Busch May Adopt Chase Format In '06

[RTF]

TAMPA - The Chase for the Championship format was such a hit in the Nextel Cup series that NASCAR might apply it to the Busch series in 2006.

Busch series director Joe Balish, visiting Wednesday with champion driver Martin Truex Jr., said that while the old format will be used again next year, some form of the Chase is possible for the next season.

``We don't know if we would do the exact same thing or we would reinvent it for the Busch series,'' Balish said before a luncheon at the Tampa Marriott Westshore.

Under the format used in Nextel Cup for the first time this year, the schedule was partitioned into a 26-race regular season and 10-race Chase season. The top 10 drivers qualified for the championship and had their points reset for the 27th race, with only 45 points separating first from 10th place.

It worked so well that five drivers were still in contention for the championship entering the Nov. 21 finale at Homestead. Kurt Busch held off Jimmie Johnson by eight points and Jeff Gordon by 16 for the closest finish in history.

With NASCAR's No. 2 series still using the old format, there was no drama heading to Homestead. Truex had clinched a week earlier, and his final cushion over 10th- place David Stremme was 1,435 points. From the midpoint of the season on, the only realistic contenders for the title were Truex and Kyle Busch.

One obstacle to the Chase being adopted for Busch (and possibly the Craftsman Truck series) is NASCAR doesn't want a Nextel Cup regular getting in by racking up enough points in a limited schedule. The feeling is that would unfairly divert attention (and earnings) from the Busch regulars.

Balish hinted that a Chase format used in Busch might have a provision eliminating that possibility.

Truex, who'll race one more year full time in Busch, says he favors bringing the Chase to that series.

``I think it would be good for the series,'' Truex said. ``It would get more attention, obviously. We still would have won it this year by at least 100 points, so I'm pretty good with it. It's definitely exciting.''