NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship has suddenly become a whole lot more interesting.
With just a six-point margin separating defending four-time champion Jimmie Johnson from second-place Denny Hamlin, winner of last week’s race at Martinsville, the Chase for the Championship has never been closer with just four races remaining.
The six-point margin is razor thin. So thin, in fact, a single lap or pit-road penalty could be the difference between a championship and falling inches short. And even Kevin Harvick, arguably the most-consistent driver of the 2010 season, sits just 62 points behind the leader, keeping added pressure on the frontrunners.
When NASCAR created the Chase system, the sport wanted to have a playoff-like atmosphere filled with drama and fan intrigue. Excluding the Chase’s first years, the format has failed to deliver excitement – until now.
Hamlin pulled the Joe Namath at his home track of Martinsville. Predicting a win, the Virginia native started from the pole and, after dropping positions with poor tires early in the race, Hamlin battled back through the field in workmanlike fashion to claim the victory. With two wins and six top-10 finishes in the previous seven races, momentum now clearly sits in Hamlin’s corner entering the final stretch of four races.
Should Hamlin overcome the six-point margin to claim the title, it would mark the most-surprising upset of the Chase era and instantly breathe life into a system maligned more than college football’s BCS. And by ending Johnson’s four-year reign as champion, Hamlin would likely become a hero to irritated fans who view the defending champion as a villain – a boring one, at that – stealing wins and championships from their favorite drivers.
While Johnson has held a lead of at least 118 points with four races remaining each of the last two seasons, it finally appears a driver has stepped forward to challenge the four-year dominance of the No. 48 team.
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