2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Rankings Review
By Richard Tix
2014 marked the first year NASCAR took to its new Chase format. If somehow in this long season you still don't know the changes, well I don't know what to tell you, but you can read my article from earlier this season.
In the end Kevin Harvick closed the 2014 season off in dramatic fashion with two straight wins to lock himself into the finale at Miami and then as a first time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. We all know who the lastest NASCAR Champion is, but what was the greatest Chase race of 2014?
So on that note, lets rank all ten Chase races. My criteria taken into account was excitement, drama, and importance. Really, it came down on the track racing (track links go to the race review and power rankings for that week).
- Talladega (Race 6)- Charlotte was the turning point of where we saw emotions get heated (see the next ranking), but after that, Talladega was where we saw the excitement of all this build up come to a huge peak. That's because after being cast away and needing a win after his Charlotte fiasco, Brad Keselowski won at Dega and moved onto the Eliminator Round.
- Charlotte (Race 5)- The reason Talladega was so exciting and dramatic? Well, it was all because of the post race fireworks that went on one week prior at Charlotte. Brad Keselowski went a bit off the deep end when his emotions got the best of him and started running into people after the race was over. Then Denny Hamlin tried to go after him. The best part was when the cool tempered Matt Kesneth snuck up like a ninja and attacked BK from behind. All of this was primarily caused by the stress and emotion the new chase has brought, so win for NASCAR.
- Texas (Race 8)- Texas is where things got heated again in the Chase. After the post race meltdown at Talladega drivers took a cool down race at Martinsville. But, Texas was heated again when BK made an aggressive move to try for a gap between JJ and Gordon and go for a much needed win. Well, Gordon ended up having a cut tire that killed his finale chances unless he won at Phoenix. So, Gordon confronted him and crews got in the way. Then Harvick came from behind and gave BK a push towards JG and all heck broke loose. It was the second big incident during the Chase and got even novice racing fans talking about the sport.
- Homestead-Miami (Race 10)- The final race of the 2014 season. As you may know from reading the blog this season, I have been on the side of the new format. That's mostly because I decided to keep an open mind about it coming into the season. I have to say, the end of the Chase didn't disappoint me. It may be because I come from the background of just being a huge sports fan in general. May be its just because I try and let things play out a bit before judging because I realize NASCAR is consistently getting complaints so they feel like they need change. No matter how you look at it, like it, love it, hate it, or still haven't decided, the last race was fun. It had everything I wanted in a Championship; a few favorites, underdogs, drama, tension, excitement, passion, mistakes, and excellence when it mattered the most.
- Phoenix (Race 9)- Phoenix was the last race of the Eliminator Round (8 drivers left) and the last chance for a driver to lock in his spot into the final. Guy's like Gordon, Harvick, Edwards, Keselowski, and Kenseth all pretty much needing a win to advance. In the end Harvick won his 4th Phoenix race in the last 5 tries and moved onto the final. At that same time, Newman took an aggressive move into turn 3 on Kyle Larson and came out one spot ahead of Gordon in the points. Controversy is one of the main things sports thrives off of and NASCAR got all of that and then some in this 2014 Chase.
- Dover (Race 3)- Dover makes this spot after being the first elimination race in this new Chase format. Even though 12 drivers advanced, Jeff Gordon still came out a winner and locked in his spot in the final race after a rough week at NH. It was cool to get a taste of what each elimination race would be like, but it is easily the most tame of all of them.
- Kansas (Race 4)- Kansas was a big race in the Chase because every driver knew a win at Kansas or Charlotte would mean so much more since they would be able to have a stress free Talladega (boy would Hamlin, and Kenseth have loved that!). Joey Logano ended up being the driver that got to have a stress free Dega and instead got to help his Team Penske teammate win and advance after Talladega.
- Martinsville (Race 7)- Martinsville was the first Chase race of the Eliminator round after an exciting Talladega finish. I think a track like this as an elimination race would be as dramatic as they come (that is, after a Talladega). Martinsville was the first race in which a non Chase driver ended up winning (Dale Earnhardt Jr).
- Chicagoland (Race 1)- Chicagoland was the first Chase race in this new format. The exciting part about this race was that we would find out who would be the first driver to lock a spot and advance (well, a non Chase driver could have won, but with 16 drivers in the Chase it wasn't likely). Well that diver ended up being Brad Keselowski with his fifth win of the season.
- New Hampshire (Race 2)- I wouldn't call Loudon the most memorable of the Chase races. That is, unless you are a Team Penske fan. Two races into the 2014 Chase and both Penske drivers knew they would be in the next round with 10 other drivers. Not a bad way to start out if you are Rodger Penske.
What's your favorite race from this years Chase? Check out even more Highlights from the Chase in 2014 NASCAR Chase Highlights (News, Links, Photos, and Tweets from throughout the Chase).
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