When you work at ESPN, you tend to look forward to each assorted sports season for whatever reason. But me, I think this is the best time of the year for sports, and I don't think there's much of an argument against it.
And if you wanted to start an argument, I'd just smack you down and say, "What, you don't like the Race to the Chase, baseball pennant races, the start of pro and college football, the U.S. Open and the PGA Tour Championship?"
I'd then probably continue to verbally berate you until somebody came and pulled me off. Don't pick a fight with me. I swear I really am a nice guy though.
Fall also means the start of flag football season at ESPN, and hopefully I'll be able to play more than one game this year along with my crew of researchers and anchors. Fingers crossed that I can defend my title of slowest guy on the field again this year. And I have to make sure not to injure my typing hands. These are my moneymakers.
But because you're here, you're probably most interested right now in the Race to the Chase, and I'm just the man who'll break it down for you. And why? Because I love my readers. And you're not going to get that from most of your bloggers.
In fact, if somebody wants to ask one of our other writers if they love you like I love you in a chat this week, go for it. They'll admit they don't share my feelings.
Let's go.
Breaking it down
Talking with Nicole Manske before Sunday night's NASCAR Now, we agreed that, even though the Chase hasn't been around long, we don't remember it being this uncertain this far up in the points. Here we sit with one race left, and eight spots remain open for the taking.
But the eight drivers currently sitting in Chase spots all control their own destiny, so here's where each driver has to finish at Richmond without having to worry about what Brian Vickers or Kyle Busch do.
5. Carl Edwards -- 24th
6. Kasey Kahne -- 21st
7. Kurt Busch -- 20th
8. Juan Pablo Montoya -- 18th
9. Ryan Newman -- 16th
10. Mark Martin -- 12th
11. Greg Biffle -- 11th
12. Matt Kenseth -- 1st
And a side note, even if Vickers wins and leads the most laps, he still does not control his own destiny. Matt Kenseth would still beat out Vickers in that situation if he finished second and leads a lap.
Trivia break: Who are the three drivers who raced their way from out to in the Chase after being out with just one race to go?
It's been awhile
Atlanta was fun in that the racing up front was better than usual, and we got to see some different names battling for the win than the usual crew.
In the end it was Kasey Kahne getting his second victory of the year, beating Kevin Harvick and Juan Pablo Montoya. But with about 20 laps to go, I felt Harvick was ready to get back into Victory Lane.
Surprised? Well, you should be. Harvick hadn't led a lap in a Sprint Cup race since he was up front for nine laps in Las Vegas on March 1. It was his first top-5 finish since a fourth at Atlanta in the fourth race of the season and his best finish since also finishing second in the season-opening Daytona 500.
Trivia break: Harvick came close, but didn't lead the most laps Sunday night. When was the last time he led the most laps in a race?
Can-do Kahne
I hate to bump a race winner to the final note of a blog, but it was a note-filled race.
Kasey Kahne won his 11th career Cup Series race, a mark that only 53 other drivers in series history can claim. And he showed that it does indeed matter where you start.
Kasey Kahne Sprint Cup wins by start position
Started first -- Five wins
Started second -- Three wins
Started fifth -- One win
Started ninth -- Two wins
So, if you're a Kahne fan, and many soccer moms are (and I imagine many of those read my column), it's just as important to root him on Friday as it is Sunday.
Trivia break: Who did Kahne tie for 53rd on the all-time wins list with his 11th win?
Trivia Break Answers
1. Jeremy Mayfield knocked out Kasey Kahne with a dramatic win in 2004, the next year Ryan Newman knocked out Jamie McMurray with one to go and in 2006 Kahne got his revenge by knocking out Tony Stewart.
2. Kevin Harvick last led the most laps in a race at Phoenix in November, 2006.
3. Kahne tied Harvick, he of the second note of the column, with his 11th win.
Matt Willis
