Weekend That Was: Calif.

FONTANA, Calif. -- It would be too easy to point out all that is supposedly wrong with Nextel Cup racing in the wake of Sunday's Sharp Aquos 500 at California Speedway.

But really, how bad is it?

Sure, the Chase for the Nextel Cup is about to commence without Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of the megastars of the sport even though he hasn't won a race in 15 months. Sure, whomever arrived at the official crowd estimate of 85,000 for Sunday's race is working in the right place -- Hollywood and all that make-believe stuff is only an hour or so down the road, even though it seems light years away.

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But Sunday's race was entertaining. Dare we say it was far more entertaining than the previous weekend's Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, a far more prestigious track where the thought of all those empty seats for a race sickens the stomach.

And even though the California crowd was more like 70,000 at a venue that seats 92,000 and holds 110,000 if the infield is sold out, can anyone blame the good folks of Southern California who stayed at home for not turning out in the heat of the moment? (Read More) Certainly race winner Jimmie Johnson couldn't, and he's a native of the area (or at least claims to be, calling it his "home track" even though he grew up two hours away in El Cajon, Calif.).

Johnson was asked afterward about the crowd, or lack thereof (Press Pass). He admitted that he wouldn't come out and sit in the heat -- which peaked at 109 degrees and lingered in the mid-90s long after the sun went down -- for six or seven hours or for however long it took to run the 500-mile event. (Note to Jimmie: the record-tying 11 cautions only made it seem like six or seven hours).

At least this race featured 30 lead changes among 16 different drivers. There was plenty of side-by-side racing, frequently three-wide.

Then, in addition, there was the riveting race within the race involving Earnhardt and his frantic chase to get into the Chase. He ultimately fell short -- but he and his No. 8 team made it interesting with a blue-collar effort and his fifth-place finish at least kept himself marginally alive mathematically going into next weekend's race at Richmond.

There are those critics who will joke that the Richmond race is rendered irrelevant because the Chase field, comprised of the top 12 drivers in points after the first 26 events of the season, essentially is set. While Earnhardt may be mathematically alive in the dreaded 13th spot, his chances are on life support and Last Rites already have been administered.

Of those immediately in front of him, all are now virtual locks to make the Chase. All Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr., who sit ninth and 10th, respectively, must do to clinch their Chase spots is start Saturday's race -- regardless of what Earnhardt does. Kurt Busch, sitting in 11th, must merely finish 36th or better; and Kevin Harvick, who is 12th, must finish 32nd or better.

But the fact is that the Chase is doing its job. The California race might have been a monumental bore if the Chase was not in place -- and anyone who thinks Richmond won't be loads of fun totally underestimates the desire of the Chase racers to earn the extra 10 bonus points that comes with a win and precious momentum heading into the sport's version of the playoffs.

Plus there now will be those, such as Earnhardt, who absolutely have nothing to lose by going all-out for the win -- and not just a good finish -- now that they are either officially or at least essentially eliminated from Chase contention.

"It could be wild -- even wilder than usual -- at Richmond," Jeff Burton conceded.

That's the way it should be every week from here on in, and that's a good thing.

No excuses
You had to admire Tony Eury Jr., Earnhardt's crew chief, for not pulling punches when asked about the predicament the No. 8 team is in after Sunday's race.

"Everybody wants to be in the Chase," Eury said. "Somebody has got to lose and we've had too many errors [throughout the season]. But we've run in the top five I don't know how many times and then we'd have a motor blow up or power steering go out -- you know, the craziest stuff like that.

"It's luck. It's rotten luck, and some of it was brought on by ourselves. But there is nothing you can really do about it now. I mean, as long as the car is running in the top five and Junior is doing his part and we're doing our part, things happen. You can't sit back on the couch and say, 'Well, I've had a terrible year,' because you haven't. You've just got to keep your guys pumped up."

Lap-by-Lap

See how Jimmie Johnson worked his way to the front and held off Carl Edwards for his fifth victory of the year.

• Lap-by-Lap, click here
• Video Highlights, click here

Eury admitted that he and Earnhardt desperately wanted to make the Chase, considering this is the driver's last year of employment at Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company Junior's late father founded. Beginning next season, Earnhardt will drive for Hendrick Motorsports -- and it appears Eury will be following him there.

"You can say, 'Well, all right, this is his last year at DEI and we want to go out with a bang and be in the Chase.' But unfortunately, it's not going to happen. So we'll just kind of take what we've got and move on," Eury said.

"We'll just try to win some races. That was our goal coming in [to the season] and we haven't done it yet. Our goal will still be to try and win as many as we can in that last 10. You can kind of throw the points out the window, which is kind of cool. We just need to win some races."

They just need to win one. They haven't done it since the spring race at Richmond in 2006, which was 51 races ago.

Still hedging
J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing, was still playing it close to the vest when he was asked about Kyle Busch spilling the story that JGR will switch from Chevrolets to Toyotas beginning next season.

"God bless Kyle. He's going to fit right in with the rest of our guys," said Gibbs, smiling when asked to officially confirm the stunning Toyota switch.

When later pressed to at least confirm that there would be an official announcement at JGR headquarters in Huntersville, N.C., this Wednesday, Gibbs still hedged his answer. He wouldn't even bite when he was reminded that one of his other drivers, Tony Stewart, confirmed that he was told to be there.

"I can't say yet. I hate the fact that we can't say, 'Hey, here's the deal. Here's what's going on.' But the reality is that we're still in the process," Gibbs insisted. "Once you complete that process, when we make that [decision], that's kind of when we can sit down and make an [official] announcement. Then we have to address the right people first. You know how it is. I want to make sure we talk to the right group first, whichever direction we go.

"But there could be [an announcement Wednesday at the shop]. Could be. I'll say that."

High praise for HOF Racing
Gibbs said that most folks don't realize what it took for Hall of Fame Racing to hang in there as a single-car operation with limited funding prior to Sunday's announced ownership change. While HOF founders Bill Saunders, Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach will remain on board as minority owners, controlling interest in the team was sold to Jeff Moorad and Tom Garfinkel -- respected executives with Major League Baseball's Arizona Diamondbacks.

It has helped HOF that they have partnered with, and will continue to partner with, Joe Gibbs Racing -- which gives the team its engines and other technical assistance.

"I think when you look around the landscape and see other guys who have tried to do the same thing, tried to start a team [recently], they're not very successful," Gibbs said. "I mean, these guys, they're not top 15, but I think what they've done has been amazing. I'll brag on our guys: we've given them good stuff. But they've done a lot on their own, too, and I don't think most people realize how hard that is."

Gibbs also said that he isn't likely to see more single-car start-up attempts by small groups of investors in the future. He said that the sport has just gotten too expensive, which is why he likes HOF Racing's chance now that more investors are on board.

"I think, years ago, if you were coming in, you could just start your own team. To start a team now, you almost have to partner up first, which is good for the owners," Gibbs said.

"Tom, it's not like he's just a financial guy looking to make an investment. He's been in racing. He knows what the deal is. ... If you watch what they've done in Arizona, they've got some sharp guys."

Wrong setup
Kurt Busch was satisfied in the end with his ninth-place finish at California, but he originally had hoped for more after using the same race setup as he did with success during his recent rain-soaked win at Michigan.

"The night was really interesting," Busch said. "I felt like as the race went longer, our car grew looser. Maybe we were [confused] by our good run at Michigan. But it was 60 degrees at Michigan and it was 160 [Sunday]."

Pit Stops
• Gibbs was asked if he would encourage HOF Racing to perhaps sign driver J.J. Yeley in the future. Yeley currently is seeking a ride for next season after being replaced at JGR by Kyle Busch. "Seriously, that's not a bad option. I'll say that," Gibbs said.

• Word is that DEI will make its driver lineup official by the end of this week, but probably will not have all its sponsors in place for next season by then.

• Bobby Labonte had another strong run for Petty Enterprises at California, just missing his third consecutive top-10 finish by placing 11th.

• How is this for Brian Vickers' last three weeks? Eighth at Michigan, failed to qualify at Bristol, eighth at California.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.