Revised on Friday, Sept. 22, 2006 at 3:31PM ET.

Revised, after a couple of comments on this Foxsports Blog "Racedriven Overdrive", I wanted to restate something on this list. I pick Kasey Kahne as my "dark horse" to win the championship. He will have to go through Kevin Harvick who is on a tear and is the points leader as of now (Friday Afternoon).

What will the year-end finishing order be for the ten drivers in NASCAR's Chase for the Nextel Cup.

1.. 9 Kasey Kahne "dark horse" to win
2. 29 Kevin Harvick "current points leader"
3, 24 Jeff Gordon
4. 11 Denny Hamlin
5. 17 Matt Kenseth
6. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. "My favorite driver"
7. 6 Mark Martin
8. 31 Jeff Burton
9. 48 Jimmie Johnson 
10. 5 Kyle Busch

Why? Starting at the top, When it comes to the final 9 racetracks, Kasey Kahne has the upper hand, he runs good/has won on Atlanta, Charoltte, Texas, Kansas, Dover and I will even through in Talladega, he just have to finish good in the remainder of the tracks. Kevin Harvick has been on a tear as of late, the question is will it continue. Jeff Gordon has millions in front of him, so he will take off. Denny Hamlin is a wild card, with some good finishes and very impressive, he's the rookie, no one knows just what this kid can do. Matt Kenseth shows top 10 results. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a good team to do it, but still is having a little trouble finishing, but sometimes he doesn't, not to mention a huge fan base including me behind him. Mark Martin and Jeff Burton are in this, but are having trouble finishing. Jimmie Johnson has lost his wind in his sail and Kyle Busch, well, who knows, its a 146 points back.

Remember two things:
1. Don't count out anyone in this chase.
2. I am a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan and I want him to win the championship, the list above including picking Kasey Kahne to win, is based on the final 9-races left in the chase for the championship.

This was a difficult list to make with just 9-races to go, what does everyone think?

There is more postings at Racedriven.com,

By Brian from Racedriven.com
See Yeah!

By Brian from Racedriven.com

Last night, the 400 at Richmond International Raceway was one for championship, the final race to determine which drivers will be in the Chase for the Championship and who was going to the lone driver out.

The focus for the broadcast crew was mostly on the points contenders, this race, every driver must finish in or better than a certain position to lock in the chase. Most of the points contenders had trouble in one way or another, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had raced his way up through the field before a brake problem put him on the bubble on whether or not he would make it in. Dale Jr's key position was 16th, other points contenders had similar brake problems during the race too, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton to name a few. Jeff Gordon found himself outside the top 30 and 1 lap down with cooked brakes, but found himself still in the hunt.

A good day was for Mark Martin who ran in the top 10 most of the night finishing 5th, but two contenders, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick battled back and forth all night long for the top spot with Kevin Harvick passing Busch for the lead coming down for the white flag, Kevin Harvick would go on the sweep both the Busch Series and the nextel Cup races at Richmond.

At the end of the night, it would come down to Kasey Kahne in his Dodge vs. Tony stewart. The question was in someway answered by only 16 points differences with Kasey Kahne gaining enough positions to make the chase and the lone driver out was Tony Stewart. This will be the first time in so many years that Stewart will not finish in the top 10 in points. Saddly, Stewart will not defend his championship.

Going in the first chase race next weekend in Loudon, New Hampshire, it will be Matt Kenseth with the points lead followed by Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, the rookie Denny Hamlin, in 6th is Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon and in 10th with 45 points back will be Kasey Kahne.

This time around, I really have no predictions on who is going to win the championship, all I can say is, it will be the driver with the most consistent finishes throught these 10 races going into Homestead. A couple of drivers to look at, Kevin Harvick, who is all but clinched the 2006 Busch Series championship and has been on a roll as of late, Mark Martin could be a wild card as he could be in his last full time Nextel Cup season, or one of the young guns, Denny Hamlin or Kyle Busch. Who really knows at this point. I will as always be pulling for my favorite driver Dale Jr. to win his first Cup championship.

What a lineup compared to last year, four-five drivers that made the chase in recent years, this year are no where to be found including the Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards among others.

One final note, this will also be the last time this style of car will be run in loudon, as the Car of Tomorrow will be making its mark its next June/July.

Well see Yeah next week at NHIS.

By Brian from Racedriven.com

Before I get to the Race for the Chase, the Sharpie 500 won by Matt Kenseth, something caught my eye during the closing laps of the race, Riggs was racing the Jeff Gordon for 4th position and Riggs asked his spotter to ask Gordons spotter to ask Gordon to move over and let him by because he was faster...when did racing become asking the person ahead to move over for position instead of racing for it...you want that position, race for it, no gifts here and certainly not in the closing laps of any race.

Following the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Sharpie 500 last night, the Race to the Chase has gotten tighter with just two races to go. On the TNT broadcast, the announcers kept saying that this race was the wild card, don't think that for a second, every race is a wild card, anything can and will most likely happen in the final two races. California Speedway is D-shaped 2 mile oval similar to last weeks Michigan race and Richmond is a 3/4 mile short track filled with action, both with unknown results and under the lights racing.

Right now as it stands, from 4th place #5 Kyle Busch to 10th place #6 Mark Martin is only 48 points difference. The only two drivers going in to California in the points standings that are (somewhat) safe, is the points leader Jimmie Johnson and second place & winner of the last two cup races Matt Kenseth who has both clinched a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. But some of NASCAR's biggest names have found thereselves on the bubble including 7th place Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. to 10th place Mark Martin.

The picture for these bubble contenders is not as dark as some may put it, unless Greg Biffle and/or Carl Edwards who are over 251 points out of 10th get lucky with bad luck on the other contenders part, the race is down to Kasey Kahne in 11th place vs. 3rd to 10th in the points. Kahne is 90 points out of 10th place and could make that difference up in the last two races.

Where these drivers finish in the final two races and every bonus point could be the key to being in the chase after Richmond or not.

Final Thoughts on Bristol:
As always, I look forward to the two Bristol races among others every year including racing under the lights, and the racing this time didn't disappoint with Mark Martin dominating the Wednesday Nights Truck race and Matt Kenseth sweeping both the Busch and Nextel Cup race.

Bristol needs to change the Busch race from 250 laps to 300 lap race like they did in the spring race. As for the Cup race, I believe both races should be under the lights or the race ending under the lights. Night racing seems to bring out something in drivers...action. Only a thought.

Now its on to the labor day weekend race, California Speedway for the 500.

The Car of Tomorrow:
NASCAR Performance touched on several different aspects of the COT and did a great job in the process, but the fact remains, according to NASCAR, the COT is the 2007 and beyond car for the Nextel Cup Series starting at Bristol in 07 and at select races until 2009 season. Now how do we get it to look good and create better/safer racing?

See Yeah!

First up, last Friday night at the newly renamed O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis (I would have prefered IRP by O'Reilly), the NASCAR Craftsmen Trucks Series was in action for there 200 lap sprint race with Rick Crawford holding off Denis Setzer and the master Ron Hornaday Jr. to grab the victory. This truck race also showcased a new racing grove, the very bottom of the corners below the yellow line just about to the grass, for anyone who could get there truck to handle down there including the winner, made short order of the lap traffic.

Last night (Saturday), the Busch Series was in action with another 200 lap sprint race, were history would repeat itself for two drivers, Denny Hamlin make the call that didn't get him the track position at the end, Hamlin found himself in the back on one of the final restarts were in the closing laps, he used the outside grove next to the wall to make up over 10 positions passing cars to finish 8th instead of outside the top 20.

But the night belowed to Mr. Busch Series himself, Kevin Harvick who added to his huge points lead by grabbing another victory..Harvick made real short-order of traffic by using the lowest grove on track. Now Harvick has a 374 point lead...

This Busch race needs at least 50 more laps. How about the Kroger 250?

On to the Sunday, the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard for the Nextel Cup Series, 160 laps, Jeff Burton grabbed the pole yesterday during qualifying with his RCR teammate Clint Boywer starting 2nd. During yesterdays (and Fridays) practice sections, tire ware was a huge problem with tires only being able to go about 9 - 15 laps total per set, would that come into play Sunday?

Green Flag in the AllState 400 at the Brickyard were NASCAR had two caution flags set for just after lap 15 and around lap 40, but the first caution cameout for Elliott Sadler on lap 2 when he lost it in turn 2 putting hime into the wall and ending his day. Jimmie Johnson also blow a left front tire, but he would recover and Jeff Gordon broke a front swaybar putting him laps down to fix that and all this before lap 10.

The tire problem really didn't show up too much thought the 160 lap race. Jeff Burton showed the way early on and thoughtout, he would struggle to find the ballance on his racecar. The race played out just like your average Nextel Cup race, slow but steady with lots of pitstops to control the any tire issues.

The bold moves of this race would come on the last caution were pit stragory would come into play, Kyle Busch and Dale Eanhardt Jr. rolled the dice by staying out and Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth took on 4 tires. I don't really know where Jimmie Johnson came from, towards the end of the race, he just fought his way to lead and after getting by Busch and Dale Jr., Jimmie Johnson cruised to his first Brickyard victory. What a drive for the 48 team, coming back from a blown left front tire to win, were have I heard that before...

Note: Dale Jr finished 6th.

Final Thoughts: I always look forward to the Indianapolis trip to both the short-track at Raceway Park at Indianapolis and the Brickyard itself. all three races were good to watch, no sleepers here, just good side-by-side racing with lots of passing. Tire problems at the Brickyard really didn't play a part in the final outcome, Goodyear and NASCAR both said the tire ware would be better and it was.

I felt bad for Michael Waltrip, not qualifying for the Brickyard 400, but his MWR #00 with Bill Elliott did make the 400, I will end this column with a question:

Question: With Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) along with BDR changing over to Toyotas in 2007 and MWR currently running one Chevy Monte Carlo for the #00 already, why don't he change his NAPA Dodge over to a Chevy Monte Carlo SS?

Just a question from this NASCAR fan, Mikey needs to get ready for 2007 and getting into the top 35 in points is a must...anyway, next up, Watkins Glen for both the Busch and Nextel Cup Series.

See Yeah!

Link: My previous post with comments on the 2007-2014 TV package...

I have been thinking about this subject and I pose this question to all NASCAR fans.

Question: Should NASCAR fans be concerned about the ABC (including ESPN) new TV deal for 2007 and beyond after this past weekends IRL IndyCar Series Michigan race ran over time and ABC cut off East Coast fans at 6PM for local news?

First: For people who didn't watch the IRL Michigan race this past weekend, there was a 2.5 hour rain delay and around 6pm East Coast time, the race was set to go green, but ABC said that West Coast would be able to watch the race, but the East Coast fans would be cut off. The entire race was later televised on ESPN2 at 12:15am for East Coast fans and again the next day. Note: This has happened before a couple years or so ago at Pikes Peak when rain came in to play, but that race was in the middle and ABC cut east coast fans off for local news...race won by Gil deFerran in a Penske Indy car.

In my opinion, YES, if ABC does this for an IndyCar race, then they most likely will do this to any sporting event including a high rating NASCAR event. No fan should be cutoff just because there game or race goes into over time.

A couple of things to remember:
One, the networks in 2007 have asked for a later start times for the NASCAR events including the Nextel Cup Series races for better ratings on the West Coast, that flurts with darkness at the racetrack and not much time to get the race in.
Two, Nextel Cup races most likely always go over there time limit, not just for over time, but races take 3 to 4 hours to complete even without delays...cautions breed cautions during a race.

The simple thing is that no NASCAR/Sports fan wants to be cut off, the past couple of years, fans have enjoyed there races being televised live and the networks staying no matter how long the race runs over time, including going until 12:30-1am in some cases. These networks pay enough for these TV packages and already add more than enough commericals during them, now ABC might pull this...hopefully they at least move it to another network, but that cuts of non-cable/dish customers, what's next...

Also, It was reported on Thatsracin.com that NBC has changed the start time of this season's Nextel Cup Series finale in Homestead from the evening for the race to start in the day and end under the lights to 2:30pm and that the race must be completed by 7pm, because it interfears with there Sunday night NFL game...sorry, no racing under the lights and what happens if the race goes past 7pm?

Well thats my take...See Yeah!