Pressure Mounts Half-way Through The Chase
Tension rises midway through Chase
Greg Engle
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
CONCORD, N.C. -- Never has the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup been so close.
The Bank of America 500, race No. 5 in the 10-race Chase, takes place Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway, near the home of so many of NASCAR's race teams.
And the pressure is mounting.
The aftermath of last Sunday's UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway saw seven of the 10 Chase drivers swap points positions, and now only 185 points separate the top 10 -- the closest margin after four races in the Chase's three-year history.
The separation is even tighter near the top. Only 51 points divide the top five, again the closest margin at this juncture in history.
Add the lingering tensions carried over from last week's race, and the anxiety will be running high Saturday night.
One of those feeling the pressure is Nextel Cup points leader Jeff Burton. He looked in position to score a top 10 finish last Sunday, but a cut tire with less than 10 laps to go forced him into the pits and relegated him to 27th place. His 69-point lead going into Talladega is now only six points over second-place Matt Kenseth. Burton will start seventh in Saturday's race.
more on Chase for the NEXTEL Cup
Greg Engle
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
CONCORD, N.C. -- Never has the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup been so close.
The Bank of America 500, race No. 5 in the 10-race Chase, takes place Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway, near the home of so many of NASCAR's race teams.
And the pressure is mounting.
The aftermath of last Sunday's UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway saw seven of the 10 Chase drivers swap points positions, and now only 185 points separate the top 10 -- the closest margin after four races in the Chase's three-year history.
The separation is even tighter near the top. Only 51 points divide the top five, again the closest margin at this juncture in history.
Add the lingering tensions carried over from last week's race, and the anxiety will be running high Saturday night.
One of those feeling the pressure is Nextel Cup points leader Jeff Burton. He looked in position to score a top 10 finish last Sunday, but a cut tire with less than 10 laps to go forced him into the pits and relegated him to 27th place. His 69-point lead going into Talladega is now only six points over second-place Matt Kenseth. Burton will start seventh in Saturday's race.
more on Chase for the NEXTEL Cup
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