All-Star momentum
Under NASCAR’s “Chase for the Nextel Cup” format instituted last year the top 10 drivers after race 26, plus any other drivers within 400 points of the standings leader, enter a playoff over the season’s final 10 races to determine the Cup champion.

Through eleven races, nearly half of the regular season, Martin is in position to qualify for the title chase as he is 10th in the standings.

The 2005 campaign for Martin has been one of decent results punctuated by some highs and lows. There’s a trio of top-five finishes, but those are offset by a trio of poor finishes. Martin’s average finish is 15th, not great but not bad.

A good bit of positive momentum was gained last weekend in Charlotte when Martin won the “Nextel All-Star Challenge.” While the race offered no championship points, in NASCAR any win, even in the non-championship special events is huge.

There’s no telling how much of a boost that victory might turn out to be in terms of propelling Martin and company through the tough summer months of racing.

Keeping pace is key
Martin and his team must continue to log consistent results and stay off the high-low roller coaster they’ve been on at times this year.

Having not won this year prior to the Charlotte All-Star event, Martin still had not been lower than 11th in points all year.

When you’re hanging with the leaders while still not running as good as you’re capable of, that’s a good sign as far as I’m concerned.

The whole key to this new championship system is simply to get into the Chase. It really doesn’t matter how many races you win or how many points behind the leader you are. If you are in the Chase you have just about an equal shot at the title since the points are reset in five-point increments based on the standings to start the 10-race playoff.

Just like another sport where a team qualifies for the postseason as a wild card and then gets hot, if Martin is simply able to get into the Chase the opportunity exists to get hot over the final 10 weeks of the season and walk off with the big trophy.

So from here on out Martin needs to just simply match the pace of Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle and the others at or near the top of the championship points standings. Gaining ground on them would be a bonus, but simply matching their average finish over the next 15 events will get the job done.

That’s very well within the capability of the Roush team fielding Martin’s cars.

Dream ending
If Martin does qualify for the Chase and enters the season’s final race with a shot at the title there will be an unbelievable tide of emotional support behind him.

If he somehow claims the title in the final race of his final season, there will be a lot of teary eyes in the house, but those will be tears of joy as the driver so many love to cheer for rides off into the sunset with a long-sought-after Cup championship in hand.

There certainly could be a movie in that someday.

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