Somebody Win this Thing!!!

H

HardScrabble

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No one seems to be able to mount the type of charge down the home stretch that traditionally wins championships. Sterling held on to the lead from the second race until just recently by watching those who would challenge fall back.

Since the halfway point of the season at Chicago the series has run 10 races, and seen Mark Martin take over the points lead, Jimmy Johnson climb to second and Tony Stewart pull up third. Sterling has fallen to fourth and after winning two races in a row Jeff Gordon is limping along in fifth.

The drivers with the best average finish over these 10 races not surprisingly occupy the first three spots in the race. But the average does not even equate to top 10 finishes. Of the top 5 drivers only Tony has managed to finish in the top 10 more the half the time over this span having done so 6 times. JJ has done it half the time, while MM and Sterling pulled out 4 top tens. Jeff has 3.

Top fives? None of them have more than 2, again with the exception of Tony who has 4 top fives over the races since the halfway point.

Only Mark and Jimmy have been able to avoid a DNF during this stretch, Tony and Jeff have each collected two and Sterling one.

The best average finish belongs to JJ at 12.8, microscopically ahead of Mark at 13.0 and Tony at 13.1. Both Sterling and Jeff averages are close to 18.

If a driver could put together a run over the remaining 8 races and average a top 5 finish how much ground could be gained at this rate? Without figuring bonus points, the difference between fifth and 13th is 31 points. Given 8 races that totals 248 points which goes all the back to Matt Kenseth currently occupying 8th in the standings. Matt of more wins than anyone in the field and whose top 5 finishes are surpassed only by Tony and some rookie named Newman.

I hope someone decides to win this thing, rather than someone hanging on not to lose
 
I like it the way it is. Anyone can take it at any time. It's not as if teams aren't tryring to win, it's that things are going wrong for them.

Nice tight points race at the end is what it's all about. Just wish the majority of races this year weren't snoozers.
 
I mean, Martin, Stewart and Johnson all performed well. What do people want? Only one person to perform well and pull away?
 
I think that Mark is showing his sometimes to conservtive nature,But I look to see a side of him we have not seen often.Mark may even begin to look like a mad man if he is in the heat of a battle' kinda like he showed with Kenseth earlier this year.The end result I hope is him putting a large wedge between him,and the rest of the field.I still look for Gordon to finish 2nd.That guy can shine on the tracks that are left to run.;)
 
Its going to be close. I just hope it gets closer. About 8 drivers go for the championship on the last race, that would be cool.
 
Originally posted by paul
I mean, Martin, Stewart and Johnson all performed well.  What do people want?  Only one person to perform well and pull away?
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Preferably they would all perform well.

To say that Martin, Stewart and Johnson all performed well I assume you are speaking of Dover, where indeed they did. But to claim they have performed "well" over the stretch run is only if one says "relatively".

It is entirely possible that one or more of the drivers in the humt will close out the season in "championship" mode. That is all I ask. To date I would be hard pressed to define anyone's season in those terms.
 
True, but the saying "No one wants to win this thing" that's been going around lately doesn't sit well with me.

I think it's just the opposite, you've got 5-7 people that "want to win it" all at once.
 
The biggest winner here is Nascar.They most likely feel that they have made the playing field as even as they can with all there rules,and infraction citations.;)
 
PBUNCH when has Mark been conservative this year?
I am sick and tired of people yelling about Marks flaw is being conservative ,when he is not conservative.Every driver will pull over if somebody has a faster car at the beginning of the race.Mark puts everything on the line when he has the car. He has had the cars this year and is driving like he used to.
 
Talladega, folks, Talladega. They are all just trying to hold what they got until they see where the restrictor plate fiasco leaves them. THEN they can race.
 
Don't forget those smaller fuel cells are gonna cure all the Alabamy woes TW.;)
 
I still say JJ will have alot bigger part in this championship race than alot of people think. Its prolly just me but I have a feeling no matter what happens its gonna be unpredictable.
 
TW makes a very good point. The wreckfest could determine alot.

But since I'm a Stewart guy, I think Stewart would be leading if it weren't for the engine department. Thats cost him plenty this year. Just goes to show ya what a team sport this is!
 
Originally posted by danjay6
PBUNCH when has Mark been conservative this year?
I am sick and tired of people yelling about Marks flaw is being conservative ,when he is not conservative.Every driver will pull over if somebody has a faster car at the beginning of the race.Mark puts everything on the line when he has the car. He has had the cars this year and is driving like he used to.
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I assure you danjay there is no bigger,or loyal fan of his but me.But Mark has given much more than he has taken in the last 3 yrs.I believe he is putting a little more ass on the line now.Mark is one of the cleanest drivers on the track,and I promise he has mental notes of those who are not,and may use those to his advantage more than usual.I saw him drive like he use to drive 15 to 20 yrs ago on dirt,and asphalt a few times this year.And no not every driver will pull out of the way to let a faster car go.You said it best danjay,He is driving like he use to,I think that was my observation also.:)
 
I think another swing race could be martinsville, anything is possible on a hlaf mile bull ring. Didnt jeff Gordon get wrecked under caution while he was leading, I believe i was back in baout 96. Some lap car slid down the track, almost hit the pace car.
 
Roller dirby for sure D,MO.Anything can happen,and most likely will in that skating rink. ;)
 
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