Three to go as NASCAR heads to Texas

from the Crossville Chronicle - Crossville, TN. Friday November 2, 2007

by Joe Dunn
With only three races to go, time is of the essence for the Chase drivers to make up every point they can on standings leader Jeff Gordon. All 12 Chase drivers are still mathematically eligible for the championship, though Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are setting a devastating pace. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates have won the last four races in the Chase and have the closest point margin between first and second since the Chase’s inception in 2004.
Several drivers and fans were upset with Denny Hamlin and blamed him for the wreck on the final start which resulted in the race ending under caution. However it was discovered after the race that Hamlin actually had water in his gas causing the car to sputter on the restart. It was also learned that Dave Blaney had water in his gas too. Nascar decided that they were two isolated cases until Monday when the other teams returned to their shops. Water was found in the fuel cells of both Penske cars of Ryan Newman and Kurt Bush, while water also was evident in all three Richard Childress cars as was the Chevy of winner Jimmie Johnson. Greg Biffle had complained of what he thought was water in his gas during the race, but none was found. Nascar is investigating the incident.
Penske Racing is determined to get Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish established in Nascar despite his failure to qualify for a race after numerous attempts. Penske officials are considering a points swap for 2008 to get Hornish in the field. The idea is to give Hornish the 2007 points of the 2 car. This would guarantee Hornish to start the first five races based on owners points within the top 35. This would mean leaving Kurt Bush without points but eligible for the Past Champions provision as the most recent champion not with a top 35 team.
On the local racing scene Crossville Raceway honored their season champions at an awards banquet last Thursday at the track. The Champions as well as the rest of the top 5 finishers were awarded trophies and acknowledged for their accomplishments. In addition to the 6 foot tall Trophies, the champions also received Jackets and photos from the track. The event was attended by over 200 who showed their appreciation for the event. The track owners were on hand as well as the 20087 track operators, William Scogin and Chris McConnell. A drivers meeting is scheduled for Dec 9 at the track. For details, contact William at (931) 538-8448
Spring City Raceway concluded the racing season with a Fan appreciation night last Saturday. The cars were lined up on the track where fans were invited to walk the track and meet with the drivers. Those in attendance enjoined the night. The track announced that the awards banquet will be held at the track on Saturday November 10, 2007 at 1 PM. (et)