For drivers shut out of the Chase, the rest of the season is all about ... Winning races

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Beginning this weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway, the Chase for the Nextel Cup is on for the 12 drivers who made the cut for NASCAR's 10-race playoffs.

For the other 31 drivers in the starting field, the goals shift. The best points position possible is 13th, but there are races to be won, races that could be won by playing risky pit strategy.

But why not go for trophies? For the most part, drivers outside the elite 12 won't get much media exposure unless they win races, so they're more than willing to take a chance or two.

Casey Mears, who enters the final 10 races 16th in the standings, said his No. 25 team at Hendrick Motorsports may take a chance to two on fuel strategy or some other pit ploy, but he's not going so far as to risk a really poor finish.

"Anybody that's outside the Chase or the championship hunt typically takes bigger gambles just because they can afford to do so," he said. "We're at the point where we're all out.We're here to win races.

"But we can't afford to take too many gambles because it can put us 20th in points really quick. Even though we want to gamble and win races, there will be times where we're a little conservative just because it's critical for us to get points so we can get to that 13th spot."

Mears and his team, led by crew chief Darian Grubb, won the Coca- Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May using a pit strategy that worked to perfection the way the race played out.

He said that victory, his first and only triumph in NASCAR's elite division, was good for a short-term pick-me-up, but now it's back to business.

"Obviously we lived off that for a while, and are still very proud of that race," Mears said. "But as soon as you go to the next weekend, you've got to focus on that weekend and leave the other behind."

Mears' team is about to get another morale boost. Beginning next season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be racing a car out of the same building as Mears.

While some might suspect that Mears will feel overshadowed by the sport's most popular driver, he's eager to have his new teammate on board.

"I just look at it as a positive," he said. "With Dale being in the same shop, it's going to bring a lot more attention to our side of the shop. And with Dale being as popular as he is, there are going to be a lot of sponsors involved, which is going to help our program.

"I'm looking forward to working with him."

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