Top 12 Countdown to Daytona: Jeff Burton

Jeff Burton? He made the chase? Yes, he did race fans. We have another Matt Kenseth on our hands. Jeff Burton is one of the few drivers in the garage that are respected by every other driver they race against. Jeff has always thrived off consistency, and even though he may not pull off 5 or 6 wins in the race to the chase, he not only captures the hearts of fans in those first 26 races, but he also takes his fair share of the points offered, and makes it into the Chase for the championship. Jeff picked up four top fives, and fourteen top tens in the 2010 season, and made the chase regardless of not winning. You can see Jeff's impeccable consistency through his almost 20 seasons of stats, that average him out to almost an 11th place finish throughout his whole career. After a hard 2009 season, where he finished a disappointing 17th in the standings, he moved up 10 positions in 2010, when he claimed 7th place in Las Vegas. I think Jeff will still be running on a high this season, looking to keep up RCR's momentum from the 2010 season going. Jeff will claim 8th in the season ending standings, and, unlike last season, I believe a few wins will also come along with that strong points performance.

Top 12 Countdown to Daytona: Brian Vickers

Brian Vickers has had a lot to be thankful for over the past year. Brian faced adversity, and got the love of life taken away from him for three quarters of the 2010 season. Racing. Brian wasn't feeling good one night earlier in the 2010 season, and was rushed to the emergency room. The doctors found blood clots all over his body, which was slowing him down. Brian was not only worried about his life, but about his racing career. The doctors also found a whole in his heart, that was going to have to be repaired, which worried him more, knowing he would have to go through heart surgery. But Brian has pulled through. Due to Brian being on blood thinners, his doctors found it safer for him to stay out of the car, which broke the young drivers heart. He was doing well at the beginning of the season, and was looking forward to fighting for his spot in the chase again. Brian took time to step away from racing during his medical leave, and spent more time with his family, and realized he needed to do that more often. Brian put his priorities in order, and not only did he make more time for family and enjoying life, but he realized what he really wanted to be when it came to racing. Regardless of being pulled out of his car at Red Bull Racing for most of the 2010 season, Brian has kept a smile on his face. Brian has a new view on life unlike other drivers, where he is just grateful that he has the ability to race. Brian Said, "The new perspective of love and appreciation and renewed energy that I have of and for what I do for a living, the love I have for racing, and the love I have for NASCAR, is now something in my life I need, and want to maintain." (NASCAR Media Day, NASCAR Now, February 2011) I believe Brian will come back strong this year. He has a motivation unlike any other driver in NASCAR, which will take him a long way. I believe luck might bite him as it has in past years, and cause him to get involved in a few bad wreaks that will mess with his points position. Regardless, I think he will easily slide into one of the wild card slots, with a good 4 or 5 wins this season. And, I'm sure I can speak for most of NASCAR nation in saying, we WANT Brian to get those 4 or 5 wins.

Top 12 Countdown to Daytona: Carl Edwards

     Carl Edwards. At the end of the 2010 season, he was a man you didn't want to mess with. Carl, who is coming off winning the final two races of the 2010 season, is ready to get going in 2011.
     Not only is he excited on the racing side of life, but on his family side too. Carl and his wife Kate are expecting another baby, after welcoming their little girl Annie, early in the 2010 season. Even though he has been adjusting to life as a father, he hasn't lost site of his racing goals. Carl wants to show his little girl and new little bundle of joy, that hes got lots a racing left in him, and wants that Cup the most this year.        
     Sure, Carl gets my #1 spot in WANTING the cup, do I personally think he will get it this season? No. Now, I'm not one of those people who says if these guys have babies that they will start to stink at racing. That only had positive influence on my opinion. I think babies make these guys want to do well even more so than before they were fathers. I just think that Roush-Fenway is still a little bit to far behind for Carl to reach his full potential.
     Who knows, maybe in 2012, Carl might not even be at Roush-Fenway anymore...
What do you guys think? Email me @ kaseykahnefan9889@yahoo.com or leave a comment, or tweet me at @GoPackGo_4Kahne on twitter! :)

OPINION: Is there even a point to the chase anymore?

     Today, there has been much speculation out about the expansion of the chase in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series. I have to ask though...why expand it? I thought that the chase was made to narrow the Field for the cup series, not to give everyone a prize. I can't help but compare it to today's society. We feel a need to reward everyone, per say at kids sporting events. Not that boo kids who all get trophy's, but if they didn't earn it, why should they get it?

     If NASCAR implements a 15 man chase to the championship in the 2011 season, I believe it will hurt the sport even more. NASCAR is pretty much saying that if you can just about average a little better than a top 20 finish for the first 26 races, you will have a chance at the championship. Tell me, why does 15th place get the same chance as 1st place in points at the championship? Obviously 1st place preformed much better, had more wins, and was more consistent. Why does a winner have to compete with a mediocre driver for the award that goes to the most successful driver after an overall season?
     
     Lastly, is there even a point to have the chase anymore then? If most of the field gets to compete for the championship anyway, why have this big lead up to the chase, when virtually no driver that is a substantial fan holder will be unable to compete for the championship? I'm sorry if I'm blunt, but i just have to ask. I personally think that NASCAR simply wants to do this too make sure there drivers that draw the biggest crowd always make the chase. Personally, if a fan really likes their driver that much, they will be backing him week in and out regardless if he is in the chase or not. I personally don't think him being in the chase will draw more fans to the television. The ones that are watching now, will more than likely be watching later regardless of his status in the chase.
     I personally say this because I have been in this position. Since 2002, I have been a very dedicated Kasey Kahne fan, and regardless if he makes the chase or not, I stand behind him and watch every race no matter what. Its not a determination in my own or many other fans, fan ship as NASCAR is seeming to put it. Fans are fans. If NASCAR really knew their fan base, they would realize that we don't jump around with our drivers. We are in it to win it, regardless of how long it takes, and we don't like NASCAR adjusting the system just to get us in because our drivers "draw ratings" as they claim.              
     Overall, I think NASCAR expanding the chase to 15 drivers is a drawback to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, not only because its childish, but it may also offend some people in the long run, due to the reasoning simply being to gain ratings only, and not trying to have a classy, well ran sport.