2008 RACE TO THE CHASE

After Race #22 of 26:  Watkins Glen

Races Left to the Chase:  4

Michigan               California

Bristol                    Richmond

 

                                                Out of     LstRace                Lst 5       Finishes                Top         Top         Bottom

08/LW/07              Pts          13^th         Fin/Pts   Gain        Pts          1—2—3                 5s           10s         10s-MR

1/1/8-Ky Busch    3254       +648       1/195      +90         758/E      8—1—2                 13           14           3

2/3/5-C Edwards 3012       +406       9/138      +33         750/+2   4—4—0                 9              16           2

3/4/7-J Johnson  3010       +404       7/151      +46         780/+2   2—3—1                 7              12           1

4/2/14-Dale Jr      2985       +379       22/102   -3            618/-1    1—1—1                 7              12           2

5/5/6-J Burton      2945       +339       17/112   +7           513/-3    1—0—1                 4              11           1

 

6/6/1-J Gordon     2754       +148       29/76      -29          593/E      0—1—3                 8              10           3

7/9/4-T Stewart   2744       +138       2/175      +70         681/+2   0—3—1                 8              11           4

8/7/27-K Kahne    2713       +107       14/121   +16         682/+2   2—1—0                 3              11           1

9/10/2-D Hamlin   2689       +83         8/142      +37         539/-2    1—0—4                 6              11           3

10/8/15-G Biffle    2689       +83         21/100   -5            570/-2    0—1—2                 6              9              3

11/11/10-Harvick2670       +64         6/150      +45         657/+1   0—1—1                 4              8              3

12/13/3-Kenseth 2628       +22         12/127   +22         628/+1   0—0—2                 4              12           5

                                                Out of

                                                12^th

13/12/9-Bowyer   2606       -22          23/94      -22          581/-2    1—1—1                 4              10           2

14/14/23-Ragan   2539       -89          30/73      -43          645/+3   0—0—0                 4              7              2

15/15/13-Newmn2424       -204        26/85      -31          519/E      1—0—0                 2              7              4

16/17/11-Truex    2419       -209        5/155      +39         474/-2    0—0—0                 3              7              3

17/16/39-Vickers2418       -210        18/109   -7            509/-1    0—1—0                 3              5              3

18/1812-KuBsh   2269       -359        10/134   +18         475/E      1—1—0                 3              5              5

19/19/17-McMry  2231       -397        16/115   -1            575/+5   0—0—0                 0              5              4

20/21/22-ESadler2159       -469        15/118   +2           538/+5   0—0—0                 2              5              6

 

CHASE SEEDING

 

1   Kyle Busch                      5080      

2   Carl Edwards                 5030       -50

3   J Johnson                       5020       -60

4   Kasey Kahne                  5020       -60

5   Dale Jr                             5010       -70

6   Denny Hamlin                 5010       -70

7   Jeff Burton                      5010       -70

8   Tony Stewart                  5000       -80

9 Jeff Gordon                    5000       -80

10 Greg Biffle                       5000       -80

11 Kevin Harvick                 5000       -80

12 Matt Kenseth                 5000       -80

 

 

NOTES

 

 

ท          FORMULA FOR CHARGING TO THE CHASE?  TOP FIVES.  The greatest comeback in Chase history is Matt Kenseth’s charge over the final four races in 2006. After an 18^th at Watkins Glen, Kenseth stood 162 points out of 10^th place. Here’s what he did from there:

Michigan               3^rd           170 points

Bristol                    1^st           190 points

California              7^th           151 points

Richmond             2^nd          175 points

Mark Martin overcame a 72 point deficit in the first Race to the Chase in 2004. Here’s his

Four race chart in 04:

Michigan               2^nd          175 points

Bristol                    13^th         124 points

California              3^rd           175 points

Richmond             5^th           155 points

ท          WHAT’S SAFE?  In 2006, Tony Stewart seemed relatively safe in 7^th place, 122 points ahead of 11^th place.  Stewart missed the Chase.Sixth place Jeff Gordon fell back into the danger zone with his 29^th at the Glen, and now sits just 148 points ahead of 13^th place Clint Bowyer.

ท          A NEW RECORD ON CHANGES IN THE CHASE.  For the seventh consecutive race, we saw a change in the Chase field as Matt Kenseth replaced Clint Bowyer in 12^th, finishing 12^th to Bowyer’s 22^nd at the Glen. Kenseth could gain more ground at Michigan this Sunday.  We now have nine drivers fighting for seven spots at risk.

ท          RAGAN DROPS VITAL POINTS, BUT MICHIGAN POSES OPPORTUNITY.  David Ragan lost 43 precious points to 12^th place with his 30^th at the Glen, but he should a contender for a top five at MIS after getting an eighth in June. California should be another opportunity for the Roush Fenway driver.

ท          ROWDY COULD CLINCH SUNDAY.  Leaving Michigan, you will need a 586-point lead over 13^th place to be assured a spot in the 08 Chase, even if you don’t start any of the three remaining races. Kyle Busch enters Michigan with a 648-point margin over 13^th and should wrap up the first clinch spot at MIS.

 

 

RACE TO THE CHASE COMPARISON CHARTS

                                      Out of                                              Out of                                              Out of

2007                       Pts/13^th                 2006                       Pts/11^th                 2005                       Pts/11th

1-JGORDON       3384+951                1-J JOHNSON      3241/+569            1-T STEWART      3113/+523

2-D HAMLIN          3040/+607            2-M KENSETH      3117/+445            2-J JOHNSON      3008/+418

3-M KENSETH      2952/+519            3-K HARVICK        2918/+246            3-G BIFFLE            2861/+271

4-T STEWART      2939/+506            4-J BURTON         2879/+207            4-R WALLACE      2855/+265

5-C EDWARDS     2824/+391            5-KY BUSCH         2871/+199            5-M MARTIN         2782/+192

6-J BURTON         2806/+373            6-M MARTIN         2815+143             6-KU BUSCH         2692/+102

7-J JOHNSON      2789/+356            7-T Stewart          2794/+122            7-J MAYFIELD      2684/+94

8-KY BUSCH         2757/+324            8-D HAMLIN          2782/+110            8-R NEWMAN       2646/+56

9-C BOWYER        2667/+234            9-J GORDON        2756/+84               9-J McMurray      2599/+9

10-K HARVICK     2655/+222            10-DALE JR          2726/+54               10-C EDWARDS   2593/+3

11-M TRUEX         2587/+154            Out of 10^th                                            Out of 10^th

12-KU BUSCH      2529/+96               11-K KAHNE         2672/-54                11-E Sadler          2590/-3

                                Out of 12^th            12-Ku Busch        2554/-172             12-D Jarrett         2590/-3

13-R Newman      2433/-96                13-G Biffle             2546/-180             13-J Gordon         2526/-67

14-Dale Jr             2429/-100             14-C Edwards      2535/-191             14-K Harvick        2523/-70

15-G Biffle             2317/-212             15-B Vickers        2366/-360             15-Dale Jr             2430/-160

16-C Mears          2231/-298             16-R Newman      2351/-375             16-M KENSETH    2428/-162

17-J McMurray    2213/-316             17-C Bowyer        2345/-381             17-J Nemechek  2386/-207

18-M Martin          2183/-346             18-J McMurray    2338/-388             18-B Vickers        2349/-244

19-J Montoya       2178/-351             19-C Mears          2337/-389             19-K Kahne          2324/-269

20-B Labonte       2126/-403             20-E Sadler          2215/-511             20-Ky Busch        2290/-303

 

 

                                Out of

2004                       Pts/11^th

1-J JOHNSON      3143/+511

2-J GORDON        3103/+471

3-DALE JR            3015/+383

4-T STEWART      2951/+319

5-M KENSETH      2876/+244

6-E SADLER          2792+160

7-KU BUSCH         2754/+122

8-K Harvick          2717+85

9-B Labonte         2714/+82

10-J MAYFIELD    2656/+24

                                Out of 10^th

11-K Kahne          2632/-24

12-R NEWMAN     2627/-29

13-M MARTIN       2584/-72

14-D Jarrett         2569/-87

15-J McMurray    2557/-99

16-C Mears          2452/-204

17-M Waltrip        2371/-285

18-R Wallace       2362/-294

19-R Gordon         2289/-367

20-S Marlin           2278/-378

 

Names in ALL CAPS made the Chase in that year