<a href='http://www.news-expressky.com/articles/2005/09/07/sports/03racin.txt' target='_blank'>http://www.news-expressky.com/articles/200...rts/03racin.txt</a>

Steve Mickey

Thanks to the Chase for the Nextel Cup format NASCAR now uses to determine its champion, Richmond's September race has become "the" race on the schedule. After Richmond, the top-10 in points will move on into the championship round of the Chase with the opportunity to run for the title.

Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin are already locked into the Chase and Kurt Busch will join them as soon as he takes the green flag Saturday night. It's the remaining four spots that will have the racing world focused on Saturday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400.

Ten drivers still have a mathematical shot of claiming one of those four spots but the real battle is now between a handful of drivers who must go to Richmond and drive their way into the Chase. Seventh-place Jeremy Mayfield does have a large safety net with a 144-point cushion over 10th-place driver Jamie McMurray. Carl Edwards sits in the eighth position, and all he has to do is finish 19th or higher and he will automatically move into the Chase.

After Mayfield and Edwards, you can throw a blanket over the next five drivers; there's only a 62-point spread from ninth to 13th. Matt Kenseth goes into Richmond in ninth place, only 10 points ahead of McMurray and 11 points ahead of 11th-place driver Ryan Newman.

Following in the next two spots are Jeff Gordon and Elliott Sadler, who are just 30 and 52 points from moving into the top 10. Both of these drivers were in the Chase in '04 but now must not only have great runs of their own, but must also hope the drivers just ahead of them will have some problems.

Whether you like the Chase or not, this is the scenario NASCAR envisioned when it first announced the new format last season. If the old point system was still being used today, Tony Stewart would have a commanding 209-point lead over Greg Biffle. That kind of points race took some of the excitement out of the sport when the fall portion of the schedule began to unfold.

Now the Chase has built up the level of excitement all throughout the summer months, with more drivers still having a chance to become champion than ever before. Saturday night will take on the atmosphere of being the race that will determine the champion and with the top 10 drivers' points being adjusted the following week at New Hampshire, that could just be the case.

Pit notes


Sterling Marlin appears to be heading to MB2 Motorsports to fill the vacancy created when Scott Riggs signed with Evernham Motorsports for 2006.

The Jamie McMurray saga continued this past week when rumors began circulating that Kevin Harvick might be moving to Chip Ganassi Racing and taking over McMurray's Texaco Dodge next season. Harvick blasted his Richard Childress Racing team at Bristol last weekend and hasn't signed a new contract with RCR (his contract is up at the end of the 2006 season). The move would free up McMurray to move over to Roush Racing, where he has signed a contract to drive in '07. The problem is that Roush may not want McMurray until that time, because plans have already been set to keep Mark Martin in the ride that will go to McMurray in '07. Roush did say his multi-team operation would make arrangements to accommodate McMurray if he did become available next season.

Roush could put McMurray in Kurt Busch's seat and release Kurt to take over the ride he has signed on with for '07 at Penske South Racing.

Last season, Jeremy Mayfield won at Richmond to get into the Chase. This Saturday all he has to do is finish 39th to move into the championship round of 10 races.

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