Johnson has points momentum, math
By Johnson has points momentum, math
ATLANTA -- The serious number crunching has begun in NASCAR's Sprint Cup
Series as the circuit heads to Phoenix International Raceway for the
next-to-last race of the season.
Jimmie Johnson holds a 106-point lead over the red-hot Carl Edwards and could
end the Chase for all practical purposes this weekend. If he can extend that
lead to 162 points, all he would need to do is start the season finale next
week at Homestead Miami Speedway to take his third consecutive Sprint Cup
title. To clinch outright, he would need to leave Phoenix with a 196-point
lead. If Johnson finishes seventh or better in the next two races, he'll win
the title no matter what any other driver does.
Only Edwards and Greg Biffle, who is third and 143 points back, have a
realistic chance of catching Johnson. Five drivers, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart,
Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin, have been mathematically
eliminated.
Radio change
Atlanta-area race fans will have to change their radio dial next year to hear
broadcasts of NASCAR races and possibly Georgia Tech football. Doug Rice,
president and general manager of the Performance Racing Network, said his
company and Motor Racing Network, which also broadcasts NASCAR races
nationwide, are looking for a new Atlanta affiliate after True Oldies 106.7
informed them that it would not carry the races next year.
Rice said he's talking to several local stations and is confident a new
affiliate can be signed. He said the Atlanta market is a key one for PRN and
MRN, who alternate the broadcast of races and usually share an affiliate.
Mark Richards, operations manager for True Oldies, said that with his station's
switch from country music to oldies, NASCAR wasn't the fit for its audience
that it once was. He said the station is in negotiations to become the flagship
station for Georgia Tech football.
Trucks ratings rise
TV ratings for Sprint Cup races have dropped off in the past three weeks, but
the Craftsman Truck Series is showing remarkable gains even though the circuit
draws a much smaller audience.
For instance, the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway drew a 3.6,
compared with a 4.0 last year, according to a Street and Smith's SportsBusiness
Daily report.
But the Speed network, which broadcasts truck races, reports that the AMS truck
race scored a 1.0 (732,000 households), vs. a .56 (410,000 households) last
year, a 79 percent jump.
Speed said ratings for 16 of the 18 races this year have increased, with the
rise being in the double digits 13 times.
Peach State's jewel
Drivers from across the metro Atlanta area, as well as others from New York,
Colorado and Maine are expected at Peach State Speedway in Jefferson this
weekend for the track's signature race, the World Crown.
Even in the years when the track wasn't running on a regular basis, the World
Crown drew some of the best drivers in the nation. Previous winners include
NASCAR stars Darrell Waltrip, Dick Trickle and Rick Crawford.
On-track activities begin tonight with heat races and features for local
divisions and continue Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. For more
information visit www.peachstspeedway.com.
Rick Minter writes for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. E-mail: rminter AT
ajc.com
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