SHOW #125 – Awesome race in Montreal, Kyle wins 4th straight, what drivers will lock in, Paul returns, Atlanta anniversary, fantasy picks and more. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop

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CORRECTION: The point leaders in 2010 have been: Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick from Fontana to Bristol (races 2-5), Jimmie Johnson from Martinsville to Talladega (races 6-9), then Kevin again after Richmond (race 10)

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CREDITS:
Hosts: Kerry Murphey & Paul Northrop
Production: Kerry Murphey
Music: Radium Sound
Voice Over: Thomas Moog

Atlanta Celebrating 50th Anniversary Season

Atlanta Motor Speedway, site of the next NASCAR Sprint Cup event, on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 5, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

AMS’s first year of hosting NASCAR events was 1960. The track had two races that year, won by Fireball Roberts and Bobby Johns.

Since then, the best-of-the-best have conquered, with NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt atop the wins list with nine.

More On Those Bonus Points – They’re Crucial To Championship Chances

Prior to the Chase, the 12 drivers who qualify have their point totals re-set to 5,000, whereupon 10 bonus points are tacked on for each pre-Chase race win. Those adjusted point totals establish Chase seedings.

Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have the prospective top two seeds all but locked up via five wins apiece, which would give them Chase starting totals of 5,050.

After that come Kevin Harvick and Busch with three wins apiece and potential starting totals of 5,030.

Two races remain until the Chase begins. Twenty more bonus points are there to be had.

Two Chase Spots Locked Up…Who’s Next?

Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon have already clinched berths in the 2010 Chase. A number of drivers can add their names to that coveted list. Leaving Atlanta, a driver must be 196 points ahead of 13th place to officially clinch a spot in the Chase. A few seem likely to do that; others have a chance; still others might have to wait until Richmond to cement a spot. Here’s the breakdown:

Sure Things?
There’s no such thing as a sure thing. But these guys are as close as it gets. Below are the finishing positions each driver would need to guarantee a Chase spot this weekend, regardless of how any other driver finishes:

Kyle Busch
40th or better, no laps led
42nd or better, at least one lap led
43rd or better, most laps led

Carl Edwards
21st or better, no laps led
23rd or better, at least one lap led
25th or better, most laps led

Denny Hamlin
20th or better, no laps led
22nd or better, at least one lap led
23rd or better, most laps led

Likely Candidates
Here are a few drivers who have a better than average shot at clinching this weekend:

Tony Stewart
19th or better, no led
21st or better, at least one lap led
23rd or better, most laps led

Jeff Burton
17th or better, no laps led
19th or better, at least one lap led
21st or better, most laps led

Matt Kenseth
15th or better, no laps led
17th or better, at least one lap led
19th or better, most laps led

There’s Always Richmond
Finally here are the remaining drivers who can clinch this weekend. They may have to wait until Richmond to lock up their spot:

Jimmie Johnson
10th or better, no laps led
11th or better, at least one lap led
13th or better, most laps led

Kurt Busch
9th or better, no laps led
10th or better, at least one lap led
11th or better, most laps led

Greg Biffle
4th or better, no laps led
5th or better, at least one lap led
7th or better, most laps led

Clint Bowyer
Currently 100 points ahead of 13th, Bowyer would need to gain 96 points. Therefore, there is no finish that would guarantee a Chase spot. He would need to finish strong, and get some help.

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
PHOTO CREDIT: CIA STOCK PHOTO

(August 29, 2010)
MONTREAL—At long last, road-course ace Boris Said is a winner in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Said won Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve when—with the two strongest cars out of contention—the always unpredictable event ended with Said beating Max Papis in a drag race to the finish line.

After leader Robby Gordon ran out of gas on a green-white-checkered-flag finish that sent the race three laps past its scheduled distance of 74 laps, Said lost the lead to Papis at the entrance to the final two corners. But Papis’ momentum sent him wide in Turn 14, and Said drew alongside at the top of the final straightaway.
Papis lost a fraction of a second when he hit the rev limiter in second gear but still had enough to race side by side with Said all the way to the finish line.

Said’s .012-second margin of victory was the closest ever on a road course in the Nationwide Series, the fifth closest overall in series history and the closest since 1998 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The victory was more than just a first for Said, 47. It was the first Nationwide win for car owner Robby Benton and the first for the new pairing of Said and crew chief Scott Zipadelli.
“I don’t think we had the fastest car today,” Said admitted, “but we definitely had the smartest race strategy with Scott Zipadelli as the crew chief—the first time I ever worked with him. We had great communication, he called a great race, and it was really about managing the racetrack, managing your brakes.
“I’m shocked … overwhelmed. I thought I was going to cry, but I didn’t. My wife would have made fun of me. But I was pretty happy.”

Local hero Jacques Villeneuve finished third, followed by Brad Keselowski, who extended his series lead to 365 points over hard-luck 20th-place finisher Carl Edwards. Paul Menard ran fifth, with Joey Logano, J.R. Fitzpatrick, Parker Kligerman, Justin Allgaier and Trevor Bayne completing the top 10.

The race that gave polesitter Marcos Ambrose another heartbreak (he retired with an electrical problem after leading 25 laps) turned on a bad break—literally—for defending winner Edwards, who led a race-high 29 laps before breaking the track bar on his No. 60 Ford as caution flew with eight laps left in regulation.

Edwards held a lead of almost three seconds over Gordon when Michael Annett slid into the Turn 4 wall to cause the fifth caution of the race, ending a green-flag run of 42 laps.

Two more late cautions forced overtime and prolonged the race enough to empty Gordon’s fuel tank. Gordon led the field to the green flag for a restart on Lap 76 but coasted to a stop before completing the circuit. He finished 14th.

But it was the drag race to the finish between Said and Papis that had the more than 70,000 fans on their feet.
“I was ahead, I was behind, I was ahead,” said Papis, who was driving Kevin Harvick’s No. 33 Chevrolet. “At the end of the day, this was an amazing race. I had a blast. It came down to a green-white-checker, and the thing I’m the most proud of … this is maybe the first time I’ve had the chance to really sit in a car that legitimately can win, and it came down to the last corner.
“For me, I’m really proud. I know it’s a second-place finish, but it’s equal to one of my best wins.”