‘Go Time’ For Chase Contenders

‘Go Time’ For Chase Contenders With Regular Season Winding Down

It’s go-time with 10 races remaining until the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ begins. Four drivers with multiple victories – Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch – have established themselves as championship co-favorites. The remainder of the current top 10, particularly among the second five, remains fluid with weekly comings and goings. The difference between 10^th and 14^th in the standings is just 14 points.

 

Sonoma Victory Moves Truex Into Title Conversation

Among the “comers” is Sonoma Raceway winner Martin Truex Jr., who occupied a top-10 position in the standings once already this season (ninth after Charlotte) and stood 34^th in the standings after race No. 2 in Phoenix. Truex, a two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion and NNS road race winner in Mexico City, bumped Tony Stewart out of 10^th and into a possible Wild Card berth. Truex is a single point behind reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion and defending Kentucky winner Brad Keselowski.

 

Kahne, Stewart Hold This Week’s Chase Wild Card Hands

Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart, both one-time winners in 2013, hold the Wild Card hands heading into this weekend’s Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Kahne is 11^th in points, eight behind Martin Truex Jr. Stewart is 15^th, 20 points out of the top 10. Kahne finished second in last year’s Kentucky race while Stewart was 32^nd. Among those vying for Wild Card consideration is Paul Menard, third in Wild Card standings but ranked in the top 10 after eight events this year; and Jeff Gordon, who finished second at Sonoma and trails Menard by one position and four points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings.

 

Gordon Can Fill Dance Card, Improve Chase Chances At Kentucky

Kentucky Speedway is the only “blank spot” on Jeff Gordon’s 87-victory dance card. The four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion counts at least one victory on every other track currently scheduled having erased Homestead-Miami Speedway from the short list last November. Gordon finished fifth at Kentucky Speedway a year ago behind Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kasey Kahne (second) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (fourth). Jimmie Johnson was sixth placing each HMS car in the top 10.

           

Ford Teams Gain Momentum As Gen-6 Development Continues

Through much of the early season – and as teams develop their Gen-6 race cars – Ford had appeared to trail both Chevrolet and Toyota. The tide appears to be changing. Two Ford teams and three Ford  Fusion drivers occupy top-10 positions in the standings. Carl Edwards, who trails leader Jimmie Johnson by 25 points, is second with one victory. Roush Fenway Racing teammate Greg Biffle, the Pocono winner earlier this month, is sixth. Brad Keselowski and Penske Racing stand ninth. A third-place finish at Sonoma was Edwards’ best since Talladega while Biffle recorded his third consecutive top 10. Keselowski’s teammate, Joey Logano, continues to impress in his first season in the No. 22 Ford. An 11^th-place finish on the road course snapped a four-race, top-10 run but left the Connecticut driver just 14 points out of a Chase eligible ranking.