NASCAR on TV this week

Recent Events Remind Fans of the Risks of Racing

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Last week, former Champ car driver Alex Zanardi won two gold medals in handbiking events at the Paralympic Games 2012 in London. His impressive victories (in one race, Zanardi bested the second place finisher by 27 seconds), served as a personal statement of his love of competition and his ability to overcome his terrible accident from 2001 in which he lost both of his legs. His story is an amazing one, showcasing the proverbial indomitable spirit of man and the testament to overcome serious problems. But it is, at the same time, a reminder of the inherent dangers in racing.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 after Richmond II

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So, did everyone enjoy the 24 Hours of Richmond? Those of you who stayed up to watch the end got to see a roaring comeback by Jeff Gordon and a heartbreaker of a race for Kyle Busch. Mix that in with Denny Hamlin’s dominance one-upped by Clint Bowyer’s steal in a last ditch effort for bonus points, and the rain that pushed the race into the wee hours of the morning became an afterthought.

Looking For This Weekend’s Best Race? It Might Not Be in Chicago

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Of course there will be the Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland, the first of 10 races in the Chase for the 2012 championship. Several storylines, from who will come out strongest out of the gate to how Kyle Busch will take missing the Chase, are sure to form over 400 miles Sunday afternoon.

And of course there will also be that race’s predecessor, a Chicagoland Nationwide Series event that will see Elliott Sadler and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. continue to battle for the season championship, with Cup regulars Paul Menard, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Kurt Busch hoping to play spoiler along with young newcomer Alex Bowman.

Mirror Driving: Chase Scenarios, Best Of The Rest And Down The Stretch

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Summer: Well, for starters I think you have to look at Hamlin. I would say _the_ favorite, though, is Jimmie.
Mike N.: You can’t ignore Hamlin. He’s been on fire the last few races, but Johnson has been strong since Indy and I just think they are poised for another one. The early favorites are Johnson, Hamlin, Kenseth and Biffle. In theory, none of the top 12 can be counted out, but I honestly don’t think Harvick, Kahne, Truex or Bowyer have a shot.

Where Next for Kyle Busch, No. 18 Team?

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There really is no excuse for a driver the caliber of Kyle Busch or the No. 18 team missing the Chase for the second time in four seasons. A force on the race track that blasted from Cup prospect to all-star on the back of an eight-win 2008 campaign, which faltered in the Chase, then ultimately resulted in less than a season later Busch failing to object to crew chief Steve Addington being forced off the box of the No. 18, 12 wins in the past two seasons notwithstanding.

Five Points to Ponder: A Chase-tastic Edition Ready, Set, Chase

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_Ladies and gentlemen, after 24 races of preamble we get down to the serious business of the season: The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup. The regular season is in the books, the elite field of a dozen is set and ten races remain before we crown this year’s champion at Homestead-Miami on November 18th. There isn’t really any other place to start this week’s edition of Five Points to Ponder._

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in NASCAR: Richmond/Chicago Edition

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Jeff Gordon climbed from his car and raised his fists in the air after 400 miles at Richmond. Never has someone been so excited to finish second (At least, not since Alan Kulwicki in 1992 at Atlanta). Clint Bowyer’s victory was an afterthought and so was the performance of nearly every other driver besides Kyle Busch.

However, Gordon wasn’t the only to driver to exit his car at Richmond after a top-five finish to breathe a sigh of relief. After a four-race slide in which Tony Stewart nearly fell out of the top 10 in points, he finally stopped the bleeding at Richmond.