There are now five drivers locked into the Sprint Cup Chase. Points leaders, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson, are in. Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards are also set by virtue of a top ten position in the points and Kevin Harvick, who has three Cup wins, is seeded based on at least a wild card spot.
That leaves two races, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway, as NASCAR’s versions of stress test.
In January NASCAR officials announced some changes to eligibility requirements for the Chase. Last year the top 12 points scoring drivers were eligible. This year the top ten drivers in the points are locked in. Then the 11th and 12th Chase spot can go to a driver in the top 20; provided he has one win. The tie breaker will be regular season points.
All the Chasers will have their points reset to 2,000. One other wrinkle is that (three) bonus points for wins in the regular season will be awarded only to drivers in the top ten after the Richmond race. That puts extra pressure on Brad Keselowski, who is currently 11th to get into tenth place to get the bonus points for his three wins this year.
NASCAR has issued the following “clinch” possibilities for the top ten:
Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon: Both 93 points ahead of 11th, Harvick and Gordon can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of 40th; or 41st and at least one lap led; or 42nd and the most laps led.
Ryan Newman: Currently 73 points ahead of 11th, Newman can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of 20th; or 21st and at least one lap led; or 22nd and the most laps led.
Kurt Busch: Currently 60 points ahead of 11th, Busch can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of seventh; or eighth and at least one lap led; or ninth and the most laps led.
Both Dale Earnhardt Jr. (39 points ahead of 11th) and Tony Stewart (21 points ahead) can both mathematically reach that 49-point threshold but would need to help. No specific finish guarantees a spot.
At the moment Keselowski is 11th, with 689 points and three wins, Denny Hamlin, is 12th, with 672 points and one win and Paul Menard, is 20th with one win, are the leading Wild Card candidates.
That leaves two races, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Richmond International Raceway, as NASCAR’s versions of stress test.
In January NASCAR officials announced some changes to eligibility requirements for the Chase. Last year the top 12 points scoring drivers were eligible. This year the top ten drivers in the points are locked in. Then the 11th and 12th Chase spot can go to a driver in the top 20; provided he has one win. The tie breaker will be regular season points.
All the Chasers will have their points reset to 2,000. One other wrinkle is that (three) bonus points for wins in the regular season will be awarded only to drivers in the top ten after the Richmond race. That puts extra pressure on Brad Keselowski, who is currently 11th to get into tenth place to get the bonus points for his three wins this year.
NASCAR has issued the following “clinch” possibilities for the top ten:
Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon: Both 93 points ahead of 11th, Harvick and Gordon can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of 40th; or 41st and at least one lap led; or 42nd and the most laps led.
Ryan Newman: Currently 73 points ahead of 11th, Newman can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of 20th; or 21st and at least one lap led; or 22nd and the most laps led.
Kurt Busch: Currently 60 points ahead of 11th, Busch can guarantee a top-10 spot with at least a finish of seventh; or eighth and at least one lap led; or ninth and the most laps led.
Both Dale Earnhardt Jr. (39 points ahead of 11th) and Tony Stewart (21 points ahead) can both mathematically reach that 49-point threshold but would need to help. No specific finish guarantees a spot.
At the moment Keselowski is 11th, with 689 points and three wins, Denny Hamlin, is 12th, with 672 points and one win and Paul Menard, is 20th with one win, are the leading Wild Card candidates.