One of these 10 drivers is going to pocket more than $5 million for winning the Nextel Cup. Credit: Autostock

Cross' Words: Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. -- Looking across the mass of humanity that was the crowd Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway, it occurred to me that nowhere else is there a facility more suited to determine the Chase field than this .750-mile ribbon of asphalt. It demands all that racing is: speed, brakes, patience. More of the latter than the other two combined.

There now are 10 drivers competing for the Nextel Cup. Toss in 33 other drivers racing for the same checkered flag, and you see that the final 3,227 laps on the schedule will yield a combination of anxious moments and exhilarating celebration -- kind of like the anticipation of new car models.

	DUANE CROSS •   E-mail Duane •   Opinion Archive

So if the Chase drivers were autos, here's what they'd be:

• Tony Stewart -- F430 Spider ... Make no mistake, Smoke has been a Ferrari among Fiero's the past few months.

• Greg Biffle -- Z4 3.0i ... This BMW roadster does it all, but it's not the flashiest car available. Sound familiar?

• Rusty Wallace -- Z06 ... The 'vette is a classic. The same can be said of the 1989 Cup champion (who debuted with a Chevy in '80).

• Jimmie Johnson -- Brabus CLS 6.1 S ... A good-looking Benz, and it's on the fast track to being something special.

• Kurt Busch -- Shelby Cobra GT500 ... It's back with something to prove -- much like Busch, who some think sneaked into the title last year.

• Mark Martin -- Barracuda ... C'mon, no self-respecting man can make a cars list without this staple! All hail the 1971 Plymouth Hemi convertible.

• Jeremy Mayfield -- Grand National ... Country boys know this '87 Buick is one of the all-time muscle cars. Besides, Shana would dig the T-top.

• Carl Edwards -- GTR 650 ... What am I thinking? He'd never drop the Benjamins for a Porsche. ... OK, maybe for a used one -- like this.

• Matt Kenseth -- Trans Am ... Just as Smokey and the Bandit was overlooked by the Oscars, we, too, forgot about Kenseth much too soon.

• Ryan Newman -- Tucker '48 ... Much like the automaker, Rocketman may be too smart for this business. Or just ahead of his time.

Inside the Numbers Elliott Sadler entering the Chase Year Track Finish 2004 Daytona 26   Chicago 21   Loudon 15   Pocono 10   Indianapolis 3   Watkins Glen 15   Michigan 32   Bristol 5   Fontana 1   Richmond 17 2005 Daytona 21   Chicago 37   Loudon 39   Pocono 16   Indianapolis 32   Watkins Glen 12   Michigan 39   Bristol 13   Fontana 17   Richmond 17 Dale Jarrett entering the Chase Year Track Finish 2004 Daytona 16   Chicago 3   Loudon 9   Pocono 24   Indianapolis 2   Watkins Glen 27   Michigan 3   Bristol 10   Fontana 8   Richmond 26 2005 Daytona 5   Chicago 18   Loudon 16   Pocono 15   Indianapolis 14   Watkins Glen 22   Michigan 34   Bristol 31   Fontana 24   Richmond 39

Flags

• Red -- Elliott Sadler has finished 12th or worse in his last 10 races, while teammate Dale Jarrett has finished 14th or worse in his last nine races. During the past two years, Yates' drivers have just 11 top-10 finishes -- and only one by DJ this year -- in 40 races combined leading into the Chase.

• Yellow -- Tony Stewart's current streak of 12 consecutive top-10 finishes, dating to Michigan in June, is remarkable. But is he slipping as the Chase begins? In the past three races, Smoke's 6.66 average finish pales in comparison to Greg Biffle's 2.66, which brings me to ...

• Green -- Greg Biffle has earned 105 bonus points in the first 26 races, more than any other driver. He has led a lap in six of the past 10 races, and only once this year has Biffle failed to not rack up bonus points in back-to-back races -- Indianapolis and Watkins Glen.

Quote, Unquote

"The No. 37 [Tony Raines] ran into me after the caution came out. There's a reason that guy doesn't have a ride, and I guess he showed that [Saturday night].
-- Jamie McMurray, after a crash ended his night -- and Chase hopes -- on Lap 363.

Around the Track

• One man's opinion: Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth should not have been given the same amount of Chase points (5,015) after an eighth-place tie in the regular-season standings. Edwards should have been awarded eighth, Kenseth ninth based on the fact Edwards had two wins to Kenseth's one.

If Kenseth wins the championship by four points or less, he'll never live it down. Isn't being perceived as the guy who brought about the Chase system enough of a burden for one man to carry?

• Kurt Busch's victory at Richmond was the 11th win this year for Roush Racing. No other Ford team has won a race. Chevrolet has 13 wins and Dodge has two.

• Seven of the 10 drivers in the Chase are playoff-bound for the second consecutive season; Greg Biffle, Rusty Wallace and Carl Edwards are first-timers.

• Rusty Wallace has 21 top-15s in 26 races this year. His fifth-place run at RIR extended a series-best 39-race streak of running at the finish (Bristol, August 2004).

Inside the Numbers Lap leaders at New Hampshire No. Driver Races Led 1. J. Gordon 21 1,067 2. J. Burton 21 605 3. T. Stewart 13 563 4. R. Newman 7 433 5. M. Martin 21 364

Up Next

New Hampshire

• Ryan Newman has a 5.7 starting average at NHIS, tops among active drivers.

• Kasey Kahne has a 6.0 finishing average at Loudon, best among active drivers with more than one start.

• Jimmie Johnson won both races at New Hampshire in 2003. Kurt Busch swept in 2004. Tony Stewart won the July race; three-peat?

Mail Call

I have been a die-hard Jeff Gordon fan since 1994. Under normal circumstances, I would have been extremely upset than Jeff didn't make the Chase. But given how they've been running, it just doesn't upset me so much; they simply did not deserve to be in the Chase. They just seem unable to make good adjustments during the race. It seems like it's pretty certain that Robbie Loomis will not be crew chief next year. I know it will probably be difficult to find a great crew chief soon, but if possible, I would like the new crew chief to take over within the next 10 races. Your thoughts on all of this?
-- Kelly Hayes

I think you're echoing what a lot of other Gordon fans have been saying. The No. 24 team had ample opportunity to lay waste to the field in the months leading to Richmond -- and failed. Miserably, I might add; only four top-10s in the past 16 races with an average finish of 27.0 in the other 12 races, including seven 30th-or-worse finishes. That's unacceptable under any circumstances, and the Hendrick hierarchy won't enter 2006 with the 24 team as-is.

	WE PICK 'EM Ten drivers, 10 races. We put our professional prognosticators to the test: Pick the driver with the best chance to win it all, the one who definitely won't and the best long shot. See how we think it'll all shake out.  •   Complete story, click here

Only media morons such as yourself can say Rusty can't cut it. Jesus, he's only third after 26 races. That doesn't happen by luck. And Jimmie Johnson as your overall winner? Guy's been sucking wind for a month. If it were not for the No. 5, we'd be talking about Hendrick like they were Ganassi!
-- David Kruseski

As long as we're handing out bouquets, don't forget about Hendrick's Brian Vickers; he's been strong the past couple of months. ... But to the issue at hand, Wallace drives a Dodge, and Penske has not been able to find the handle on the new Charger. It's a shame that Wallace and Newman, to a lesser extent, have run so well, only to be hampered with a first-year car. Next year maybe the team will have a better grasp on the car's aero package (a new nose would work wonders), but by then Wallace will be out of the picture.

There is one thing for sure: If you're not in a multi-car team, you're bringing a knife to a gun fight. Put another way, you can't play poker with only two cards -- and Roush has stacked the deck in his favor. Anybody wanting to compete for the Nextel Cup had better pony up the money, or they will be fighting for Roush and Hendrick leftovers.
-- Warren Dunaway

Jack Roush had the understatement of the year Saturday night at Richmond. Speaking about having half the Chase field, the cat in the hat said: "I'm in better shape with five than I would be with one." Yes, the deck is stacked in favor of multi-car teams; seven of the 10 Chase drivers are teammates -- five with Roush, two with Penske. NASCAR knows there are inadequacies with the way teams test -- the key to a winning program -- but the fact is everyone plays by the same rules. Some just have more money to play the game. I don't agree with the current testing set up, but until NASCAR makes a change, I cannot blame Roush for doing his job as a team owner.

I have followed NASCAR since all you could do was listen on the radio or drive to the track. It is my deepest wish that both Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt are sitting on the outside of the "idiotic Race to the Chase." Maybe then, when the fans of both drivers stay home for the last 10 races and turn off their tubes, NASCAR will scrap this crap. My last piece of irritation with NASCAR is every time they say Dale Earnhardt Sr. was a seven-time Nextel Cup Champion! If it weren't for the involvement of Winston there would never be a Nextel Cup. NASCAR has forgotten its history -- unless its a dime in their pocket. It would be nice like in the olden days to hear Kyle Petty, Kenny Schrader, etc. are actually on the track also.
-- Jim Fisher

Jim's not the only one who feels like this. ... But his opinion carries about as much weight as everyone else's who is in agreement.

Inside the Chase Point standings No. Driver Points Behind 1. T. Stewart 5,050 -- 2. G. Biffle 5,045 -5 3. R. Wallace 5,040 -10 4. J. Johnson 5,035 -15 5. Ku. Busch 5,030 -20 6. M. Martin 5,025 -25 7. J. Mayfield 5,020 -30 8. C. Edwards 5,015 -35 tie M. Kenseth 5,015 -35 10. R. Newman 5,005 -45 Manufacturers in the Chase field Make Drivers Wins Ford 5 11 Dodge 3 1 Chevrolet 2 7 ALSO Not sure how the Chase works? The point system explained.  •   Complete story, click here •   Complete Chase coverage

The Chase is on

• Tony Stewart has 12 consecutive top-10 finishes, including five victories. He has two wins and eight top-10 finishes in 13 races at New Hampshire.

• Greg Biffle has ranked among the top-five in the point standings since race No. 2 at California. He has never led at NHIS and has a 24.7 average finish in six races.

• Rusty Wallace has a series-best 21 top-15 finishes. He has led in just five of 21 races at Loudon -- none in the past six races -- and has a 13.3 average finish.

• Jimmie Johnson has ranked among the top-10 drivers since Atlanta in March 2004, a streak of 59 consecutive races. He has two wins in seven starts at NHIS.

• Kurt Busch won this race one year ago and vaulted from seventh to second in the standings after the first race in the 2004 Chase. He has an 11.4 average finish at Loudon.

• Mark Martin has led in just six of 21 races at New Hampshire. He has three consecutive top-15s at the track, but has not finished in the top-10 in his last seven races.

• Jeremy Mayfield has a Chase-low seven top-10 finishes. In 19 races at New Hampshire, he has just two top-10 finishes with an average finish of 25.4.

• Carl Edwards has 14 top-15 finishes, including 10 top-10s. He has never led at NHIS in two races, and boasts a 16.0 average finish.

• Matt Kenseth has five top-10 finishes in the past six races. In 11 races at Loudon, he has seven top-10s -- including six in a row -- with an 11.4 average finish.

• Ryan Newman has one win and six top-10 finishes at New Hampshire. In seven races, his 8.9 average finish is second only to Jimmie Johnson (8.7) among the Chase drivers.

Fantasy Perspective

• Kurt Busch has finished first or second in four of his last six races at Loudon.

• Matt Kenseth has six consecutive top-10 finishes at New Hampshire.

• Jimmie Johnson has scored top-15 finishes in all seven of his races at NHIS.