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SEE YOU ALL NEXT WEEKEND FROM HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY!
Johnson is second for the fourth time in five weeks and will go to Homestead 63 points ahead of Kenseth. Hamlin and Earnhardt are 90 points back, Earnhardt is 115 down.
If Johnson finishes 12th or better at Homestead, he will be the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Champion.
The title is Johnson's to lose, but with four seconds and win in the last five races, he's certainly on a hot streak. Early in the Chase, it seemed like every driver was driving to throw the championship away, but Johnson has made a remarkable stretch run.
Lap 312: Johnson challenges, but Harvick holds on for the victory. Hamlin is 3rd, followed by Gordon, Edwards, Martin, Kahne, Kurt Busch, Earnhardt and Burton. Eleven through 20 were Vickers, Truex, Kenseth, Stewart, Newman, Gilliland, Sadler, Stremme, Nemechek and Yeley.
Lap 311: White flag.
Lap 309: Green flag. Johnson gets Harvick loose in Turn 1, but can't pass.
Lap 308: Field given one to go until the green flag.
Lap 307: Harvick's car momentarily won't start, but he gets a push start and fires up. He gets his position back.
6:55 p.m. ET: Engines refired.
There will be three laps to go when the track goes green.
Lap 308: Under a red flag, the leaders are: Harvick, Johnson, Gordon, Hamlin, Edwards, Martin, Kahne, Earnhardt, Busch, Burton and Kenseth.
Lap 308: Red flag. Edwards said Gordon hit him on the restart.
Caution 10
Lap 306: Caution No. 10 as Casey Mears spins out in Turn 1.Lap 305: Bowyer blackflagged tor tire smoke.
Lap 304: Green flag. The front two break away as Edwards has a terrible restart and loses third place.
Lap 302: The cars are driving through the pits under caution as track cleanup continues.
The race started off very clean, but the cautions have come in waves in the second half of the race. There will be a single-file restart. Kyle Petty gets the Lucky Dog and will be the 27th car on the lead lap.
Caution 9
Lap 299: Caution No. 9. Jeff Green goes hard into the Turn 1 wall with an assist from Tony Raines.Lap 298: Edwards muscles Gordon to take third.
Lap 296: Green flag. Harvick pulls away from Johnson and they both pull away from Gordon.
The leaders: Harvick, Johnson, J. Gordon, Edwards, Martin, Hamlin, Earnhardt, Kahne, Burton, Bowyer, Truex and Kenseth.
Lap 295: Robbie Reiser says Matt Kenseth's car is "terrible."
Caution 8
Lap 291: Caution No. 8. Sterling Marlin gets sideways in Turn 4 and hits Dale Jarrett, sending both hard into the wall.Michael from Lewisburg, W.V.: Tom, The FOX ALERT I just received indicated that Montoya may enter the final race at Homestead. Isn't this rather risky for NASCAR to allow a driver with such limited NASCAR (3 Busch races) to race in what could be a high stakes race for The Chasers?
Tom Jensen: Michael: I think Montoya will be fine at Homestead.
Gary from Seattle: Still defending the golden boys of Nascar? It seems to me that Jimmie Johnson's crew chief gets fined for cheating 2 or 3 times for 1 time another crew chief gets fined. But then you never berated Stewart for chasing Kenseth into the infield at Daytona after praising him for speaking out against aggressive drivers either, so I suppose it's just par for the course to hear you defending another of Nascars Golden boys.
Tom Jensen: Gary: Actually, I heavily criticized Stewart and NASCAR on multiple occasions for Daytona. But I didn't do it here, because I didn't start doing Instant Analysis on FOX until midsummer.
Jo from Rock Hill, S.C.: Tom, is NBC trying to set a record for fewest laps shown on a network broadcast? I know they have only one race to go, but it's just insulting to the viewers to so so little of the race today! Grr!!! And they wonder why ratings are down?
Tom Jensen: Jo: You are right. I hate all the commercials.
Lap 285: Gordon to third as Martin starts to fall back.
Lap 282: Harvick retakes lead, with Johnson in second.
Lap 281: Green flag.
Martin leads Harvick, Johnson, Gordon and Edwards. Then it's Earnhardt, Hamlin, Kahne, Burton and Kahne.
Johnson's crew chief Chad Knaus said his team will play it safe rather than racing for the win.
Harvick's crew chief Todd Berrier thinks his car's voltage problems will be OK.
Kyle Busch is the only Chase driver not in the top 10 right now.
Caution 7
Lap 273: Caution No. 6. Stewart drills McMurray on the frontstretch, setting up a big chain-reaction wreck. Kyle Busch's car is heavily damaged, and McMurray is furious. Ryan Newman and Jeff Green, among others, also have damage.Lap 272: Green flag.
Caution 6
Lap 264: Caution No. 6. No. 49 of Mike Bliss blows motor. Martin still leads. The top 10 is Martin, Harvick, Johnson, J. Gordon, Edwards, Earnhardt, Hamlin, Kahne, Burton and Kenseth. Nine of the 10 Chasers are in the top 10 here at Phoenix. If it stays that way, the title will go down to the wire in Homestead next Sunday. David Stremme got the Lucky Dog and there are 29 cars on the lead lap.Lap 260: Harvick passes Johnson for second. Martin still leads.
Lap 259: Johnson challenges Martin for the lead.
Lap 258: Green flag.
Lap 254: Leaders all pit, all take four tires, except Martin, who takes two and gets the lead, ahead of Johnson, Harvick, Gordon, Earnhardt and Edwards.
Caution 5
Lap 252: Caution No. 5. Waltrip leaks fluid on the track again.Lap 242: 70 laps to go. Harvick leads Edwards by 1.210 seconds. Then it's Johnson, Gordon, Earnhardt, Hamlin, Kahne and McMurray.
Lap 250: Harvick leads Johnson by 1.569 seconds as Johnson is slowly closing the gap - emphasis on slowly. Then it's Edwards, Gordon, Earnhardt and Hamlin.
Lap 245: Johnson goes low on the backstretch, diving under Edwards and picking up second place. Not bad, considering he started 29th.
Lap 236: Johnson challenges Edwards for second, but Edwards fends him off for now. Johnson is able to hold is car on the low line and appears destined to make the pass eventually.
Lap 232: Harvick has lead 200 laps so far, in a race as boring as Tony Stewart's run away last week in Texas.
Lap 231: Green flag.
Harvick comes out of the pits in the lead, ahead of Edwards, Johnson, Gordon, Earnhardt, Kahne, Hamlin, McMurray, Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Burton, Martin, Kenseth, Sadler, Stewart, Kurt Busch, Newman, Vickers, Jeff Green and Dave Blaney.
Lap 227: Lead-lap cars pit. All 10 Chase cars are in the top 14. This will be the last time teams will have to pit in the race, of course that could change if a late caution comes out.
Caution 4
Lap 225: Caution No. 4. Robby Gordon and Chad Chaffin spin in Turn 2.Lap 224: Harvick leads Edwards by 0.939 seconds.
Lap 219: Johnson passes Earnhardt for 4th. The entire field will need to make at least one more pit stop before the race ends. If Johnson can stay in the top five for the rest of the race, he should have a lead of about 55 points next week, which would leave him in great shape for a title.
Lap 214: Leader Harvick is reporting some voltage irregularities. But he still is comfortably in the lead, as the race is behind him.
Ron from Amman, Jordan: If JJ wins is it over? Also, I can't get the race here - so what about a little info on track conditions and strength of the top five in the Chase? Thanks.
Tom Jensen: Ron: Greetings to you in Jordan, No, Johnson won't clinch the title with a win. The day is warm and sunny, the track is clear and six of the top seven cars are Chase drivers, all except for second-place Edwards. Kenseth is up 13th and finally looking decent, as the rest of the Chaser all are having good races.
Chris from Orlando: Tom, I am curious if you think Johnson is just that good as a driver or is it his crew chief? My guess is that it is more his crew chief and the way he bends the rules.
Tom Jensen: Chris: Every team pushes the rules to the limit. I honestly don't believe Hendrick is any better or any worse than any of the other top teams at working the gray area. Everybody does it.
Lap 212: 100 laps to go, and Harvick leads Edwards by 0.886 seconds. Third is Gordon, followed by Earnhardt, Johnson, Kahne, Hamlin, McMurray, Burton and Bowyer. Harvick has clinched the 5 bonus points for the leading the most laps.
Lap 204: Earnhardt passes Kahne for fourth place. Johnson is up to sixth.
Lap 199: J. Gordon passes Kahne for third place.
Lap 196: Green flag.
Lap 193: This is a lengthy caution to get the oil off the track.
Caution 3
Lap 188: Caution No. 3. Michael Waltrip loses a rear gear and oils the track down.Lap 187: Leaders pit. Johnson's crew has a bad stop, due to trouble on a front tire. He comes in second and comes out 7th. Your top 10 is: Harvick, Edwards, Kahne, Gordon, Earnhardt, Hamlin, Johnson, McMurray, Bowyer and Burton.
Lap 181: No change in the top five. Harvick leads by 1.196 seconds.
Lap 177: Earnhardt takes over 6th-place from Gordon.
Lap 170: Harvick leads Johnson by 0.791 seconds. Then it's Edwards, Hamlin, Kahne, Gordon and Earnhardt.
Lap 167: Edwards passes Hamlin for third.
Lap 165: Edwards looks like his old self, charging hard all race long.
Lap 164: Kenseth is 18th.
Lap 161: Harvick takes the lead with a pass of Johnson.
Lap 157: Green flag.
Lap 159: Hamlin passes Gordon for third and takes Edwards with him as Gordon falls to fourth.
Lap 156: Halfway. Still under caution, Johnson leads Harvick, Hamlin, Gordon, Edwards, Kahne, Earnhardt, Martin, McMurray and Vickers.
Lap 152: Marlin pits, as Johnson leads Harvick, Hamlin, Gordon, Edwards, Kahne, Earnhardt, Martin and McMurray.
Lap 151: Leaders pit. There are 24 cars on the lead lap. Johnson's Hendrick Motorsports crew gets him out of the pits ahead of the field. Sterling Marlin stays out to lead a lap.
Caution 2
Lap 149: Caution No. 2.Lap 147: Kenseth is only about 4 seconds from being lapped.
Lap 146: Harvick has tightened the gap to about 0.250 seconds because Johnson was held up by lapped traffic.
Lap 140: Johnson has sped to a 0.761-second lead over Harvick. Hamlin is third, then it's Edwards, Kahne, J. Gordon, Earnhardt, McMurray, Martin and Vickers. Kenseth is mired back in 21st.
Lap 139: Hamlin passes Edwards for third.
Lap 133: Johnson passes Harvick and takes the lead for the first time. Harvick again has contact with R. Gordon as he tries to lap him.
Bill from Germany: Has Jimmie Johnson reported anything special about the car? How could someone go so fast through traffic in such a short amount of time? Or, is everyone else taking it "easy"?
Tom Jensen: Bill: Greetings to you in Germany. Johnson is simply running great. He hasn't finished lower than second place in a month and looks great, too. There's a reason he's leading the points: The driver, team and crew chief are all first rate.
Lap 130: Just one brief caution so far, as the race is unfolding quickly. Johnson is slowly carving into Harvick's lead, which is now just 0.823 seconds. Then it's Edwards, Hamlin, Kahne, Gordon and Earnhardt.
Lap 120: Johnson is in second place for the first time today as he motored under Edwards and his sights on Harvick, who's 1.726 seconds ahead.
Lap 117: If the race ends up the way it's going, Johnson will be in fine shape for his first championship. But there is still a long way to go.
Lap 113: Mark Martin up to 10th place.
Lap 110: No changes up front. Harvick's lead 1.581 seconds.
Lap 105: Chase order: 1. Harvick, 3. Johnson, 4. Kahne, 5. Gordon, 6. Hamlin, 8. Earnhardt, 11. Martin, 12. Kyle Busch, 18. Burton, 21. Kenseth.
Lap 104: Kenseth is up to 21st.
Lap 100: Four laps short of the one-third distance, Harvick leads Edwards by 0.958 seconds. Then it's Johnson, Kahne, Gordon and Hamlin.
Lap 97: Johnson passes his teammate Gordon for third place.
Lap 90: Harvick is still cruising, with a lead of 1.285 seconds. Then it's Edwards, Gordon, Johnson, McMurray, Kahne, Hamline, Vickers, Earnhardt and Kurt Busch. Kenseth's car is starting to come in as he's up to 24th, after restarting 33rd.
Lap 87: Edwards is around Gordon and into second place.
Lap 85: Edwards is all over Gordon for second. Edwards looks a lot better with his first race back with crew chief Bob Osborne.
Lap 83: Kenseth is up to 29th.
Lap 80: Biffle's lead over Gordon is 0.577 seconds, with Edwards third, ahead of Johnson McMurray, Kahne and Hamlin. In the previous four races, Johnson has one victory and three second-place finishes. He looks good today.
Lap 77: Green flag. Harvick leads.
Lap 75: Kenseth stayed out to lead a lap. That was a huge gamble, as he'll restart 33rd.
Lap 71: Lead-lap cars pit. Harvick leads off pit road, followed by Gordon, Johnson, Edwards, Kahne, McMurray, Hamlin, Vickers and Kyle Busch.
Caution 1
Lap 70: Caution No. 1. Debris. Look for all 34 lead-lap cars to stop. Tony Raines gets Lucky Dog.Lap 69: Robby Gordon is once again a human chicance as he tries to avoid being lapped.
Lap 67: Harvick has lead all but the first three laps of the race, as Johnson passes Edwards to take over third place.
Lap 60: Harvick leads by 1.683 seconds over Gordon and Edwards, as Johnson moved to fourth ahead of Vickers, Busch, Kahne, McMurray, Hamlin and Earnhardt.
Lap 59: Wow, Johnson has come all the way from 28th to fifth, while Kenseth has slid to 23rd. Yes, it's still early, but Johnson is looking awfully stout.
Lap 55: Edwards takes third from Vickers.
Lap 54: Third-place Vickers reporting a bad brake vibration.
Lap 50: Harvick leads Gordon, Vickers, Edwards, Busch and Johnson.
Lap 48: Johnson up to seventh and charging. Just ahead is Earnhardt. The first 45 laps took just 21 minutes to complete.
Lap 40: Harvick's lead over Gordon is now 3.858 seconds. Vickers is third, then Edwards, Busch and Earnhardt.
Lap 38: Johnson muscles past The Biff for ninth place.
Lap 37: Tony Stewart's flat-track car isn't as good as the one he drove to victory with in the last two races. He's 18th.
Lap 36: Here comes Johnson, who was fastest in Happy Hour. After qualifying 28th, he just passed Johnson for 12th.
Lap 30: Harvick leads Gordon by 2.519 seconds, then it's Vickers, Busch, Edwards, Earnhardt and Newman.
Lap 29: Mark Martin is 21st, the only Chaser not in the top 10.
Lap 25: While Johnson keeps moving through the field, Kenseth is still in 12th place. Harvick's lead is now a full 2 seconds. It's still real, real early, but he looks very good.
Lap 23: Johnson is up to 17th place. The Phoenix weather today is perfect: Bright sunshine and not a cloud in the sky.
Lap 20: No changes in the top-5 running order. Harvick's lead is now 1.689 seconds. Matt Kenseth is a respectable 12th, while Johnson is now 20th.
Lap 15: Harvick's performance is now surprise here at Phoenix; he won here in the spring.
Lap 10: Harvick leads Gordon by 0.846 seconds. Then it's Vickers, Busch, Earnhardt, Ryan Newman, Biffle, Joe Nemechek, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray.
Lap 6: Kurt Busch passes Earnhardt for fourth.
Lap 5: Gordon challenges, but Harvick holds the lead. Jimmie Johnson is back in 27th.
Lap 4: Harvick passes Gordon to lead for the first time.
Lap 1: Green flag. Jeff Gordon leads into Turn 1, followed by Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brian Vickers and Greg Biffle.
The title is on the line today and next week. There are five guys with a shot at the title and they'll all be letting all hang out today.
3:28 p.m. ET Engines fired. HAVE A GREAT RACE EVERYONE!
The Checker Auto Parts 500 will be 312 laps around the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway oval.
Michael from Austin, Texas: Hi Tom, I asked this same question a few weeks ago, but it was too early in the Chase to break it down. Please let me know if you have any scenarios of where the top five or six drivers need to finish to stay in title contention.
Tom Jensen: Michael: I'll take a stab at a couple for you.
Dennis from New Caney, Texas: It appears to me Tony is running better being outside the Chase as well as Jeff Gordon is performing better knowing he is on the outside looking in. Is the stress of the Chase that big of a factor?
Tom Jensen: Dennis: Thanks for the question. Stress isn't why Tony Stewart is running better than Jeff Gordon. Stewart simply is having the same kind of hot streak he had last year.
Michael from Lewisburg, W.V.: Good Afternoon Tom, I believe that since The Chase began, the last 10 races have all been at the same tracks. Obviously, most tracks would like to be a part of it. Will NASCAR give considerations to possibly changing regional tracks? Let's say a Bristol or Richmond night race in lieu of Martinsville as a track in the last 10 races?
Tom Jensen: Michael: Hello! Actually, Darlington was in the Chase in 2004, but not since. Yes, I think the tracks will eventually be shuffled.
Edward from Fairburn, Ga.: Well, Tom, I see that you like many others like the nice clean comments. How about not worrying about how people will react? Sounds just like loudmouth Rush. Try to keep it real, stop kissing butts of the do-gooders and the tree huggers. Act like a man with your own opinion. Stop agreeing with everyone. I know you won't print this, but that's OK just try to MAN UP.
Tom Jensen: Edward: Thanks, I think. I can promise you all my opinions are my own, and last I looked, I haven't been kissing any butts, do-gooders and tree huggers not typically making up much of the NASCAR fan base. Don't worry, I'll keep it real. But thanks for the thoughts.
Jo from Rock Hill, S.C.: Happy Sunday, Tom! I was wondering if you've heard anything about the crew chief situation for the No. 25 car next year. Will Lance McGrew be Casey Mears' crew chief, or is he going to Red Bull with Vickers? And have you heard if Darian Grubb will stay with the No. 48 team or is someone going to make him a crew chief next year?
Tom Jensen: Happy Sunday to you, too, Jo! As far as I know, Lance McGrew will be back at the No. 25 with new driver Casey Mears. And I haven't heard anything specific one way or the other about Darian Grubb, but there is always a huge demand for talent and I'm sure lots of teams would love to have a person of his ability.
Sam from West Salem, Wis.: Tom, thanks for answering my question. My sisters are in Phoenix and called and asked me that question. Apparently, Kasey has the last pit box. Do you think it's a good choice to have the last pit box at Phoenix?
Tom Jensen: Sam: Yes, the last pit box is a good one to have at most tracks.
Kevin from Newark, Del.: I heard they flew an engine in for Elliott Sadler. Was there concern for the other Evernham engines too? (Petty, Labonte, Kahne, Riggs)
Tom Jensen: Kevin: An astute observation there. The reason Sadler has a new engine is because the team is racing to remain in the top 35 in owner points and is therefore playing it extra cautious. Sadler said yesterday he is definitely points racing this weekend and just hoping for a top-15 finish to preserve his owner points.
Cliff from Colorado Springs, Colo.: What is the most important factor in determining who will win a particuar race? Is it qualifying, practice speeds, prior performance on the same track, who's hot now, or what?
Tom Jensen: Cliff: You've hit upon an interesting topic. Actually, what makes the sport so compelling is that it takes a whole host of elements: Cup winners need a great car, a great driver, great team, lots of horsepower, flawless pit stops, sound strategy, good fuel mileage, etc. And Cup teams are only as strong as their weakest link.
Pat from Gillette, Wyo.: Week after week, we see cars that are out of touch — in both points and ability — be competitive on the track i.e. in the way. We have a system that puts 10 cars in the Chase so why not have a parallel chase for the top 35 in driver points to get into the last 10 races? Not only would we have cleaner races with 35 entries vs. 43, it would mean making the top 35 through the first 26 races is more significant.
Tom Jensen: Pat: I'm not 100 percent sure of what you're trying to accomplish, but as I've said many times, no one system will be perfect, nor will is it possible to make everyone happy.
Dan from State College, Pa.: Why would D.E.I. want to buy R.Y.R when it's a Ford Team and D.E.I. is a Chevy team?
Tom Jensen: Dan: Great question. If DEI does indeed buy RYR — and that's anything but certain at the moment — it would use the owner points from the No. 88 and give them to Paul Menard, who will be a rookie next year and has no guaranteed qualifying spot. Also, DEI would like to have the extra shop space that RYR has. But the deal is a long way from done, from what I'm told.
Sam from West Salem: Is it true Kasey Kahne is starting in the back today, and if so, why?
Tom Jensen: Sam: Welcome to FOX. I just walked out to Kahne's hauler and his crew said his car will NOT be going to the back of the pack today.
Kent from Loveland, Okla.: Is this the future of racing: buy out a track and close it down to stop competition? I recently read an article in the paper about the sale of Pikes Peak International Raceway, and that's the first thought that entered my mind. Is this what happened or is there another reason for the sale?
Tom Jensen: Kent: Pikes Peak wasn't sold to stop competition; it was sold because it wasn't profitable enough.
Wesley from Bowman, N.C.: Why is Ryan Newman so bad this year? Could it have been better with Rusty Wallace?
Tom Jensen: Wesley: Thanks for the question. Everything in this sport is cyclical. Most of the Dodge teams have struggled with the Charger, which debuted in 2005. Penske also had uncommonly large turnover over last winter and it takes time to integrate new people and build chemistry with the team. I expect Newman and Penske to improve sharply next season.
Jean from Dallas, Texas: I know they won't do it but just expressing my opinion. If they want higher ratings
- Shorten the 500 mile races. And mostly...
- Which I know they will not do is not have so many commercials. They really turn people off with that many ALL the time. I know they pay the bills but "no fans there will be no bills to pay"
Tom Jensen: Jean: Thanks for your comments. I concur 100 percent with both your statements.
Chris from Latham, N.Y.: Which speedway where the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series has the most engine failures?
Tom Jensen: Chris: To my knowledge, NASCAR does not keep track of engine failure stats.
One big prerace note
Robert Yates will decide by next week what the fate of his race team will be. Options include closing the No. 88 and running a one-car team or possibly selling the entire RYR team to a competitor. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. is talking to Yates about buying him out.
Pam from Louisville, Ky.: I would like to know why all the interviews with Matt Kenseth are always so negative. When he is interviewed for an article, he always complains about Roush Racing. He reminds me of Mayfield when he complained about Ray and Penske's organizations. I am so glad to see Jack Roush mention Biffle as his senior driver. Can you explain how a driver, which in Matt's case, is a good driver but he is not better than the people and equipment he is in? He has had the best Roush could get so could you explain to me his arrogance.
Tom Jensen: Pam: Welcome to FOX and Instant Analysis. Personally, I've never found Kenseth to be a negative personality. In fact, he's much more candid and forthright about what he's thinking and feeling at any given moment than most drivers. That, to me, is a whole lot better than, "The XYZ Dog Chews Chevy ran real good, and we were just getting ready to take over 38th spot when the motor blew. I want to thank all the guys back at the shop; they all worked really hard ... etc." Give me a break. When a guy was 31st in opening practice, as Kenseth was here on Friday, I expect him to be mad and frustrated that he didn't run better. The other thing you have to remember is that any real racer worth his or her salt is by nature pushy and aggressive. You don't get to the front of the line by waiting for 42 other drivers to move over.
William from Baghdad: Direct hit about the National Anthem, Tom. Proper courtesy is men remove their hats and put their hand over their heart. This puts their hat over their left shoulder. I can accept putting their hats over their hearts as at least being respectful. Women are allowed to leave their hats on their head. Leave DeLana Harvick alone. It doesn't say what kind of hat. However, they should all stand and pay respect. Especially those representing the services. Happy Veterans Day.
Tom Jensen: William: Happy Veterans Day to you, sir. I thank and salute you and all the brave men and women in the armed services for keeping our great nation safe and free.
Theo from Mountain Home, Texas: Your pet peeve of "snuggling" during the National Anthem bothers me, too. What is even more annoying is some of the "stars," regular folk, bands, groups, etc. that NASCAR gets to SING the Anthem. Homestead last year was downright painful! When the cameras panned the drivers/crews, you could see the anguish on their faces. That scene has almost become a staple during prerace ceremonies. Unfortunately, the 2006 Bad Anthem Performance list is longer than the 2006 Tribute Anthem Performance list. What's up with that, and who is in charge of finding the anthem performers?
Tom Jensen: Theo: Thanks for the comments. You are spot on about some of the anthems.
Cory from LaGrange, Ga.: I would like to state that I do not like the provisional system that NASCAR currently uses. I believe that no one should be guaranteed a spot in the race. If (insert favorite driver here) doesn't have one of the 43 fastest times, then (see above) doesn't get to race. If you are guaranteed a spot in the race, then you don't have to worry about qualifying (yes, I know that starting spot is important, not the point of this comment), and can work on the race setup. NASCAR constantly states that they welcome any and all talent that can make the race, but you are essentially driving to make seven spots. Now, having said that, I believe that that the champions should recieve some form of reward for winning the championship (besides the glory, fame, spot in history and all those $ signs). If it is imperative that the champions receive some form of gimme, allow them a provisional, but it works like this: You run for time, or you start in the back, most recent champion starts closest to the front (in the event of multiple champions using a provisional). If you crank your car, you lose your provisional and MUST get in on time. I personally feel that this would offer more people a chance to make the race.
Tom Jensen: Cory: Thanks for being here with us at FOX. NASCAR President Mike Helton has told me on several occasions one simple truth: If 50 teams show up for 43 spots, no matter what the qualifying system, seven cars go home. And the guys on the teams that go home are going to be unhappy. That's just the reality of it. So I think no matter how the fields are set, some folks aren't going to like it.
Hutch from Buxton, Maine: What happened to Ryan Newman's crew chief? Will he be back next year, and what is your take on the crew chief changes at Roush Racing?
Tom Jensen: Hutch: Welcome to FOX. Matt Borland, Ryan Newman's well-respected crew chief, is still with Penske Racing South and still working at the shop, team President Don Miller told me today. Miller told me Borland is taking time off the road for unspecified personal reasons. Whether he's back next year remains to be seen. As for the Roush changes, Jack Roush seems optimistic and clearly, the team needed to mix things up a little for next season.
Chris from Latham, N.Y.: Erin Crocker is racing in the Busch races at Phoenix and Homestead. Do you think that she will race in the Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck Series In 2007?
Tom Jensen: Chris: Thanks for joining us. The last I heard, Crocker will be concentrating on the Truck Series in 2007, with a few races in other series likely.
Aaron from Oskaloosa, Iowa: With Rusty Wallace's involvement in the Iowa Speedway, how long do you think it will be, if ever, before Craftsman Truck, Busch or Nextel Cup comes and tests out the track for an event. It's a veryfast 7/8 mile track with lots of banking.
Tom Jensen: Aaron: That's a good question. My best guess is that it'll be a long while before you see one of NASCAR's top series racing at Iowa. An NCTS event could be possible, but it's not a big enough market to attract NASCAR's attention for the Cup Series, especially with existing Cup races in Illinois, Indiana and Kansas.
Welcome to FOX' Instant Analysis and the Checker Auto Parts 500 presented by Pennzoil at Phoenix International Raceway.
Sundays race will be No. 35 of 36 in the NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule and No. 9 of 10 in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.
The top 10 in points heading into Sunday are:
- Jimmie Johnson, qualified 29th for the Checker Auto Parts 500
- Matt Kenseth (-17), qualified 10th
- Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (-78), qualified 4th
- Denny Hamlin (-80), qualified 22nd
- Kevin Harvick (-105), qualified 2nd
- Jeff Gordon (-157), qualified 1st
- Jeff Burton (-184), qualified 18th
- Kyle Busch (-233), qualified 9th
- Mark Martin (-253), qualified 21st
- Kasey Kahne (-290), qualified 11th
The average finish for the top 10 in Phoenix:
- Johnson, 8.666
- Gordon, 8.933
- Martin, 9.400
- Burton, 11.571
- Kahne, 13.750
- Busch, 15.000
- Harvick, 16.428
- Earnhardt, 17.250
- Kenseth, 20.750
- Hamlin, 23.500
Six Chase drivers have scored at least one victory at Phoenix: Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., each have won twice here; Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin have each won once
Mark Martin leads all Chase drivers with eight top-five and 13 top-10 finishes in 20 starts at Phoenix.
Six of the Chase drivers posted top-10 finishes at Phoenix in April including Kevin Harvick who won from a 15th-place starting position.
Some news from the weekend so far:
Some track notes:
Richard from Winston-Salem, N.C.: Tom, Kyle Petty is 32nd in driver points -- but only 35th in owner points -- despite having been in all 34 Cup races. How does this happen? I thought the car and driver in a particular race each earned the same number of points. Is there an entirely different points structure for owners, and which owners are ahead of him in the owner standings?
Tom Jensen: Hello, Richard! The reason Kyle Petty is 32nd in driver points and 35th in owner points is actually pretty simple: Three of the cars ahead of him in owner points have had multiple drivers this season: No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing Chevrolet (Terry Labonte and Tony Raines); No. 38 Robert Yates Racing Ford (Elliott Sadler and David Gilliand); No. 19 Evernham Motorsports Dodge (Jeremy Mayfield and Sadler).
ex nascar fan from Citrus Heights, Calif.: Tom, If the Chase is so important, NASCAR could just have a race with the Chase contenders only. Then, have the real race with all others, just like Tony Stewart said. It would satisfy NASCAR AND us fans that love racing. What do you think?
Tom Jensen: ex nascar fan: As I've said on numerous occasions, whatever the point system, some people are going to be unhappy with it. If I'm a fan, I want to see all 43 drivers in the race, not just 10.
David from Bastrop, Texas: Could you please direct me to your books/article(s) on cheating in NASCAR? Do you plan to write more books in the future and on what subjects?
Tom Jensen: David, that's one question I'm very happy to answer! The book is available from David Bull Publishing (www.bullpublishing) or through Amazon.com (www.amazon.com). Right now, I don't have any specific plans for another book, but I certainly might do another one before too long.
Tony Stewart answers
Dave from Ukiah, Calif.: Tom, I can't believe we are coming to the end of the best Chase yet, and all people want to talk about is what if Tony Stewart had made the Chase. Let it go people! First off, HE DIDN'T MAKE IT ... get over it. He had 26 races to prove himself and didn't get it done ... period. Everyone wants to talk about how many points he has scored during the Chase, but you have to ask yourself: Why didn't he do it when it counted? Could it be that now the pressure is off, Zippy sets up his cars to run more aggressively for wins? Does Tony stay out at Kansas and gamble running out of fuel if he was racing for points? He has a different agenda than the Chasers do, and it is showing. What do you think, Tom?Tom Jensen: Thanks for joining us, Dave. Over his career at Joe Gibbs Racing, Tony Stewart has periodically put together hot streaks. In 2005, he won five races in seven weeks. I think there's no question that at Kansas, he took a gamble that he couldn't have taken in the Chase. In the last two races, though, it's more a case of having a new car that he loves, and it runs like a scalded dog.
Carey P. from Napoleon, Ohio: How about when the race is over and if Tony Stewart is the winner, KEEP HIM OFF THE FENCE for two very important reasons. 1)Why does NASCAR have safety rules and then let a "special driver" climb the fence and then race around the track, doing burn-outs without the required safety gear on -- like a helmet? 2) The TV audience wants to hear from other top finishers but when Tony does his childish climb, the TV time and camera are only on him and as usual time runs out and the next day I get to read what I'm interested in about other drivers in the paper. Cut out his childish and selfish antics and let's take the race celebriation back to where it was. Also, enough about Tony missing the Chase. Plain and simple, he got big-headed, fat and completely out of shape. He lost his physical ability to be the QUALITY - TOP driver that he was in the past and he never will be again. He missed because of himself and maybe he has learned that life goes on (it doesn't wait) even for Tony Stewart.
Tom Jensen: Thanks for the observations. I think the first time Tony Stewart falls off the fence will be the last time he tries it.
Stephen from Bristol, Tenn.: Why do these owners let these men get on TV looking like they have been lost at least a week? If I went to work looking the way they do, I'd be unemployed. I think they owe the public at least a clean shave or a trimmed beard.
Tom Jensen: Stephen: Welcome to FOX. The beards/unkempt look doesn't bother me. What bothers the heck out of me is during the national anthem, when drivers snuggle up with their wives, girlfriends, etc. For crying out loud, fellas, a little respect, please! You can survive 45 seconds without your arm around a woman or holding hands or whatever.
Toyota answers
Matt from Melbourne, Fla.: I know Toyota builds their own motors and trucks in the CTS, but do you know if the teams are building their own motors for Nextel Cup? BDR has a motor program, but I haven't heard anything about TRB or MWR making their own power.Tom Jensen: Matt, thanks for the question. Here's what Lee White, senior vice president and general manager of TRD, U.S.A. (Toyota Racing Development), said about engines last month at Charlotte: "NASCAR tells us that they don't like the idea of a single-engine source, and that's not our intention. TRD is in the engine design and development business, and we'll continue to be in the engine design and development business. Part of our business plan is to keep our design and development engineers in touch with the race track. We will be building engines for some of the cars that will be competing in Cup, primarily the Team Red Bull and Michael Waltrip Racing, because they're start-up teams, and they don't have a facility at this point to develop their own engines. Bill Davis is building his own engines and doing engine development work himself. In the future, any other teams that would come (to Toyota) would be building their own engines."
Rick from Holland Patent, N.Y.: I don't think it's as much about Toyota being manufactured in the U.S. as it is where the money from it really ends up. I wasn't really happy when NASCAR brought Dodge back for the same reason. I don't think we need to send any more money out of this country than we already do.
Tom Jensen:
Ron from Plain City, Ohio: Tom, I don't think it is a fear of the unknown, but a fear of the known. Look at Toyota's track record in every series they have been involved in. They have spent what it took to dominate. All you have to do is look at the Craftsman Truck series: the four top teams in points are Toyota. NASCAR has failed to keep their so-called parity. I just read an article that NASCAR announced on the dyno Toyota had more horsepower than the other trucks. They have been checking all the various engines all season, but did not release the info until the season is over. I think some of the things NASCAR does seem to initiate those nasty conspiracy theorists. I don't mind competition, but I cannot see how NASCAR can control spending.
Tom Jensen: Ron: Excellent point. I really, honestly don't think NASCAR will allow Toyota to have a markedly superior engine in the Cup Series. And spending money doesn't guarantee success or domination. Toyota's factory Formula 1 team has been around since 2002. In 177 races, it has finished second twice and third four times. It has never won a race.
Chase questions/feedback
Mike from Hooks, Texas: Tom, I wonder why no one seems to want the driver who has the best YEAR to win the championship? It seems everyone wants it to be whomever has the best 10 races at the end of the season, no matter how many drivers you have to let in the chase to get there.Tom Jensen: Mike: Im not sure I fully understand your question. The way the points are structured, the champion is the guy who makes it into the top 10 after 26 races and then beats the other nine guys in the Chase.
David from Columbia City, Ore.: Tony Stewart didn't make the Chase, and if we were still under the old point system he wouldn't have a "snowball's chance" of winning the championship this year. Don't 'Smoke' fans realize he was almost 500 points behind with 10 races left? Do the math... oh did i say that? Keep up the great work.
Tom Jensen: David: Thanks for the question and the comments. Yes, Tony would be out of contention in the old system, just as he is in the new one.
Rob from Portland, Ore.: It was more exciting to see who would get in during the "race for the chase" then the actual chase itself. Why? I'd say because it was more like the "Winston Cup" point system. The winner of the Chase is going to be the driver with the fewest problems, not the best driver/team. How boring is that? NASCAR should go back to the "Winston Cup" points system.
Tom Jensen: Rob: Thanks for the comments. No matter how the points are structured, some people won't like it.
Rob from Boston, Mass.: Everyone seems to want to introduce a wrinkle to get more guys in the chase. Why not a system where if you have won two or more races AND are within 100 points (or pick a number here) of 10th place? That seems to reward consistency and winning.
Missy from Culpeper: Why not allow the past winner of the Nextel Cup to have a space in the Chase automatically to defend his title?
Lynn from Delavan, Wisc.: I still think there should be a previous year or past champion provisional, provided that past champ has won a race and/or been within a points window, showing he is still competitive. That would have allowed Tony in this year and Jeff Gordon last year.
Yechiel from Chasmonaim, Israel: It is simple. Anybody that has won a race for the year should be included in the Chase.
Mike from Waverly, Ohio: The change is a good idea. The best one is you add everyone within 100 points of 10th. Please mention this. From a marketing standpoint, it also doesn't sound so big.
Tom from Grays Chapel, Ala.: BOOOO!!! for Brian France on not changing the Chase points system for next season. The tweak for the possibility of more than 10 making it is good, but the 26 Race to the Chase points system DOESN'T add to the excitement of the Chase. It actually tones it down if you ask the majority of the FANS! CEOs always don't get it right!
Dara Lea from Martin, Tenn.: The only thing I would like to see "tweaked" in this "Chase" format would be ANY PAST CHAMPION WITHIN 100 PTS OF 10TH PLACE is allowed into the Chase. IF one is NOT a PAST CHAMPION, this will NOT apply. TONY deserved to be in the Chase more than some of the drivers currently in the 2006 hunt and NASCAR should be ASHAMED he isn't. He is AWESOME for the sport. However, one should NOT forget he IS the IROC CHAMPION. AND TONY forgot that he has also won TWICE at MIAMI-HOMESTEAD, another place Jeffie has NOT won. Feel free to pass this suggestion on to nascar powers that be.
Tom Jensen: Missy, Lynn, Yechiel, Mike, Tom and Dara: Thanks for the suggestions one and all. We'll see what NASCAR comes up with when they tweak the rules next year.
F1 drivers in NASCAR
Todd from Sundance Wyo.: Since Juan Pablo Montoya decided to make the move to NASCAR, are there any rumblings about more F1 drivers crossing over? Villeneuve lost his ride, Schumacher is retiring. Hmmm, any of these big F1 names been looking NASCAR's way for a ride or challenge?Tom Jensen: Todd: Welcome to FOX. I know Villeneuve has had talks with the Roush organization and I'll try to find out this weekend where those talks stand. There's no way Schumacher is coming here, but I suspect over the next few years, some others might, though I've heard nothing specific.