Dover "Big One" Costly For Chase Drivers

Depending on which report you read, 11 or 12 drivers were caught up in Sunday's late-race melee caused by Kurt Busch:

"I'm not sure if we broke something in the suspension or if a tire went bad."

I'm not sure it matters. At least not to anyone besides him. Whatever it was cost him and three of his fellow championship contenders better finishes: Busch (28th), Jimmie Johnson (14th), Martin Truex Jr. (13th). Kyle Busch still managed to pull off a top 5 finish despite the damage to his race car.

Truex Jr.:

"It was just one of those deals, you know. It's frustrating any time it happens. But that late in the race, it really sucks. When you're sitting there with 15 (laps) to go and you can smell a top five and we would have been really happy with that. We worked really hard on our car all day. It wasn't great, but we made a lot of good changes. We hung in there. We were going to get a top five and that was going to be one of them hard-earned top-fives that you're real proud of. It just sucks."

Johnson:

"It's so early in the Chase to know what's going to make a difference and that's why you've just got to try to be as consistent as you can. Today was a good example of how our sport is. The guy that dominates the race, the No. 17 (Matt Kenseth), ends up blowing up. We thought we would finish 33rd but we ended up 14th. So it's going to be tough. I'm glad I'm in the position I'm in of having my championship and working on the second one. I'm more relaxed. I know there's going to be a lot of pressure on a lot of guys."

It's one thing to be your own victim (Geofrey Miller is crafting a Hamlin/Petty post for your pleasure), but when it's beyond your control, Truex is right, it just sucks.

Non-Chasers Bobby Labonte, Ryan Newman, Reed Sorenson, Jeff Green, Kasey Kahne, J.J. Yeley and Scott Riggs were also involved and all finished between 27th and 34th.

Chase Standings

1. J. Gordon 5,340
2. T. Stewart 5,338 (-2)
3. C. Edwards 5,337 (-3)
4. J. Johnson 5,336 (-4)
5. Ky. Busch 5,330 (-10)
6. C. Bowyer 5,322 (-18)
7. M. Truex Jr. 5,294 (-46)
8. J. Burton 5,265 (-75)
9. K. Harvick 5,225 (-115)
10. M. Kenseth 5,224 (-116)
11. Ku. Busch 5,189 (-151)
12. D. Hamlin 5,182 (-158)