1. Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway
In 2004 Kurt Busch won this race to set the tone for his Championship winning run. Last year Tony Stewart finished second on the way to his NEXTEL Cup title. Drivers need to build momentum here to set the tone for the nine races that follow.
2. Dover 400 at Dover International Speedway
Dover Downs is a high-banked one-mile concrete oval. The high-grip surface lets drivers really get aggressive and push the car, but at the expense of tire wear.This grueling race is a survival race. 400 miles at Dover makes for a long day on the gritty concrete and the last 100 miles typically has some surprises. In order to have a good day at Dover you need to watch out for the other guy as one person's mistake here can easily collect half a dozen other cars.
3. Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway
As one of NASCAR's "cookie-cutter" tracks there's really not a lot to say. Have you ever seen a race in Las Vegas? Charlotte? Texas? How about Michigan or California? Then you have a good idea of what to expect in Kansas. This race does a good job of representing the grind through the bulk of the NEXTEL Cup schedule.4. UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway
This race was named by every driver in The Chase as the biggest wildcard in The Chase. Talladega is a restrictor plate race track which means that the engines are limited on horsepower. This increases the importance on drafting and aerodynamics versus handling and driver skill. The cars are stuck in a big pack all day long and a mistake by any one driver often causes the scary multi car wrecks known as "The Big One." This is one race where a driver's fate is not in their own hands.5. UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowes Motor Speedway
Located in the Charlotte North Carolina area Lowes Motor Speedway is the home track of most NASCAR teams. This is the only night race in the Chase For The Cup.In 2005 Tony Stewart suffered his worst finish of The Chase when tire problems relegated him to 25th. Tony recovered to claim the Championship but he used up his "one bad finish" that a driver can absorb and still win the Cup this week.
6. Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway
This race is the only short track in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. Martinsville is the shortest, slowest race track on the NEXTEL Cup schedule. Racing here has been compared to driving up one lane of a dragstrip turning around and racing back up the other lane.The tight racing guarantees bent fenders and short tempers as Martinsville truly defines the phrase "Rubbin is racing." An aggressive driver can move to the front if his crew can make the car turn without getting loose off the corners.
7. Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
For years Atlanta Motor Speedway hosted the final race on the then Winston Cup series schedule. Alan Kulwicki, Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt won their Championship titles in Atlanta.That all changed after the 2000 season but Atlanta still plays a critical role in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. This is the fastest race track on the NEXTEL Cup schedule. It is also wide enough to really host some great racing.
8. Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway has a well earned reputation for being fast and tough. The qualifying record stands at over 194 MPH making it one of the fastest speedways on the schedule yet the tricky track also averages almost 9 cautions per race. The frequent cautions keep the field racing close together which, in turn, makes for exciting finishes.By this time in the 2006 Chase the contenders will have sorted themselves out and there will be three or four favorites battling it out at the top.
9. Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway
The NEXTEL Cup drivers make one last trip across the country for the next-to-last race of the season. Phoenix International Raceway is a challenging one mile oval with a kink in the backstretch.Turn one is tight while turns three and four are wide and sweeping. These unique corners make it very difficult to get the car to handle correctly. Get it working well in turn one and you'll mess up three and four. It's a delicate balancing act, get it right and you'll have a leg up on the title.
10. Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
The 2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup comes to a close at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This south Florida speedway limped on to the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup scene in 1999 with a race track that was way too flat for the heavy stock cars. A dramatic redesign in 2003 created beautiful two and three wide racing truly worthy of deciding the Championship.The Chase format guarantees that a close points battle where the Champion will not be determined until the final lap is complete here in Homestead.
