Burning Questions: Martinsville

By Stephen Thomas, CNNSI
October 9, 2001
6:59 PM EDT (2259 GMT)

1. Will The Kid grab the points title with more than four races left?

Jeff Gordon

In 1975, the first year of the current points system, Richard Petty clinched his fifth Winston Cup title with four races left in the 30-race season. It remains the earliest that a driver has wrapped up a title. However, with a sizable 237-point lead over Ricky Rudd with seven races remaining, it would seem that Jeff Gordon has a chance to establish a new standard.

Um, no.

According to NASCAR Winston Cup statistical services, though Gordon is assured his fourth title by finishing fifth-or-better in each of the last seven races, the best he can do is equal Petty's existing mark. And even that seems highly unlikely. To do so, he must win the next three races, which isn't without precedent, given that he tied the modern-era record with four consecutive wins in 1998.

However, at the same time he is winning those races, Rudd must also finish dead last and earn the minimum 34 points. If both those things occur, then Gordon will have at least 4,763 points with four races left to Rudd's 4,088, a difference of 675 points. The most Rudd could then hope to make up in the final four races -- a long shot, given that he not only has to win, but he must also lead the most laps and Gordon must finish dead last in each -- would be 604 points.

2. What's with the Jeff Burton-leaving-Roush Racing rumors?

Jeff Burton

For much of the year, Roush Racing has been buffeted by rumors of impending defections among its drivers. At one time or another, Mark Martin has been considering retirement, and both Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton have been said to be leaving. Understandably, at each turn, Roush Racing has denied the stories, citing first and foremost that the organization and its drivers are dedicated to turning things around. And, even more, pointing to the not inconsiderable fact that Burton is under contract "for the foreseeable future."

And yet, for some reason, Burton once again finds himself the center of attention, according to rumors and at least one report, ready to jump ship to Penske Racing in place of the recently departed Jeremy Mayfield. This just in: Not happening. Period, end of story.

First of all, there are reports that Burton has a financial stake in the organization, and while it's certainly true that he could divest himself of those interests (if, in fact, they exist), there also is the fact that on numerous occasions Burton has claimed that he hopes to become a member of Roush Racing's management when his driving days are done. And if neither of those bits of data seems compelling enough to keep Burton honest, there's this: Geoff Smith, President of Roush Racing, is known to write contracts that are exceedingly difficult to break.

3. Did Shawna Robinson do enough to earn another chance in '02?

Shawna Robinson

In 2001, Shawna Robinson became the first woman in 13 years to compete in a Winston Cup race (she finished 34th at Michigan in June). However, she failed to qualify for any of the three other Cup races she tried to make. And though she enjoyed some limited success in a few Busch and ARCA races -- finishing 19th in the April Busch race at Talladega and third at the Nashville ARCA race -- the question remains: Is she a legitimate candidate to drive a Cup car in 2002?

It is, of course, an impossible question to answer definitively. The same might be asked of drivers like Stacy Compton or Jason Leffler, however, the reality is that those two probably stand a better chance of securing a ride than she will -- they, at least, have a track record of sorts. It bears remembering that Robinson got her chance this year primarily because Michael Kranefuss was willing to take a shot. It remains to be seen if any other owner is willing to take the same gamble.

Robinson is in an unenviable position familiar to a lot of people looking to break into any new field. She doesn't have a great deal of experience, but without a ride, she can't get the experience she needs. And NASCAR being what it is today, her chances of landing a ride probably have more to do with economics than they do anything else: Will hiring Shawna Robinson help a company move product?