After All This Time, Maybe, It Could Be Martin's Year

OK, I know that even thinking this is blasphemy in the Martin Camp and Mark is a race-for-today-never-think-about-the-championship kind of guy….BUT…. Martin leads all drivers with 4 wins and sits eleventh in points. You would think that if he can continue this kind of run for the rest of the year, he has to be a favorite to win his first Cup title.

Like I said, I know these are evil words in the Martin Camp.

Martin also leads in poles and has nine top tens and 5 top fives. Stewart leads with fifteen top tens and 11 top five finishes with two wins. So Mark can make up some ground on the rest of the Top Twelve. Granted he is nearly 600 points behind Smoke, but at Race 27, all points are reset to zero and Martin will get additional bonus points for his victories. A couple more wins could easily push him into mid-pack when the Chase starts.

After toiling for years in Cup with the championship close at times, Martin has never been able to close the deal. How ironic would it be that in his first year with Hendrick Motorsports he could possibly get it done while another famous name in the same outfit continues to freefall in the standings.

This is racing and a lot can happen between now and Richmond. A couple of DNFs could hurt him and even keep him out of the Chase. Hard to believe, but it could happen, just ask Kasey Kahne.

With no single driver stepping up as in the past couple of years, the title chase appears to be wide open. Kyle Busch seems to be a bit snake bit as of late, but you can never count him out. Brother Kurt is experiencing a renaissance at Penske and Johnson, Gordon and Stewart have top five and ten finishes to thank for their point positions right now.

Looking at consistency, it is what the point leaders are doing to stay in front. The top four drivers have 51 top ten finishes among them. Kind of tells you that the guys who are running up front are the guys who consistently run best week after week.

Let’s all cheer for the old man this year. Besides Stewart’s inaugural driver/owner as possible champ, Martin is the next best story. Perhaps even the better story.

In an interview, Kid Kyle basically accused Stewart of dumping him at Daytona and suggested that that kind of action be black-flagged.

Hmmmmm. What video was he watching?

I think the rest of the racing world saw Smoke get on the outside of Busch and get up to his rear quarter panel, thus gaining position, as Busch tried to block him. Blocking someone who has position will wreck one or the both of you and we all know that. Busch should be black-flagged for asinine comments and arrogance.

Kurt Busch is ticked off at Jimmie Johnson for on track antics that cost him several positions at Chicago. Another racing incident, Busch appears to think Johnson has it in for the Blue Deuce. Perhaps the Busch Family Temper needs some anger management training. I think Tony Stewart has the contact number.