The Chase race: It's close at the cut line

Monday, Jun. 22, 2009

A look at the top 13 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings and some of the others potentially with a shot at the 12-team, 10-race Chase field that's set after the first 26 races of the season:

The top 13 after Sonoma

1. Tony Stewart (No. 14 Chevrolet)

Has one win, eight top fives and 12 top 10s. His average finish is 8.4 and he's led eight races for 110 laps.

He stretched his points lead with the second-place finish Sunday. Yeah, we get that nothing is supposed to matter till the playoffs. But, so far, Stewart is the man to beat.

2. Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Chevrolet)

With one win, eight top fives, 11 top 10s and an average finish of 10.1, he's led nine races for 505 laps.

Made an uncharacteristic mistake and got busted for speeding on pit road at Sonoma, but came back for a top-10 finish. If there's an island inhabited by drivers just hanging around within sight of the summit till the playoffs get here, Gordon is their leader.

3. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevrolet)

The three-time defending champ has a pair of wins, seven top fives, 10 top 10s and finishes, on average, at 12.4. He's led 13 races for 794 laps.

Johnson made not one, but two uncharacteristic mistakes Sunday and made up for at least one of them. He could easily get Gordon voted off the island, but he'd rather keep his eyes on the playoffs and the prize than be the head man.

4. Kurt Busch (No. 2 Dodge)

He has that Atlanta win to go with four top fives and eight top 10s. He has an average finish of 13.2 and has led nine races for 325 laps.

On receiving end of one of Johnson's flubs at Sonoma, Busch got a challenge as boss of the Dodge boys on Sunday from Kasey Kahne.

5. Carl Edwards (No. 99 Ford)

Still looking for a win, Edwards has four top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 13.6. He's led eight races for 158 laps.

Knock-knock-knocking, but hasn't gained access to that room where the 2008 winners are.

6. Ryan Newman (No. 39 Chevrolet)

He has five top fives, eight top 10s, an average finish of 13.8 and has held the lead in eight races for 138 laps.

That makes Newman a guy to watch every week, but everyone is kind of waiting to see him win.

7. Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Toyota)

Hamlin has four top fives, six top 10s, an average finish of 14.4 and has led five races for 513 laps.

He seems to have shaken off the struggles of a few weekends back and logged another good finish at Sonoma. Hamlin has been good at New Hampshire and could win again at Loudon.

8. Greg Biffle (No. 16 Ford)

With five top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 14.9, Biffle has led eight races for 354 laps.

Another former winner at NHIS, Biffle has to see the weekend upcoming as another opportunity. Can he capitalize?

9. Kyle Busch (No. 18 Toyota)

Three-time winner in 2008, he has four top fives, five top 10s and an average finish of 16.8. He's led 10 races for 808 laps.

At a recent team meeting at the house that Gibbs built, Busch sat down with the founder and former coach, along with the rest of the leadership. Busch says a hot topic was how the cars just have to get better.

Here's a "how" for you: How do you have a team meeting with only one of your three drivers on hand?

10. Matt Kenseth (No. 17 Ford)

Kenseth has two wins - in the season's first two races - to go with four top fives, six top 10s and an average finish of 15.8. He's led seven races for 184 laps.

Kenseth acknowledges that there's work to be done, but this is still one of the most workmanlike outfits out there. When it comes to the Chase, they'll get the job done.

11. Mark Martin (No. 5 Chevrolet)

Tied with Kyle Busch with three wins, he has four top fives, eight top 10s and an average finish of 17.4. He's been out front in eight races for 218 laps.

Have you heard? The popular veteran says he's having the time of his life. It would probably be a little more fun for his fans if Martin could move up a spot or two as the summer stretch run to the Chase rolls on.

12. Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Chevrolet)

With seven top 10s and an average finish of 15.2, Montoya has led three races for 11 laps.

Those numbers are testament as much to Montoya's recently acquired grasp of how things work in NASCAR vs. Formula One as they are to the difficulties faced by Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. But just making the Chase would be huge for both the driver and organization.

13. Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Dodge)

Kahne has Sunday's win to go with two top fives, five top 10s and an average finish of 15.8. He's led three races for 83 laps.

Kahne was outspoken in May about communication and engines at Richard Petty Motorsports. Don't know if owner George Gillett was preoccupied early this season with money matters related to his hockey and soccer franchises, but those houses are in better order now. And things are looking up for Gillett's race teams, Kahne and frontman Richard Petty.

The top 12 by the numbers

1. Tony Stewart - 2,364 points, 1 win, 0 poles

2. Jeff Gordon - 2,280, 1, 0

3. Jimmie Johnson - 2,207, 2, 0

4. Kurt Busch - 2,084, 1, 0

5. Carl Edwards - 2,051 - 0, 0

6. Ryan Newman - 2,046, 0, 1

7. Denny Hamlin - 2,009, 0, 0

8. Greg Biffle - 1,992, ), 0

9. Kyle Busch - 1,962, 3, 1

10. Matt Kenseth - 1,957, 2, 1

11. Mark Martin, 1,926, 3, 3

12. Juan Pablo Montoya - 1,917, 0, 1

Where some of the others stand

13. Kasey Kahne - 1,914 points

14. David Reutimann - 1,877

15. Jeff Burton - 1,871

16. Clint Bowyer - 1,852

17. Brian Vickers - 1,794

18. Marcos Ambrose - 1,704

19. Jamie McMurray - 1,669

20. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - 1,640

Disclaimer