THE CHASE : TALLADEGA

The most competitive Chase yet is coming to NASCAR’s most competitive track.

Since the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format was introduced in 2004, we have the closest margin ever between first and second place with four races remaining in the season; only six points separate Jimmie Johnson from Denny Hamlin. And … third place Kevin Harvick is only 62 back of Johnson.
Talladega Superspeedway, site of Sunday’s AMP Energy Juice 500, is a perfect match for such a situation.
The unpredictable 2.66-mile tri-oval had the most competitive race in NASCAR history this past April, with NASCAR Sprint Cup Series records established for lead changes (88) and leaders (29).
The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series also races at ‘Dega this weekend, with Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250. The NASCAR Nationwide Series has its final open week of the year.
The GRAND-AM Road Racing season, meanwhile, is complete, with the Rolex Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge looking to the 2011 season-opening races at Daytona International Speedway Jan. 28-30.


NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES


Harvick Returning RCR To Restrictor-Plate Dominance
Coming off of his first top-five finish at Martinsville and closing to within 62 points of the Chase lead, Kevin Harvick attempts to win his third consecutive restrictor-plate race this week.
At Talladega in April, he completed a slingshot pass on Jamie McMurray to win by .011 seconds, the eighth-closest finish in NASCAR Sprint Cup history. Harvick went on to win a second-straight plate race at Daytona in July.
Harvick’s April win provided car owner Richard Childress with his first Talladega triumph since 2000. Harvick is going for the first Talladega season sweep in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since Jeff Gordon in 2007.


Chase Spoiler Could Be McMurray – Again
Jamie McMurray will attempt to play Chase spoiler for the second time in this Chase, in the process trying to repeat as Amp Energy Juice 500 race winner.
It could happen. McMurray has come up big in his three previous 2010 wins – capturing the Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 and the Bank of America 500(at Charlotte).


Is Dale Jr. Back?
After leading 90 laps at Martinsville – the most he’s led in a race since Richmond in September of 2008 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. returns to Talladega with a chance to tie Gordon for second on the NASCAR Sprint Cup win list at the track with six, behind his father’s record 10 victories.
Despite his obvious struggles this season, Dale Jr. has looked just fine in this year’s three previous restrictor-plate events, with finishing second and fourth, respectively, at Daytona and 13th at Talladega).