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Let the Race to the Chase begin

Location: Blogs Running Wide Open
Posted by: Joe VanHoose	6/29/2007 4:34 AM
Ten races from now, the top 12 drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup point standings will branch off from the rest of the pack and race for the championship. With ten races to go until the cutout, it’s time to take a look at who’s in, who’s out, and who’s in trouble. Chase Locks Jeff Gordon (1st) holds on to a 171-point lead over second place, even after he was docked 100 points this week for inspection infractions at Sonoma. He’s got the most wins, the most top fives and the most top tens. Denny Hamlin (2nd) hasn’t won this year, but he’s been in contention nearly every week. His average finish of 9.9 is among the best in the sport. Matt Kenseth (3rd) hardly gets any media time, but he’s been more effective than flashy this year. The California race winner also has 10 top-10s in 16 starts. Jeff Burton (4th) started off strong, winning at Texas earlier this year. But ever since his Cingular sponsorship changed to AT&T, his average finish has slipped. A third-place finish last week got him back on track though. Jimmie Johnson (5th) has won four races like his Hendrick teammate, but he has only nine top-10s. Tony Stewart (6th) has had run-ins with several drivers this year, hitting everything but the lottery. But he also has the second most top-10s (11) this season and has been unbeatable during the summer before. Chase Probables Carl Edwards (7th) has been hot and cold this season with only five top-10s, but his Michigan win should propel him to his second Chase berth. Kevin Harvick (8th) started out winning the Daytona 500 but has fizzled a little since. A second-place finish last week improved his chances greatly though. Clint Bowyer(9th) doesn’t know anything about a sophomore slump. He runs strong almost every week, has eight top-10s, and will win before the year is over. After finding out he was getting kicked to Hendrick’s curb, Kyle Busch (10th) has rolled off three straight top-10 finishes. Martin Truex (11th) snapped his top-5 streak with a rough run at Sonoma, but his win at Dover shows this team can be competitive almost every week. Ryan Newman (13th) has made ground with several good runs over the past few weeks. Now 13th in the standings and only 96 points behind 12th-place Dale Earnhardt Jr., Newman has his crosshairs set. Better Luck Next Year He may be in the Chase if it started tomorrow, but this 10-race stretch combined with all the hoopla surrounding his plans for next year spells trouble for Dale Earnhardt Jr (12th). The bright spot could come next week in Daytona, but too many mines lay ahead for Driver 8. Jamie McMurray (14th) looked to have a resurgent year, but his run to the top has stalled as of late. His failed fuel mileage gamble last week sealed his fate. Mark Martin (15th) would be in the Chase for sure if he wasn’t running a limited schedule. Still, good for you, Mark, for sticking to your game plan. Kurt Busch (16th) is over 150 points behind 12th and doesn’t have the car to get back into contention. That means the Chase may be without a beer-sponsored car for the first time. Ocala Speedway Results for June 22 Street Stock 1. Mike Stalnaker 2. Mike Wilson 3. Jeff Stalnaker Late Model 1. Scott Grossenbacher 2. Kurt Jett 3. Daniel Webster Sportsman 1. William Edwards 2. Gig Smith 3. Harold Barup Pure Stock 1. Tommy Roberts 2. James Sullivan 3. Jessie Corbett Thunder Stock 1. Chris Oliveri 2. Scott Anderson 3. Josh Brown 4-Cylinder Stock 1. Karl Born 2. Brandon Elwood 3. Justyn Elwood

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