The entertainment division (oops) of NASCAR cannot be happy that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. , the Nextel Cup Series' most bankable, popular and fast becoming its most marketable driver, will not make the 2007 version of the Chase for the Championship. Other scribes who observe NASCAR racing opine that the change from 10 to 12 chasers has diminished the competition, and make the case that adding the two drivers is analagous to the NCAA adding eight more teams to the Div. 1 Basketball Playoffs, a/k/a a registered term--March Madness. The Chase is interesting, but as artificial as the Car of Tomorrow.
The Indy Racing League has a three point battle between the reportedly disaffected Dario Franchitti and 2003 IndyCar champ Scott Dixon for that championship, which will be decided in Joliet, IL this Sunday. Franchitti, whilst a talented driver, forgot the axiom that blood (Marco Andretti, who shares DNA with the team owner Michael Andretti) is so much thicker than water.
As for Joe Gibbs Racing switching to Toyota for the 2008 season: Follow the money. Toyota has much more of it to spend, because it's making much more. GM, Ford and Dodge will spend money on Nextel Cup racing simply because of the number of eyeballs it attracts--they are under the most stockholder pressure to perform where it really counts--in the showrooms across America--than in an arena where, for all intents and purposes, the only differentiation in the "competition" is an engine, hood, fenders and decals. Will Toyota win the Sprint Cup in 2008? Look at the company's racing history in series like IMSA, CART and IRL. Look at the sales of the Camry vs the Impala, Fusion and Challenger. They may not win in 2008...but I submit they will come close.
