NASCAR ARCHIVES

THE BIG STORY THE CHASE IS ON..............

After race #26 last week the stage is set with the final top 10 to race for the Nextell Cup Championship, this year without last years champion Tony Stewart.

Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon felt the pain of not making the Chase last year but squeaked in this year after Richmond. That last 4 spots were pretty much up for grabs all race long with changes every few laps until the checker fell. A few facts on the Chase below.

The first 26 races determine which drivers, based on overall points, will compete for the Nextel Cup championship during the final 10 races. All drivers in the top 10 in points and any other drivers within 400 points of the leader qualify.

Before Race 27, the points are adjusted for all drivers who qualified for the Chase. The first-place driver in the standings begins with 5,050 points; the second-place driver starts with 5,045, and so on, with five-point drops continuing through the list of title contenders. If at the end of the final 10 races there is a tie, the first tiebreaker is number of wins, then number of second-place finishes, then number of thirds, etc.

The days when Dale Earnhardt Jr. could walk down the street in New York City without being recognized are long gone.And that's just fine with the NASCAR star.

Jr. said Thursday in Times Square, "I don't travel to New York to slip under the radar. That's really not why we're here."

Earnhardt and the other nine drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman on Wednesday night and made the rounds on the early morning TV shows Thursday before gathering in Times Square.

Matt Kenseth, the top qualifier for the 10-race playoffs that open Sunday in New Hampshire, even earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records by hitting Kelly Ripa with 17 pies in a minute during his appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly.

Matt said, "Most pies in a minute, I'm going to be in the book. That's cool."

Yankees outfielder Johnny Damon stopped by to visit the drivers, and get some inside information for the baseball team's NASCAR fantasy league. Damon said, "I grew up a huge NASCAR fan and pretty much everyone in our clubhouse is a NASCAR fan, I've seen these guys race week after week."

The drivers were excited to see Damon and his enthusiasm for NASCAR.

"It's very flattering when you see guys like Johnny supporting our sport. It's surprising how close they follow us." Jimmie Johnson elated.

Kevin Harvick has become a Yankees fan and is friends with trainer Gene Monahan.

Kevin Harvick said, "I came up here in 2001 to throw out the first pitch and those guys were really good to me, Gene is a huge fan of ours and he and I talk occasionally. Those guys have been good to me and I like to root for good people."

Harvick's wife, DeLana, enjoys spending time in the city, but admitted she was too busy running Kevin Harvick Racing to squeeze in any shopping time.

She said, "This trip has kind of been a whirlwind. I brought my laptop and have been busy working in the hotel. I do love the city and coming up here."

Mark Martin made it clear that he's out of element in the city. "It's pretty far from Batesville, Ark., But some of the most interesting things in the world are going on here. It's great the way we're received by the people and the media here today compared to 20 years ago."

"For me, this is the most special trip I've ever made to New York because it'll probably be one of my last and it means that I'm part of the Chase. I'm having more fun this year up here than I've ever had. It's a really special honor to be part of this." Johnson and Jeff Gordon both have apartments in Manhattan.

"I've definitely gotten to know it better the last few years," Gordon said. "I used to come here every year for the banquet, but I didn't really know about it. My fiancee has lived here for 14 years and she's really opened my eyes to the city."

Johnson spends more time in the city than any other driver.

"I met my wife up here," he said. "I've grown to love the city."

He's excited about the prospect of a proposed NASCAR track on Staten Island.

"Obviously, I think it's important for NASCAR to be up here," Johnson said. "It's really the last major market we need to be in. And for me, I could stay in my apartment and helicopter back and forth to Staten Island. That would be cool."

1. Matt Kenseth 5,050 ---

2. Jimmie Johnson 5,045 -5

3. Kevin Harvick 5,040 -10

4. Kyle Busch 5,035 -15

5. Denny Hamlin 5,030 -20

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5,025 -25

7. Mark Martin 5,020 -30

8. Jeff Burton 5,015 -35

9. Jeff Gordon 5,010 -40

10. Kasey Kahne 5,005 -45