FanHouse Sharp Aquos 500

NASCAR fans now a few more good examples of why NASCAR racing will never get boring after the steaming weekend at California Speedway -- for they know that at any time anything can happen in NASCAR.


Brad Keselowski, Ricky Rudd (as the video shows at 0:16) and Michael Waltrip are feeling why today.

Waltrip was the only driver of the three that had a faint idea that his race was about to end early when the left-front tire finally cut down entering turn three during Sunday night's Sharp Aquos 500, sheering an oil line and igniting the No. 55 Napa Toyota. Luckily, Waltrip was able to get out in time -- but not very quickly.

Rudd's fortunes weren't as obvious.

Three more drivers locked themselves into the Chase for the Nextel Cup this weekend at California Speedway, with one race remaining:

6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Jeff Burton
8. Kyle Busch

Two drivers need only start the Chevy Rock 'n Roll 400 to earn their place in the Chase:

9. Clint Bowyer
10. Martin Truex Jr.

Three drivers remain eligible for the remaining two spots:

11. Kurt Busch
12. Kevin Harvick
13. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Biggest Winner in Cali
Kyle Busch. A 3rd place finish in the California heat clinched his spot in the Chase. That makes six top 5s and 14 top 10s to go along with his win at Bristol in the spring. There have been plenty of heated moments along the way, but he earned his spot fair and square.

Defending Cup champion Johnson's a winner, too, for winning the race and locking up the top spot (assuming Gordon doesn't win in Richmond.)

Virgin Chasers
MTJ's 6th place finish ensures him a spot as long as he starts in Richmond. Ditto for Bowyer's 20th place finish Sunday. If Junior doesn't make it, Bowyer will be the only driver in the Chase to have not won a race, ala Mark Martin in 2006. Truex and Bowyer will be the only two 2007 first-timer Chasers. Well done.

Biggest Loser in Cali
Once again, Dale Earnhardt Jr. A strong 5th-place finish is just enough to keep his championship dreams alive, but probably not enough to make them come true. This has just prolonged the agony. He's won at Richmond before, but he'd have to do that and then some plus see Harvick finish worse than 32nd and Busch ... I don't even know if that's possible.

Junior be the biggest loser again next week if he doesn't make the Chase. But if he comes within 100 points, he'll be the biggest loser with a COT penalty that kept cost him the Chase and a lingering "What if ... " my crew chief hadn't used illegal brackets in Darlington?

NASCAR Nextel Cup point leader is now in a must-win situation Saturday night at Richmond if he wishes to be part of the point lead heading into the Chase for the Championship.

Jimmie Johnson cruised to victory lane Sunday night at California Speedway, scoring his fifth victory of the season and ten more bonus points for the Chase, which starts in two weeks at New Hampshire.

Gordon wasn't a factor after an incident late in the race and now faces the possibility that his 317-point lead could wind up being a 10 or 20 point deficit after 400 laps at Richmond International Raceway with Johnson's win.

On the other end of the Chase spectrum, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was all but locked out of the 2007 edition of the Chase despite finishing 5th. He sits 13th in the standings, 128 points behind 12th-place Kevin Harvick with the lone regular season race remaining.

All Harvick has to do is finish 32nd Saturday and he is locked in, even if Junior leads the most laps and wins.

The race had a higher number of wrecks than normal, including two mildly series incidents.