Toasty Toast for 88 and 22

Though The Hill May Be Steep There’s Still Hope
Engine troubles ended Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano’s night early at Chicagoland. Logano bowed out on lap 175 (37th) while Earnhardt stopped running after lap 224 (35th), dropping the two drivers to 12th and 13th in the standings. While there might be some cause for alarm, they should find solace in that in 2006 Jimmie Johnson finished the first Chase race 39th and fell to ninth in the standings only to rebound to capture his first title.