Is Jimmie Johnson Out of the Championship Hunt? Just Wait 'Til Martinsville

After Talladega, many NASCAR fans are saying Jimmie will not win this season. After 6 races from the Chase, Johnson is 50 points away from points leader, Carl Edwards.

Before the Talladega race, there was going to be two tracks that Johnson could make up ground after the Charlotte race. First race was going to be Talladega. He was only 35 points behind Edwards. Jimmie Johnson remained in the back of the field with his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., for most of the day. However, by the time it was time to "Let's go to the front"; late cautions came, and both Dale Jr. and Johnson struggled to make it up to the front on the last caution. Johnson came in 26th, while Edwards came in 11th. Johnson lost 15 points from the points leader, making it 50 now (which is now more than one race behind).

The next race for him to make ground in is Martinsville. Now, it is impossible for Jimmie to get the points lead after Martinsville, but he can gain a lot of ground on Edwards and the other Chase drivers. Jimmie Johnson has 19 starts at Martinsville, and it is perhaps his best track. Of all the races here, he failed to finish in the Top 10 twice (2002 and 2011 (both in the Spring races). He has an average finish of 5.6, and has led 1616 laps at this track, and has won 6 races here.

How about the other drivers?:

Carl Edwards: Carl Edwards at this track is not so good. Edwards has 14 starts at this track, only 4 of those where he finished in the Top 10. Best finish being 3rd in the 2008 fall race. Edwards has only led 3 laps here, all coming from the spring race earlier this season. Average finish at this track is 16.9.

Matt Kenseth: Like Edwards, Matt Kenseth hasn't really that much success at this track. Kenseth has 23 starts here, and he has finished in the Top 10 in 7 of those events. Best finish being 2nd in the 2002 spring race. He has only led 68 laps at this track, last time leading in the 2008 fall race (led 8 laps). Average finish at this track is 15.8.

Brad Keselowski: Brad Keselowski has only been here 3 times, so his stats don't tell that much. He has finished in the Top 10 only once, coming last year's fall race here. He has led 0 laps. He has an average finish at this track of 13.7.

Tony Stewart: Tony Stewart has 25 starts at this track. He has 2 wins at this track, and has 13 Top 10's here too. Stewart has led 1194, last coming last year's fall race were he led only one lap. Average finish at this  track is 13.9. HOWEVER, his last three starts here have not been so good. Best finish being 24th in the fall race last year, and he hasn't finished on the led lap at this track since the 2009 fall race here, which was also his last Top 10 at this track.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin Harvick has 20 starts here. The thing about Harvick at this track, however, is that he is one of those drivers that is mixed at this track. He will have a great race one time, and have a streak of bad races at this track. He has one win here, of course coming from the spring race here earlier this year. He has 9 Top 10 finishes here, and has led 307 laps at this track. Average finish here is 16.5.

Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch has 13 starts here, and he finished in the Top 10 in seven of them (six of which were Top 5's). Kyle Busch has yet to get a win at this track. He has led 271 laps at this track. Average finish for Busch is 15.6.

Of the drivers in the Top 7 in points, Jimmie has the best records in this list of drivers. Where Edwards has the worst average finish and Brad Keselowski has the lowest laps led. If Jimmie has a bad race here, it could be a great chance that we will have a new Champion this year.

Newman's Magic "Fuel" Mile (Plus a Bonus Video)

Ryan Newman, who looked like was going to be short on fuel, came out with the win for the 2011 LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. His teammate, and car owner, Tony Stewart, was coming quick, but it was not enough to get pass Newman.

It was Newman's first win since the 2010 Subway Fresh Fit 600(k). This was also the first 1-2 finish for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Points leader at the beginning of the race, Kyle Busch, had a tire go down and he slammed into the wall just past 50 laps into the race. He was able to get back out, but he ended up finishing 36th and lost the points lead after the race concluded.

The Cup guys have no race next week. They will be at the Brickyard in two weeks.





By the way, here's a bonus video to the end of a embarrassing and dreadful 2011 NASCAR on TNT season:

Kurt Busch Wins a Tempered Filled Race

Kurt Busch finally got his first win of the 2011 season, which was his first at a road course. Kurt Busch dominated the race, leading 75 of the 110 laps.

However, the major story of the race were all the "Vs." Moments. Brian Vickers was mad at Tony Stewart (he later took out Stewart late in the race), Robby Gordon was mad at Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne was mad at Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael McDowell was mad at Bobby Labonte. It was a heated race and pretty much the entire field looked like it came from a Martinsville race. Pretty much the only driver that didn't have any damage on the car was Kurt Busch.

The Cup guys go to Daytona next week for the Coke Zero 400, with wide open coverage.