Picture a shaker and you have an idea of what the opening Chase race did to the Sprint Cup championship picture Sunday at New Hampshire. ...more

September 15, 2008

The 4-year-old Chase for the Championship gives NASCAR the equivalent of a postseason. After 26 of the 36 races, the top 12 drivers qualify to have their points reset to 5,000, and they get 10 points for each race they won. (Carl Edwards lost the 10-point bonus for one of his wins because of a penalty). Points are then accumulated the same way they are during the first 26 races. Only the top 12 are in position to win the title. ...more

September 10, 2008

In the only really riveting Chase to date, Kurt Busch led Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon by only 18 and 21 points entering the finale at Homestead. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin still were in contention mathematically. Busch edged Johnson by eight and Gordon by 16 for the championship. ...more

September 10, 2008

Rarely does a battle for 12th place ever get this interesting. Clint Bowyer, upstart David Ragan and Kasey Kahne are in a scramble for it in the Sprint Cup standings. The driver ranked ahead of the other two after today's rescheduled regular-season finale at Richmond probably will land the last berth in NASCAR's playoffs. ...more

September 7, 2008

It has certainly been the season of Kyle Busch, and Carl Edwards has definitely proved himself a credible championship threat. ...more

September 3, 2008

Jimmie Johnson had enough time to think about how good his car was - and worry that he might blow it. ...more

September 2, 2008

Jimmie Johnson overpowered the field Sunday night in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway, grabbing his third victory of the season. ...more

September 1, 2008

A brief NASCAR era ends Sunday with the final Labor Day weekend running of a Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. The "fall" race at the track formerly known as California Speedway moves into the Chase next year, and Atlanta will take over the holiday weekend slot. Tribune motor sports writer Tony Fabrizio takes a look at what's topical entering the second-to-last regular-season race: ...more

August 29, 2008

SPRINT CUP PREVIEW RACE NO. 25: CALIFORNIA A brief NASCAR era ends Sunday with the final Labor Day weekend running of a Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway. The "fall" race at the track formerly known as California Speedway moves into the Chase next year, and Atlanta will take over the holiday weekend slot. Tribune motor sports writer Tony Fabrizio takes a look at what's topical entering the second-to-last regular-season race: ...more

August 29, 2008

Brad Keselowski passed Clint Bowyer with 24 laps to go Friday night and pulled away for his second victory of the season in NASCAR's Nationwide Series, capping a remarkable run from the 37th starting position at Bristol Motor Speedway. ...more

August 23, 2008