October 12, 2011
By Chuck Abrams
Just recently, I said Jeff Gordon could still win it all. I don’t think that is going to happen now.
But teammate Jimmie Johnson is sure looking like he wants to win it all. Again. Johnson pulled off another great performance at Kansas to serve notice to Edwards and Harvick that if you want to beat him, you’re going to have to start winning some races.
Carl Edwards managed to salvage a just good enough finish -- after starting second and having the handling on his car go completely away. That finish allowed him to have the points lead -- by a single point over Kevin Harvick and only four over Johnson.
It is starting to look now like a five-way race for the title between Edwards, Harvick, Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth.
While I don’t think Kenseth has what it takes this year, plus the fact he has to leap frog four other drivers, he is only 12 points back and only one behind Keselowski. So I really can’t count him out of it based on his points.
Tony Stewart appears to have completely lost his mojo he had after winning the first two races. While he is only 19 points back, he has six drivers in front of him.
The same can be said for the Busch Brothers. Kurt is only 16 points behind and Kyle only 20, but the number of drivers they need to get past are five and seven respectively. While five may not seem like many, seven spots get really tough.
Fortunately for Kyle, this week at Charlotte may be as good as any for him to notch a win. Over the past ten years, his history is not that great. But over the last five years, he is better than Johnson who used to own this place. But racing is all about momentum and Kyle has very little of that right now.
I think it is safe to say we can write off Dale Jr., Gordon, Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin. While Dale Jr. and Gordon are only 43 and 47 points out of the lead, there are far too many drivers they would have to pass in order to take the points lead. And the way those drivers are running is far better than this group.
Dale Jr. fans will have to take solace in the fact that he made the Chase -- but he did not do anything in it to stir the faithful. Gordon fans go only hope for next year and fantasize “what if….”.
Of course, this is racing and anything can happen.
Harvick could go totally cold and drop back quickly. Stewart could suddenly find himself again and make a run at the title. But that would require Kurt Busch, Keselowski and Kenseth to really fall hard. Keselowski found something this summer and has been on fire since. Something that Stewart usually does, but hasn’t.
I know the Kenseth fans are out there licking their chops seeing how close their boy is and knowing how under the radar he is running right now. But for all their hope, Johnson and Edwards will really have to fall on hard times and that is not too likely to happen.
If Johnson can find his old Charlotte magic, the rest of the field better look out.
Lemme know your thoughts.
Drive fast, turn left and keep the shiny side up.
The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.
Feel free to send Chuck your thoughts on this and other race topics at