The time has come for a road course in the Chase

Cool Down Lap: The time has come for a road course in the Chase

SONOMA, Calif. -- It happens every summer.
When the Sprint Cup Series makes its annual pilgrimage to wine country in June, the same questions arise: Should the Chase for the Sprint Cup have a road course as part of its 10-track mix? If not, why not?
Those questions usually linger about as long as it takes the series to move on to the next race, but in light of Sunday’s action at Infineon Raceway, it’s time for NASCAR to consider seriously including a road course in the sport’s version of a postseason.
NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France told Sporting News before Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 that the 2012 schedule isn’t likely to see significant changes. If NASCAR has one major move to make, however, putting a road course in the Chase should be the priority.
Not only that -- NASCAR should get a road course into the Chase by adding a road course to the Cup schedule, either Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., (site of Saturday’s Nationwide Series event) or Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal (which will host its fifth stand-alone Nationwide race in August).
There’s ample justification for such a move.
First -- and this is an old argument -- the Chase should be a complete examination of a driver’s skills. In this year’s Chase, there are five 1.5-mile intermediate speedways (Chicagoland, Kansas, Charlotte, Texas, Homestead), two one-mile flat tracks (New Hampshire, Phoenix), one restrictor-plate superspeedway (Talladega), one flat short track (Martinsville) and one one-mile banked track (Dover).
At least one venue ought to test the mettle of drivers and their teams where cars do something other than turn left.
Second, simply watch video of Sunday’s race at Infineon, if you didn’t have a chance to see it first-hand. In an event dominated by Kurt Busch, there was enough action behind the race winner to satisfy the appetite of the most voracious fan.
From Tony Stewart versus Brian Vickers to Juan Pablo Montoya against the world, Sunday’s free-for-all combined the aggressive, physical aspects of short-track racing with the consummate skill it takes to negotiate 10 unique corners.
to the conventional wisdom that says passing as difficult at road courses, Sonoma produced more action than most downforce speedways. Busch started 11th and by Lap 13 had charged into the lead. Stewart raced his way to the front from his 20th starting spot before being kayoed by Vickers.
Third, and most important, road course races now present an even playing field. Ten years ago, perhaps five or six Cup regulars were capable of winning consistently on a road course. Now, it’s a wide-open proposition, as Cup drivers have refined their skills and worked to improve their craft.
Not long ago, the so-called road course “ringers” were factors at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. Not long ago, drivers such as Boris Said and Ron Fellows could use their edge in road racing technique to overcome inferior equipment. That’s no longer the case.
As a group, Cup drivers have closed the gap on the road course aces . The past four years have seen Kyle Busch, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch added to the list of Sonoma winners. The top-finishing road course specialist in Sunday’s race was Andy Pilgrim in 26th, followed by Chris Cook (27th) and Said (28th).
Accordingly, putting a road course in the Chase no longer would be a gimmie top five for the likes of Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Montoya or Marcos Ambrose.
Accordingly, it’s time to give more than lip service to putting a road course into the Chase. It’s time to get it done.
By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
June 28, 2011