RICHMOND - The NBA confronted the issue in late April. Playoff basketball without its two biggest stars - Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett - what was the league to do? Well, on a Saturday evening that hemorrhaged pressure at Richmond International Raceway, NASCAR bigwigs are under similar duress.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon, perhaps the Nextel Cup’s two biggest names, will race for brownie points next week in New Hampshire, the first of a 10-race “Chase for the Cup” playoff with a jackpot of more than $5 million on the line.

Gordon entered the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 in 12th place in the point standings, 30 ticks behind Jamie McMurray, who sat in the coveted 10th spot prior to the race, the final transition position for the playoffs. Despite a need for excellence, Gordon, a four-time champion, sputtered through the night at Richmond International Raceway and never really mustered the muscle to make a move into the top 10.

“It was a long night no matter what,” said Gordon, who didn’t make the top 10 for the first time since his rookie year after a 30th place finish. “I don’t think we had a car capable of getting there anyway.”

Earnhardt crossed in 20th place.

Really, only three playoff positions (No. 8-10) hung in purgatory.

All Kurt Busch (started 6th in the standings) needed to do was start the race to lock a playoff spot. He won the race. Jeremy Mayfield, 7th in the standings heading into the night, required a 39th or better showing to make the field, and Carl Edwards, who entered in 8th, had to log a 19th or better finish or get help from poor performances. Mayfield finished in sixth and Edwards in 21st, respectively.

Jack Roush, who owns Roush Racing, placed five guys (Greg Biffle, Busch, Mark Martin, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth) in the top 10.

“Jack gives us all the same stuff. We all have the opportunity to the build the same thing,” Kenseth said. “Right now, we have it really good as drivers and Jack does to.”

Five drivers - Tony Stewart, Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Rusty Wallace and Martin - had secured Cup spots by virtue of point count prior to the race.

The point standings are as followed with total points and points back in parentheses: No. 1. Tony Stewart (3,716, 0); No. 2. Greg Biffle (3,531, -185); No. 3 Rusty Wallace (3,412, -304); No. 4 Jimmie Johnson (3,400, -316); No. 5 Kurt Busch (3,304, -412); No. 6 Mark Martin (3,273, -443); No. 7 Jeremy Mayfield (3,228, -488); No. 8 Carl Edwards (3,114, -602); No. 9 Matt Kenseth (3,114, -602); No. 10 Ryan Newman (3,055, -661).

No. 11 Elliot Sadler (2,989, -727) of Emporia; No. 12 Jeff Gordon (2,972, -744) and No. 13 Jamie McMurray (2,972, -744) failed to make the Chase for the Cup. Source>>>

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posted by ADMIN @ Sunday, September 11, 2005