Nothing certain, even for drivers in top 12 of Chase
This much is true: It's better to be in the top 12 right now than out of it. But staying there is another matter. Past champs, young guns and struggling veterans all have work to do if they want a shot at the Cup, Pete Pistone says.

Rest of story: Checking in on racing world
The young guys won't back down in the Nationwide. Veterans lead the way in trucks. By the way, how is that Indy-Champ Car merger going? Pete Pistone takes a look around racing, including a taut race across the pond in Formula One.

First came Smoke, now the domino effect
Tony Stewart's announcement he's leaving JGR set off a domino effect. Will phenom Joey Logano replace Stewart in the No. 20? Will Ryan Newman join Smoke? Pete Pistone wonders.

Red-hot Kyle Busch helping Gibbs Racing move ahead minus Stewart
Different track. Same winner. Kyle Busch sweeps Chicagoland and wins his seventh Sprint Cup race. His success is helping Gibbs Racing forget about Tony Stewart's departure, Pete Pistone says.

Harvick hopes to change fortunes in Windy City
Kevin Harvick wants to get his Windy City groove back. Matt Kenseth is tired of being runner-up. Defending race champ Tony Stewart? If only he could get his first '08 win. But with Chicagoland's first-ever prime-time race, who knows what will happen, Pete Pistone says.

Kyle Busch's first-half dominance could mean diddly for title hopes
Eighteen races in the books, 18 to go. Does Kyle Busch's first-half dominance mean he's a lock to win the Cup title? Will Tony Stewart deep-six the rest of the season? Pete Pistone has the answers as the calendar turns to the second half of the racing schedule.

Mighty Hendrick Motorsports left in the dust at wild Daytona
What a wild ride. The Daytona 400 features many wrecks, but Kyle Busch comes out successfully to claim his sixth victory of the season. Things don't go as well for the Hendrick Motorsports team, Pete Pistone says.