30 Degrees of Banking

Back on Track

By Ryan Frisco

The title of this article has a double meaning.  First the obvious one; Sports Eye View is trying to get back on track! i.e. writing articles again.  Very very sorry to our loyal followers, if your summer has been like ours (weddings, work & vacations) then you understand, but that's still no excuse for us!!  Football is about to begin, and NASCAR and Baseball playoff races are heating up!  Life is good in the sports world.

So, on to the second meaning of 'Back on Track'...NASCAR.  The season is three races from the coveted Chase for the Sprint Cup, and the battle for those precious few last spots in the Chase is on fire! 

Photo Cred www.nascar.com

To set the lineup...there are a few drivers who are virtually a lock for the Chase. Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are all in. That's half the Chase field decided.  Kasey Kahne is as well, with a Wild Card spot being his worst case scenario.  After that, it's anyone's game for those last few spots.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., thought to be a lock three weeks ago, is falling fast.  He is now only 20 points away from being outside the Top 10 in points, with no wins to help him in the Wild Card if he drops out.  He has a good track record at the next three tracks, but even trying to stay out of trouble doesn't always work...as he found out at Watkins Glen.

Brad Keselowski is one of the guys who has gotten it Back on Track lately.  After a great start to the year, he fell off a bit, dropping from 2nd in the standings to outside the Top 10.  With a 2nd place two weeks ago, and a 7th last week, the defending Champion has worked his way back up to 8th in the standings, 8 points ahead of 11th.  He's got his work cut out for him the next three weeks, but Bristol is one of his best tracks.

Photo Cred www.fantasyracingonline.net

Kurt Busch.  This guy was written off after 'leaving' Penske Racing two years ago.  Now, he's worked himself back up in the mix, on pace to become the first single car team ever to qualify for the Chase!  Ninth in the points, six points ahead of 11th, it won't be an easy road to stay there, but he has driven the wheels off of that car this year, and I would not be surprised to see him make the Chase and then make a surge at the cup...he's done it before.

Greg Biffle is on the bubble.  He is four points inside the Top 10.  The good news?  He's got a win.  The bad news? So do four drivers within 27 points of him.  He hasn't necessarily been running well lately either, let alone most of the season.  I'm not sure if Biffle can hold on to his spot in the Chase.  Of all the drivers on the brink, I think he has the least amount of momentum and is the most likely to drop out.

Photo Cred www.racintoday.com

Martin Truex, Jr. currently holds the last spot in the Chase, the second Wild Card based off of his victory at Sears Point.  In a career that's been plagued by 'Close but no cigar' for Truex, this season hasn't been much different. His 1 win, 5 Top 5s and 9 Top 10s could very well have been 3 wins, 9 Top 5s and 14 Top 10s.  As it stands, he is still in contention and has run extremely well this year.  I believe he can hold on to his spot and possibly break into the Top 10 by Richmond, earning a bonus point for his win. 

Joey Logano is fresh off his first win with Penske Racing last week, and has been on a tear!  It appears Logano was just a late bloomer, finally living up to the potential those always thought he had.  He is currently seven points away from a Chase spot.  Logano is going to drive hard the next few weeks, either ending up in the Chase, or the wall.  Only time will tell.

Photo Cred www.nascar.com

Jeff Gordon needs help.  The 4-time Champion is still a great driver, but has been plagued by bad luck the last two years.  I may be one of the only ones who still believe he has what it takes to be a contender.  He has the skill to win any one of these next three races, but I don't see it happening this year.  I'm guessing he'll be like the late Dale Earnhardt, Sr., challenging for the cup a few years after the majority thought he'd never return to relevance.  Next year, Jeffy.

Ryan Newman is the last driver who has a shot in the dark at making it.  Not the greatest short track driver out there, he'll have to rely on a win at Atlanta to do the trick.  With the amount of points he is behind the last Chase spot (17) he would have to benefit from someone else's enormous amount of bad luck to make the Chase on passing those in front of him with one win.  But, anything is possible at this point.

Well, that should set the stage for this 3 race shootout.  I'm picking Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex, Jr. and Joey Logano to grab the last 5 Chase spots.  Who's your picks to make it in?!