Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
10/29/2008

Dickies 500
November 2, 2008 (Sunday) - 3:45 pm (ET) - ABC

Chase Watch - Report #8
Carl Edwards said it best last weekend after his win at Atlanta by realizing that if he or any other driver is in contention ands not mathematically eliminated from the chase, then he has as good a chance as Jimmie Johnson to take home the Sprint Cup this season. Realistically, Carl needs for Jimmie Johnson to take a dive this race to give him a real fighting chance to win the championship. It's not over till it's over.

Front Line Chasers
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 1st
And people still wonder how Jimmie won two Cup titles in a row. Please, the man knows how to clean up at the end of the season. There are few drivers on the NASCAR circuit that can pull off what Jimmie did last weekend at Atlanta. A personal foul puts Jimmie a lap down and he still ends up finishing second. Ask me where Jimmie finished his last two races at Texas. First last fall and second in the spring earlier this season.

Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 4th
Jeff might have a chance to improve his point standings with the potential misfortune of the driver who is currently in third, but with consistent finishes giving Jeff seven Top 10's out of fourteen starts, doesn't make him a contender for the chase with three races to go.

Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 9th
Matt will make a valiant effort this Sunday to put his #17 car in the Top ten, but that will not do much for his point standings. Matt's success at Texas has been profound in the last three years. Since November of 2005, Matt has finished in the Top five save his last race this past April, where he finished in 9th. Say hello to DeWalt yellow.

Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 12th
Too bad NASCAR doesn't have an award for MVP because if they did Kyle would surely be the recipient by a landslide. Kyle still has the most wins (8) out of the Sprint Cup drivers for the 2008 season and he holds that record by one win over the second place point's holder Carl Edwards. Kyle's last two races at Texas has given him two Top 5's which is the best finishes he has had out of his six starts at TMS.

Last Lap Challenge Chasers
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 8th
Tony, Tony, Tony might do it again; a Top ten that is. Wouldn't it have been more beneficial for some of the Joe Gibbs drivers to have this kind of success earlier in the season? Unfortunately, NASCAR doesn't support the better late than never philosophy. Tony might not have a win at TMS, but bringing home the Home Depot car in tenth place or better is something that he can do at Texas.

Bottom 25 Chasers
Greg Biffle
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 3rd
Greg's fantastic run during the chase for the Sprint Cup has come to an end at TMS. Greg's eight attempts at Texas have given him a single win in 2005 and a Top ten in 2007.

Track Stats
Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, TX) - TMS
Dickies 500
(Sister Tracks - Lowe's, California, Homestead-Miami, Kansas
Dover, Chicagoland, Michigan, Darlington, & Atlanta)

Dickies 500
(November 4, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Kyle Busch
5. Ryan Newman
6. Jeff Burton
7. Jeff Gordon
8. Kurt Busch
9. Jamie McMurray
10.Kevin Harvick

Samsung 500
(April 6, 2008)
Top 10 Results
1. Carl Edwards
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kyle Busch
4. Ryan Newman
5. Denny Hamlin
6. Jeff Burton
7. Tony Stewart
8. Mark Martin
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Clint Bowyer

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