Four Tires and Fuel: Dover

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Motor Racing Network Pit Reporters Kim Coon and Pete Pistone discuss a number of topics in this week’s Dover edition of “Four Tires and Fuel.”

Should the driver on top of the standings after the regular season earn something in return for the accomplishment?

Kim: Yes. Give the driver on top of the standings after the regular season an automatic bye into the second round of the Chase. This idea has been thrown around quite a bit lately. I disagree with you, Pete; it isn’t too much. It’s just enough incentive to really make drivers duke it out on track. With the win and you’re in format, drivers with wins during the regular season would stay motivated if there was a chance they could jump straight to the second round of the Chase. Not to say they aren’t driving their hardest regardless, but the extra reward could dial up the competition during the first 26 races among the drivers who have already notched a win.Pete: I wrote about it earlier this week and yes there should be some goal for a driver to maintain the top of the point standings position at the end of the first 26 races. A first round bye as has been discussed is way too much but the equivalent of the three points a driver earns for a race win is fair. Listen right now the point standings are a non-thought and who is leading doesn’t mean anything. But a battle for the top spot heading into the Richmond finale has the opportunity to infuse a little more drama and excitement into the end of the regular season.

Kyle Busch has already won three races with 25 left in the season. Does he make it to double digit victories?

Kim: No. I had a hard time with this one, because my instinct was to say yes. He’s already won three of eleven races this season. That’s about 27% of the races so far. For a forty car field, one driver winning a little over a quarter of the races is insanity. Even if he were to keep up that average for the entire 36-race season, it comes up just shy of double digits at 9.72. And I think that’s what we’ll see. My guess is Kyle wins 8 or 9 races this season. Be it 8 or 9 or double digits, Pete’s right – Lord help us! There will be backlash from the NASCAR fans. That I can assure you. Pete: Yes, and God help us all. Anytime one driver dominates in NASCAR it sets of the howls of many fans who want to see the success spread around. Your honor I present Jimmie Johnson and Exhibit A. That discussion would rise to another level if the …

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