Wise words from the past echo in this year's Chase

After a weekend finish in Kansas that left me only slightly less confused than the explanation that followed -- and I have access to a rulebook -- I decided to turn outside of the world of NASCAR for inspiration. I'm dedicating eight bouquets of wisdom to eight NASCAR drivers with an opportunity for fans to fill in the four blanks at the end.

"Great works are performed, not by strength, but by perseverance."
--Samuel Johnson

Beau Estes co-hosts the Jack Daniel's Post-Race Show with Nikki Alexander. It can be seen following every Nextel Cup race live on NASCAR.COM.

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Samuel Johnson's famous quote is dedicated to another Johnson, the defending champ Jimmie. The driver of the 48 car waited out the stress filled hours of the rain delay that could have pushed him way back in the points race, but his steadfast efforts have him as part of the HMS freight train at the head of the standings.

"For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, 'It might have been'."
--John Greenleaf Whittier

This goes out to Tony Stewart. For a large portion of a Kansas on Sunday, it looked liked Tony would have a vice like grip on the points lead. His ignition trigger finger saved enough gas to keep him poised atop the lead going into what seemed like a possible rainout. If the rain had washed away the rest of the Kansas day, Stewart would have led Clint Bowyer by 46 and been more than 100 points clear of both Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon.

In the end though, the 20 crashed out on the track and in the standings leaving him 117 points back and his team wondering "what might have been?"

"What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals."
--Zig Ziglar

Clint Bowyer is rapidly becoming a man in full. He's in the group of three Chasers along with Jimmie and Jeff who have separated themselves at the top of the standings. Still, to me, his greatest accomplishment isn't the increased earnings potential surely generated by this run of racing success. His lasting achievement will be that fans and more importantly drivers now expect to see him at the top of the standings. He has become in the eyes of everyone, a great driver.

"If you are going through hell, keep going."
--Sir Winston Churchill

The former British Prime Minister's directional advice is dedicated to Clint Bowyer's teammate Kevin Harvick who, despite finishing outside of the top 15 in the first two Chase races, righted the ship in Kansas with a sixth that has him up four positions this week to fifth in the standings.

"I've had a wonderful time, but this wasn't it."
--Groucho Marx

The first two years of Denny Hamlin's Nextel Cup driving career have been a fantastic voyage. He, no doubt, has had a wonderful time, but the 2007 Chase has been a nightmare. Forget for a moment the incident with Kyle Petty, after just three races Denny Hamlin is a whopping 248 points out. Finishes of 15, 38 and 29 will no doubt have the 11 team feeling blue.

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
--Antoine de Saint Exupery

Jeff Gordon is inching ever so close to the status of a near perfect driver so just for kicks, NASCAR invents the Chase because he still has a few championships he'd like to add to his resume and no doubt, this season's reset at the Chase has taken tons away from him in the way of points. More on this later...

"The nice thing about being a celebrity is that if you bore people they think it's their fault."
--Henry Kissinger (1923-)

Maybe I'm giving Matt Kenseth the Kissinger celebrity treatment, but I thought the driver of the 17 was very interesting in Kansas. With his car in tatters following a big pileup on Lap 157, his precise instructions to his crew provided a window in on this fierce competitor's expertise and demanding expectations. If you are bored by Matt Kenseth, then it is your fault.

"Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?"
--Bumper Sticker

Following a top 10 at Dover it appeared that Jeff Burton had righted the ship, then at Kansas he literally tried to right the ship as a rain delay was coming to a close ... except you can't do that. NASCAR busted him and sent him to the end of the line. Unfortunately that was just the beginning of the trouble. Primed for a rush back to the front, Burton's fuel pump quit and perhaps, so did his realistic chances for a championship.

I've intentionally left four drivers off of the list for a reason. The drivers are Kurt and Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. The reason they are off the list is because I'm offering a challenge to the readers. Following this weekend's race, give me an appropriate famous quote and match it to a driver. The best quote/explanation of each will be published next week. Send your thoughts to me at beau@turner.com

THE REAL CHAMPION

Originally, the purpose of this space in the column was for quick access to the old way of keeping score. Additionally, when I unveiled my plan I said that Jeff Gordon would have run away with a fairly decided "real championship" rather than a contrived system that resets the points in the interest of maintaining ... er, um -- interest. At that point Tony Stewart fans from Fargo to The Falkland Islands besieged my inbox stating that Tony was going to come back and win my "real championship." Their thought was that I would have a little taste of comeuppance.

So, for those of you who said I would eat my words when I put this together, let me just say that I'll be on a word free diet for the foreseeable future. The reason -- Jeff Gordon is now more than 400 points clear of everyone. That is a greater gap than positions 1-12 in the Chase. In the words of Vince Carter at the slam dunk championship, "IT'S OVER!" Jeff Gordon has earned this distinction.

As much as I am critical of the Chase, I must admit that it is exciting. Following the Kansas race last year, Jimmie Johnson was in eighth place a full 165 points behind the leader. We all know what happened from there so if you are a fan of anyone from eighth place Truex Jr. on up -- history gives you reason for hope.

Enjoy the race.

The opinions expressed are those solely of the writer