[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

Sure do agree with you, welcome, we have quite a few Kasey fans, and who could dislike him anyway.
He such a sweetie.

The gals in those funny Kasey commercials think he is cute also !!!

[OrangeFuzzyVols]

Kasey is my second favorite among active drivers. So I would like to see him win it. I would also love to see Mark win one and go out on top. My pick however, as bad as I hate to say it is Johnson. I like him purely out of dislike for Tony Stewart. I expect his team to get things turned back around in a positive directing rather quickly. It’s truly anybody’s to win at this point however.

[simple simon]

Kenseth gets my vote

as it has been said, he has been there before

he and his team know what it takes

[Bob Tanner]

All of the drivers have proven their worth and, in accordance with NASCAR's current rules, deserve to be where they are. I have no favourite driver and therefore have no dog in this hunt. However, I sincerely hope the driver who ultimately wins is a driver who drives these last ten races to win, and not merely acrue enough points to sit at the head table in December.

If it happens otherwise, it'll just be more proof that this new NASCAR plan to increase mediocrity through "drama" panders to racing's lowest denominator.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

All of the drivers have proven their worth and, in accordance with NASCAR's current rules, deserve to be where they are. I have no favourite driver and therefore have no dog in this hunt. However, I sincerely hope the driver who ultimately wins is a driver who drives these last ten races to win, and not merely acrue enough points to sit at the head table in December.

If it happens otherwise, it'll just be more proof that this new NASCAR plan to increase mediocrity through "drama" panders to racing's lowest denominator.

To a degree I believe that both of your answers are right on the money Bob. I see them all trying to win but if at some point in the race a good finish will keep the hopes alive then that will be the desired results. As the chase progresses it will become more apparent who is racing for the finish versus the win.

For me a bigger question is what can/will be done to return competition to NA$CAR ???

[bogle]

Hamlin. No, Harvick.

Wait, Kasey.

Um... Danica?

[oncea3fan]

wow what a question!

will it the fan fav jr. to come ans stand as the champ like his father did so many times before.

will it be the rookie, hamlin to be the first rookie to win the championship

will it be burton through consistisy to win with out a win.

what about the most deserving mark martin as he walks out the door a champion finally

gordon finally gets his drive for five.

how many times have we seen JJ come back after early misfortune

the wild child kyly bush could he win it with his hard charger attitude

kenthseth mr steady as she goes could payoff again.

kasey everyones darling will everyone be happy again

harvick on a roll, race to win the race.


pretty much all would make great nascar head lines.

with all that as much as I hate to say it,and I am not a fan of his.
jeff gordon will come out on top,that what my gut tells me.

I hope Iam wrong and harvick keeps rolling but I think he will stumble late as he has done in the stretch the pass few years.

[bogle]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

wow what a question!

will it the fan fav jr. to come ans stand as the champ like his father did so many times before.

will it be the rookie, hamlin to be the first rookie to win the championship

will it be burton through consistisy to win with out a win.

what about the most deserving mark martin as he walks out the door a champion finally

gordon finally gets his drive for five.

how many times have we seen JJ come back after early misfortune

the wild child kyly bush could he win it with his hard charger attitude

kenthseth mr steady as she goes could payoff again.

kasey everyones darling will everyone be happy again

harvick on a roll, race to win the race.


pretty much all would make great nascar head lines.

with all that as much as I hate to say it,and I am not a fan of his.
jeff gordon will come out on top,that what my gut tells me.

I hope Iam wrong and harvick keeps rolling but I think he will stumble late as he has done in the stretch the pass few years.

You're so right... they'd all make pretty neat stories, no matter who wins.

For me, I have to go with my heart (not necessarily my brain): Jimmie Johnson.

But with only 9 races remaining, I'm already planning for the offseason. Does anyone out there play Nascar 2007?

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

wow what a question!
I hope Iam wrong and harvick keeps rolling but I think he will stumble late as he has done in the stretch the pass few years.

I still think it'll be Kasey over Jeffie-Pooh in a NA$CAR-approved, down-to-the-wire struggle.

Last night on Wind Tunnel, Ed Hinton, motor racing writer for the Tribune chain of papers, and who regularly writes for the Orlando Sentinel, stated an opinion. He thinks the crackdown NASCAR has made on RCR's ersatz bleeder valve wheel will hurt Harvick, Burton and Bowyer a lot.

I really wanted to think that RCR's resurgence was due to Burton's leadership and the company's finally getting its act together after five years of Big Dale's absence. Now a cloud has been thrown over that success. What will I find out next? There's no Santa Clause? Catherine Zeta Jones doesn't secretly lust for me?

Talk about the heartbreak of psoriasis! Excuse me while I go to the garden and eat a worm.

[bogle]

He's right about the crackdown... but there definitely IS a Santa Claus.

I just know it.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by bogle

He's right about the crackdown... but there definitely IS a Santa Claus.

I just know it.

Whew!

Actually, if I had to make a choice, I'd take Catherine Zeta over St. Nick.

[bogle]

Good choice.

[oncea3fan]

yeah but if your good st. nick might bring you cathine and jennifer aniston and some whipped cream.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

Whew!

Actually, if I had to make a choice, I'd take Catherine Zeta over St. Nick.

..... and if Catherine had a choice ?????

[LSC9901]

Cool Down: Chase set; start tweaking
Posted: September 11, 2006
Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service


Memo to Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO.

RE: Tweaks to the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup

Dear Brian,

During Pepsi 400 week at Daytona, I was delighted hear you say NASCAR is contemplating some tweaks to the Chase for next season. Though the Race to the Chase produced more than its share of drama, culminating in Saturday's suspenseful Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond, I agree that a few minor changes might serve to enhance interest in the final 10 races.


I don't believe the field for the Chase should be restricted to 10 drivers, the number the current system has produced in each of its first three seasons. With that inclusive attitude in mind, I offer the following additional qualifications for potential Chase participants:


1. Immediate Past Champion's Provisional. One of the prizes for winning the championship should be a free pass into the following year's Chase. What good is a title, if you don't have the opportunity to defend it? Welcome back, Tony Stewart.


2.Throwback Provisional. Let's provide an automatic berth for the most recent champion under the old points system who's not otherwise eligible for the Chase. That would take care of Bobby Labonte.


3. Freedom of the Press Provisional. Consensus preseason choices of the media must be included in the Chase. To maintain credibility, the press can't be perceived as that far wrong. So Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle must have berths in the Chase.


4. Sibling Exception. Sensitive to the self-esteem issues that success and failure within the same family can produce, NASCAR should include any sibling of a driver already qualified for the Chase. So Kurt Busch is in, and since Bobby Labonte is already qualified under Item 2 above, so is Terry Labonte, despite his limited schedule.


5. Uprooting Exception. To protect the fragile psyches of Nextel Cup drivers, NASCAR should include in the Chase any contestant who has changed teams during the season, announced a change of teams at the end of the season or has replaced another driver before the second Richmond race. Accordingly, Jeremy Mayfield, Elliott Sadler, Dale Jarrett, Casey Mears, Brian Vickers, Michael Waltrip and David Gilliland just had their tickets punched.


6. Rookie Reward. As competitive as Nextel Cup racing is, any Raybestos Rookie of the Year candidate who scores a top-10 finish in a Cup race deserves a bonus. That takes care of Clint Bowyer, Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. and J.J. Yeley.


7. WMD Exception. Any car that appears on the official State Department list of weapons of mass destruction is automatically included, under the assumption that it might be more dangerous not to do so. Welcome to the Chase, Robby Gordon.


8. Single-Car Provisional. Single-car operations competing against the multicar juggernauts of Nextel Cup need a handicap. Ken Schrader, Jeff Green, Travis Kvapil, Tony Raines, Scott Wimmer, Kevin Lepage and Kenny Wallace are in the Chase. Robby Gordon also qualifies under this provision.


9. Charity Begins At Home Provisional. Any driver who raises millions for the less fortunate deserves a little charity in return. You're in the Chase, Kyle Petty, and we're glad to have you. Tony Stewart also qualifies under this category.


10. Sponsor Exemptions. A typical PGA Tour event awards eight sponsor exemptions to players of its choice. NASCAR can reward its loyal sponsors by choosing as many as eight additional drivers for inclusion in the Chase. This year's sponsor exemptions go to Ryan Newman, Scott Riggs, Jamie McMurray, Dave Blaney, Joe Nemechek, Sterling Marlin and David Stremme.


If my calculations are correct, these minor tweaks bring the number of Chase participants from 10 to . . . let's see . . . 43!


Damn! That's not far different from what we had before the Chase.


Sorry, Brian. Never mind. Why don't we just keep the Chase the way it is?
__________________