Now that the Chase is near, what do you think of Dale Jr's chances of winning the 2008 Sprint Cup?

Question

Now that the Chase is near, what do you think of Dale Jr's chances of winning the 2008 Sprint Cup?

Answer 1

well, unfortunately, id hate to say that i think kyle busch is gonna win.

but, I'm gonna root for Dale and Edwards.

Answer 2

In actuality, he is more likely now to finish in the lower half of the points standings.Thanks to the good first half of the season he put together he has had a bit of a cushion until now. You can't finish where he has for the past 9 weeks in the chase and expect to be anywhere near the top. After Michigan he had Kyle Busch's point lead down to 82 points, and now it's up to 416. That won't work in the chase. If you lose 300+ points to the leader in the chase you'll end up around 10th or lower.

Answer 3

As good as any of the other 11 drivers in the chase.

But he will have to step it up if he plans to contend for the championship. He was real consistent at the beginning of the season but has had problems these last three races. Mental errors and bad decisions need to go away or the chase is over for the 88.

As much as I hate to say it. :-(

Answer 4

Well, he's in the top 12.  I am sure that he will stay that way, so he will have almost as much a chance as the 11 others.  

Answer 5

I do not think his chances are very good as he has not been doing very good as of lately. Kyle has had some issues but keeps producing points to not only stay ahead of him but to walk away from him. I would say you are looking at Carl Edwards or Kyle Bush this year to win the championship. This is not to say that Junior does not stand a chance but he needs to make up a lot of points to catch the 2 of them as they have won far more races than Junior and will have an edge going into the finals. I do not know excatly how many points you get for winning a race but it has to be 10 or more. That is just my opinoin.

Answer 6

average, not the best chances and not the worst

Answer 7

I think his chances are small because kyle or carl are the favorites to win and they are so dominant

Answer 8

slim and none

Answer 9

I would say slim to none.  

Answer 10

When the chase begins we will see.   I think it will come down to end. The last race of the season.  Going to be close.   But for Dale if he dosn;t start to get back to being consistent he dosn;t have a chance.

Answer 11

he better start winning races if he wants to win it all

Answer 12

I think he has a decent chance.  If he can calm down a little and just be consistent like he started the season, thats all its going to take.  Its not just about winning races.  The points system does reward that, but think about it.  Kyle worked so hard this year to win all those races, and its going to take just one bad race by him, and his advantage is erased.  Odds are, him and Carl will get into it again before the end of the year, and that could take care of that advantage.

Jr just needs to stay consistent.  I think last year there was a stat out there that an average Finish of 8.1 would have won the chase in the prior years, and so a lot of teams were looking at that number, last year was the only time since the new chase format that this was not the case...  Once those last 10 start, he has as good of a chance as anyone!  

Answer 13

Hmmmmmmmm............. good question

Early this season I would have  said he was going to win it but now, I'm not sure. It's really anyone's game but I think Edwards is going to win it. He's getting hot at the right time like Kurt Busch did in 04. I also think Gordon, Kyle Busch, Johnson, Sewart, Burton, and Jr. could still win it. I think everyone else is a long shot.

Answer 14

He is not going to win the championship!

Answer 15

I don't think he will win it, but never say never.  

Answer 16

he's got a good chance,GO DALE!

Answer 17

I would love for him to win the championship but, I'm not holding my breath either. Maybe top 3 but probably 4 or 5 place would be more realistic.

Answer 18

His chances are as good as anyone  he just needs to starts producing more and kyle needs to be knocked down a peg of too

Answer 19

Well, pretty decent.... I know he hasn't been doing as well as he should lately, but there have been underlying sources - even with the problems, he is third in points and that's a good starting point.  Luck needs to be on his side, hopefully it will play out in a positive way for him this year.  I know I would LOVE to see it happen, but will it happen?  - Only God knows that answer, and I will be optimistically praying for it!

Answer 20

One in twelve. He has a good shot.Will he win it? Of course not.

Answer 21

Bring on the thumbs down on this one.  Sadly, his chances are slim to none like every other year.

Answer 22

He has as good of a chance as anyone else right now. However, he doesn't seem as intense as Kyle and Kurt right now. That may hurt him.  

Answer 23

I was looking specifically at the tracks in the chase and how Jr has done on them in the past and earlier this year.  The first 2, Loudon and Dover, are not that good for him.  If he can improve on his averages and his first trips there earlier in the season (17.8/24th and 16.9/35th respectively) he will set himself up to make a serious run for the championship.  The middle stretch of races are right in his comfort zone (Talladega, Lowe's, Martinsville, Atlanta and Texas) and I expect him to do well, barring any unforeseen problems.  The next to last race (Phoenix) he has won twice, though the last time was in 2004.  He did come in 7th in the spring race there.  Homestead has also not been very good for him, if he is going to win the championship he cannot enter there needing to gain a bunch of points on the competition.  I'd handicap him as the 4th most likely driver to win the championship this year, behind the big 3 of Busch, Edwards and Johnson.  It will definitely be interesting and I can't wait for the chase to start.

3 STR8 N 08!!!

Answer 24

I would like to, as a Dale fan, say he has a very good chance. Okay I said it. But like many others I think he will have to get moving and a bit more aggressive if he wants it. I would like to think he and Tony have been experimenting on set ups a strategies while maintaining a good spot in the points for the chase. That would be nice to think about while watching these next few races.

I can't believe I am about to say this....   I feel Kyle got the shaft last year by HMS, even before the word of Jr's arrival. Certainly in the days of the old points system Kyle would have a lock on it unless he messed up big time. And like Jeff was he too can now, because of the new chase format, be robbed of what in reality should be his as he has driven his butt off this year. Now any of the 12 can end up #1 by the end. Whats going to be interesting is the fact that the top 2 in points will both be on probation for the first 4 races of the chase and the other 10 know it and the other 31 cars will be racing for wins and honor and owner points.  NASTY!!!!!

Answer 25

Not good. Nothing against him but if he wants to win it, he needs to stop slapping the wall and jumping starts. I'm not bashing him, just stating a fact that Carl and Kyle are way too good right now to make any mistakes.