2015 NASCAR Review After 15

A Look at the 2015 NASCAR Season After 15 Races

By Richard Tix

The 2015 NASCAR season is well on its way to the second Chase of the new "Chase Era" as NASCAR Behind the Wall has been calling it. What does this mean for NASCAR fans? Well, for one that we have had a few month's of great racing and fun, but also that the heat is about to pick up.

That's because, like last year, drivers are either trying to clinch a spot in the Chase with a win or position themselves to find a way in on points alone. Plus, guys who already have a win are still trying to get a few bonus points for a few more wins.

So far we have 10 Sprint Cup drivers with a win and are virtual locks for the Chase. Only three of them (Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, and Kurt Busch) have multiple wins. The rest of them (Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Joey Logano, and Martin Truex Jr) all only have one win and are looking for more.

With 15 races down, NASCAR has 11 to go for drivers to try and lock in a spot for the 10 race Chase. Within those 11 are stops at two road courses (Sonoma and Watkin's Glen), a stop at a superspeedway (Daytona), and Indianapolis that is sometimes a wild card. All four of these races could be great spots for guys without a win like Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, AJ Allmendinger, and Kyle Busch to get a win. 

Last year Aric Almirola won a rain shortened Daytona and AJ Allmendinger won as a comeback story at Watkin's Glen. Both were underdogs and both got to head to the Chase in 2014. The same could happen in 2015 at these same races. The question is, will it?

Sonoma

Next up on the schedule for NASCAR is Sonoma Raceway. Sonoma is one of two road courses on the schedule and both come within the last 11 races of the regular season. IN the recent years, road courses have been hugely popular in the NASCAR world to the point where some fans want more on the schedule. 

Some fans even want to see one in the Chase (myself included. Preferably in the first three races). If you can get into the Chase with a road course win, why not be able to advance? 

Last season it was Carl Edwards who pulled off the win here, but it wasn't an upset as he had won earlier at Bristol. However, keep in mind Roush Fenway Racing was in the middle of another terrible season and Carl was the only one to win at RFR. So, a bit of it was an "underdog win" even though it didn't produce a new Chase driver.

In 2013 Martin Truex Jr pulled out the win at Sonoma, which was his first and only win on the season (the Chase System was not the same as it is now though). In fact, that win at Sonoma was his most recent win until he finally won at Pocono. 

2012 Clint Bowyer won the first of his three wins on the season at Sonoma. So again, Sonoma would have been the clinching win for him into a Chase if it was under this system back then. Although, his Richmond win one race before the Chase started would have also locked him in.

In 2011 Kurt Bush won the first of his two wins on the season at Sonoma. Again like Bowyer he would win one more time before the Chase, but Sonoma started the launching point to what would have been a Chase birth in todays scoring system.

It's safe to say Sonoma leaves a good shot for a driver to "steal" a Chase spot. With 10 winners already, the chances of getting to over 16 winners is low. That means any new first time 2015 winner will be a lock, so you can bet drivers have this race circled next weekend.

Daytona

Right after Sonoma NASCAR heads to Daytona for the Firecracker 400 (Coke Zero 400, but here it's still the Firecracker). As most NASCAR fans know, superspeedway racing can bring any kinds of results.

Between the sudden wreck's that can take out a third of the field in the blink of an eye, to the constant positioning and drafting for spots, Daytona can make a winner out of almost anyone. That's a reason why it is considered a "wildcard" race when it comes to getting into the Chase. 

It is worth mentioning that even thought Daytona is a wildcard, it still doesn't happen that often. Last year Aric Almirola happened to pull off the win, but rain also played a part in it. The last five race winners before that were Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimme Johnson (twice), Matt Kenseth, and Tony Stewart.

So, Daytona isn't near as much a lock to see a shocking win like the road courses. It is good to remeber though that David Ragan, Jamie McMurray, and Trevor Bayne have all had wins here in the last 11 races, so its still possible.

Indianapolis

Indy has had its fame in NASCAR since being on the schedule in 1994. For most, it would be in the top 5 most prestigious races during the season. Everyone has there own top 5, but I would have it up there.

Even past the heightened prize and focus for teams and drivers to win here and get to kiss the bricks, it is also a bit of a new "wildcard" race in the Chase system. I wouldn't say it happends as often as the road courses or even Daytona, but lately it has been happening more and more. 

I think a lot of it has to do with (other than Jimmie Johnson) Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart were the main winners here. Lately, neither has been winning like they did when Indy was fresh and new for NASCAR fans (yes, I know Gordon won here last time around). That has left the door open for JJ and a mix of other drivers.

In the last five races here Paul Menard, Ryan Newman, and Jamie McMurray have all won here. In those five years between 2010-14 Menard has one win (Indy), Newman has 4 (one each year except 2014), and McMurray has 4 (3 of those 4 in 2010). So, all these guys are underdog's when it comes to winning consistently.

That just proves that in the last few years it is possible for Indy to be a Chase "wildcard" race that can help a win less team get into the 10 race Chase. I think it might be a key race to keep an eye on.

Watkins Glen

The last of my main four "wildcard" races left before the Chase might be the biggest one, Watkins Glen. This track, just like Indy, used to be Stewart's and Gordon's stomping grounds. Since then other drivers have started to get up on the wheel here and give us fans some fantastic racing. 

That racing, has also produced some underdog winners season after season. Marcus Ambrose was a mainstay here for a few years and had some of the epic battles of recent, but also guys like AJ Allmendinger last year and open wheel driver turned NASCAR driver turned back to open wheel driver, Juan Pablo Montoya in 2010 have produced wins here.

The underdog win here at The Glen has been a recent occurrence but with the new Chase system it might be here to stay. Guys like Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, Cline Bowyer, and Allmendinger have all shown they will get up on the wheel here and each is still looking for a win at this time (before Sonoma). 

The Glen is also the last race on this list of four before the Chase. Drivers will still have four races after to get a win, but Watikins Glen might be the best one. 

Short Tracks

While, these four races are the best shots at winning, NASCAR also has a few short track stops left on the schedule before the Chase that can help get a team struggling to find speed on larger tracks get a win. The 1.5's are dominated by Hendrick, Penske, the #4, and #4. But, short tracks bring into play RFR, RCR, Ganassi and JGR.

Loudon, Bristol, and Richmond are brought into play when talking about the Chase. I will take the four above races for a true underdog win, but these three could be huge for guys like Larson, Newman, Gordon, Biffle, and Ky Busch. It's possible to even add in the unique design of Darlington and the Southern 500 to this list (though it is 1.25 miles). 

Just check out this years Bristol winner (Matt Kenseth). It was his only win after JGR was struggling to find the 1.5 speed, he stepped his game up during the short track stretch. The win gave them time to figure out the 1,5's before the Chase, maybe it will do the same for some other guys not part of the Hendrick camp?

In the end, many of the remaining races could come down to wildcards, but the true underdogs like Ragan, Biffle, Bayne, Menard, Newman, Amirola, Allmendinger, Bowyer, and Stewart might need one of the above four races (Sonoma, Daytona, Indy, or Watkins Glen) to get into the Chase. The rest will hope to get one on the remaining short tracks or gather enough points to be the lucky ones to round out the top 16.