Ron Thornton

With a ten race dash to decide a champion, it pretty much makes sense that the best over the final ten events will claim the crown. That certainly was the case once again in 2012 as Brad Keselowski left the field behind, thanks to a rough patch or two for his closest competitors late in the season.

The 2013 campaign opens up this month with its pre-season events, including the Shootout and the Duels at Daytona in less than three weeks' time. So, what is the big story coming into the new year?

If you are a driver holding on to a dream of being the next Petty or Earnhardt or even the next Jamie McMurray, being on this list might not be a confidence builder. It means you are on the downside of a career, on the start of a ride bound for nowhere, or just maybe you are a guy with a plan. Of the 79 men and one woman who attempted to make one of last season's 36 Cup events, these are the ten who ran the most for the least reward.

Well, that was rather anti-climatic. We gathered in front of the television to watch the action from Homestead to see if Jimmie Johnson could make up the 20 points he trailed Brad Keselowski in the season finale for the Sprint Cup title.

Well, it is about damn time. NASCAR had a race that actually provided some television entertainment. Yes, you had to go through a few hours of round and round, but you have to admit that it was well worth the wait.

A maximum of 96 points are left on the table as the boys and Danica move on to Phoenix and Homestead, which comes as bad news for pretty much anybody not named Jimmie Johnson or Brad Keselowski.

It was truly a Tale of Two Cities kind of day at Martinsville last Sunday afternoon. You know, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times... It could not have been much better for Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski, who came away from the contest two points apart on top of the standings with three to go.

When all is said and done at Homestead, the guy who is the hottest over the final ten events could very likely be our champion. How to become that man is not so simple. Winning is good, but not everything.

Now, that was a race worth watching. The lead changed, some cars got bopped. It did not look a thing like Formula One where every one goes real fast in a single line train, where one lap looks just like any other. Kansas provided every argument as to why we watch NASCAR.

It is a good thing we live in this modern era, where by the push of a couple of buttons one does not have to choose between watching the Yankees play the Tigers or watching NASCAR from Charlotte. A fella can watch both. View one while recording the other, then when you hit a bank of commercials or return to real time, you simply reverse the process. Non-stop Saturday night action.