Paul Kizzle / AP file

Jeff Gordon, left, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are showing by their early-season performances that they both should have solid shots this year at qualifying for the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship, writes Allen Bestwick of NBCSports.com.

Early results encouraging
Proof that Gordon and Junior are off to better starts on the intermediate tracks this year is found in their results through the early stage of the season.

At California, Las Vegas and Atlanta, the first three intermediate speedways on the Nextel Cup schedule, Gordon and Junior are a net 55 and 57 finishing positions better respectively than they were in the same races last year.

Gordon posted results this year of ninth, fifth, and fourth at these intermediate venues vs. 30th, fourth, and 39th a year ago.

For Junior the finishes this year were 11th, 27th, and third against 32nd, 42nd, and 24th in 2005.

Pretty solid gains on the part of two teams that lacked success last year at intermediate tracks while both teams seem to have lost no ground at restrictor plate tracks based on their Daytona 500 effort last February.

After the opening five races of the season, Gordon was seventh in the championship standings, compared to 12th at the same point in 2005. Junior had risen from 17th at the five-race juncture last year to sixth this year.

To have made gains on the intermediate tracks while giving up none of their performance level on the other types of speedways bodes well for seasons of both Gordon and Junior.

Confidence expressed
Both Gordon and Junior believe they haven’t shown their best just yet.

Gordon says, “I guess it’s one of those things where we’re okay with admitting we’re not the best team on the race track right now, but, knowing that, I think we have a chance at being the best race team before this season is out, and hopefully as we’re leading into that Chase.”

Junior also speaks confidently about being in the title hunt, and uses his solid third-place finish in Atlanta, one of the real fast intermediate tracks, as evidence of why he can compete for the Cup championship this season.

“I think we can win races. I think we can put together those type of runs (like Atlanta) more consistently -- consistently enough to be in the Chase, so I’m really excited,” Junior said.

So not only do I think Gordon and Junior are in much better position to contend for the championship this year, both drivers feels that way too.

If the three of us are correct, it will make a significant number of stock-car racing fans quite happy come the start of the Chase in September.