Chase bigger than any one driver now

By David Newton | September 9, 2009

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The powers that be were sweating bullets in 2005 when it became apparent NASCAR's most popular driver would not qualify for the Chase, still in its infancy. Chairman Brian France blamed sagging 2007 television ratings in part on that same driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., for failing to make the Sprint Cup Series' 10-race playoff.

But the Chase has proven to be bigger than one driver.

And this year will be no different.

Sure, given their druthers, everybody from NASCAR's top brass to track promoters to fans would like to see Earnhardt in the field of 12, or at least competing for one of those spots in Saturday night's regular-season finale at Richmond International Raceway (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC). That won't happen. Earnhardt, ranked 21st, has been out of the picture since midseason.

Some might argue longer.

There's more concern that a few of the season's top performers -- Kyle Busch and Mark Martin with four wins each -- could be left out than whether the sport's top T-shirt seller is present. Busch is 14th in points, 37 behind Matt Kenseth in 12th. Martin is 10th and only 52 points in the clear.

One mistake and one or both could be out.

There won't be any such pressure on Earnhardt. He'll miss the playoffs for the second time in three years and third in five. He's been AWOL so often that it would be considered a bonus to have him in, but not a detriment to have him miss.

It wasn't that way in 2005, or to an extent in 2007. It was considered a huge loss -- a disaster for some -- for everybody from track promoters selling tickets to advertisers preparing commercials.

"I remember that feeling in my stomach that this is not good," Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage said. "I lost sleep back a few years ago. I'm not losing sleep over it right now."

None of the other 10 Chase track promoters contacted are, either. While they admit having Earnhardt in the field would be nice, they are more focused on some of the great stories that are unfolding.

And there are some great stories, from 50-year-old Martin's going for that elusive first title to Juan Pablo Montoya's trying to become the first foreign-born driver to make the field to Jimmie Johnson's going for a record fourth straight championship.

"I don't believe that Dale Jr. missing the Chase negatively affects ticket sales at all," Lowe's Motor Speedway president Marcus Smith said.

Said Phoenix International Raceway president Bryan Sperber, "The Chase for the Sprint Cup is now bigger than any one driver."

NASCAR's vice president for corporate communications, Jim Hunter, hasn't heard one complaint from anybody about Earnhardt's missing the Chase. He couldn't say that about 2005 or 2007.

"He's had a terrible season for him, and as a result it won't matter," Hunter said.

NASCAR, it seems, has distanced itself from depending on one driver to determine whether fans come to the track or watch on television. The Tiger Woods syndrome, we'll call it.

Gossage said he believes it has more to do with a more diversified fan base.

"We don't have all of our eggs in one basket to the extent that we used to have," he said. "It's not something I lay around worrying about."

Gossage used to spend countless hours dreaming up ways to take advantage of Earnhardt's popularity. Last season, Earnhardt's first since leaving Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Gossage put up four identical billboards in the Texas market to promote the April race that referred to the strained relationship between Earnhardt and stepmother/boss, Teresa Earnhardt.

Gossage took them down after a request from Earnhardt's sister, Kelley Earnhardt, but you get the point.

"It's so much different than it was four or five years ago," Gossage said. "I just know as a promoter he was so incredibly popular that you really wanted him in there. It was an important time in the Chase early on.

"But the fan base has broadened since those days."

What the fans want is a good Chase, even the ones with the No. 88 tattooed all over their bodies. A few were asked what they thought of Earnhardt's not making the playoffs and none seemed terribly upset.

"I'm a very loyal member of Junior Nation, and I'm as excited about the Chase as anyone," one fan e-mailed. "If the competition is good and there's at least two guys with a shot at the championship, I don't see how any real fan could not consider it a success."

Said another fan, "The Chase won't miss Junior this year and it doesn't feel wrong that he's not in there. We know he doesn't deserve the spot. We just love Junior the driver. The Chase needs competition."

More fans responded by saying they would miss not having Busch or Martin in the Chase more than Earnhardt. They realize that it's more important to have drivers battling for wins competing for a championship than one hoping to finish in the top 10.

"Newton. No, NASCAR doesn't need Dale Jr. in the Chase, but it desperately needs Kyle Busch to make the Chase," one of you wrote.

Only one group doesn't want Busch in. They, according to Homestead-Miami Speedway president Curtis Gray, are the 11 other drivers in the Chase.

Good point.

Some argue the format will have to be changed if Busch or Martin doesn't make it. These probably were the same ones who argued the field needed to be expanded from 10 to 12 teams after Earnhardt missed the playoffs for the second time.

Somebody, whether it had anything to do with Earnhardt or not, apparently agreed.

Personally, I think the driver with the most wins outside the Chase should get a wild-card berth, but that's another story.

And as much as Busch would like to compete for the championship, he doesn't believe it's fair to say the Chase won't be a success without him, Martin or even Earnhardt in it.

"You have great drivers like Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin who will be fighting for a championship among others," he said. "It will still be a great fight down to the end."

And it will be.

In 2005, without Earnhardt and four-time Cup champion Gordon, eventual champion Stewart, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle put on a great show through the final race. We'll all remember the 2007 Chase for Johnson's winning four races in a row to beat his teammate Gordon, not for Earnhardt's finishing 16th.

"It just doesn't seem to be nearly the subject it was a few years ago," Gossage said of a Chase without Earnhardt.

Not at all.

And it shouldn't be.