

Five-time champion Jimmie Johnson (48), second in the 2013 Sprint Cup standings, battled Carl Edwards (99) during the 2008 race at Kansas Speedway. / Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

If there ever were a Chase for the Sprint Cup begging for a magical visit to the Land of Oz, it's this one.

Kansas Speedway, constructed in the cornfields of sleepy Wyandotte County, has built a reputation for triggering massive change.

The 1.5-mile oval is the gold standard for how a racetrack can double as an economic engine. Since its 2001 opening, the area adjacent to Kansas Speedway has sprouted a casino hotel, a minor league ballpark and a Major League Soccer stadium and a bustling $400 million retail complex brimming with gleaming movie theaters, shopping palaces and trendy restaurants.

The track has been a makeover machine for a dozen years running.

But can it also be a catalyst for overhauling a mostly listless edition of the Chase for the Sprint Cup?

NASCAR's 10-race fight for the title of its premier series certainly needs the help.

Heading into Sunday's Hollywood Casino 400, the ingredients seemingly should be in place for a compelling championship battle. Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson have swept the first three wins of the Chase while also claiming the top two spots in the points standings in a mano-a-mano struggle that should be captivating.

But there has been a dearth of riveting story lines through three largely lackluster races that have produced virtually none of the cantankerous feuds that traditionally have fueled interest in NASCAR.

That can be attributed partly to the personalities of Johnson and Kenseth. They hail from different parts of the country, but they share laid-back, understated styles that eschew controversy in favor of a single-minded focus that precludes their performance being affected by anything ancillary to their cars. ("Blinders on," Johnson radios his crew on the pace laps before every race.)

The reigning heavyweights in NASCAR aren't likely to engage in the playful trash-talking that creates headlines in the absence of on-track action. And though third-ranked Kyle Busch - the only other contender currently within striking distance - often has been a lightning rod for fan outrage through his penchant for erratic outbursts, he has exhibited an inner peace this season while embracing the calming influence of Kenseth, his new teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing.

If something momentous happens among the primary contenders, it's unlikely it'll be the result of ill will.

Which brings us to the Great Plains. Kansas has a habit of having a major impact on the Chase complexion, often in oddly thrilling ways.

In 2007, a major thunderstorm just past the halfway mark delayed the race by more than two hours. If officials had ended the race (the midpoint made it an official distance), Tony Stewart, who had entered the playoff as a favorite for a second title in three years, would have won.

But when the green flag flew again, the championship picture turned upside down with Chase drivers Stewart, Kenseth and Carl Edwards suffering costly crashes (Busch already had been in an earlier wreck). The finish also was shrouded in mystery as Greg Biffle ostensibly took first despite crossing the line in fourth as his No. 16 Ford ran out of fuel under caution and fell out of the lead. Yet he still snatched a critical win from hometown hero Clint Bowyer when NASCAR allowed Biffle to keep the checkered flag.

In 2008, Edwards attempted perhaps the most optimistic pass in the history of the series, slamming into the Turn 3 wall while trying to slide in front of Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet for the lead on the final lap. The banzai move didn't halt Johnson's surge to a third consecutive title, but it did become one of the most indelible moments of his duel with Edwards.

Last season, Kansas delivered arguably the most memorable event in the Chase - a wreckfest of 14 caution flags. Johnson managed to finish ninth despite a car whose deck lid seemed battered beyond belief.

For NASCAR's sake, it's time for Kansas to carry the day again.

Follow Nate Ryan on Twitter @nateryan

Copyright 2014

Read the original story: Ryan: History says Kansas can inject jolt to Chase

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