| On June 20, 2007 at 9:09 a.m. when Ingrid | | | | Motorsports would win the owners championship. |
| Vandebosch gave birth to Ella Sofia Gordon, it put an | | | | Why? |
| end to the possibility of Mark Martin subbing for the | | | | When the points are reset to start the Chase for |
| new father Jeff Gordon. | | | | the Cup, Mark Martin would have 10 more points than |
| That also put an end to the big "what if" about a | | | | the #01 car (Ginn Racing) would have to start the |
| possible split championship in the NASCAR Nextel Cup | | | | Chase. Hendrick Motorsports (#24) would also have |
| Series. I'm talking about the drivers and owners | | | | 10 more points than Jeff Gordon. |
| championship. | | | | Now that would have been a big stretch. |
| It would have been a stretch, but let's go down the | | | | But it was a real possibility that Jeff Gordon was |
| "what if" road for a little bit here. | | | | going to miss a race, most likely at Sonoma. Mark |
| First Mark Martin fills in for Jeff Gordon at Sonoma. | | | | Martin was going to fill in for him. The #24 car has |
| Martin wins the race giving him and the #24 car 10 | | | | been great, and Martin is a good road course driver |
| bonus points for the Chase for the Cup | | | | (five-road course wins). So the thought of Martin |
| Championship. Plus that would put Martin back into | | | | winning in Gordon's car is a real possibility. |
| the seat of a race car one of the races he was | | | | You would think that with Mark Martin scheduled to |
| scheduled to sit out. | | | | sit out more races; he would not have a chance to |
| With Mark Martin not running a full schedule in 2007, it | | | | make the Chase for the Cup, but he keeps hanging |
| would have been inconceivable to picture him with a | | | | around the cut-off. A win would help the possibility of |
| chance to make the Chase for the Cup. As of last | | | | making the Chase even more likely of a scenario. |
| weeks race he was 13th in the points, despite | | | | If Mark Martin would qualify for the Chase for the |
| missing three races. He has an average finish of 10.2 | | | | Cup; he has been consistent enough of a driver in |
| in the 12 races he has raced. | | | | the #01 car that he could win the championship. Ginn |
| If Mark Martin would make the Chase for the Cup, | | | | Racing is 5th in the owners' points with Regan Smith |
| and win the championship by less than 10 points over | | | | filling for Martin on the races he sat out. |
| Jeff Gordon, we would then have a split NASCAR | | | | Alright then, I said it was a big "what if" situation. But |
| Nextel Cup Series Championship. Mark Martin would | | | | it would have made a great story to follow. I could |
| win the drivers championship and Hendrick | | | | not imagine this situation would never come up again. |