Chasing the Chase

Of all the things that I love about motor sport, oval courses are not one of them. I just have never been quite able to get excited about high-performance V8 cars being driven, round and round and round and round and boringly around the a standard NASCAR track. Thus I hope to be forgiven by the oval faithful for not fully appreciating all the drama that a NASCAR season and especially the Chase can bring. Having said that, 2010 is easily the closest and most-barnstorming of them all probably, and maybe this fact has changed my mind.

Ok, what is it that so good about this year? One, Jimmy Johnson isn't winning by so massive a margin that the final race still actually matters. Two, the margin between the top three drivers is a mere 46 points. Three, Denny Hamlin, is actually the Chase leader, even if it is only by a scant 15 points; a fact Johnson took great pains to accentuate at a recent press-conference. So Sundays' final race should be an absolute cracker and I can't wait.

The pundits tell us that Hamlin will be series victor if he wins or is second, and anyone but Johnson wins. Johnson will take it if he wins and leads the most laps. Harvick could win it if he gets the victory, leads the most laps and Johnson finishes fifth or lower with Hamlin, eighth or worse. I have nothing at all against Jimmy Johnson, but I do generally vote for the underdog, especially one who hasn't won it before. The knowledge that Johnson has scored the last four titles, sorta makes me cheer on Hamlin, but really I just want a great race.