Rewind | Tracking the top 12 and on to Martinsville
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009
Getty Images for NASCAR
CONCORD, NC - OCTOBER 17: Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 Transformers Chevrolet, leads Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 17, 2009 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images for NASCAR
CONCORD, NC - OCTOBER 17: Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 Transformers Chevrolet, races Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 17, 2009 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images
CONCORD, NC - OCTOBER 17: Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Aflac Ford, makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 17, 2009 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
Getty Images for NASCAR
CONCORD, NC - OCTOBER 17: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Old Spice Chevrolet, makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 17, 2009 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Staff Photographer
10/17/09 Jimmie Johnson celebrates his win in the NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. DAVIE HINSHAW - dhinshaw@charlotteobserver.com
Tracking the Chase
1. Jimmie Johnson
A NASCAR-record fourth straight Cup series championship seems well within his grasp. He also is four wins from 50 career Cup wins.
2. Mark Martin (-90)
A dustup on a restart in the middle of the race left him with some damage to the nose of his car. He actually fell a lap down at one point.
3. Jeff Gordon (-135)
A late two-tire stop got him up front and he briefly took the lead from his Hendrick teammate, Johnson. But he faded to fourth.
4. Tony Stewart (-155)
He finished 13th and had a quiet night, but he needed to make some noise to stay in the hunt.
5. Kurt Busch (-177)
Busch rallied for a 10th-place finish that keeps him theoretically still in contention for a second Cup title.
6. Juan Pablo Montoya (-195)
Not a good time for his first bad race in the Chase as Johnson cruised to another win. He went from title contender to trailing Johnson by 195 points with five races left.
7. Greg Biffle (-268)
Wasn't running that great, then a four-wide move by Stewart late in the race resulted in Biffle getting spun by David Stremme. He still managed to finish 16th.
8. Ryan Newman (-288)
Newman had an uneventful race and finished 11th. A clean race was enough to gain two spots in the standings.
9. Kasey Kahne (-331)
Late in the race, he and Matt Kenseth were the only cars who looked like they could challenge Johnson for the win. Johnson beat him off pit road on the last round of pit stops to take back the lead.
10. Carl Edwards (-341)
Had a horribly loose car that eventually wound up blowing the engine. Edwards called it "a mercy killing."
11. Denny Hamlin (-372)
Last week Hamlin made an error that caused a wreck. This time it was a transmission problem. Two bad races and he's now out of picture.
12. Brian Vickers (-485)
Just has not been on track since the Chase started.
Next race
Tums 500
Where: Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
When: 1 p.m. Sunday.
TV: ABC.
Radio: Motor Racing Network.
Last year’s winner: Jimmie Johnson.
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