There are 12 in the Chase, not two (or three)

DAVID POOLE

The Charlotte Observer

Friday, Sep. 05, 2008

One of the popular questions Friday at Richmond International Raceway was about whether anybody other than Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards should be considered serious championship contenders this year.

"Jimmie (Johnson) wasn't even an issue until two or three months ago," Denny Hamlin said.

"He did a lot of testing and picked up his program. It could happen for any one of the guys who gets in. Greg (Biffle) is starting to run well and I feel like we're coming into our own off a couple of third-place finishes.

"It's hard for the 99 (Edwards) and 18 (Busch) to get much better than they have been. We see it in this sport - there are always peaks and valleys and guys seem to peak either before the Chase or after it begins. It's hard to see somebody stay on top for an entire year because when someone goes out there and dominates it just forces everyone else to go to work."

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