Running second should not be overlooked in NASCAR

We've all heard it -- "Second place is the first loser" -- and while that may stand true when shooting the breeze with your buddies while bellied up to a bar (where everyone is an expert and opinions rule the roost), this year's national touring series' runners-up are far from losers.

In the Cup Series, Mark Martin most likely will finish second in points for the fifth time in his career. The first time he was a bridesmaid was 1990, when he was 31 and in his fourth year as a full-time driver. Almost 20 years later, he's still competitive.

Martin trails three-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson by 108 points entering the finale at Homestead. It's a long shot for Martin -- but he has out-pointed Johnson by 108 points on nine previous occasions, including already once this year and once at Homestead:

• Nov. 3, 2002, at Rockingham (+128)
• June 6, 2004, at Dover (+113)
• Aug. 15, 2004, at Watkins Glen (+117)
• Aug. 22, 2004, at Michigan (+132)
• Nov. 20, 2005, at Homestead (+132)
• Feb. 18, 2007, at Daytona (+129)
• April 15, 2007, at Texas (+116)
• June 10, 2007, at Pocono (+114)
• Nov. 8, 2009, at Texas (+111)

That's nine times in 266 races so there is hope for the No. 5 ... even if it's a .034 percent chance.

In the Nationwide Series, Carl Edwards will smile through the close-but-no-cigar talk. He's finished first or second in the series in each of the past four years. (And he finished third in 2005, his first year in the series.)

At Phoenix, Edwards postponed the inevitable by winning while points leader Kyle Busch finished ninth and enters Homestead with a 190-point lead.

"That's 25 -- 25 [career Nationwide] wins," said Edwards, the series' seventh driver to reach the plateau. "I know Kyle's almost clinched the championship, but that's what we came here to do, to win this race."

In the Truck Series, Matt Crafton continues to stalk the series' championship trophy. He's finished eighth, fifth and second the past three seasons. Of course, challenging four-time series champion Ron Hornaday on a yearly basis makes for quite the chase in that series.

"We're not done," Hornaday said after becoming only the fourth national series driver with four titles, joining Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt (7) and Jeff Gordon (4). "As long as [team owners] Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] will still have me, we're going to win some more. ... When you drive Kevin and DeLana's equipment, you feel like you're 18 years old."

Crafton has career-bests with 10 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s but has not made it to Victory Lane this year. He will join Rick Crawford (2002) as the only Truck Series drivers to finish second in points without a win.

"We've been really close a number of times this season, have been right there with great shots to win races, but it just hasn't fallen our way," said Crafton, who has finished second four times this season. "It's frustrating, but, at the same time, we always talk about putting ourselves in position, and we've been able to do that consistently."

Does anyone really believe that Martin, Edwards and Crafton are losers? You shouldn't; they are every bit the type of spokesmen that any sport would tout as contenders -- right beside the likes of Johnson, Busch and Hornaday.

So while the three series' championship battles are all but certainties (Johnson needs to finish 25th or better at Homestead; Busch only has to flip the ignition switch; and Hornaday can buy a ticket and celebrate with the fans along the start/finish line) the drivers who have made this season memorable should not be forgotten.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.