Cross' Words: California

Random ruminations ...

• Gillian Zucker, whose gig as president of California Speedway is one of the least-envied on the circuit, deserves credit for at least trying to get the folks in SoCal interested in stock-car racing. Paris Hilton, however, isn't the type celebrity the sport should cater to in an effort to garner some attention.

• Send Duane your thoughts

Sure, the shutterbugs follow Paris -- but the flip side is this: NASCAR fans couldn't care less about her (or most anyone in Hollywood). Yet there was Paris on Wednesday night, mugging for the camera during the red-carpet gala at Avalon.

• And then there's 500 miles at California. Twice. Thanks, but 400 would be plenty.

• It's one of those things that you know, but you want to forget: The sun setting at Cali ... not pretty from the driver's seat.

• Brad Keselowski and Michael Waltrip ... glad y'all are OK. Brad's crash was a whoa moment (video), while Mikey's flame-out was more wow (video).

• Robby Gordon couldn't get lucky with a fistful of fifties.

• ESPN's Andy Petree is solid. Stick Andy and Larry McReynolds in a booth, lock the door and flip on the mic. I'd listen ... but I'd still have on the radio. Some habits aren't worth giving up.

• After 6,999 laps since the green dropped at Daytona on Feb. 18, it's come down to 400 laps at Richmond on Saturday night.

• Heading to Richmond, there have been ... 14 winners; at least three will not make the Chase: Casey Mears, Jamie McMurray and Juan Montoya ... five drivers with multiple victories; all will make the Chase ... 29 drivers with top-five finishes; three have at least 10 and each of those will make the Chase ... 40 drivers with top-10 finishes; 13 have 10 or more and at least one of those will not make the Chase (Ryan Newman) and two others are on the bubble (Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.).

• Eight drivers are locked into the Chase -- Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Burton and Kyle Busch -- and 166 points separate ninth-place Clint Bowyer and Earnhardt, who has three wins, seven top-five finishes and nine top-10s in 16 races at Richmond.

• The Car of Tomorrow again will be used at Richmond. Nine of the top-10 finishers at RIR in May are currently Chase-eligible: 1. Johnson; 2. Ky. Busch; 3. Hamlin; 4. Gordon; 5. Ku. Busch; 6. Newman; 7. Harvick; 8. Stewart; 9. Bowyer; 10. Kenseth. (Dale Jr. finished 13th, FWIW.)

Say What?

"I don't know much about the [Chase] system, I never cared to. I just go out there and run as hard as I can. It doesn't look like we're going to make it, but we're not going to quit trying until they tell us we're not [in it]."
-- Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Figuratively Speaking

128 -- Points separating 12th-place Kevin Harvick, the last Chase-eligible driver, and 13th-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. ... Only 38 points separate Harvick and ninth-place Clint Bowyer.

Up Next

Chevy Rock & Roll 400 | Richmond | 7 p.m. ET Saturday | ABC
Race No. 26 of 36 | Get tickets | Book travel

• Defending race winner: Kevin Harvick
• Most victories at the track: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart (3)
• Best average finish (minimum five starts): Kyle Busch (3.4 in five starts)
Active drivers only

Sound off

• This week's topic
Gibbs-Toyota -- a match made in ...

Surf over and weigh in on the blog.

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

3man
Uh, the "playoffs" are already watered down enough with 12 teams getting in. For three years the Race to the Chase had come down to the last lap at Richmond. ... This year, it was over by Tuesday -- in Michigan.

racefann
Next thing you know they will try and have a "fan entry" into the Chase. Pick a random fan out of the stands, one from the online community and one from the television audience, put them in a car, let them race around the track until only one is left ... and then they can join the Chase, too!

ladybugg2
I do not think there should be a "wild card," or more appropriate "joker," spot in the Chase. Last year when NASCAR decided to add the extra two spots I wondered when they would get back to having all of the cars up for the trophy. Looks like someone is already looking for ways to make that happen.

jwilson
Letting the top 10 in is generous; going to the top 12 is pushing ridiculous.

RaceGirlSS
Please, we have enough handouts in the sport now. How about this novel idea instead: race your way in!

mfowler45945
This Chase thing has not grown on me yet, and the way things keep changing it probably never will.

MikeyA
The Chase is gimmicky enough -- no wild cards, period.

Read all the responses

Six of one ...
Drivers with momentum heading to Richmond:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- OK, 8 haters (and you know who you are), give the guy some props. He white-knuckled it at Cali and has three top-five finishes in the past five races. Engine woes at Indy and The Glen did him in -- not a lack of talent; he can drive. Wait 'til next year ...

• Carl Edwards -- Four consecutive top-10 finishes. The pump is primed for a championship run.

• Kyle Busch -- Back-to-back top-10s -- and he's a beast at Richmond (five top-five finishes in five starts).

• Jeff Burton -- Fourth at Cali was his first top-five since Sonoma -- and he led a lap, the first since Talladega.

• Brian Vickers -- Go west, young man! Two starts at Fontana, two top-10 finishes ...

• Kasey Kahne -- Consecutive top-10s for the first time since Moby Dick was a minnow (actually, Phoenix-Homestead last year).

Half a dozen of the other ...
And six drivers who need a jump start:

• Ricky Rudd -- Cup start No. 900 ends in DNF No. 188.

• Ryan Newman -- If 2006 was a hiccup, what's '07?

• Dave Blaney -- Eight DNFs this year. ... He had nine between 2004-06.

• Elliott Sadler -- Seven top-10 starts with a 26.8 average finish in those races.

• Michael Waltrip -- Apropos the car went up in flames: no lead-lap finishes in eight starts this year.

• Joe Nemechek -- Consecutive last-place finishes. There's nowhere to go but up.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.