With Two to Go, The Field Narrows

SpeedPagan

SpeedPagan

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The top five featured only Chase contenders, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishing second and moving up from seventh place in the standings to fifth. Joey Logano's third-place finish kept him in contention, 91 points back from the leader. Drivers 97 points or more behind can no longer win the title.
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So that means Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle and Joey Logano technically still have a chance for the Cup.

However, who is realistically still in the hunt?

Honestly at this point, I narrow down the field to Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch.
 
SpeedPagan said:
However, who is realistically still in the hunt?
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Kenseth alone.

Third place is what? 40 points out? No way you can make up ground from that far back with two to go and races only paying 48 points.
 
HMS has the best combo out there, but at least now Jimmie isn't a runaway.
Many kudos to Matt and JGR for making this big of a statement with a first-year team.
Regardless of who wins this year, 2014 will be awesome!!
 
Yeah, at this point I think Johnson and Kenseth have to have catastrophic, early race failures at Phoenix and/or Homestead for anyone else to have a shot at the title this year.
 
I'm going out on a limb and say it's down to JJ and Matt.

Pulling hard for Matt at this point.

Nothing personal JJ fans.
 
Johali said:
I tried everything, I really did, grabbed my right typing hand with my left, everything, but It did no good I just hafta do it or bust, SWEEP :XXROFL::XXROFL::XXROFL:
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Be nice Johali ............................ you too can be replaced

btw ------------- you know you didnt hesitate :)
 
tight race for 1st and 2nd, Harvick might have 3rd locked up, 6th and 7th tied right now, with Biff 4 points away in 8th, 11th and 12th within 2 points of each other. They all pay more for a higher position at the end of the year.
 
Contrary to my username, I'd actually be ok with either Matt or Jimmie winning it. I'm obviously rooting for Matt, but have a ton of respect for Jimmie as well.
 
The chase offers much more competition. Instead of a one man race to the finish we have a 2 man race. IT IS FANTASTIC
 
Matt and JJ sure separated themselves from the field. Matt was patient and recovered nicely from that speeding penalty.
jj just might have to race at Homestead this year.

Gordon has no luck when it comes to the chase.
 
I hate to say it but at Phoenix, if Kenseth has a day like Gordon had yesterday, and Jimmie has a day like Jimmie had yesterday, Jimmie could clinch the championship. He'd have to win and lead the most laps and Kenseth would have to finish no better than 37th.
 
ToyYoda said:
I hate to say it but at Phoenix, if Kenseth has a day like Gordon had yesterday, and Jimmie has a day like Jimmie had yesterday, Jimmie could clinch the championship. He'd have to win and lead the most laps and Kenseth would have to finish no better than 37th.
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I think it'll come down to Homestead with Johnson taking the title.
 
SpeedPagan said:
I think it'll come down to Homestead with Johnson taking the title.
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Agreed. The one thing that could upset the routine is if Matt comes out of Phoenix with the points lead. JJ tends to make mistakes when he's coming from behind. He spun and wrecked at Charlotte in 2011 while racing from behind, and he over drove twice while behind in points during the 2012 chase.
 
ToyYoda said:
I hate to say it but at Phoenix, if Kenseth has a day like Gordon had yesterday, and Jimmie has a day like Jimmie had yesterday, Jimmie could clinch the championship. He'd have to win and lead the most laps and Kenseth would have to finish no better than 37th.
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How would it playout if Johnson finishes 43 and Kenseth leads the most laps and wins?

I know that's unlikely to happen but remember this race last year ;) Johnson won Texas and was leading Keselowski by 7 points going into Phoenix.
 
#17D500winner said:
How would it playout if Johnson finishes 43 and Kenseth leads the most laps and wins?

I know that's unlikely to happen but remember in this race last year ;) Johnson won Texas and was leading Keselowski by 7 points going into Phoenix.
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Kenseth would leave Phoenix 40 points up on JJ if that scenario were to play out.
 
Was it this race in the spring where all the HMS drivers had a bad day and JJ was catching Biffle for the win but bounced off the wall & had to pull it into the pits?
 
ChexOrWrex said:
The chase offers much more competition. Instead of a one man race to the finish we have a 2 man race. IT IS FANTASTIC
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Fantastic....hope you are being sarcastic, because surely you don't mean "fantastic" when describing the Chase?!
 
ToyYoda said:
Kenseth would leave Phoenix 40 points up on JJ if that scenario were to play out.
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You obviously understand the points better than I but I guess I'm just to lazy to do the simple math. Thanks.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Was it this race in the spring where all the HMS drivers had a bad day and JJ was catching Biffle for the win but bounced off the wall & had to pull it into the pits?
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Edwards won the race. Johnson finished 2nd.
 
ToyYoda said:
I hate to say it but at Phoenix, if Kenseth has a day like Gordon had yesterday, and Jimmie has a day like Jimmie had yesterday, Jimmie could clinch the championship. He'd have to win and lead the most laps and Kenseth would have to finish no better than 37th.
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In addition to this, Harvick would also have to finish no better than 4th for Jimmie to clinch the championship.
 
Mopardh9 said:
Fantastic....hope you are being sarcastic, because surely you don't mean "fantastic" when describing the Chase?!
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Yes I'm being sarcastic. Just don't get the emoticons on mobile so I try to make it as obvious as possible
 
#17D500winner said:
Will they apply if you type them out? sarcasm bookended by colons.
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Like this?

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SARCASM
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Two man race and to many variables to predict the outcome. A bad pit stop, caution, pit road speed violation, etc could change everything.

But third place is to far behind, catching one of them would be extremely difficult, catching both of them is almost impossible. One of them could blow an engine, wreck early or finish in the high 30s, but not both of them.

I just hope no pit mistakes, or getting caught up in someone else's problems will be a factor. Two great drivers hopefully it is settled on who's the fastest and nothing else.
 
FenderBumper said:
Agreed. The one thing that could upset the routine is if Matt comes out of Phoenix with the points lead. JJ tends to make mistakes when he's coming from behind. He spun and wrecked at Charlotte in 2011 while racing from behind, and he over drove twice while behind in points during the 2012 chase.
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Yea, honestly I think Kenseth is going to make a mistake in Phoenix, his post-race interview in Texas, he sounded a bit frustrated, but maybe that's just me.
 
SpeedPagan said:
Yea, honestly I think Kenseth is going to make a mistake in Phoenix, his post-race interview in Texas, he sounded a bit frustrated, but maybe that's just me.
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He better be frustrated. He lost the points lead with 2 races to go and if he's not unhappy about that, he deserves to be runner-up.
 
SpeedPagan said:
Yea, honestly I think Kenseth is going to make a mistake in Phoenix, his post-race interview in Texas, he sounded a bit frustrated, but maybe that's just me.
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He was hard to read there, but he kept his cool during the race and made the best of it. I think Matt will run near perfect the next 2, but you never know. If JGR has any tricks to use, next week is the time, because HMS sure had something special going on this week. I was surprised at how little right front camber JJ was using vs Jeff, who had a ton. If you can get thru the corner with out much camber, you'll be much faster on the straights. I still think Chad found a way to use rear camber to steer the rear into the turns. All year long the 48 had trouble with those camber laser measurements.
 
I'm just happy it's close. I really though M'ville would be the beginning of the end for Matts chances.
 
FenderBumper said:
He was hard to read there, but he kept his cool during the race and made the best of it. I think Matt will run near perfect the next 2, but you never know. If JGR has any tricks to use, next week is the time, because HMS sure had something special going on this week. I was surprised at how little right front camber JJ was using vs Jeff, who had a ton. If you can get thru the corner with out much camber, you'll be much faster on the straights. I still think Chad found a way to use rear camber to steer the rear into the turns. All year long the 48 had trouble with those camber laser measurements.
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Well hopefully they fixed the problem with the camber laser measurements. :D

GO JOHNSON, SIX PACK BABY!!
 
SpeedPagan said:
Well hopefully they fixed the problem with the camber laser measurements. :D

GO JOHNSON, SIX PACK BABY!!
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The 5 in a row got old, but I could live with JJ getting his 6th. If they are spread out a little, 8 would be awesome to watch happen.
 
Chad better get some better stuff worked out for Phoenix, They have missed the setup there more than once.
 
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