Monday, September 22, 2014

Gordon's Time



There is no doubt that this season has been one of the best Jeff Gordon has had in a long time, already scoring three wins heading into the third race of the chase. In the past few races Gordon has returned to his stealth mode that we saw him in earlier this season, not making a lot of noise but being there at the end.
This worked for him during the regular season, but now, it is playoff time and we should all be ready for “The Gordon Show”. There has been no lack of momentum on the 24 team and they show no signs of fading any time soon. In fact, these final ten races could be the hottest we have ever seen from Gordon. Many know that Gordon’s years in the cup series are numbered, and with an ailing back, many believe Gordon himself realizes that this may be one of his final chances to claim a fifth championship.
Gordon’s “Drive for Five” has been going on since his last championship thirteen years ago in 2001, and it has now been almost 20 years since his first cup title. There is no other driver that wants another championship as bad as Gordon; it just comes down to his ability to keep up his good luck. We will see very soon.

Not a Challenge Just a Threat



            Team Penske has sealed up the first two positions of the next championship round after Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano won the first two races of the chase. We knew at the beginning of the season when the 2 and 22 cars were consistently at the front that Team Penske would indeed be a challenge to everyone; now they’re just a threat to all.
            For the first time in his young career, Joey Logano has posted a multiple win season in the cup series collecting four wins thus far. Brad Keselowski has collected five wins tying his career high in a single season. Both drivers have posted an astounding 12 Top Five’s so far with 8 races still remaining.
            Team Penske is the threat because no matter where you go, the 2 and 22 cars will find a way to be there at the end. Penske has a deathly consistency this season winning on a variety of tracks and racking up Top Five’s and Ten’s like they’re Halloween candy, which is needed in this new world of points racing. Their goal is the same as every team: get to the next round and get locked in ASAP. There is just something about Penske; I can’t quite put the lugs on the wheel, but they just take everything to the next level. Everything about Penske seems to be bigger: when the win they do it in style, the hunger from their drivers is greater, their pit stops are flawless. However, the one thing that truly makes them stand out is their practices and qualifying. Keselowski and Logano are by far the most consistent drivers in practice and qualifying, making a statement the moment those cars roll off the trailers. Now the only question is if Penske wins the championship, which driver wins it for them?