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Champs Sports
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Die-Cast Specials
Jimmie Johnson Wins Tums 500 at Martinsville
By: Keith Bloemendaal
Jimmie Johnson won again at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, padding his lead in his bid for a third straight title with four races to go.
The two-time defending series champion led 339 laps as he and his Hendrick Motorsports teammates dominated once more on the oldest, smallest and trickiest circuit in the Sprint Cup Series.
Johnson won the fall race at this track for the third consecutive time. It was his fifth career victory on the 0.526-mile oval and fourth in the last five races.
“It’s just been good to me,” he said.
Teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second, followed by Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon, giving Hendrick three of the top four spots. The 1-2 finish was the 23rd for the multicar team and third at Martinsville.
“I didn’t have anything for Jimmie,” Earnhardt said. “That car was so awesome.”
Johnson increased his lead from 69 points over Jeff Burton to 149 over Greg Biffle. Burton started second and finished 17th.
As they had in the spring, when they combined to lead 371 laps, Johnson and Gordon set the pace all day with Gordon leading 57 laps. Earnhardt made it a three-car Hendrick party near the front and, unlike in the spring, Johnson this time managed to close the deal.
In March, Denny Hamlin won on pit strategy.
Johnson led seven times in all, passing Gordon for the top spot with 209 laps to go. He then made quick work of Matt Kenseth, who stayed out on the track under caution with 38 to go.
Johnson heads to Atlanta with the largest points lead in the history of the Chase at this point. He’s not ready, however, to start thinking about another title.
“It’s getting closer,” he said. “It’s still not time.”
The day was shaping up as a great one for Jamie McMurray, who started 20th and climbed into contention quickly. He was running fourth with about 100 laps to go when his car suddenly slowed on the backstretch. He drove it directly to his garage and wound up 38th.
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FavoriteTeamWear asks: Would the Points Race Be Different Without Chase Points?
After watching Kyle Busch fall to 12th in Sprint Cup Chase points over the last 2 weeks, I can't help but wonder where the chasers would be without the Chase setup. I did some research on this, and found that the points race would be different.
Chase Points After Dover:
| Rank | Driver | Points | Behind Leader |
| 1 | Carl Edwards | 5390 | ------- |
| 2 | Jimmie Johnson | 5380 | -10 |
| 3 | Greg Biffle | 5380 | -10 |
| 4 | Jeff Burton | 5308 | -82 |
| 5 | Kevin Harvick | 5289 | -101 |
| 6 | Clint Bowyer | 5284 | -106 |
| 7 | Tony Stewart | 5277 | -113 |
| 8 | Jeff Gordon | 5272 | -118 |
| 9 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | 5261 | -129 |
| 10 | Matt Kenseth | 5123 | -167 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | 5197 | -193 |
| 12 | Kyle Busch | 5180 | -210 |
While I believe everyone in the Chase still has a chance to win the Championship, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin really need to get their acts together to get there.
Dale Earnhardt Jr has fallen significantly, but still has a chance if he can win Talledega and Texas, which he historically runs well at for both.
All in all, the Sprint Chase For The Cup is still up for grabs, and any of the teams still have a chance to win it, or to throw it away.
In contrast, let us look at the points if there was no Chase Points:
| Rank | Driver | Points | Behind Leader |
| 1 | Carl Edwards | 4011 | ---- |
| 2 | Kyle Busch | 3978 | -33 |
| 3 | Jimmie Johnson | 3916 | -95 |
| 4 | Dale Earnhardt Jr | 3739 | -272 |
| 5 | Jeff Burton | 3682 | -329 |
| 6 | Greg Biffle | 3660 | -351 |
| 7 | Kevin Harvick | 3572 | -439 |
| 8 | Tony Stewart | 3562 | -449 |
| 9 | Jeff Gordon | 3493 | -518 |
| 10 | Denny Hamlin | 3422 | -589 |
| 11 | Clint Bowyer | 3390 | -621 |
| 12 | Matt Kenseth | 3355 | -656 |
As you can see, this would be a much different chase, had the points not been realigned with 10 races to go. It would only be a 3 car race at this point, a Ford, a Toyota, and a Chevrolet. Also, three teams: Rousch, Gibbs, and Hendrick.
Kyle Busch would obviously be in better shape.
Looking at the top three, Jimmie Johnson would have more work to do to win a historical Championship for him (3 in a row). Kyle Busch would only be 33 points behind leader Carl Edwards, showing the benefits of having such a strong season.
Dale Earnhardt Jr, and everyone behind him could almost be counted out, making it a three car race.
I can't help but wonder, is the Chase For The Cup really more exciting, or is it unfair to those having raced so well all season, only to fall back from 1st to 12th after 2 races.
What do you think? Is the Chase setup better?
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Greg Biffle Wins 2 In A Row:
By: Keith Bloemendaal
While Greg Biffle wins his second in a row, Kyle Busch is falling further away.
I was traveling this weekend and was forced to listen to the race on MRN radio. I actually forgot how much fun this can be. I used to listen to the race on the radio more often when traveling. Now that I have young children, I don't travel as often. We spent the weekend at the beach to finish summer officially.
I can only imagine at this point, how exciting it was to be watching the finish to this race! As it was coming down to the finishing laps, the radio announcers' voices were cracking and high pitched with excitement, and I found myself turning the volume up louder and louder. So, if you find yourself in a position where you are on the road during the race, try listening to it on MRN or PRN radio networks. You will probably enjoy it.
Jack Rousch must of been sitting on the edge of his seat as well. With Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and Greg Biffle all trading paint for the win at the Monster Mile, I wonder who Rousch was rooting for. Maybe he simply rooted for the three NOT to wreck each other. I can't help but wonder, though, could he be rooting for Biffle in the 3M car?
At the very least, the last two weeks have changed who people may think can win the Chase for the Cup. Or has it? Could it be Greg Biffle wins his first championship? Carl Edwards or Jimmie Johnson? And you can't count Dale Earnhardt Jr out yet, two of his best tracts, Talledega and Texas, are coming up. Also, Jeff Burton could be a sleeper in this Chase.
Personally, I think any predictions at this point would be foolish, who can predict the Chase when it is this close?
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NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon Spins The Fastest Lap For The Dover Race
By Keith Bloemendaal
Jeff Gordon spins the fast lap in qualifying today at Dover International Speedway for the Camping World RV 400 with a time of 22.921 and a speed of 157.061mph.
Earlier this year, Gordon started 7th at the Monster and finished 5th. Over the last 2 years he has finished in the top 12 at Dover for every race. Over Jeff Gordon's career, he has 4 wins, and 14 top 5's at the Monster Mile.
Coming into this race Jeff Gordon is 11th in Chase points, 99 points behind leaders Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson. Interesting facts to ponder:
no winner of the Dover Chase race has gone on to win the Cup Series championship during the Chase era,
and perhaps even more importantly, no Chase leader has entered Dover with the points lead and held it after the checkered flag.
The rest of the top 10 Qualifiers (bold indicates chase drivers):
- Jeff Gordon
- Mark Martin
- Denny Hamlin
- Kurt Busch
- Greg Biffle
- Clint Bowyer
- David Gilliland
- Matt Kenseth
- Jamie McMurray
- Dale Earnhardt Jr
Other Chase Drivers Qualified:
- Kyle Busch 11th
- Jimmie Johnson 20th
- Jeff Burton 21st
- Carl Edwards 22nd
- Kevin Harvick 24th
- Tony Stewart 33rd
Looking at these qualifying positions, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards will be working hard to get to the front if they want to protect the shared lead they have now.
In June of this year, Kyle Busch won the Best Buy 400 with Carl Edwards and who else but, GREG BIFFLE running 3rd! Make sure you watch this race, I am sure there will be some action, points position changes, and who knows, maybe Kyle Busch will end up in the wall or put someone in the wall!
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Greg Biffle Wins 2008 Sprint Cup!
By: Keith Bloemendaal
Okay, Biffle didn't win the Cup. He did win the 1st race in the Chase for the Cup. He came out of nowhere. Who is picking Greg Biffle to win the Cup?
I would be willing to bet that unless you are a Biffle or Rousch fan, you didn't even know he was in the Chase.
Greg Biffle was sandbagging in the #16 Rousch/Fenway Ford. Late in the race, He passed Jimmie Johnson, and what looked to be effortlessly, won the race at Louden, New Hampshire. Biffle is smart, and I would bet he was sandbagging for the finish, conserving tires and fuel.
I say he was sandbagging, because it appeared to everyone that the Lowes #48 Hendrick owned Jimmie Johnson car was going to pull a 3 in a row win. I discussed my thoughts on Jimmie Johnson winning his third Sprint Cup Championship in a row last week. While Johnson didn't win, he still looks strong, poised to become part of NASCAR history.
As it stands now, we can't count any of the drivers out, not even Greg Biffle.
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Tony Stewart Trashes Home Depot Team Concluding Race at Richmond!
By: Keith Bloemendaal
Tony Stewart is well known for having anger issues on and off the track. Concluding the end of the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Tony lashed out at his team for causing him to lose the race. "Nice job guys, you gave another one away!", were the words all of us watching the race on ESPN heard. "We win together, and we lose together" is what Stewart heard back over the race radio from his crew chief, Greg Zipadelli.
Stewart's Home Depot team didn't necessarily lose the race for him, but failed to get him out in front of Jimmie Johnson on the final pit stop. Tony Stewart pulled onto the pits in 1st, came out in 2nd, and could not get by Jimmie Johnson for the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 win.
Track position at Richmond for the end of the race proved to be how the race was won. As Tony Stewart caught Jimmie Johnson, it proved to be a battle of sponsors with the Lowes Chevrolet leading and the Home Depot Toyota trailing close behind. Tony got under Jimmie Johnson but couldn't seem to make the pass, and the result was Tony Stewart blaming his crew for the loss.
I am sure there are many drivers who take losses out on the crew, especially when the crew consistently makes mistakes, but the Home Depot crew is one that usually does a great job for Tony Stewart.
Since Stewart will be driving for his own team next year with Darian Grubb announced this week as his new crew chief for the #14 Chevrolet, I hope he can lead the team with the same "win together, lose together" mindset that his current crew chief has.
Maybe, Tony should remember that this is a team sport, and the words from crew chief Greg Zipadelli should be taken seriously.
What do you think, was Tony out of line when he blamed the crew for the loss?
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