Hornaday trailed Benson by four points heading into the race, and led early. But, a two-tire gamble by Benson put him in the lead, ahead of Hornaday. The two raced for the lead, with Hornaday eventually getting by him.

With 10 laps to go, the caution came out when Mike Skinner cut a tire. Hornaday pitted while Benson stayed out. Despite a green-white-checker finish, Hornaday could not pass Benson.

Benson won the championship by seven points.

While most of us would stop short of saying that he’s out of it, his chances right now don’t look good. Regardless of what happened to that Joe Gibbs Racing team’s dominance, one thing is certain: Busch better win the Cup this year.

Why, you ask?

Busch started off this season with something to prove. After being booted from last year’s super-team in favor of NASCAR’s prodigal son, Busch had a chip on his shoulder. No one could argue that he wasn’t the weakest link (performance-wise) on Hendrick Motorsports, yet he still got the axe.

So, he set out to prove, “I’m better than Hendrick; I’m better than Junior; I’m better than everyone!” And, for the first 26 races, he did just that. He won eight of the first 26 Sprint Cup races, eight Nationwide races, and three Craftsman Truck Series races in a team that finished second once, and no better than 10th any other time with J.J. Yeley behind the wheel last season.

If he doesn’t turn it on and somehow pull of a comeback that would be nothing short of miraculous, do you think he won’t have any even bigger chip on his shoulder next season?

If he finishes anywhere in the points besides first, he’ll come back next season, more focused, driven, and bitter, which as we’ve all seen, doesn’t bode well for the other drivers.

So, unless you want to see Kyle Busch win 16+ races next season, he better win the championship this season.

In his weekly online diary, Allmendinger wrote:

I’m racing this weekend at Kansas, but I’m almost 100 percent sure I won’t be with Red Bull after this race. Hopefully I’ll have something and I’ll be in a car next week. Whether it’s the team I’m going to be with for next year, and we can start working on that, or what … that’s kind of where we stand.

Earlier this week, the team announced that Allmendinger would be leaving at the end of the season. He had been expecting to be released last month. He declined a one-year contract extension because he didn’t want to be in the same situation a year from now.

Personally, I would have signed the extension. Think about it: RBR’s equipment and team have improved consistently over the last two years, and should continue to improve. Also, gaining more experience in stock cars would, I think, make him more appealing to better teams next year. Of course, first you have to make races to gain experience, but if he stayed inside the top 35 in points, that would be a non-issue.

I suspect that there’s something we’re not being told. Allmendinger has to feel slighted that RBR is enamoured with Scott Speed, and in some ways probably feels like he was thrown to the wolves (Sprint Cup) while Speed was allowed to cook a little longer (Craftsman Truck Series).

The new deal also makes Frye RBR’s vice president. SHR’s offer is said to have included a VP role. Perhaps RBR decided to offer Frye a VP role to keep him with the company.

Frye may be saddled with the task of determining the futures of AJ Allmendinger and Scott Speed. Allmendinger has shown marked improvement over the past few races. But, is it enough to secure his position with the team for another year?

Probably not with Speed waiting in the wings. He currently leads the ARCA Re/Max series points, and has won a Craftsman Truck Series race. If RBR does not expand to three teams next season, that could leave Allmendinger the odd man out.

Michael Waltrip Racing, which has already lost UPS as a sponsor, has been struggling too. Aaron’s Rent re-signed with the team to sponsor David Reutimann’s car for half of next season. This team is trying to secure sponsorship for the rest of the season for that car.

So, the two teams could possibly merge next season. That would mean that the combined team would filed four cars, and Juan Pablo Montoya would drive a Toyota.

This move is not all too suprising. Many NASCAR teams are struggling financially, and with the economy in the state it is currently in, sponsors have to reevaluate if it is worth the cash to stay in the sport. Carmakers are reconsidering, as well.

Dodge pulled its factory support from the Craftsman Truck Series, and it is hard to believe that if things don’t improve for an extended period of time, they will stay in the Nationwide or Sprint Cup series.

With the exception of Kasey Kahne’s two victories, and Ryan Newman’s one, the team has struggled immensely, putting no cars in the Chase. Not to mention the fact that Dodge isn’t known for its small, fuel-efficient vehicles. The carmaker is struggling to attract consumers, which is why all other makes are beating it, in terms of sales.

So, in a year, if things haven’t fully recovered, I would question Dodge’s committment to the sport. I’m pretty sure Chip Ganassi Racing would be.

I always wondered how Michael Waltrip could afford a three car race team. He hasn’t exactly been raking in the dough with good finishes. He never signed a huge contract, though at Dale Earnhard Inc. he did win a few races. Still, he doesn’t seem to have that much money. I know NAPA, UPS, and Aaron’s Rent probably kick in a good portion of the money, but still. He doesn’t have Richard Childress, or Rick Hendrick money. So, a merger would make sense.

The win is his fifth of the season, but second place finisher Johnny Benson maintained his points lead.

Top 5: Hornaday, Benson, Travis Kvapil, Erik Darnell, and Rick Crawford.

Kyle Busch, David Starr, Brian Scott, Jack Sprague, and TJ Bell rounded out the top 10.

Notables: Matt Crafton (12th), David Reutimann (13th), Mike Skinner (15th), Dennis Setzer (16th), and Todd Bodine (19th).

With seven laps to go David Starr spun out Bodine. After the race ended, Bodine bumped Starr, then pulled next to him. On pit road, tempers flared and the two crews mixed it up. Bodine, stepped back and seemed to stay out of it.

Bodine said:

[Starr] just doesn’t know when to choke down the reins and slow down a bit.

Starr said:

I don’t have a problem with a driver coming over and wanting to come over and talk to me. But a crew member coming over and putting a finger in my face? That’s a totally different deal. I don’t play that way. To have a crew member come and put my window net down and put a finger in my face, I don’t play that game.

Watch: The spin. The fight.

ESPN, however, noted that he “he denied using growth hormone that was sent to his home for his wife’s use.” According to Hornaday, “he used the testosterone to treat a mysterious medical malady that later turned out to be a hyperactive thyroid.” Hornaday also revealed that he used a cream that he did not know “was a steriod.” ESPN points out that “the prescription label bore the name ‘testosterone,’ but was partially torn so that it did not show his name.” NASCAR is investigating whether this was a violation.

Ironically enough, recently, Hornaday’s owner, Harvick, started requiring mandatory drug tests for his teams. For his part, Hornaday claims he was using the testosterone to treat a medical condition, not to gain a performance advantage.

In this blogger’s opinion, there is something suspect about Hornaday’s story. Something about his denial seems shady. That said, I’m not sure that I think he is hiding something or lying. I think it is plausible for him to be using testosterone to treat a medical condition. He also stopped taking them. And, he had records showing that the drugs were prescribed. So, I’m willing to take him at his word.

But what of the NASCAR investigation? If NASCAR did not have a steroid policy, what can be done? How much of a performance advantage, realistically, could a driver get from steroids or testosterone. After all, a driver on steroids isn’t going to benefit much if he’s driving an ill-handling racecar, or inferior equipment. Sure there’s an argument that right about the time he began taking testosterone, his career got back on track. But, he was no slouch during that time. He finished third and fourth in points in the two Nationwide Series seasons before he started taking them.

For example, Kasey Kahne, a two-time winner this season, missed the Chase despite the fact that he’s won twice as many races as Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, and Kevin Harvick. The AP notes, “He and his No. 9 team can only blame themselves – and consecutive 40th-place finishes leading into Richmond– for their late summer collapse. But the issue could be deeper than that.”

“NASCAR’s top four teams” — Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, and Roush Fenway Racing — accounted for 22 of 26 wins this season. The other four belong to Kahne and Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. But, the AP says, none of them made the “the Chase, and – coincidence? – all drive Dodges.”

Dodge is struggling behind the other automakers both on the racetrack and in sales. It announced that it was pulling out of the Craftsman Truck Series. “So as the race for the title begins Sunday in New Hampshire, it will be interesting to see what happens to Dodge as its teams are left out of the action.”

Another “interesting” thing, the AP says, is “how Stewart and his Joe Gibbs Racing team handle their final 10 races together.”  Following the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, radio communications between Greg Zipadelli and Stewart indicated that there might be some cracks in that relationship.

“As [Stewart] pulled off the track following the second-place finish, he criticized his team’s performance for letting another victory slip away.” But, “Zipadelli sharply reminded him they win and lose as a group. After, Stewart was surly and didn’t want to dissect yet another on-track defeat.”

With Stewart leaving to pursue ownership after 10 years with Zippy, it a possible that the two could give up on each other before the season ends.

While teams can still field Dodge trucks next season, the carmaker will not provide any financial support, said Mike Delahanty, senior manager of Dodge Motorsports.

This will not affect the Sprint Cup and Nationwide series teams, Delahanty said.

Currently, Bobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia’s No. 18, driven by Dennis Setzer, is the only full time racing team that receives financial support from Dodge. BHR-VA fielded two trucks since the beginning of the season, but one team folded prior to last weekend’s Camping World 200 presented by Honda Power Equipment due to financial constraints.

The other full time Dodge team, the No. 08 of SS Racing/Greenlight Racing, driven by Jason White, received no financial support from Dodge.

BHR-VA has talked to Chevy, Ford, and Toyota about switching next season.

Delahanty told ESPN:

We’ll have no factory-funded teams. When times are tough, there are certain things that are lower on the priority list than others. There’s a lot of Dodge trucks, engines and parts out there, [teams] may choose to run them. We just won’t be writing the checks to any teams.

Jimmie Johnson made his Craftsman Truck Series debut driving the No. 81 Randy Moss Motorsports entry. He inhereted the lead early, the product of staying out when the leaders pitted. He managed to lead for 29 laps before Busch and his fresher tires prevailed.

On lap 102, Johnson spun, and Jeff Green had nowhere to go and crashed into Johnson, who ended up finishing 34th.

Top 5: Busch, Bodine, Scott Speed, Johnny Benson, and Rick Crawford.

TJ Bell, Mike Skinner, Dennis Setzer, David Stremme, and Ted Musgrave rounded out the top 10.

Notables: Jack Sprague (12th), Erik Darnell (15th), Matt Crafton (21st), Terry Cook (23rd), Ron Hornaday (24th), Patrick Carpentier (25th), Stacy Compton (31st), Ken Schrader (33rd), and Jimmie Johnson (34th).