NASCAR Cup Series

Winning shouldn't guarantee Chase spot

Published Aug. 12, 2009 12:12 a.m. ET

Jeff Hammond

I have always considered the road courses to be wild-card races that could impact the Chase for the Sprint Cup. After Monday's race at Watkins Glen, I think it has had that same kind of effect.

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Mark Martin and Matt Kenseth combined have six wins this year. However, Monday's race put them both in harm's way of possibly not making the Chase.

Like it or not, what does it say to the people that think winning is so important in the Cup series? Do they not consider that being consistent is just as important? Just think about Mark. The man has four wins so far this season yet he is on the edge of possibly not even making the Chase.

So do you reward a guy who has four wins and give him a free pass into the Chase? I don't. I think that would be wrong. I know how hard it is to run well each and every weekend. It's hard to win these races. However, over the course of the 26 races leading up to the Chase, you have to be consistent and smart.

I say that because sometimes guys get themselves in trouble by not using their head and being patient. They need to think "big picture." It can't just always be run and gun. So if you tell me that it only takes a win to make the Chase, well the next time I am running second behind the leader and I can get to him I will get myself into the Chase.

That's just not necessarily the way we want to promote our sport. We talk about image in our sport. Do we want to show the young upcoming drivers that the only way to do it is knock the other guy out of the way to win? I don't think so. That's not the kind of lesson we want handed down to the kids.

They need to learn to race their competitor hard, smart and clean. Wait on your chance when you can to make your move. There's a certain amount of chivalry that should be in our sport. I believe that. Now, you beat on me, well I will beat back on you. That's mano a mano. That's just the way it is. Anybody can wreck somebody. Show me how you can out-race and out-think them. That's what I want to see.