the same thing, but he has plenty of points so spare.
Of those who might get it, my money would be on either Vickers or Kyle Busch. Vickers seems to have a strong car lately and is capable of some strong finished. Kyle is Kyle, and is all over the map this year. However, he is also easily capable of suddenly winning two of the next three races too.
There seems to be some bad blood between Kyle and Vickers...Vickers said last Sunday that "he didn't know this was the Kyle Busch Show"... I thought that was funny.
Anyway, it would be cool to see those two battle it out for the last spot come Richmond.
There seems to be some bad blood between Kyle and Vickers...Vickers said last Sunday that "he didn't know this was the Kyle Busch Show"... I thought that was funny.
Anyway, it would be cool to see those two battle it out for the last spot come Richmond.
"he didn't know this was the Kyle Busch Show"... I thought that was funny.
What!!.......You mean YOU didn't know that "its the Kyle Busch show" either?
HAHA!
I'm gonna buy me some new KB gear, I hope i can find a shirt that says exactly that... Any marketing guys out there???
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... #5 will get in "IF" Kenseth implodes...
