The 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins in NASCAR

Well, we still have a few weeks before that happens but since nothing big really happens in NASCAR...

From 2004 through 2007, the championship system in NASCAR racing was known as the ''Chase for the Nextel Cup'', but with the 2005 merger of Sprint and Nextel, the name of the series became known as the Sprint Cup Series in 2008.

The 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup will begin with the Sylvania 300 on September 9 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and will conclude with the Ford 400 on November 16 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

This year's Chase for the Sprint Cup consists of the final ten races that conclude the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The new system was changed last year and it follows a new format. Following 26 regular season races, the top 12-ranked drivers, determined by points accumulated during the season, will advance to contend for the Cup championship. Thus the 12 drivers' championship points are reset to a base of 5,000 points per driver, with a bonus of 10 points awarded to each driver for each win during the regular season.

The driver who finishes with the most points after the conclusion of the Ford 400 will be declared the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and will be presented with the Sprint Cup trophy.

During the Chase for the Sprint Cup, normal scoring applies, with drivers who win a race receiving 185 points for the win, 5 bonus points for leading a single lap, and 5 points for leading the most laps. This also marks the second year that the current system will be in effect.

The following are the race tracks where the final ten Chase for the Sprint Cup races are ran, one of them, the Texas Motor Speedway (Fort Worth, Texas) was added in 2005 as a result of outcome of the Ferko lawsuit.

Prior to this suit, the final three races of the NASCAR season, and thus, the final three race tracks for The Chase, will be held at the Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, Arizona), Darlington Raceway (Darlington, South Carolina, eliminated by NASCAR as a result of the lawsuit), and Homestead-Miami Speedway (Homestead, Florida).

Who will win the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship? Bodog sportsbook has the odds.

Kyle Busch 2.00

Dale Earnhardt Jr. 6.50

Jimmie Johnson 7.00

Jeff Gordon 11.00

Want more odds? Visit Bodog for more NASCAR betting odds and the best betting lines on some of today's biggest sporting events.

2008 NASCAR Season Sprint Cup