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Five drivers could foil the plans of title contenders
It happens in sports almost every year. A team in control of its own playoff destiny goes up against one that is just playing out the string. Underestimating its foe, the "better" team stumbles and comes up short, leaving the underdog smiling with glee as they watch their opponent's postseason hopes go up in smoke.
In NASCAR, that type of friction will occur every week during the last two months of the season. With all 43 drivers still vying for the same piece of real estate on the track every week, that means there are 31 teams and drivers in position to make the lives of any of the 12 Chasers miserable. Whether it's by stealing a win or making contact on the track, the way in which these non-Chasers race their championship peers could make the difference between a title won ... or the one that slipped away.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the five drivers not involved in this year's playoffs most likely to make an impact:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Clearly, Junior's season gone wrong has left him disappointed, but he understands that missing out had nothing to do with how the team performed. Rather, faulty parts and pieces kept the No. 8 on the playoff sidelines; Junior's engine failure at Richmond was his sixth DNF of the season, and none of the 12 teams in front of him in points have more than four. Combine that with a 100-point penalty and six-week suspension for Tony Eury Jr. at Darlington, when the team was caught with a faulty rear wing, and it's obvious on-track performance had little to do with this year's unexpected slump.
"We run in the top five every week," Junior insisted after getting out of his steaming car at Richmond. "I do."
Well, during the final 10 races that proclamation will be put to the test. Part of a lame-duck operation, Junior's going to have the arduous task of keeping his team motivated throughout the rest of the season. He, too, will have distractions to deal with, as the new number and sponsor for his 2008 Hendrick team will be announced by October. But with those agreements close at hand, that's the last obstacle for Junior to get over in an emotional roller coaster of a summer that included criticism and controversy every time the man turned his head. Now, Junior's free to relax and just go for broke every time out -- and with the DEI Car of Tomorrow program getting stronger every week, that makes him a factor at tracks like Talladega and Phoenix, places where the No. 8 team has had plenty of success in the past.
"We're going to have a lot of fun," said Junior of what he expects out of the next 10 races. "We're going to race hard, no matter who we're racing."
Juan Pablo Montoya -- All season long, Montoya and conflict have gone together hand-in-hand. Ruffle feathers of the NASCAR point leader? Check. (A battle with Jeff Gordon at Atlanta left both drivers none too happy with the way they raced each other and trading verbal barbs.) Get in a shouting match with NASCAR Chaser? Double Check. (After accidentally hitting Kevin Harvick at Daytona this July, sending him into the wall, the two made contact again at Watkins Glen. Even though Montoya couldn't help but hit Harvick -- he was tapped by the No. 1 of Martin Truex Jr. -- Harvick responded with a now-infamous barrage of verbal insults toward Montoya that's turned into a well-known feud ever since.) Clearly, several drivers have become wary of the Colombian's aggressive driving style, one that has resulted in as many wrecks as rewards during an up-and-down rookie season.
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