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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Sunday, September 7, 2008 Who's in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup By Hank Kurz Jr. Associated Press A glance at the 12 drivers competing in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, in order of seeding after Sunday's Chevrolet 400 at Richmond International Raceway: DRIVER: Kyle Busch ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,080 HOMETOWN: Las Vegas AGE: 23 CAR: No. 18 M&Ms Toyota CREW CHIEF: Steve Addington BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 5th (2007) OUTLOOK: Busch has been the dominant driver in all of NASCAR this season with 18 victories combined in the top three series, and has to be considered the championship favorite. But Busch hasn't been as successful of late and needs only to look at last season and Jeff Gordon to see that being the best in the regular season guarantees nothing once the Chase begins. DRIVER: Carl Edwards ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,050 HOMETOWN: Columbia, Mo. AGE: 28 CAR: No. 99 Office Depot Ford CREW CHIEF: Bob Osborne BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 3rd (2005) OUTLOOK: Edwards claims that he doesn't believe in momentum, but he's got plenty heading into the Chase. He's gained three of his six victories this season in the six races leading into the playoffs, but has to hope the 10 bonus points he was docked earlier this season for driving without a cover on his oil tank don't prove decisive as he pursues his first title. DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,040 HOMETOWN: El Cajon, Calif. AGE: 33 CAR: No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Chad Knaus BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 1st (2006, 2007) OUTLOOK: Teammate Jeff Gordon calls Johnson, the two-time defending champion, the favorite to win a third consecutive title because of his experience and record at this time of the season, and why not? He warmed up for the Chase by winning the last two races of the regular season. He won four straight races late last season to deprive Gordon of his fifth title, and is looking to become the first driver to win three in a row since Cale Yarborough in 1976-78. DRIVER: Dale Earnhardt Jr. ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,010 HOMETOWN: Kannapolis, N.C. AGE: 33 CAR: No. 88 AMP Energy-National Guard Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Tony Eury Jr. BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 3rd (2003) OUTLOOK: Earnhardt has improved dramatically as a member of Rick Hendrick's wildly successful stable, even ending a 76-race winless streak, but still hasn't approached the dominance Johnson and Gordon have enjoyed at times. He limped to the finish in the regular season, but is very capable of getting hot when it matters most — the final 10 races. DRIVER: Clint Bowyer ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,010 HOMETOWN: Emporia, Kan. AGE: 28 CAR: No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Gil Martin BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 3rd (2007) OUTLOOK: Gained his first career victory last season in the first race of the Chase, and followed that up with another this season. The third Richard Childress Racing driver in this year's field, his victory moves him to the top half of the seedings for the playoffs. DRIVER: Denny Hamlin ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,010 HOMETOWN: Chesterfield, Va. AGE: 27 CAR: No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Mike Ford BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 3rd (2006) OUTLOOK: A rookie sensation when he finished third in the Chase in his first season driving fulltime for Joe Gibbs two seasons ago, Hamlin hasn't lived up to expectations since. He finished 12th in last season's playoffs, and has just 14 top 10s this season. DRIVER: Jeff Burton ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,010 HOMETOWN: South Boston, Va. AGE: 41 CAR: No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Scott Miller BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 3rd (2000) OUTLOOK: Burton may have done the most with the least among the Chase drivers. He won once and had just four top five finishes, but three came during an early six-race string of top 10 runs that vaulted him to the top of the standings. He may be the best active driver never to win the championship. DRIVER: Tony Stewart ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,000 HOMETOWN: Rushville, Ind. AGE: 37 CAR: No. 20 Home Depot Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Greg Zipadelli BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 1st (2002, 2005) OUTLOOK: Winless for the first time in 10 seasons of Sprint Cup racing, Stewart is looking to get on one of his trademark winning streaks. Teammate Kyle Busch's dominance shows that it's not the equipment keeping him out of Victory Lane, and talk that he's preoccupied with work on his new team for next season could spark him to focus on winning his third title. DRIVER: Greg Biffle ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,000 HOMETOWN: Vancouver, Wash. AGE: 38 CAR: No. 16 3M Ford CREW CHIEF: Greg Erwin BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 2nd (2005) OUTLOOK: Biffle has been one of the steadiest non-winners this season and qualified for the playoffs for just the second time. He probably would have won the championship in 2005 if not for a mistake on pit road that cost him and he wound up 35 points behind Tony Stewart. DRIVER: Jeff Gordon ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,000 HOMETOWN: Vallejo, Calif. AGE: 37 CAR: No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Steve Letarte BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 1st (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001) OUTLOOK: Once viewed as a threat the the seven titles won by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Gordon has not fared well either in the Chase format or the Car of Tomorrow. He was second to teammate Johnson last season after dominating the regular season standings, and hasn't won a race since he won two straight in the first half of the Chase last season. DRIVER: Kevin Harvick ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,000 HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, Calif. AGE: 32 CAR: No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet CREW CHIEF: Todd Berrier BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 4th (2006) OUTLOOK: Harvick hasn't won in 61 races, but finished strong with top 10 runs in six straight races leading into the Chase. He's also one of the few drivers without a DNF in 2008, and that steadiness could put him in good stead over the final three months. DRIVER: Matt Kenseth ADJUSTED CHASE POINTS: 5,000 HOMETOWN: Cambridge, Wis. AGE: 36 CAR: No. 17 DeWalt Tools Ford CREW CHIEF: Chip Bolin BEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINISH: 1st (2003) OUTLOOK: Winless for the first time in seven seasons, the third Roush-Fenway driver in the Chase need only look up at teammate Edwards to know that his equipment isn't keeping him out of Victory Lane. Best Chase finish in four previous tries was second to Johnson in 2006. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

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