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When NASCAR CEO/Chairman/anointed one Brian France introduced the Chase to the Championship, he said he was looking for “seventh game” moments. Thankfully, the sanctioning body has been able to produce more defining moments than we usually get in a seven game World Series.

Take this weekend for example. We're not even in the post-season and we could have a classic moment in Richmond.

While it's highly unlikely there will be a new winner Saturday night in Richmond– the last one was in June in Sonoma, race No. 16 of the 26 events that comprise the regular season – that possibility exists. How exciting would be be if , say, Tony Stewart were to win and make the Chase.

OK, if you are not a Smoke fan, how about Ford's Greg Biffle? Or Sam Hornish Jr.? Don't discount Jeff Gordon, who would love nothing more than to earn his Chase berth by winning a race in his final season.

Those would be moments that would live on. Much like Jeremy Mayfield in 2004 when he surprising won at Richmond, and knocked Jaime McMurray out of the field.

That's better memory than the one from 2013, one that president Mike Helton called a “defining moment” for the sport. Most will recall NASCAR making a determination that Clint Bowyer intentionally spun to trigger a series of events to put Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr. in the Chase.

NASCAR's reaction was a seventh game moment.

Bowyer, Truex and Brian Vickers were docked points, MWR fined $300,000. As a result, Ryan Newman and Gordon were added to the Chase.

The NFL can only dream about making such a bold decision so quickly, and with support from all. It's the court of public opinion that allows NASCAR to move forward

In less than two years after the incident, MWR has no future, having failed to recover from the tailspin and loss of a potential $15 million two-year loss from sponsor NAPA. It was a loss of credibility that has lingered.

It's the various storylines still in play that make Richmond such a “can't miss” event. Yes, there are four rounds of eliminations remaining, but this event will feature as many as 32 drivers. Yes, 32. Don't forget David Gilliland, sitting in that 32nd spot, can make the field of 16 with a win on Saturday, and plenty of help from others ahead of him in the points race.

Remember that any Chase driver must finish in the top 30. That';s what made Kyle Busch's comeback so compelling even after his win in Sonoma. Yes, he got a waiver from NASCAR after missing 11 races, but needed to perform well enough in 15 races to get in the top 30.

Busch's comeback is probably one of the greatest in NASCAR history, if not the best ever, but it will merely be a footnote if he doesn't win the championship.

This is what some other American racing disciplines are missing, a bit of drama in the championship.

IndyCar? No, if this is September, then the open-wheel series season is finished. It wrapped up in August with a double points race in an effort to create a seventh game moment. Scott Dixon won the title, but will anybody remember in November?

To its credit, NHRA used the Chase format as a starting point for its Countdown to the Championship. It's a six-race series among the top 10 drivers in each of its four pro classes, but the sanctioning body resisted eliminating drivers or pitting those in the Countdown against one another.

However, the Chase is still a week away from starting. Saturday's race is just the end of the regular season, an opportunity to save the campaign, to make an impression on potential sponsors. A chance to score a season-saving moment.