The NASCAR season is into the late half and so far, by design or luck, it is shaping up for big races. The “Chase” is winding with a few aces being held to the chest. The ingredients have been mixed and all that is left is to toss it in the oven and watch it rise.

There has been drama and controversy to keep the fans talking. Kurt Busch, for example, with media trouble and a race suspension from NASCAR trying to break him back inside the corral.  A.J. Allmendinger is another with a mark on substance abuse, suspension and a sanctioned rehab program. The continuing saga of Matt Kenseth making a jump for 2013 keeps some speculation in the conversation.

Jimmie Johnson has been a machine within a machine. Daytona was a bad start with car trouble followed by issues with a penalty over vehicle inspection. He quickly made up for it with top tier finishes and four wins, including “The Brickyard”, that has the #48 team sitting pretty at 4th overall for the season.

Defending champion Tony Stewart has three wins but bad luck on other races has kept him scrambling. He is still in the “Chase” group but likely feels 8th place in points is a little sour.

Michael Waltrip Racing has stepped up their game with two drivers in the top 10. MWR was almost in the shop bin with steady, mediocre performance but 2012 has seen energy, drive and good results. It is almost as if Waltrip is better behind the scenes than behind the wheel as the teams are performing well without him on the grid.

However, all of the above is almost a fade to the background with the run Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is having. The winless streak was broken at Michigan and the consistent top 5 / top 10 results over this season have him at the top of points chart coming away from Indy. The fan base that flies the “88” flag is jumping over themselves with validation. Dale, Jr. himself, however, now has to carry the momentum, and the pressure, for a few more races to the checkered flag at Richmond and beyond.

The latter half of the season is filled with NASCAR tradition and a lot of potential to drive the excitement all the way to Homestead. There are several drivers that still have a shot at breaking into the “Chase”. The extreme outside with Joey Logano and Paul Menard would need miracle results to break in. Jeff Gordon, tied in points with Menard, Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne have a history of success to make the move happen as long as they can run up front and grab a win. Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch will have to keep them at bay to hold their spots or move up. Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin are quietly driving comfortably in the points but the pack is chasing their bumpers so they also have to keep clean air through Richmond.

Once the top twelve are set following the checkers at Richmond, the run to the Sprint Cup will only get hotter. The likely bet is all that are currently in the top ten are safe to the cut. It is also a fair bet that race fans are in for some very hot races. NASCAR rolls through the heart of the sport from this point on. The lights will be on at Bristol. The “Chase” will be on at Richmond. The speed will be high at Talladega and Charlotte and the sheet metal and brakes will be tested at Martinsville.

All of these tracks are the essence, the variety and the soul of NASCAR and fans have excellent opportunities to be on hand for their part of it.

Seriously… Are you really going to sit out while Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has a shot at the “Cup”? We aren’t.