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Martin and Busch needed for Chase to have spice

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Updated Aug 27, 2009 1:00 PM ET
     
 
When Kyle Busch crossed the finish line with Mark Martin on his bumper Saturday night at Bristol, it was one of the most significant finishes this season. Not only was it compelling drama — good vs. evil, young star vs. wily old veteran — but it was a critical moment in a thrilling race to the Chase for the Sprint Cup. By holding off Martin and winning the race, Busch — the young star and NASCAR's most hated driver — climbed two spots in points and enhanced his chances of making the 12-driver playoff field that will determine the 2009 championship. He now trails 12th-place Matt Kenseth by just 34 points with two races — at two of his best tracks — remaining before the Chase. After what has been a disappointing year for the sometimes-dominant Busch, he now has a golden opportunity to salvage his season by making the Chase. Martin, meanwhile, also climbed two spots in points with his runnerup finish. He is now 10th in the standings and 60 points ahead of 12th place. A week after a miserable finish at Michigan put him in danger of missing the Chase, he now has a little bit of breathing room.

That both drivers stepped up with two magnificent performances when they needed it most says a lot about their talent and fortitude. But their timely performances were important for another reason as well. NASCAR needs both Busch and Martin in the Chase. Quite simply, the 12-driver, 10-race playoff will be much more interesting and entertaining if Martin and Busch are in the championship hunt. Martin's stellar-yet-heartbreaking career has been well documented. With 39 career victories, he is one of the greatest drivers of all time, but his resume has one glaring void: He has never won a Cup championship. Martin has won a record 48 Busch/Nationwide races and is a five-time champion in the series known as the International Race of Champions. Yet his quest to win a Cup title has been one of the greatest disappointments of his career. He has finished second in points four times and lost the 1991 title by 26 points thanks to a penalty for an illegal carburetor spacer. His greatest season came in 1998, when he won a career-high seven races. Unfortunately, that was also the greatest season for Jeff Gordon, who won 13 times and trounced Martin in the points standings.

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That Martin is now enjoying a career resurgence at age 50 — and after coming out of semi-retirement — is NASCAR's feel-good story of the year. He has made the most of his opportunity with Hendrick Motorsports, winning four races and challenging for a spot in the Chase. If he makes it, he would become the oldest championship contender since Harry Gant finished fourth in points in 1992 at age 52. Martin would also be the sentimental favorite and the people's choice to win the 2009 title. Not only has he earned a shot with four victories, but he also deserves it for being a class act and one of the most respected drivers in the history of the sport. He is not only NASCAR's elder statesman, but he is also one of its greatest ambassadors. The attention and positive publicity he would garner as a championship contender would be immense. If he doesn't make the Chase, it will be an absolute shame and a travesty. If Martin suffers misfortune at Atlanta and Richmond and misses the Chase, it would be typical of his career-long battle with heartbreak and disappointment. But it also would be a bitter disappointment for fans and NASCAR, which could use a new, compelling story to challenge Jimmie Johnson's quest for a fourth straight title. Ironically, NASCAR also needs Kyle Busch in the Chase, though for a set of entirely different reasons. Yes, Busch is currently the most hated driver in NASCAR. And he, perhaps, has earned that reputation by being brash, whiney, snide and a sore loser. He has rubbed fans the wrong way with his cocky demeanor and devil-may-care attitude, and he has even fueled those feelings by reveling in their disdain and taunting his detractors at every opportunity.
Yet, NASCAR needs Busch as much as it needs Martin. He is the anti-Martin, a black-hat villain who stirs people up and strikes a nerve with fans. Fans seem to enjoy booing a Kyle Busch victory as much as cheering a win by Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. or another of the sport's popular drivers. If Busch doesn't make the playoff field, then the Chase will be filled with good guys and boring personalities. Except for Johnson — who for some inexplicable reason has never earned the fans' favor — there is no one in Chase contention to pull against. And fans need someone to pull against just as much as they need someone to cheer. Busch adds spice to the Chase. Not only does he drive the wheels off his car, flashing unbelievable talent that is nearly unsurpassed, but he also brings pizzazz and entertainment value and always the threat of controversy. Busch is also — along with Johnson — the driver most likely to go on a tear, ripping off three or four wins in a row. He won eight Cup races last year and has shown the ability in the past two years to produce a hot streak. If he's going to add to his victory total in the final 10 races, wouldn't you rather see him do it while in the Chase, making those victories count for something? One of the worst things that could happen during the playoffs is for someone not in the Chase to hit a hot streak, winning multiple races and stealing the headlines from the championship contenders. Bottom line: Love him or hate him, Busch makes things more interesting when he is relevant and in the thick of things. He and Martin would both add drama and intrigue to this year's Chase. NASCAR and its fans should hope both make it.

Jeff Owens is a writer for NASCAR Scene, which is published weekly, 46 weeks per year. Visit www.scenedaily.com for more information.

Tagged: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin

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