We promise to throw a caution with ample time to slow down in the event of a spinning car on this Chase edition of Notes & Quotes.
Pressure? What pressure? Juan Pablo Montoya's run into the Chase for the Sprint Cup is quite the enviable position for most other drivers simply because of the expectations that the former Formula 1 driver has on his back.
Or, make that the lack of expectations.
"I mean, what's the pressure? We made the Chase," said Montoya after his third-place finish. "From now on, anything about that, it's a balance. Come here, first Chase race, put on the pole, finish second. Can I ask for anything else? Not really. A win would be nice, but that will come."
Tony Stewart has been ranked first or second in NASCAR's marquee Sprint Cup Series championship for the last 19 weeks. He's led the standings since May 31, building a comfy 100-point margin by late June and eventually an impressive 284-point edge over second place by August.
Stewart entered last Saturday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway with a 234-point advantage in the championship.
For the sixth time, the Chase for the Sprint Cup is set. Here's a look at some of the stories: Kyle Busch did not make the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Think about the enormity of that.
Should we be making anything about Tony Stewart's complete lack of momentum as the Sprint Cup heads to the Chase?
Tony's No. 14 has been the consistent class of the field all year -- and to some, the surprise of it too -- but the last four races have been a lesson on frustration with finishes of 18th, 30th, 12th and 17th.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Denny Hamlin suffered his fair share of heartbreak at Richmond International Raceway, the home track where he so desperately wanted a win.
He finally got it Saturday night, but the victory celebration was muted. Kyle Busch, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, fell eight points short of making the Chase for the championship in the tightest deciding race since the format was launched in 2004.
They've fought on-track and tossed fighting words at each other off-track, but now Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch are more focused on the fight ahead of them this weekend at Richmond International Raceway.
Busch, a winner of four races this season, and Vickers, a winner of one, stand the best chance to fight their way into the top-12 of NASCAR's point standings at the end of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 Saturday night. By doing so, they'd secure themselves a spot in the coveted Chase for the Sprint Cup and a chance to race for the title.
But judging by performance of previous drivers on the edge of making it in during Richmond's final opportunity, their chances are 50/50 at best.
There's no car foxes -- see the commercial -- around this Michigan edition of Sprint Cup Notes & Quotes. Brian Vickers seems to be a polar opposite of Kyle Busch in that he doesn't let things stick to him. He said as much during his post-race press conference Sunday night when asked about his run-in during Saturday's Nationwide Series race with Busch -- a former Hendrick Motorsports teammate.
"You know, there's some people that you meet in life that are just gonna do stupid things. You just learn to accept it. You just don't let it bother you. You know, you have patience," said Vickers. "You just live your life and run your race.
The tone in Brian Vickers' voice over the in-car radio was all crew chief Ryan Pemberton needed to know.
"I think he yelled at me, told me not to give him lap times any more," said Pemberton of the closing laps in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway while Vickers stalked leader Jimmie Johnson. "I knew right then he knew what he was doing, how he was doing it. He was just managing."
BROOKLYN, MICH. (AP) -- Closing in on the checkered flag with mostly fumes in his gas tank, there were only two possibilities for Brian Vickers.
Run out of gas and probably blow any chance at making NASCAR's championship chase -- or make a bold move toward title contention by winning the race.
After a surprising gamble on gas by his crew chief, Vickers drove conservatively to conserve fuel. Then he pounced when race leader Jimmie Johnson's tank ran dry, taking the lead with two laps to go and holding on to win Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
Where: Michigan Int'l Speedway Time: Sunday 2PM ET TV/Radio: ESPN, MRN Radio Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing Forecast: Sunny, 91 degrees, 30% rain Distance: 200 laps (400 miles) Pole Winner: Brian Vickers 2008 Winner: Carl Edwards
The Storylines
'Hot! Hot! Hot!' has long been the opener to a Jimmy Buffett concert [much like the one yours truly attended this week] and theme should have major crossover appeal Sunday in Michigan. The mercury is expected to be bubbling with highs in the 90s -- a first for Sprint Cup in 2009.
With Vickers and Kyle Busch fighting it out on the final lap, Keselowski swooped in to grab the lead in the final turn and hold on to the Nationwide Series race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
"I knew they'd do what they did and that's why I was sitting there lurking,'' said Keselowski, a Michigan native. "The two of them together are a recipe for what you saw -- that's just putting it the way it is.''
Vickers finished second and Busch third, and they exchanged some heated words on pit road afterward.
We promise to throw a caution with ample time to slow down in the event of a spinning car on this Chase edition of Notes & Quotes.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- 
They've fought on-track and tossed fighting words at each other off-track, but now 
There's no car foxes -- 
The tone in 
BROOKLYN, MICH. (AP) -- Closing in on the checkered flag with mostly fumes in his gas tank, there were only two possibilities for 
Race: CARFAX 400
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -- 
