2007 CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP

After Race #3 of 10:  Kansas

Races Left in the Chase:  7 (70%)

Talladega               Texas

Charlotte               Phoenix

Martinsville           Homestead

Atlanta

 

 

Season/Chase                      Out of     Lst Rce  Lst 5                       Overall  Chase                    Top         Top         Bottom

Pos./LW                                 Pts             1^st         Fin/Pts    Pts/         W—2—3   W—2—3               5s            10s          10s         

1/4-Johnson (+10)                5506/446   --           3/170       726          6—1—5     0—0—1                 15-1         18-2         5-0

2/1-JGordon (-8)                   5500/460   -6           5/160       587          4—5—2     0—1—0                 17-2         23-2         1-0

3/5-Bowyer (+4)                    5492/492   -14         2/170       727          1—1—1     1—1—0                 4-2           14-2         3-0

4/2-Stewart (-115)                5389/359   -117       39/51       638          3—3—2     0—0—1                 10-1         20-2         5-1

5/9-Harvick (-11)                   5380/370   -126       6/155       637          1—1—0     0—0—0                 4-0           12-1         3-0

6/4-KyBsh (-126)                   5370/360   -136       41/40       638          1—2—1     0—0—0                 8-2           16-2         4-1

7/6-Edwards (-139)               5364/344   -142       37/52       555          3—1—2     1—0—0                 8-1           12-1         3-1

8/7-Truex (-112)                    5348/338   -158       38/54       611          1—2—1     0—0—0                 6-1           11-1         4-1

9/11-KuBsh (-29)                   5329/312   -177       11/140     493          2—0—2     0—0—0                 5-0           10-0         2-0

10/8-Burton (-111)                5320/310   -186       36/55       584          1—1—2     0—0—0                 7-0           13-1         4-1

11/10-Kensth(-103)               5287/277   -219       35/63       544          1—2—1     0—0—0                 8-0           17-1         5-2

12/12-Hamlin (-90)                5258/248   -248       29/76       509          1—2—5     0—0—0                 10-0         15-0         3-1

                               

NOTES

·          HERE COMES CLINT:  Clint Bowyer is peaking at the right time. He has only three podium finishes all season, but two have come in the three Chase races.  Talladega presents a mental roadblock, as Bowyer has finishes of 40-35-35 in three starts.

·          REMEMBER JIMMIE:  Kurt Busch (-177), Jeff Burton (-186), Matt Kenseth (-219) and Denny Hamlin (-248) are all more than one race out of the lead, and one more bobble in the next couple of races will probably eliminate that driver. Take heart, because Jimmie Johnson stood 165 points out at this time last season.

·          MISTER CONSISTENT:  Kurt Busch does have a big margin to make up to get back into Case contention, but he boasts an admirable streak of six straight Talladega Top 10s coming into Sunday.

 

2007 CHASE FINISHES

                                NH     DO    KS     TA     LO     MA     AT     TX     PH     HO

1—J Johnson       6       14        3

2—J Gordon          2       11        5

3—C Bowyer         1       12        2

4—T Stewart         3         9      39

5—K Harvick          17      20        6

6—Ky Busch          4         5      41

7—C Edwards       12        1      37

8—M Truex           5       13      38

9—Ku Busch         25      29      11

10—J Burton         18        7      36

11—M Kenseth       7      35      35

12—D Hamlin         15      38      29

 

 

CHASE COMPARISON CHARTS

                                      Out of                                              Out of                                              Out of

2006                        Pts/1st                   2005                        Pts/1st                   2004                        Pts/1st

1-JBURTON            5511/+69                 1-TSTEWART         5519/+4                   1-KUBUSCH            5530/+12

2-DHAMLIN            5442/-69                  2-RNEWMAN          5515/-4                    2-DALE JR              5518/-12

3-MMARTIN           5441/-70                  3-RWALLACE        5443/-76                  3-JGORDON            5482/-48

4-MKENSETH          5427/-84                  4-JJOHNSON          5437/-82                  4-MMARTIN           5432/-98

5-KHARVICK          5414/-96                  5-GBIFFLE              5421/-98                  5-MKENSETH          5393/-137

6-JGORDON            5391/-120                6-CEDWARDS         5419/-100                6-TSTEWART         5391/-139

7-DALE JR              5388/-123                7-MKENSETH          5408/-111                7-RNEWMAN          5384/-146

8-JJOHNSON          5346/-165                8-JMAYFIELD         5407/-112                8-ESADLER             5377/-153

9-KYBUSCH            5278/-233                9-MMARTIN           5381/-138                9-JJOHNSON          5371/-159

10-KKAHNE             5238/-283                10-KUBUSCH          5339/-180                10-JMAYFIELD       5263/-267