Despite The Chase, There Are Still 43 Drivers On The Track

I realize that the twelve drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup are the twelve best drivers on track for the most part. But just because thy are running for the title from Loudon to Homestead, that doesn't mean that the other 36 drivers on track should be excluded from coverage. If they do something great, they deserve just as much recognition as a Chaser. The Price Chopper 400 at Kansas this past weekend saw a record nine Chasers finish in the top ten and during the post race interviews, ESPN talked to the top 3 finishers, as is tradition, and the rest of the top ten, except for the driver that finished eighth. David Reutimann was mentioned at the end of the broadcast, but he was never interviewed. ESPN talked to Ryan Newman who finished 22nd one lap down all because he is in the Chase and several of the Chase crew chiefs without even so much as a mention of Reutimann's name. The driver that finishes 22nd and the crew chiefs are never interviewed, but just because they are Chasers, they are automatically more important than the driver who proved that he can run with the best drivers in the sport and that his win at Lowe's Motor Speedway and run at the top twelve were no fluke by being the only non Chaser in the top ten. There are still 43 drivers on the track and the fact that only the top twelve are recognized during broadcasts is a smack in the face to those of us fans who are rooting for those drivers outside of the Chase cutoff. If the Chasers are so stinkin' important, then put them on a track by themselves.