Championship showdown heats up.

[luke]

1 -- Jeff Gordon 3380 Leader
2 -- Jimmie Johnson 3356 -24
3 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3305 -75
^ MATHEMATICULY CLINCHED A POSTION
4 -- Tony Stewart 3195 -185
5 -- Matt Kenseth 3156 -224
6 -- Kurt Busch 3051 -329
7 -- Elliott Sadler 3019 -361
8 -- Kevin Harvick 2923 -457
9 -- Bobby Labonte 2919 -461
10 +3 Ryan Newman 2918 -462
^ CURRENT CONTENDERS
11 -1 Kasey Kahne* 2892 -488 24 4 0 8 9 $3,347,240
12 -- Mark Martin 2883 -497 24 0 1 5 10 $2,629,270
13 -2 Jeremy Mayfield 2883 -497 24 1 0 3 9 $2,685,300
14 -- Dale Jarrett 2873 -507 24 0 0 4 9 $3,278,560
15 -- Jamie McMurray 2873 -507 24 0 0 5 13 $2,531,030
16 -- Casey Mears 2628 -752 24 2 0 1 8 $2,318,900
^ STILL IN WITH A SHOUT OF QUALIFIYING FOR THE CUP SHOWDOWN

[Joe Fan]

It is going to be an interesting battle to see who makes the top ten, however, I think Dale Earnhardt Jr. will win the Cup.

[luke]

Yeah the interesting view is after Gordon's, Johnson's and Earnhadt's long consistent runs would have seamed unworthy apart from the prize money. As long as you make shore you have had finished in the top ten before the cut for the cup then you can get your act together for the final ten.

[gomick]

saw an intersting interview with matt kenseth last weekend, he says the championship was changed because they didnt want to see a winner who won only 1 race and finished top 5 15 times - he reckons the top 10 shootout champion will come from a driver who dont have a dnf in the last 10 races..... the difference from the year before - you figure
i hope either kenseth or tony stewart win

[Joe Fan]

Originally posted by gomick
saw an intersting interview with matt kenseth last weekend, he says the championship was changed because they didnt want to see a winner who won only 1 race and finished top 5 15 times - he reckons the top 10 shootout champion will come from a driver who dont have a dnf in the last 10 races..... the difference from the year before - you figure
i hope either kenseth or tony stewart win

Kenseth is probably going to be right with his prediction, that is why I don't like the new system. Kevin Harvick and Bobby Labonte haven't won a race this year and they are in the top 10 currently. The only other driver that has won a race in 2004 and could slip by them is Mark Martin. What if one of these drivers wins the championship without winning a race at all? Wouldn't that be something? Personally, I hope it happens as it would end this stupid idea.

[gomick]

that would be funny if either kevin harvick or bobby labonte won the championship without getting a race win - that would be one big dumb for nascar

[luke]

Especially after they moned that Matt Kenseth wasn't a worthy champion last year.

[Ax Slinger]

Originally posted by Joe Fan
What if one of these drivers wins the championship without winning a race at all? Wouldn't that be something? Personally, I hope it happens as it would end this stupid idea.

Yeah... Wouldn't that put a crick in Mafia Mike's neck! He'd be so flustered he can this stupid "Chase for the Championship" garbage after one season.

[muggle not]

Lets hope that is Bobby Labonte that wins the Championship without a win. I like him much better than Harvick.

[kingfloopy]

I think that a driver not winning a race and taking the championship would be great. But I remember hearing earlier in the year that this "chase" stuff was only the first step and that further changes are in order to the points system in the future. Personally I would like to see what would happen if a driver in the top ten sat out a number of races, would he still be in the top 10? The points system changes are stupid, especially since the old system is still functioning fine in the Busch and truck series.

J.D.

[gomick]

and in the nextel cup series

[luke]

Why change the points system and try to spice up the action?
The championship chase is much closer then last year with Jimmie & Dale under 100 points why do us fans need the 10 race showdown when the finale race will be a cracker as it is?

[luke]

After California.

1 +1 Jimmie Johnson 3482 Leader 25
2 -1 Jeff Gordon 3432 -50
3 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3366 -116
4 -- Tony Stewart 3304 -178
5 -- Matt Kenseth 3253 -229
6 +1 Elliott Sadler 3204 -278

Chase for the cup automatatculy clinched a spot

7 -1 Kurt Busch 3183 -299
8 +2 Ryan Newman 3078 -404
9 +2 Kasey Kahne* 3067 -415
10 +2 Mark Martin 3058 -424

Chase for the cup current contenders

11 +4 Jamie McMurray 3033 -449
12 -3 Bobby Labonte 3022 -460
13 +1 Dale Jarrett 3015 -467
14 -1 Jeremy Mayfield 3003 -479
15 -7 Kevin Harvick 3002 -480

Still mathematiculy in with a chance

[luke]

Note: Kevin Harvick has fallen from 8th in the standings to just on the edge back in 15th after finishing in 28th in the race last weekend, whilst Elliot Sadler sucured his postion for the chase for the cup after bringing the number 38 car home 1st.

[luke]

1 +1 Jeff Gordon 5050 Leader
2 -1 Jimmie Johnson 5045 -5
3 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5040 -10
4 -- Tony Stewart 5035 -15
5 -- Matt Kenseth 5030 -20
6 -- Elliott Sadler 5025 -25
7 -- Kurt Busch 5020 -30
8 +2 Mark Martin 5015 -35
9 +5 Jeremy Mayfield 5010 -40
10 -2 Ryan Newman 5005 -45

Jeremy Mayfield sucured his poistion for the chase for the cup after sucuring a win at Richmond.

11 -- Jamie McMurray 3171 -1879
12 -3 Kasey Kahne* 3158 -1892
13 -1 Bobby Labonte 3137 -1913
14 +1 Kevin Harvick 3129 -1921
15 -2 Dale Jarrett 3100 -1950
16 +1 Michael Waltrip 2798 -2252
17 +3 Rusty Wallace 2775 -2275
18 -2 Casey Mears 2762 -2288
19 +2 Sterling Marlin 2752 -2298
20 +2 Greg Biffle 2749 -2301
21 -3 Jeff Burton 2746 -2304
22 -3 Robby Gordon 2714 -2336
23 +1 Terry Labonte 2674 -2376
24 -1 Brian Vickers* 2625 -2425
25 -- Joe Nemechek 2580 -2470
26 -- Scott Wimmer* 2430 -2620
27 -- Ricky Rudd 2412 -2638
28 -- Ward Burton 2276 -2774
29 -- Scott Riggs* 2254 -2796
30 -- Jeff Green 2155 -2895
31 -- Brendan Gaughan* 2127 -2923
32 -- Ken Schrader 2106 -2944
33 -- Kyle Petty 2082 -2968
34 -- Ricky Craven 1901 -3149
35 -- Jimmy Spencer 1565 -3485
36 -- Dave Blaney 1295 -3755
37 -- Johnny Sauter* 1217 -3833
38 -- Derrike Cope 1058 -3992
39 -- Morgan Shepherd 747 -4303
40 -- Todd Bodine 686 -4364
41 -- Kevin Lepage 616 -4434
42 +4 Bobby Hamilton Jr. 560 -4490
43 -- Kirk Shelmerdine 529 -4521
44 +3 Carl Edwards 498 -4552
45 -3 Bill Elliott 498 -4552
46 -2 John Andretti 460 -4590
47 -2 Hermie Sadler 450 -4600
48 +3 Mike Wallace 400 -4650
49 -1 PJ Jones 316 -4734
50 -1 Johnny Benson 271 -4779
51 -1 Carl Long 267 -4783
52 +19 Mike Bliss 230 -4820
53 -1 Boris Said 223 -4827
54 -1 Scott Pruett 207 -4843
55 -1 Joe Ruttman 207 -4843
56 -1 Andy Hillenburg 206 -4844
57 -1 Kenny Wallace 201 -4849
58 -1 Kyle Busch 198 -4852
59 -1 Larry Foyt 194 -4856
60 -1 Geoffrey Bodine 192 -4858
61 -1 Stanton Barrett 184 -4866
62 -1 Ron Fellows 170 -4880
63 -1 Tony Raines 162 -4888
64 -1 Larry Gunselman 147 -4903
65 -1 Kerry Earnhardt 137 -4913
66 +8 Shane Hmiel 127 -4923
67 -2 Klaus Graf 112 -4938
68 -2 Tom Hubert 110 -4940
69 -2 Jim Inglebright 106 -4944
70 -2 Andy Belmont 98 -4952
71 -2 Mike Skinner 97 -4953
72 -2 Eric McClure 90 -4960
73 -- David Green 70 -4980
74 -2 Tony Ave 70 -4980
75 -2 Ted Christopher 55 -4995
76 -1 Austin Cameron 49 -5001
77 -1 Jason Jarrett 43 -5007
78 -- J.J. Yeley 40 -5010
79 -2 Brandon Ash 40 -5010
80 -1 Greg Sacks 37 -5013
81 -1 Randy LaJoie 34 -5016
82 -- Jason Leffler 34 -5016
83 -- Jeff Fuller 34 -5016
84 -3 Chad Blount 34 -5016

[luke]

With only ten races left to run my bucks are on Tony Stewart to win this years title again.

September 19th SYLVANIA 300/ New Hampshire International Speedway TNT/12:30 p.m. MRN/12:30 p.m. /NASN LIVE at 6pm

September 26th MBNA AMERICA 400/ Dover International Speedway TNT/12:30 p.m. MRN/12:30 p.m. /NASN LIVE at 6pm

October 3rd EA SPORTS 500 /Talladega Superspeedway NBC/1:30 p.m. MRN/1:30 p.m.

October 10th BANQUET 400 PRESENTED BY CONGRA FOODS/ Kansas Speedway NBC/1:30 p.m. MRN/12:30 p.m.

October 16th UAW-GM QUALITY 500/ Lowe's Motor Speedway NBC/7 p.m. PRN/6:30 p.m.

October 24th SUBWAY 500/ Martinsville Speedway NBC/12:30 p.m. MRN/12 p.m.

October 31st BASS PRO SHOPS MBNA 500/ Atlanta Motor Speedway NBC/12 p.m. PRN/12 p.m.

November 7th CHECKER AUTO PARTS 500/ Phoenix International Raceway NBC/3 p.m. MRN/2:30 p.m.

November 14th MOUNTAIN DEW SOUTHERN 500/ Darlington Raceway NBC/1 p.m. MRN/12:30 p.m.

November 21st FORD 400/ Homestead-Miami Speedway NBC/12:30 p.m. MRN/12:30 p.m.

[luke]

For those who get Autosport this weeks adition is worth while with a good guide to the showdown....staring the the top ten.

It's worth while.

[luke]

After: Sylvania 300 | New Hampshire International Speedway | Race 27 of 36

1 +2 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5210 Leader
2 +5 Kurt Busch 5210 Leader
3 -2 Jeff Gordon 5201 -9
4 +1 Matt Kenseth 5200 -10
5 -3 Jimmie Johnson 5180 -30
6 -- Elliott Sadler 5172 -38
7 +1 Mark Martin 5139 -71
8 -4 Tony Stewart 5086 -124
9 +1 Ryan Newman 5074 -136
10 -1 Jeremy Mayfield 5068 -142

Se the full standngs at NASCAR.com