Jamie McMurray was dead-on right with his comments after the Brickyard 400. He's 151 points out and a long shot, at best, to make the Chase. Why should he lessen the accomplishment of winning Daytona and the Brickyard in the same season because everyone thinks he should be all wrapped up in a contrived finish?

This is the seventh season for the Chase. It's not like it's a long-time tradition, or even one most of the drivers care for. It's a way to compete against the NFL; no more, no less.

In those six seasons, 22 drivers have made the Chase. Three of them have won titles. And none of the rest of them will be remembered for their participation.

Quick, who finished seventh in the points last year? Exactly.

What McMurray did Sunday at IMS, however? That put him in rare air. He did something only two other people have done in the 17 seasons they've been running the Brickyard.

Let's also clear something else up right now. McMurray didn't say he didn't want to make the Chase. Didn't say it wouldn't matter to him. What he said was that if he didn't, it wouldn't lessen the impact of what he had accomplished this season.

This is exactly how it should be. You do the best you can, you drive your butt off, and you revel in your successes and rededicate to your missteps.

People will still reference McMurray's victories long after they stop talking about Greg Biffle's stirring run to 11th in the points.

I'm happy for McMurray and his Daytona 500 / Brickyard 400 sweep this season. Only two other drivers can say they have pulled off the two-fer, so it's been a good year for Mac. But I was really surprised by his comments following the Indy victory.

To say winning two marquee races is bigger than making the Chase is not the mentality I want my driver to have if I'm Chip Ganassi or Teresa Earnhardt.

Make no mistake about it, this sport is about championships. Race wins are nice -- and needed to achieve the ultimate goal -- but if you're on a top-tier team, you better be eyeing the title.

Ask Mark Martin if he would trade in any of those wins for a championship. It's what every racer should aspire for when the haulers roll into Daytona in mid-February.

Yes, McMurray is barely in Chase contention, which probably makes it a little easier for him to say what he did. But this is my biggest issue with his comments -- he still has a shot.

Sitting 16th with six to go, his Chase hopes are still very much alive. And with two wins this season, even if he did sneak in to the postseason, he would be ranked third right now according to wins. Mac -- this season is NOT over.

I think Mac is one of the coolest, classiest guys in the garage, so this critique is a minor one. But he's got to stay focused on the bigger prize. Winning Daytona and Indy is special, but he's in this sport to win titles -- not the "big" races.