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by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

The Chase for the Sprint Cup is getting hot for the Chasers as the season dwindles to just 384 potential points.

NASCAR’s eighth race of the Chase, the AAA 400, takes place on “The Monster Mile” at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware this Sunday. Fans who don’t have a ticket for one of the 140,000 seats can view the fast intensity at 1 p.m. on ESPN.

Not all driving styles are suited to the 1.0-mile concrete oval with 24 degree banking, but current leader Jimmie Johnson with seven previous wins seems to be right at home in the bowl-like racetrack. Always a threat to cross the finish line first, Johnson will be even more scrutinized by his opponents as he seeks a six championship.

Chase contenders will be struggling to secure more points than Johnson if they are to be in contention at the finale in Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chasers look to Monster Dover”

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By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @Tobalical

He’s not flashy, he’s not considered the greatest driver in the garage area, but Regan Smith put Furniture Row Racing on the map. A once laughable organization, which struggled just to make races, is now a respectable up-and-coming team in the Sprint Cup Series. It however looks like Furniture Row is ready to move forward without the man who has delivered their only victory to this point – Regan Smith.

Furniture Row Racing has been a Sprint Cup Series team since 2005, and in the eight years since being founded they have racked up two top-five finishes, and seven top-10 finishes – none of which have been recorded without Regan Smith behind the wheel. From 2005 to 2008 the team struggled with little positives with drivers such as Kenny Wallace, Joe Nemechek and Jimmy Spencer behind the wheel.

Continue reading “Furniture Row’s Decision To Move Forward Without Regan Smith Is Baffling”

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by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

Fans like the excitement of playoffs and teams work all season to be there for them. That’s true in all sports and in NASCAR as well. The 36-race stock car racing season is months long and only the last 10 races determine the champion. Getting in the top 12 spots after 26 races is on the minds of drivers and teams at every event.

But results aren’t as crucial in the first 26 races as they are in the last 10.

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’s Chase Competition Heats Up For All In Fall At Loudon”

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by Dwight Drum at Racetake.com

The 26-race regular NASCAR Sprint Cup season has only four more races remaining before the Chase for the Sprint Cup 10-race playoff, but leaders are already chasing five-time NSCS champion Jimmie Johnson. The top four point leaders, Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., may clinch a spot in the Chase at Michigan this weekend.

Continue reading “FYI WIRZ: NASCAR’S Winners Chasing Jimmie Johnson Into Fast Michigan”

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The NASCAR world has been a buzz for the past couple of weeks, as NASCAR’s favorite son – Dale Earnhardt Jr. – has found himself atop the Sprint Cup Series point standings for the first time since 2004. It has had people racing to debate whether or not Earnhardt, who has just one victory since June of 2008, is a serious threat to win the championship.

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @Tobalical

Heading into Pocono – the 21st race of the season – he had completed every single lap, and he had finished outside the top-17 just once, and that came after a last lap spin at Sonoma. He had an average finish of 8.0, and as many top-five finishes (nine) as he had in his past three seasons combined. However to me he wasn’t quite a full-fledged championship contender just yet.

Continue reading “Pocono Setback May Do More Good For Earnhardt Jr. Than Bad”