Opinion: Slow and Steady Chase

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The early stages of this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup have been on the quiet side.

Maybe that sounds strange considering that the first two races of the opening round were decided by late passes and strategy. Martin Truex Jr. won at Chicagoland Speedway after a caution flag sent the race into overtime and Kevin Harvick’s New Hampshire victory came on a restart pass with five laps to go.

But despite those closing-laps theatrics, this year’s Chase has a feel of cautiousness on the part of the competitors. The old adage about not being able to win a championship in the first round but how one certainly could be lost appears to be in play.

Drivers and teams are protecting what they have, both on the track and in the standings, by not taking too many chances. Why put yourself in a precarious position and then play catch-up in order to advance to the next round?

It’s an understandable approach but one that hasn’t yet created those “water-cooler” moments that capture race fans’ attention come …

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