Welcome to RSO, the weekly racing column that's heavy on rumor and humor. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship begins this weekend in New Hampshire. Can't you just feel the excitement? Really? You can? OK, then. Highlights, downlows....

The great Chase includes 12 drivers. NASCAR's version of parity accomplishes this with a grand total of four teams each placing 3 cars in the Chase. Five drivers who are among the title eligble each have ZERO wins this season. Former champs Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Matt Kenseth have won 7 titles between them, but they were too busy points racing all year to even garner one lousy win. Nice program, NASCAR.

Just in case anyone is wondering, the Dale Jr, Kyle Busch deal last Sunday was almost the exact same scenario as their previous incident at RIR. Both times the the car on the inside had posistion over the car on the outside. Both times the car on the outside could have backed off and not wrecked, but chose not to. Funny how some fans think that their favorite wasn't at fault either time, even though he was outside one time, and on the inside the other time.

Patrick Carpentier won the pole in NH in June in his #10 GEM Dodge sponsored by Berlin City Auto Group. He has Berlin back on board this week. Travis Kvapil's #28 will look slick with Valvoline colors. The #12 of Ryan Newman will flash with Kodak Sunday. Chad McCumbee fills in for Kyle Petty in the Marathon Oil #45. Juicy Fruit will stick with Juan Pablo Montoya at Loudon. You tell 'em, Honey.

Wonder Bread Boy, Joey Logano, will make his Cup debut this weekend at Loudon. He'll be in the HOFR #96 sponsored by Home Depot. Love the wax on Daniel-San commercial with Smoke. The #### in the Hat,Jack Roush, says the jury is still out on Logano as far as his talent goes. Jack is the genius who let both Busch brothers get away, and he had Logano under contract at one time. Roush has won fewer titles with more talent than any other owner in the history of NASCAR.

Kyle Busch has won at NH and has three top-fives in 7 races here. Carl (Mr.) Ed-wards has no wins and one top-10 in 8 starts. Jimmie Johnson counts two wins among his 8 top-fives in 13 races at NH. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has no wins, 4 top-fives, and 7 top-tens in 18 starts. Clint Bowyer won the pole and the race here last year to kick off his strong Chase run. Jeff Burton leads all drivers with 4 victories at NH. Jeff Gordon has 3 wins here, none in the last 10 years.

The Nationwide series tested their new COT at Richmond. They still have a spoiler, not a wing like the Cup cars. NASCAR gets it right the second time around. Germain Racing is taking their NNS sponsor, Geico, to the Cup series next year. Max Papis is signed to drive at least 18 races for them. Donny Lia, CTS race winning rookie, will be in Randy Moss' Chevy Saturday. KB2 returns to the #51 CTS Toyota Saturday. Wonder who'll finish second?

Dodge has pulled their support from the CTS. This lead to BHR closing down their #4 truck team. With no Dodge teams making the Chase, is this a sign of things to come? Are the Dodge Cup teams waiting for the other shoe to drop? Hard to believe that Dodge would leave Penske or GEM hanging, but Chip Ganassi has been rumored to be feeling out Toyota and a couple of their teams about a possible merger.

Finally, RINO presidential candidate, John McCain, will be at the Cup race on Sunday. His wife, Cindy, went to Japan several years ago to learn how to drift race, ans she still drifts competitively. Cindy, if you ever get tired of flying around on Air Force One, hosting lavish state dinners, and redecorating the Lincoln bedroom give me a call.