T
TonyB
Guest
A quick look at the championship chases in NASCAR's top 3 series.
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WINSTON CUP
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Matt Kenseth (Leader)
Kevin Harvick (-267)
Dale Earnhardt Jr (-324)
Ryan Newman (-331)
Jimmie Johnson (-352)
Jeff Gordon (-407)
Who's Out?
Kenseth has mathematically eliminated everyone from 14th place (Jeff Burton) down in the standings from contention for the championship. Four drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Jeff Burton, Robby Gordon, Jamie McMurray and Mark Martin.
Should Kenseth start every race (and finish last) then everyone from 9th place (Terry Labonte) down is eliminated from championship contention. Six drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Terry Labonte, Kurt Busch, Michael Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, and Robby Gordon.
Next Up
Sunday 10/19 Subway 500
How the contenders have fared at Martinsville
Matt Kenseth has an average finish of 20.00 with 1 top 5 in 7 races.
Kevin Harvick has an average finish of 25.75 with no top 10 finishes in 4 races.
Dale Earnhardt Jr has an average finish of 16.00 with 3 top 5 finishes in 7 races.
Ryan Newman has an average finish of 31.33 with no top 10 finishes in 3 races.
Jimmie Johnson has an average finish of 16.67 with 2 top 10 finishes in 3 races.
Jeff Gordon has an average finish of 8.86 with 4 wins in 21 races.
Remaining Races - Best Among The Contenders At The Track
10/26 - Atlanta - Ryan Newman 10.00 average finish.
11/2 - Phoenix - Dale Earnhardt Jr 10.44 average finish.
11/9 - Rockingham - Jeff Gordon 14.90 average finish.
11/16 - Homestead - Ryan Newman 6.00 average finish.
Championship Outlook
Matt Kenseth stopped the bleeding last week at Charoltte. No leader with the large a lead with 5 races to go has failed to win the championship.
Kenseth's magic number over Harvick is 10th place without leading any laps. Should Kenseth lead a lap in 2 of the five remaining races, the magic number is 11th.
Kenseth's magic number over Earnhardt Jr is 14th place without leading any laps.
The real competition here is for places 2 through 6.
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BUSCH SERIES
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David Green (Leader)
Brian Vickers (-36)
Scott Riggs (-47)
Ron Hornaday (-76)
Jason Keller (-80)
Who's Out?
Green has mathematically eliminated everyone from 14th place (Mike Wallace) down in the standings from contention for the championship. 2 drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Mike Wallace and Coy Gibbs.
Should Green start every race (and finish last) then everyone from 12th place (Shane Hmiel) down is eliminated from championship contention. 2 drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Shane Hmiel and Ashton Lewis.
Next Up
Saturday 10/18 - Sam's Town 250
How the contenders have fared at Memphis
David Green has an average finish of 27.67 with 1 top 10 finish in 3 races.
Brian Vickers finished 13th in his only Memphis race.
Scott Riggs finished 36th in his only Memphis race.
Ron Hornaday has an average finish of 10.5 in two Memphis races.
Jason Keller has an average finish of 15.25 with 2 top 10 finishes in 4 races.
Remaining Races
10/25 - Atlanta
11/01 - Phoenix
11/8 - Rockingham
11/15 - Homestead
Championship Outlook
David Green expanded his lead in the points at Charlotte as Brian Vickers and Scott Riggs flopped 2nd and 3rd place in the standings.
Amazingly this isn't the closest Busch Series championship chase with 5 races to go. 4 times the second place driver has been closer. In 1992 Todd Bodine lead by 1 point. in 1991 Kenny Wallace lead by 2 points. 1989 Tommy Ellis lead by 5 points. In 1986 Brett Bodine lead by 19 points.
Given the inexperience of Vickers and Riggs at Memphis and the realtively poor performance of David Green, this could be a pivotal week in the Busch Series Championship.
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CRAFTSMAN TRUCK
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Brendan Gaughan (Leader)
Travis Kvapil (-30)
Ted Musgrave (-73)
Dennis Setzer (-117)
Who's Out?
Gaughan has mathematically eliminated everyone from 9th place (Terry Cook) down in the standings from contention for the championship. 3 drivers were eliminated at Texas - Terry Cook, Chad Chaffin, and Matt Crafton.
Should Gaughan start every race (and finish last) then everyone from 8th place (Carl Edwards) down is eliminated from championship contention. 1 driver was eliminated at Texas - Carl Edwards.
Next Up
Saturday 10/18 - Advance Auto Parts 200
How the contenders have fared at Martinsville
Brendan Gaughan has an average finish of 12.5 with a best finish of 9th in 2 races.
Travis Kvapil has an average finish of 9.00 with a best finish of 2nd in 3 races.
Ted Musgrave has an average finish of 16.00 with a best finish of 2nd in 3 races.
Dennis Setzer has an average finish of 6.25 with 2 wins in 4 races.
Remaining Races - Best Among The Contenders At The Track
10/31 - Phoenix - Ted Musgave 4.00 average finish
11/14 - Homestead - Ted Musgrave 1.50 average finish
Championship Outlook
Brendan Guaghan expanded his championship lead with the win at Texas, but the race is far from over. Dennis Setzer is the dominant short track driver in the series. Ted Musgrave has easily outperformed all the other contenders at Phoenix and Homestead. If Setzer wants to have any shot at the championship, he'll need to win this weekend and hope that Gaughan has at least come moderate problems. Ted Musgrave needs to stay close this week to give his superior performances at Phoenix and Homestead a chance to matter.
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WINSTON CUP
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Matt Kenseth (Leader)
Kevin Harvick (-267)
Dale Earnhardt Jr (-324)
Ryan Newman (-331)
Jimmie Johnson (-352)
Jeff Gordon (-407)
Who's Out?
Kenseth has mathematically eliminated everyone from 14th place (Jeff Burton) down in the standings from contention for the championship. Four drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Jeff Burton, Robby Gordon, Jamie McMurray and Mark Martin.
Should Kenseth start every race (and finish last) then everyone from 9th place (Terry Labonte) down is eliminated from championship contention. Six drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Terry Labonte, Kurt Busch, Michael Waltrip, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, and Robby Gordon.
Next Up
Sunday 10/19 Subway 500
How the contenders have fared at Martinsville
Matt Kenseth has an average finish of 20.00 with 1 top 5 in 7 races.
Kevin Harvick has an average finish of 25.75 with no top 10 finishes in 4 races.
Dale Earnhardt Jr has an average finish of 16.00 with 3 top 5 finishes in 7 races.
Ryan Newman has an average finish of 31.33 with no top 10 finishes in 3 races.
Jimmie Johnson has an average finish of 16.67 with 2 top 10 finishes in 3 races.
Jeff Gordon has an average finish of 8.86 with 4 wins in 21 races.
Remaining Races - Best Among The Contenders At The Track
10/26 - Atlanta - Ryan Newman 10.00 average finish.
11/2 - Phoenix - Dale Earnhardt Jr 10.44 average finish.
11/9 - Rockingham - Jeff Gordon 14.90 average finish.
11/16 - Homestead - Ryan Newman 6.00 average finish.
Championship Outlook
Matt Kenseth stopped the bleeding last week at Charoltte. No leader with the large a lead with 5 races to go has failed to win the championship.
Kenseth's magic number over Harvick is 10th place without leading any laps. Should Kenseth lead a lap in 2 of the five remaining races, the magic number is 11th.
Kenseth's magic number over Earnhardt Jr is 14th place without leading any laps.
The real competition here is for places 2 through 6.
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BUSCH SERIES
----------------------------
David Green (Leader)
Brian Vickers (-36)
Scott Riggs (-47)
Ron Hornaday (-76)
Jason Keller (-80)
Who's Out?
Green has mathematically eliminated everyone from 14th place (Mike Wallace) down in the standings from contention for the championship. 2 drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Mike Wallace and Coy Gibbs.
Should Green start every race (and finish last) then everyone from 12th place (Shane Hmiel) down is eliminated from championship contention. 2 drivers were eliminated at Charlotte - Shane Hmiel and Ashton Lewis.
Next Up
Saturday 10/18 - Sam's Town 250
How the contenders have fared at Memphis
David Green has an average finish of 27.67 with 1 top 10 finish in 3 races.
Brian Vickers finished 13th in his only Memphis race.
Scott Riggs finished 36th in his only Memphis race.
Ron Hornaday has an average finish of 10.5 in two Memphis races.
Jason Keller has an average finish of 15.25 with 2 top 10 finishes in 4 races.
Remaining Races
10/25 - Atlanta
11/01 - Phoenix
11/8 - Rockingham
11/15 - Homestead
Championship Outlook
David Green expanded his lead in the points at Charlotte as Brian Vickers and Scott Riggs flopped 2nd and 3rd place in the standings.
Amazingly this isn't the closest Busch Series championship chase with 5 races to go. 4 times the second place driver has been closer. In 1992 Todd Bodine lead by 1 point. in 1991 Kenny Wallace lead by 2 points. 1989 Tommy Ellis lead by 5 points. In 1986 Brett Bodine lead by 19 points.
Given the inexperience of Vickers and Riggs at Memphis and the realtively poor performance of David Green, this could be a pivotal week in the Busch Series Championship.
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CRAFTSMAN TRUCK
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Brendan Gaughan (Leader)
Travis Kvapil (-30)
Ted Musgrave (-73)
Dennis Setzer (-117)
Who's Out?
Gaughan has mathematically eliminated everyone from 9th place (Terry Cook) down in the standings from contention for the championship. 3 drivers were eliminated at Texas - Terry Cook, Chad Chaffin, and Matt Crafton.
Should Gaughan start every race (and finish last) then everyone from 8th place (Carl Edwards) down is eliminated from championship contention. 1 driver was eliminated at Texas - Carl Edwards.
Next Up
Saturday 10/18 - Advance Auto Parts 200
How the contenders have fared at Martinsville
Brendan Gaughan has an average finish of 12.5 with a best finish of 9th in 2 races.
Travis Kvapil has an average finish of 9.00 with a best finish of 2nd in 3 races.
Ted Musgrave has an average finish of 16.00 with a best finish of 2nd in 3 races.
Dennis Setzer has an average finish of 6.25 with 2 wins in 4 races.
Remaining Races - Best Among The Contenders At The Track
10/31 - Phoenix - Ted Musgave 4.00 average finish
11/14 - Homestead - Ted Musgrave 1.50 average finish
Championship Outlook
Brendan Guaghan expanded his championship lead with the win at Texas, but the race is far from over. Dennis Setzer is the dominant short track driver in the series. Ted Musgrave has easily outperformed all the other contenders at Phoenix and Homestead. If Setzer wants to have any shot at the championship, he'll need to win this weekend and hope that Gaughan has at least come moderate problems. Ted Musgrave needs to stay close this week to give his superior performances at Phoenix and Homestead a chance to matter.