| Kansas is the next stop on the NASCAR Schedule | | | | these two drivers are running in the same circles (no |
| It hasn't taken long for drivers in the Chase for the | | | | pun intended), it's clear that they are becoming very |
| Championship to separate themselves from the rest | | | | close. Take yesterday's Dover 400 for example. Both |
| of the pack. In just two races into the Chase, four | | | | Kasey and Kyle spent a lot of time together in the |
| drivers have already fallen more than 100 points back | | | | garage while all the other Chase drivers were busy |
| from the leader, Jeff Burton. Look for the gaps to | | | | on the track. That definitely was eyebrow raising! |
| increase as the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head to | | | | Now, if you look at the Chase standings, you'll see |
| Kansas Speedway next week. | | | | that both are snuggled up to each other in 9th and |
| Of the ten drivers currently in the Chase for the | | | | 10th place. Again, very suspicious! |
| Championship, only one, Jeff Gordon, has an average | | | | It's puzzling to me why these guys are now getting |
| finish in the top 10 at Kansas. The next closest | | | | so attached to each other. However, if things keep |
| Chase driver is Jimmie Johnson with a 13th place | | | | moving on the same track (again no pun intended), |
| average finish. | | | | be sure to tune in to the NASCAR awards banquet in |
| Also expect the following drivers to do well next | | | | December. There you will definitely see both drivers |
| week: | | | | sitting together at the end of the championship table |
| Tony Stewart - Average Finish 7th | | | | wiping each other's tears. |
| Jamie McMurray - Average Finish 11th | | | | Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway Recap |
| Ryan Newman - Average Finish 12th | | | | Jeff Burton has been one of the unluckiest drivers in |
| Carl Edwards - Average Finish 12th | | | | the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. He has led |
| Next Week's Schedule: | | | | more laps than most this year, 637 to be exact, to |
| Nextel Cup: @ Kansas Speedway | | | | never have finished in first place. Jeff's bad luck must |
| 9/29/06 - 03:40pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Banquet 400 | | | | have rubbed off on Matt Kenseth as the two were |
| presented by ConAgra Foods Qualifying | | | | beating and banging on each other in the closing laps |
| 9/30/06 - 10:05pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Banquet 400 | | | | of the Dover 400, however. |
| presented by ConAgra Foods Practice | | | | Matt Kenseth dominated most of the Dover 400 and |
| 10/01/06 - 05:05pm NASCAR Nextel Cup Banquet | | | | led the most laps only to have it taken in the end by |
| 400 presented by ConAgra Foods | | | | Jeff Burton. Both Burton and Kenseth raced each |
| Busch Series: @ Kansas Speedway | | | | other hard over the final 40 laps of the race. Burton |
| 9/29/06 - 05:15pm NASCAR Busch Yellow 300 | | | | passed Kenseth with 6 laps to go. It was all for |
| Practice | | | | nothing though as Kenseth ran out of gas with 2 laps |
| 9/30/06 - 11:05am NASCAR Busch Yellow 300 | | | | remaining. |
| Qualifying | | | | Other championship contenders fared as follows: |
| 9/30/06 - 02:05pm NASCAR Busch Series Yellow 300 | | | | 2. (-6 points) Jeff Gordon started on the pole but |
| Craftsman Truck Series off until October 7th at | | | | failed to lead a lap. Let's hope for Jeff's sake that the |
| Talladega Superspeedway | | | | missed 5 points for leading a lap do not come into |
| Mixed Emotions for Richard Childress Racing! | | | | play for the championship |
| Richard Childress must be feeling a bit manic these | | | | 3. (-18 points) A bad fuel decision could have cost |
| days. It seems whenever good news comes, it's | | | | Matt Kenseth big time. However, the mistake came |
| quickly followed with bad. Coming off of Kevin | | | | at the right time with only 2 laps remaining, and |
| Harvick's win in the Slyvania 300 last weekend at | | | | dropped Matt to a 10th place finish. |
| New Hampshire International Speedway, reports | | | | 3. (-18 points) NASCAR's 'Silent Assassin', Denny |
| surfaced that RCR manipulated the wheels used on | | | | Hamlin, had a strong yet quiet day. He finished in 9th |
| both Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton's cars to gain a | | | | place and tied for 3rd in the championship standings. |
| competitive advantage. Both drivers vehemently | | | | 5. (-54 points) Thank goodness you have a 1st place |
| denied any wrongdoing. | | | | finish from last week's Sylvania 300 to go along with |
| Next, rewind to yesterday's Dover 400 at Dover | | | | yesterday's 32nd place, Kevin Harvick. Another finish |
| International Speedway where points leader Kevin | | | | like this one and you'll be sitting at the end of the |
| Harvick suffered mechanical problems late in the race | | | | champion's table in December. |
| that knocked him down to a 32nd place finish. Any | | | | 6. (-75 points) A mediocre 14th place finish keeps |
| disappointment the #29 team felt from a poor finish | | | | Mark Martin marred in the middle of the standings. |
| was quickly erased when their teammate, Jeff | | | | However, 75 points out of 1st with 8 races to go is |
| Burton, pulled out the win. | | | | not a huge deficit. |
| While Kevin Harvick fell from the points leader to 5th | | | | 7. (-102 points) NASCAR's golden boy, Dale Earnhardt |
| place (-55 points), Jeff Burton assumed the points | | | | Jr, is done for this season. Jr's 21st place finish was |
| lead by 6 points over Jeff Gordon. And so it goes | | | | not an improvement over his 13th place finish last |
| this year, whenever one RCR driver suffers from | | | | week. |
| misfortune, another driver pulls through for not only | | | | 8. (-136 points) NASCAR's 2006 Mr. Consistency |
| his team but the entire organization. Maybe this | | | | award goes to.....someone other than Jimmie Johnson. |
| explains why RCR has two drivers in top 5 in points | | | | Jimmie needed something more than a 13th place |
| when no other team does. | | | | finish to help rebound from last week's 39th place |
| NASCAR's Odd Couple | | | | finish. What happened to the consistent top 10 |
| There is a new relationship brewing amongst two | | | | finishes were use to? |
| drivers currently in the Chase for the Championship. | | | | 9. (-182 points) A 38th place finish and you're hopes |
| It's a Beauty and the Beast sort of affair between | | | | of winning the 2006 championship are done, Kasey |
| two of the youngest NASCAR talents, Kyle Busch | | | | Kahne. Go hang out with Kyle Busch in the garage. |
| and Kasey Kahne. | | | | 10. (-224 points) A 40th place finish and you're done, |
| While most people would fail to understand why | | | | Kyle Busch. See #9 above. |