“Road To A Miami Championship”

The “Road To A Miami Championship” Runs Through Virginia This Weekend

An  Unprecedented Fourteen Drivers Eligible To Race Their Way Into The NASCAR Chase For The Sprint Cup Championship

MIAMI—When NASCAR announced its new-for-2011 Chase “Wild Card” element earlier this year, this is probably the scenario they envisioned heading into Saturday night’s race at Richmond. An unprecedented 14 drivers have a shot at three remaining spots in the 12-driver 2011 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which will culminate at Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 20. Four-time Sprint Cup Champion Jeff Gordon survived a two-day rain delay, a loose race car and a charging Jimmie Johnson over the final laps to get his 85th career victory at Atlanta. With the runner-up finish, Johnson heads to Richmond, the final race before the start of the Chase, as the points leader. The Chase will consist of the Top 10 drivers in points plus the two drivers from 11th to 20th with the most wins.

Following the race in Atlanta, nine drivers are locked in, but an unbelievable 14 drivers still have a chance at racing their way into The Chase with just Saturday night’s race remaining before the field is set. The top eight drivers – Johnson, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman – have each clinched a Top 10 spot. Brad Keselowski, with three wins, has locked up at least a Wild Card berth. Drivers who are looking to clinch a Chase berth at Richmond include:

•             Dale Earnhardt Jr.: A finish of 20th or better will lock him into The Chase. Even if Keselowski does knock Earnhardt out of the Top 10, he could still earn a Chase berth

if there is only one winner from spots 11th to 20th, a mathematical possibility.

•             Tony Stewart: A finish of 18th or better will lock him into The Chase. Like Earnhardt, even if Keselowski does knock Stewart out of the Top 10, Stewart could still earn a

                Chase berth if there is only one winner from spots 11th to 20th.

·                     Denny Hamlin: A win and he’s in. Hamlin doesn’t have to win, though. If he stays ahead of all one-win drivers, and there are no other two-win drivers inside the Top

20, he’s in The Chase. Also, if Keselowski does vault into the Top 10, Hamlin could still make The Chase if there is a two-win driver from 11th to 20th as long as he’s higher in points than any other one-win driver.

•             AJ Allmendinger: Allmendinger is where the Wild Card drama starts to ratchet up. A win is the ONLY thing that matters for him, and a number of other drivers. He’ll

need a win and movement up the points to nab the tie-breaker. He finished seventh at Richmond in April.

•             Clint Bowyer: Of the winless drivers, Bowyer might be the best bet. Bowyer won here in 2008, and has an average finish of 9.5. He needs a win, and poor finishes by

other drivers.

•             Greg Biffle: One of six winless drivers who won in 2010, Biffle’s best Richmond finish was third in 2005. He needs a win, and poor finishes by other drivers.

•             Martin Truex Jr.: Two of his last four finishes this season have been in the top five. His best Richmond finish is fifth in 2008. He needs a win and poor finishes by other

drivers.

•             Kasey Kahne: Kahne, who needs a win and poor finishes by other drivers, won at Richmond in 2005, his first career victory.

•             Joey Logano: Needs a win and poor finishes by other drivers; best Richmond finish: fourth in this race last season.

•             Mark Martin: Needs a win and poor finishes by other drivers; won at Richmond in 1990.

•             Paul Menard: Win and he’s in. Pretty simple. His finishes at Richmond haven’t been so easy. His best: 16th in 2007.

•             Marcos Ambrose: If he wins, and gets into the Top 20, he’s in. Consider him a solid dark horse candidate. Two of his last three Richmond finishes were in the top 10.

•             Miami resident Juan Pablo Montoya: Needs a win and poor finishes by other drivers. Best finish was sixth in May of last year.

•             David Ragan: If he wins, and gets into the Top 20, he’s in. Ragan finished fourth in April and third in 2007.

Never before have there been more than seven drivers eligible to race their way into The Chase entering the final race of the “regular season”. With 14 drivers having a chance at NASCAR’s version of the playoffs, expect a thrilling race at Richmond, with tempers flaring and drivers taking chances in hopes of making the Chase. The Chase will feature the Top 10 points-scoring drivers plus two wild cards not in the Top 10 who score the highest number of victories contending for NASCAR’s Chase For The Sprint Cup Championship “playoff” system—the winner of which will be crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend for a 10th consecutive season Nov. 20.

Next up for the Sprint Cup drivers is Race 26 at Richmond on Saturday, Sept. 10 (7:00 p.m. ET, ABC and MRN Radio)