Hey everyone. Sorry I’ve been silent so long. Had a very busy past few weeks, and had to avoid a hurricane by the name of Matthew. Also, I got to witness the Talladega race. So all that, combined with enough high school work to make a crew chief go crazy, has kept me quite busy. That said, I’m ready to have a conversation with my two friends, Michael and Robert.

Robert: Thanks for the introduction.

Michael: Indeed. First topic?

Me: The eight drivers to advance were Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch. The any shock there?

Robert: Not really. These 8 are some of the best I’ve seen. And this easily is the most experienced round of 8 we’ve had, with just one driver under 30 (Logano).

Michael: I’m actually quite surprised here. Logano, Johnson, and four JGR drivers into the round of 8? I never would have thought that was coming. I thought for sure that at least one Gibbs racing driver would fall. Logano simply hasn’t had speed as of late. Johnson isn’t as surprising, but there were others I thought were better.

Me: Austin Dillon, Chase Elliot, Martin Truex Jr., and Brad Keslowski all get eliminated. Any shock there?

Robert: Definitely. Truex and Keslowski are beyond shocking. After the way they’ve run all year, to be in a position where they get eliminated is crazy.

Michael: I can’t believe Elliot either. Chase was easily the best driver in this round, yet bad luck, a mechanical failure, and lack of help at Dega left him in a hole. He couldn’t have done anything different, but that’s a tough pill to swallow.

Robert: Dillon actually surprised me. He tied with Hamlin for the last spot, but due to Hamlin finishing higher, Denny got the spot. The difference between advancing for Austin was about two feet. That’s tough. But with the year he’s had, he can hold his head high. Both him and Elliot exceeded expectations, and I think both are looking at a very bright future.

Me: The Talladega race has a lot of controversy. Almost no one tried to win that race, and as a result it was a dull, pointless marathon. The biggest disappointment was seeing Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards continually drop out of the draft on purpose. Any thoughts?

Michael: It was ridiculous. They drove like idiots, not the champions they’re supposed to be. They robbed the fans, the track’s history, and the Chase. It was very disappointing.

Robert: Totally agree. Only five drivers tried to win: Logano, Keslowski, Elliot, Hamlin, and Dillon. It’s sad day when the two drivers you respect most after a race are Joey and Brad. It was a major disappointment.

Me: The round of 8 now is now on. JGR drivers have yet to win a Chase race, which is surprising given their early season dominance. Will they win in this round?

Michael: I think not. Martinsville is not exactly a JGR track. They’ve had their success, but history shows the fall race to be less than friendly to them. As for Texas, Jimmie Johnson will not be beaten by any of the JGR drivers there. And Phoenix… Well, there’s a reason Kevin Harvick’s  called the ‘Cactus King’.

Robert: I can hardly disagree about that. JGR really just doesn’t have what it needs to win in this round. They’ve just had a lot of trouble doing that in recent years. Martinsville is the only track they have a chance at, but I just can’t see that happening.

Me: Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch both made it to the round of 8 for the second straight year, but can they both advance, given the fact that they have had some recent disputes?

Robert: Let’s be honest, those were just child squabbles. They both are champions, and they know how to put stuff like that behind them. Harvick will advance, no questions asked. Busch is a little uncertain. Hands down, he’s been very consistent, but he needs more than that to make it to Homestead.

Michael: I think that Busch will advance. Let’s not forget, last fall he was very fast at Martinsville, and he had speed that at least equaled Harvick at Phoenix. He’s gotten better.

Me: Joey Logano and Jimmie Johnson both nearly got there teammates in the round of 8, but both are alone now. Can either advance?

Michael: Yes. Johnson can. Johnson is going to win either Texas or Martinsville. He will make it to Homestead. Logano is different. He’ll be eliminated quickly. His win at Talladega wasn’t really impressive, considering the driver he had to beat was Brian Scott. Have you ever heard of Brian Scott?

Robert: (laughs) Fair point. And I agree, Logano will fall. He’s a shell of the driver who swept the round of 12 last year. But I also harbor concerns about Johnson. He is dominate at Texas and Martinsville, but this year has been different. He hasn’t won Martinsville in a couple years, and he didn’t seem the same at Texas recently. I may be seeing things, but the 48 seems too be getting a little… Dare I say it… old.

Me: Before we make picks, do you reckon someone other than a driver still in the Chase can win?

Michael: I still have faith in Tony Stewart. He has a good history at Martinsville, so he could win there. And he has 3 wins at Homestead.

Robert: I do agree. Stewart is still a threat. But don’t forget, Jeff Gordon will be subbing for Dale Jr. at Martinsville. Gordon is without a doubt a major threat in that race.

Me: So, all things considered, who is most likely to advance, and who doesn’t make it?

Michael: The thing to remember is that only four different teams are still represented in this year’s chase. No organization has ever put two drives in Homestead. That changes this year. Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Denny Hamlin make it. Edwards, Kenseth, Kyle Busch, and Joey Logano bite the dust.

Robert: Whoa, you’re hating Gibbs right now. My picks are a little different. Harvick and Johnson do make it, but are joined by Edwards and Kyle Busch. Edwards has been close to advancing to the final round many times, and this time he’ll make it. And Kyle is more than capable of advancing. Don’t forget, he won Martinsville earlier this year. Hamlin, Kenseth, Logano, and Kurt Busch just don’t seem to be in the zone as far as speed goes.

Me: Ok, thanks for those opinions boys. We now head into Martinsville with two very interesting points of view. See you in Homestead boys. Literally.