NASCAR NEXTEL Cup press conference story for Metro (New York)
NASCAR Chase not all about winning
Championship victory depends on consistent top finishes
By Denis Gorman / metro new york
SEP 14, 2007
A sly grin creased Kyle Busch’s face.
“Realistically? Ten?” said Busch after being asked if he had decided upon a number of races would guarantee the 22-year-old driver from Las Vegas his first Nextel Cup Chase Championship.
He laughed for a moment, then became serious. “It’s going to be tough because Jimmie [Johnson] has a 50-point lead on us, so finishing in the top five is going to be key.”
Each of the 12 Cup drivers at Cup media day at ESPN?Zone yesterday stressed the importance of being consistently consistent in the final 10 races of the season, starting Sunday at New Hampshire International Speedway.
“It is not about dominating,” said Jeff Gordon, who has won four NASCAR championships. “It’s about solid performances every weekend.”
“This week is our best race track [along with] California and Martinsville. We are going to need to start off strong to finish strong,” added Denny Hamlin. “The biggest thing I learned [last year is] that we couldn’t have a bad week.”
With the Chase starting on Sunday, the odds-on favorites are Johnson, Gordon and Tony Stewart. Since 2001, that triumvirate have claimed four of the six Cup titles. Matt Kenseth all but conceded the title.
“In my mind, the 48 [Johnson], 24 [Gordon], 20 [Stewart] and 11 [Hamlin] cares are the ones to beat. It doesn't hurt to have championship experience,” he said matter-of-factly.
Chase isn't top-heavy
In the deepest Chase to date, however, Kurt Busch might be the dark horse. In his last seven races, Busch has five top ten finishes and believes that can carry over to the Chase.
“I think we’re a threat,” said Busch. “We hope so. It’s good to be on that roll and to be locked into the Chase; but all the points count. Every position counts.”
Another sleeper might be Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet driver Martin Truex Jr. A New Jersey native, Truex Jr. is competing for his first Cup. Driving for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, his season was overshadowed by the Teresa Earnhardt-Dale Earnhardt Jr. feud and Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s subsequent defection to Hendrick Motor Sports.
“I think anybody racing on Dale’s team would be overshadowed, no matter how well they were doing. He’s that big of a personality; everybody wants to know how and what he is doing. That was always expected and not a shocker,” Truex Jr. said.
Prior to the press conference, the 12 drivers surrounded the Cup. Following the season-ending race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, only one will be able to call it theirs.
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 10:02 AM
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