The NASCAR Cup Series will return to the Chase format in 2026, moving away from the elimination system it has used for the past 11 years. While some may believe that consistent high-level performances alone will be enough to carry drivers to the finish line in this updated version of the Chase, a historical example recounted by Steve Letarte shows that race victories still matter a lot.
Former crew chief Letarte revisited Jeff Gordon’s 2007 season on a recent episode of Inside The Race to make the point.
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“I averaged 5.0 in 2007 and lost to Jimmie Johnson, who won four races,”Letartesaid. “We can talk about consistency all we want, but in these last 10 races you have to be consistent and win races.”
Letarte firmly believes that there is no way for a driver to become champion without winning multiple races in the Chase. Additionally, a single race victory earns a driver 55 points, making it much more difficult to win a title without victories, especially against competitors who find Victory Lane.
GordonThe 2007 season remains one of the greatest title campaigns in modern NASCAR history. Associated with Letarte, he won six races that year. Even that wasn’t the most impressive part of their resume. They recorded 21 top-five finishes and a record 30 top-10 finishes. So how did they still lose the title?
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When the last 10-race race began, their ability to consistently win races diminished. They continued to post elite results and still won twice, but it wasn’t enough to hold on. Jimmy Johnson.
Johnson, a former champion at the time, won four of the last five races to claim his second title. The season is proof that simply qualifying for the Chase is not enough. To win a championship, drivers must combine consistency with race victories, making it a delicate balance. The disappointment of having failed that year still lingers for Gordon.
Gordon said Automatic week Several years later, in 2017, “Looking back, I still can’t believe we didn’t close. I’ve never been in that position and I couldn’t do it. We’ve had some really elite teams in my career, and we’ve always been successful.”
Today, the format that gave even Gordon difficulty has returned to the field. Things are bound to get more interesting from here on out.
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