This CHASE is set… No… wait… OK… NOW the CHASE is set!
After penalties were issued by NASCAR over “manipulation” of the race at Richmond, the actual CHASE group of 12 drivers eligible to win the Sprint Cup Championship was altered slightly. Martin Truex, Jr. and other Michael Waltrip Racing drivers and teams were docked and fined and the result replaced Truex, Jr. with Ryan Newman.
Once that was settled, the CHASE drivers were spread out across the states and places with upcoming races for the “CHASE Across America”. The race this weekend, the first in the Championship CHASE, is in Chicago. As a premiere for all the remaining races, drivers were out meeting fans and participating in racing communities.
Matt Kenseth went to Chicago, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. went to New York, Kyle Busch was with the Armed Forces at Dover Air Force Base, Greg Biffle was celebrating First Responders in Birmingham, Harvick was in Texas…
Martinsville Speedway is on the CHASE schedule, too, with the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 coming in late October. To celebrate their part of the CHASE, the folks at Martinsville hosted Kasey Kahne in nearby Roanoke, VA. The folks at the Speedway said a major fan base comes from the area and it was a good fit to have Kahne drive a Sprint Car through the streets of Roanoke. They were right… (more…)