A long run in a Nextel Cup race could mean one of two things: The drivers are going 100 miles between caution periods, or the race is really boring.
Either way, there is a lot of television time to kill, and lately, the conversation revolves around Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Will the sport’s biggest star make the playoffs? What will Junior’s sponsor and car number be next season? When will Junior finally win again?
Each of those answers point to next season, when Junior drives for a better team, yet Junior remains the story of 2007.
Junior is so popular because he’s a son of a legend, a genuinely good guy and he appeals to so many different fans. He’s like Paul Newman in “Cool Hand Luke” and Tom Cruise in “Top Gun” – but Junior never needs a script.
Perhaps that’s why we can’t get behind other drivers until the questions about the sport’s No. 1 hero are answered.
In Saturday night’s 500-mile marathon at California Speedway – it lasted 3 hours, 48 minutes – Junior ran up front most of the race and finished fifth. He was all over the television screen.
Afterward, Earnhardt Nation learned that Junior likely won’t make the playoffs. He trails 12th-place Kevin Harvick by 128 points heading into Saturday night’s regular-season finale at Richmond, Va. The top 12 drivers make the Chase, the 10-race playoffs that conclude the season.
Harvick, who won a year ago at Richmond, only needs to finish 32nd or better to keep Junior behind him.
Monday, another Junior question was answered. He won’t succeed Kyle Busch in Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 5 Chevrolet next season. Hendrick said Casey Mears, who drives its No. 25, would move to the No. 5 and Junior would move into Mears’ ride.
We still don’t know what number and sponsor he’ll have with Hendrick, and when he’ll win again.
My guess: Next season, which is too far away for Junior fans.
Big lead fades away
Jeff Gordon leads the Cup standings by 317 points, an unimportant amount. Unless the four-time champion wins at Richmond, Gordon will not begin the playoffs with an advantage.
If the Chase began today, Jimmie Johnson, now No. 6 in the points, would be the No. 1 seed and have a 10-point advantage over Gordon and Tony Stewart, currently second.
All 12 playoff participants will begin with the same amount of points, then 10 bonus points are awarded for each regular-season victory. Johnson has a series-high five wins, Gordon four and Stewart three.
“I think our points lead is a credit to how this team has performed this year,” Gordon said in a release. “But we know it’s a whole new season once those final 10 races begin. Any one of the 12 drivers can win the championship, which is why the Chase is so exciting.”
Footnotes
Ricky Rudd made his 900th career start at California but wrecked hard and separated his left shoulder and is out for Richmond. Kenny Wallace, who parted ways with Denver-based Furniture Row Racing last month, will replace Rudd in the No. 88 Ford. … Joe Gibbs Racing is expected to announce today its switch from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2008, giving Toyota its biggest client to begin its second year in Cup. … J.J. Yeley, who will be replaced in Joe Gibbs’ No. 18 by Kyle Busch next year, will drive for Hall of Fame Racing’s No. 96 in 2008. Yeley replaces Tony Raines. … Jimmie Johnson’s victory at California ended a 11-race drought for Hendrick Motorsports, which captured 10 of the first 14 races of the season. … Bobby Labonte on Saturday is scheduled to become the youngest driver to reach 500 Cup starts.
SPOTLIGHT: THE 12TH POSITION
Can Harvick hold off Earnhardt?
Kevin Harvick, the reigning Daytona 500 champion, is limping into the playoffs, and he might not make it. Harvick has had five straight finishes outside the top 10 and gone from seventh to 12th in the standings during that time. The top 12 drivers after Saturday night’s regular-season finale at Richmond, Va., qualify for the playoffs, and Harvick has a 128-point cushion on No. 13 Dale Earnhardt Jr. If Earnhardt leads the most laps and wins at Richmond, Harvick would need to finish 33rd or better to remain ahead of Earnhardt, who also has remote chances of catching No. 11 Kurt Busch and No. 10 Martin Truex Jr. Harvick won this race a year ago, but Earnhardt won the previous Richmond race in the spring of 2006 and leads all current drivers with 270 green-flag passes at Richmond.
ON THE MOVE: CARL EDWARDS
Able to run at top speed
Edwards finished second at California for his second consecutive top-two result and fourth straight top-10. He moved ahead one position, to fourth, in the standings and will have momentum on his side when the Chase begins Sept. 16 at New Hampshire. Edwards, who is close to clinching the Busch Series title, is guaranteed to begin the Chase no lower than tied for fifth, and within 40 points of the leader. If he wins at Richmond he’ll start the playoffs tied for third, and within 20 points of would-be leader Jimmie Johnson.
THIS WEEK’S RACE: CHEVY ROCK & ROLL 400
Final race to the Chase
5 p.m. Saturday, ABC
Where: Richmond (Va.) International Raceway (.75-mile oval, 14 degrees banking in corners, eight degrees frontstretch, 2 degrees backstretch)
Distance: 300 miles, 400 laps
Qualifying: Friday, 4 p.m., ESPN2
Last year: Kevin Harvick won a year ago; Jimmie Johnson won on May 6.
Points standings
(Driver Pts. Wins Top 5s Top 10s Winnings)
1. Jeff Gordon 3,679 4 14 20 $5,164,580
2. Tony Stewart 3,362 3 8 17 4,814,200
3. Denny Hamlin 3,335 1 10 14 3,718,710
4. Carl Edwards 3,330 2 7 11 3,285,710
5. Matt Kenseth 3,309 1 8 16 4,520,330
6. Jimmie Johnson 3,249 5 13 15 5,072,400
7. Jeff Burton 3,219 1 7 12 4,591,140
8. Kyle Busch 3,199 1 6 14 3,379,040
9. Clint Bowyer 3,047 0 2 12 2,798,820
10. Martin Truex Jr. 3,042 1 5 10 3,618,380
11. Kurt Busch Jr. 3,022 2 5 9 3,809,430
12. Kevin Harvick 3,009 1 4 10 6,032,250
13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2,881 0 6 10 3,822,990
14. Ryan Newman 2,755 0 3 10 3,584,740
15. Greg Biffle 2,674 0 2 7 2,960,180
16. Casey Mears 2,581 1 4 6 3,036,620
17. Bobby Labonte 2,541 0 0 3 3,339,300
18. Jamie McMurray 2,486 1 3 7 2,818,580
19. Juan Montoya 2,439 1 3 4 3,569,380
20. J.J. Yeley 2,372 0 1 1 3,145,700
21. Kasey Kahne 2,278 0 1 4 3,744,720
22. David Regan 2,266 0 1 1 3,417,450
23. David Stremme 2,236 0 0 2 2,342,500
24. Mark Martin 2,220 0 4 9 3,426,440
25. Reed Sorenson 2,220 0 2 3 2,906,560
The top 12 qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup.
Staff writer Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
