NASCAR Cup Series

Richard Childress Racing made it official Tuesday morning: Budweiser will sponsor the No. 29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick next season.

Kevin Harvick won at Michigan, locked his place in the Chase, and has moved to within 20 bonus points of Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin when they reset things next month.

So, what did we learn at Michigan? Well, we learned why Kevin Harvick is so darned happy.

One of NASCAR’s most passionate racers is Max Papis, the ebullient driver of the No. 13 Geico Toyota Camry, affectionately nicknamed ‘Mad Max’. But right next to him is his petite yet powerful wife Tatiana.

Kevin Harvick needs a sponsor and Budweiser needs a new star driver. It’s a prediction that the majority of NASCAR Nation were predicting earlier this year. Well, this prediction may actually come true.

Harvick was running sixth before suffering a flat tire on the final lap at Watkins Glen, spoiling a certain top-10 finish. He surrendered five positions on the final lap, and was nipped at the line for tenth by Jeff Gordon, his closest pursuer in the point standings.

With Four races to go until the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race for the Chase starts I will give you my predictions on who is still alive and who will make the chase, and who just won’t have enough to get there.

Four races to go before we lock in our Chase contenders, and ten look good to stay there after Michigan. It is not as clear for both Greg Biffle and Mark Martin who remain on shaky ground. Biffle's record over the past ten events is only 17th best, not good for one seeking some distance.

As one of the originators of the NASCAR baby boom three years ago with the birth of daughter Ella Sofia, Jeff Gordon and Ingrid Vandebosch added to their own brood, as well as the burgeoning baby boom in the garage area, with the birth of Leo Benjamin Gordon.

NASCAR’s two top series just finished a weekend of racing at Watkins Glen International. Twice a year (we’re including Infineon Raceway here), the sport’s top drivers are asked to get out of their comfort zone (if there is such a thing) and do what most of them never do but twice a year.