Nextel Cup, Vote for who you think will win the Chase

Greasemonkey · 2004-11-20T06:13:37Z

NASCAR championship scenarios, 5 in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.TSN.ca Staff11/18/2004Heading into Sunday's season ending NASCAR event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, five drivers are still in the running for the inaugural NASCAR Nextel Cup championship. Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin are separated by just 82 points, making it the closest margin in NASCAR history with one race remaining. The closest finish for the championship was 1992 when the late Alan Kulwicki edged Bill Elliott by just 10 points. This is also the second-highest number of drivers who are eligible to win the title with one race remaining since 1992 when six drivers were separated by just 113 points.While there are a number of championship-winning scenarios, winning Sunday's race (worth 180 points) and earning all 10 bonus points available will go a long way in crowing the 2004 champion. Below are the drivers eligible to win the 2004 championship and their chances:Kurt Busch (Leader: 6,346 points) - He will win the championship if he wins the race. He can also win the championship if he finishes second and earns five bonus points for leading at least one lap. "We need to go out and attack the race track this weekend, to lead laps and to make sure that we do our job at the end of the race."Jimmie Johnson (18 points back) - He can win the championship if he wins the race and leads the most laps (for the maximum 190 points), and Busch finishes second without leading a lap, or finishes third but doesn't lead the most laps, or finishes fourth or lower. However, if Busch wins the race without leading the most laps, and Johnson finishes second, then Johnson would win the championship by two points. Johnson would also win the title if all five drivers finish in a tie for first (see below)."Kurt is in the lead, Jeff (Gordon) is right behind us. You're going to have to, you know, finish first or second to win this championship in my eyes."Jeff Gordon (21 points back) - He can win the championship if he wins the race and accrues the maximum 10 bonus points. Busch also must finish third or lower and not lead a lap, or finish fourth or lower and lead a lap, or finish fifth or lower and lead the most laps."This is one race for the championship, and we'll have a 'Go for broke' attitude. We have nothing to lose. We'll give it everything we've got and hope to come out on top. We have to win."Dale Earnhardt Jr. (72 points back) - He can win the championship if he wins the race and accrues the maximum 10 bonus points. He also needs Busch to finish 15th or lower and not lead a lap, Johnson to finish 10th or lower and not lead a lap and Gordon to finish ninth or lower and not lead a lap."We dug ourselves a pretty big hole (last weekend), and it will be difficult to climb out and still win this championship. We're going to have to be the best team at Homestead as well as the luckiest."Mark Martin (82 points back) - He can win the championship if he wins the race and accrues the maximum 10 bonus points. He also needs Busch to finish 19th or lower and not lead a lap, Johnson to finish 13th or lower and not lead a lap and Gordon to finish 12th or lower and not lead a lap. Earnhardt Jr.'s finish wouldn't matter as long as he doesn't lead a lap. If Martin wins the race and Earnhardt Jr. finishes second and leads the most laps, the two would be tied and Earnhardt Jr. would win the tiebreaker based on the number of wins in 2004."We really like our chances. We are 82 out, but we still have a shot. It really doesn't matter, because we are going there to try and win the thing and that's really all we can do."There is also the possibility of a five way tie for the championship. This would happen if Martin wins the race, but doesn't lead the most laps; Earnhardt Jr. finishes second and leads a lap or finishes third and leads the most laps; Gordon finishes 13th; Johnson finishes 14th and Busch finishes 20th. (COULD YOU IMAGINE!! GM.)Each driver would finish with 6,449 points. The tiebreaker then would be number of 2004 wins:* Johnson - eight wins * Earnhardt Jr - six wins * Gordon - five wins * Busch - three wins * Martin - one win____________________________________________________________I think that to see Mark Martin up there able to win is an awesome job on his part.Who do you think will win?Greasemonkey.

Page 3 / 3 Prev

Last Post

RSS

Posts: 21343

CanadianRacingOnline

Admin

Nov 23, 2004 8:46 pm

(@canadianracingonline)

Member

Joined: 23 years ago

I have no idea what in the world he was doing there. I guess Joe doesn't like hendricks motorsports or he had a deal with Rousch racing to hold them up. Who knows.

Canadian Racing Archive Project.
http://www.canadianracingarchives.com/

Page 3 / 3 Prev

Forum Statistics

95 Forums

25.6 K Topics

91.4 K Posts

11 Online

22 Members

Latest Post: New One Day Saturday Showcase for the Northeast Classic at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Our newest member: racer61 Recent Posts Unread Posts Tags

Forum Icons: Forum contains no unread posts Forum contains unread posts

Topic Icons: Not Replied Replied Active Hot Sticky Unapproved Solved Private Closed