Cross' Words: Bristol (cont'd)

Say What?

"What's this mean? It means that David has won Round 2 with Goliath."
-- Ramsey Poston, NASCAR's Managing Director of Corporate Communications, on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' mandate allowing NASCAR to require the removal of AT&T logos from the No. 31 Chevrolet.

So AT&T is bigger than NASCAR? Everybody loves the underdog ...

Figuratively Speaking

347 -- Laps led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., the most by a Cup driver without a win in 2007.

Up Next

Sharp AQUOS 500 | California | 7 p.m. ET Sunday | ESPN
Race No. 25 of 36 | Get tickets | Book travel

• Defending race winner: Kasey Kahne
• Most victories at the track: Jeff Gordon (3)
• Best average finish (minimum five starts): Jimmie Johnson (7.4 in nine starts)
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Mailbag

This week's topic: Should a wild-card entry be part of the Chase?

Surf over and weigh in on the blog.

Last week's topic: How would you change the Cup Series schedule ...

Michael from Parts Unknown
I like how the current Race for the Chase and Chase for the Cup has developed and the expansion to the top 12. I think one aspect that needs to be addressed is those who have been struggling but finally get it right, but are too far out to do any good.

I propose the Wild Card entry -- the driver/team outside of the top 12 that accumulates the most points in the last 10 races of the Race for the Chase. This "wild card" chase would provide greater incentive for teams to continue to push and add yet another element of suspense and excitement.

Anyone notice the points differential between Nos. 10 and 11? That would be a great story, if this was 2004 ... or 2005 ... or 2006.

Anne Marie from Parts Unknown
They definitely need to reduce the number of races. The drivers and their teams need more of a break and/or testing and development time. The grueling schedule the drivers currently endure has been an admitted factor in the recent retirements of several older, veteran drivers who, despite still being very competitive, have said "enough is enough."

Having so many races each year makes it much easier for me to decide to skip attending or watching one. NASCAR should take a long, hard look at which tracks are under performing in terms of actual attendance and TV ratings and trim accordingly.

Umm, ISC owns a lot of these tracks ...

Chad in West Bloomfield, Mich.
I'd change some of the tracks in the Chase. Those last 10 races need to be balanced; we don't need to see three of the 10 races run at identical tracks (Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas). The Cup champion should have to master every track type in that 10-race segment.

This is my Chase schedule: Darlington, Dover, Indy, Talladega, Charlotte, Martinsville, Watkins Glen, Richmond, Phoenix and Miami.

Nice mix, indeed -- but I'd swap Dover for Bristol.

Jeff Hewitt in Oakville, Ontario, Canada
Take away the following races: Pocono (either one; I sleep through both anyway -- even when I'm there!); California Labor Day race (can't fill the place for either date); Kansas (too many 1.5-mile races; sorry, Toto).

Add the following races: Mosport (road-course facility just outside Toronto, where they speak English); Second date for Vegas (well earned with improvements); Iowa (big short track that could do a Cup date in the Midwest).

10 Chase Races (in no particular order): Dover, 'Dega, Lowe's, Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas, Phoenix, Infineon, Iowa, Homestead.

I agree with adding a second date at Vegas. And Iowa would be a breath of fresh air (though Kentucky deserves a date first).

Eric Pater in Valenica, Pa.
How about all races being scheduled Saturday night? If it rains Saturday, you have all day Sunday to makeup the race. People will still fill the stands and they will still have a high rating for the television broadcast being on Sunday instead of Monday or Tuesday. The drivers will be racing in cooler conditions, and more track revenue having the fans being there all day ... the list goes on and on.

Let's get down to the grass roots of the sport: When's the last time you went to your local track and saw a race during the middle of the afternoon?

Preach on, brother! Saturday night, under the lights ... nothing's finer. Unless it's Neyland Stadium. Imagine if Bristol was in the Chase -- Knoxville during the day then Bristol later that night. Amazing! (Continued)