Cat and Mouse Game: Previewing the Bank of America 500
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Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images |
Championship-eligible drivers who survived the first cutoff
of the Chase are relieved. Chicagoland Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway
and Dover International Speedway brought drama, tempers and surprises that
made everyone anxious.
As the start of a new round, the Bank of America 500 is up
in the air. Who’s going to perform the best? Who will find hardships and fall
behind? That’s what everyone is wondering going into Saturday night.
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a staple in the NASCAR world. Since
1960, the 1.5-mile oval has held 302 races, with 113 of them as NASCAR events. Its
layout is the most common among the different types on the schedule, and there
are four other 1.5-mile tracks in the Chase. CMS has been a stop on the Chase
schedule since the format’s inception in 2004.
It’s also smack dab in the middle of racing country, as most
teams are based around the Charlotte area. Fans tend to visit race shops before
or after the Saturday night race. Whenever it’s race day in that town, the
local economy spikes. Other businesses—such as Emma Blaney and Sherry Pollex’s
respective boutiques—draw attention as noteworthy stops during the weekend. There’s no shortage of adventure in Charlotte, especially
during race week.
As previously mentioned, the Challenger round brought
excitement for many. Unfortunately, the first round didn’t go as planned for
Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray.
Yes, you read that right: Jimmie Johnson.
With the six-time champion out of the picture, this fight
for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy just got even more interesting. Heavy-hitters
like Kevin Harvick and the Joe Gibbs Racing bunch are making themselves known
every weekend. Harvick, despite miscues in the first two races, won last
weekend to advance. It’s unknown if he and crew chief Rodney Childers
have regrouped, but they need to if they want to win another championship.
On the flip side, JGR is thriving—which is bad news for
everyone else. The dominance for this weekend has already started; Matt Kenseth
won the pole for the event, and teammate Kyle Busch will also be on the front
row. All four drivers have experienced success at Charlotte and will be
contenders come Saturday night.
There are seven other drivers still eligible, and they
shouldn’t be counted out. Joey Logano has been a consistent force since winning
the Daytona 500. Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. are silently staying in the game.
Anyone can start knocking out wins and make themselves a threat to the title.
That’s the purpose of this format, and it’s shaping up to be a thrilling seven
weeks.
The Chase has become a cat and mouse game. The constant
unpredictability and tension are running down the 12 drivers, who scurry away
and try to find shelter. The slowest fall into the cat’s claws. Who escapes and
gets the cheese? Nobody knows, and nobody will know until we finish at
Homestead-Miami.
Cat and Mouse Game: Previewing the Bank of America 500
Reviewed by Anonymous
on
Friday, October 09, 2015
Rating:
