Kasey Kahne, will he make the chase?
I will start this off by saying I am Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan and he is one of a handful of driver that are vying for the last remaining spots in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Since Dale Jr. fall from 3rd in points a few races ago, he was able to recover and move back into the Top 10 in points (9th, to be exact). That is due in large part by finishing in the Top 10 in the last 3 races, with a Top 3 last week at Bristol.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case for Kasey Kahne, he is still fighting to get back into the Top 10 in points and now he finds himself 90 points behind 10th place Mark Martin with two races (California and Richmond) to go before the cutoff.
I have a lot of respect for Kahne’s driving ability, but he has had a bit of bad luck this season. He has been in the wrong place at the wrong time on numerous occasions that have lead to race ending wrecks and he has also been involved in a couple of last lap wrecks that took him out of the race, despite having a Top 10 car.
What I find amazing is that Kasey Kahne has four wins this season and he might be left out of the Chase for the Nextel Cup and a driver like Jeff Burton hasn’t won a single race this season and he looks solidly in the Chase. Some believe that a driver should be required to have at least one win to even qualify for the Chase for the Cup, but because the way the points are awarded, the system actually rewards consistency over number of wins.
It is all going to come down to the last two races for Kahne and unless he gets some help, he isn’t going to make the Chase this year.
I’ll be rooting for Kahne. Hopefully a driver or two will have trouble and Kahne has a good race.
Comment by Kat — September 1, 2006 @ 9:22 pm
As long as one of those driviers you are talking about isn’t Dale Earnhardt Jr. it will be ok.
Comment by Administrator — September 1, 2006 @ 9:35 pm
Well Dale sure qualified good, so I would say no.
Comment by DonB — September 2, 2006 @ 9:23 am
DonB,
I would be a bit more sure had Kasey not qualified so well also. I will be nervous until Kahne is either wrecked out or goes several laps down.
Comment by Administrator — September 2, 2006 @ 11:29 am