Homestead-Miami Milestones

A number of streaks are in jeopardy this week — none longer than Greg Biffle’s (No. 16 3 M Ford) run of six consecutive seasons with at least one victory.

Also needing a win at Homestead-Miami Speedway to preserve a streak is Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet), who has victories in three consecutive seasons. A runner-up finish in Sunday’s race at Phoenix suggests the Richard Childress Racing driver might be close.

Winless in 2009 after posting victories a year ago are defending Ford 400 winner Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet) and Ryan Newman (No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet).

Continue reading “Streaks in jeopardy at Homestead-Miami”

Top 35 Owner Points Picture

There’s one spot up for grabs this week — 35th place –- and with it goes a guaranteed starting position in the 2010 Daytona 500.

The No. 34 team owned by Teresa Earnhardt currently ranks 35th with 2,667 points. The only team with a shot at taking the position is the No. 82 of Dietrich Mateschitz.

Mateschitz and driver Scott Speed, however, trail by 114 points. Speed, who has a single top five in his rookie season, will at least have to match his best performance of the year (fifth) to overcome the deficit.

Mark Martin’s Down But Definitely Not Yet Out

Mark Martin may trail Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson by 108 points entering Sunday’s Ford 400 finale but it’s not in his DNA to go down without putting every ounce of his skill and determination into the fight.

And who knows — witness the recent Indianapolis Colts-New England Patriots game — what could happen.

If anyone can stage a comeback, it’s the veteran Martin who, on nine occasions, has gained more than 108 points on Johnson. It happened most recently two weeks ago in Texas, when Martin’s fourth-place finish coupled with Johnson’s accident-troubled 38th, resulted in a net gain of 111 points.

Continue reading “Mark Martin has outside chance at Cup”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Only Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) stands between Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) and arguably one of the greatest achievements in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history.

Johnson, following his seventh victory of the 2009 season at Phoenix International Raceway, carries a 108-point lead into Sunday’s Ford 400 season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The lead isn’t insurmountable — Martin still can deny Johnson a record fourth consecutive championship — but all the leader has to do is finish 25th or better to lock up the title.

Johnson, seemingly coasting to the championship before a 38th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway gave fresh hopes to his pursuers, proved at Phoenix that his Lone Star State “hiccup” wasn’t a momentum buster. He rolled over the opposition (Martin finished fourth) by leading a whopping 238 of 312 laps to win the Checker O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 for the third consecutive year.

Continue reading “Jimmie Johnson one race from history”