2005 RACE TO THE CHASE:  LOGJAM DEVELOPING FOR TOP TEN

 

 Unless JIMMIE JOHNSON cools considerably over the summer months (not likely), we’re probably talking about the minimum 10 drivers for The Chase for the Nextel Cup.  Still, there’s plenty of drama and may be more than last year’s runup to The Chase.  Last year at this time, 205 points separated third place DALE EARNHARDT JR. and 16^th place MARK MARTIN.  This season, a mere 125 points separates 3^rd place RUSTY WALLACE and 16^th place JEREMY MAYFIELD. Notable names outside that top 16 are MATT KENSETH (21^st) and KASEY KAHNE (23^rd). 

 

The Golden Boys’ charge continues.  RUSTY WALLACE, STERLING MARLIN, MARK MARTIN AND DALE JARRETT are 45-somethings all occupying spots in the top 10 this week.

 

THE HEAT INDEX

(Last 3races)

RED HOT                                                                 ICE COLD

1—Jimmie Johnson            462                                          1—Scott Wimmer                189

2—Sterling Marlin                445                                          2—Mike Bliss                       204

3—Jeff Gordon                     431                                          3—Jeff Green                       207

4—Rusty Wallace                 428                                          4—Kyle Busch                      225

5—Earnhardt Jr.                   422                                          5—Jason Leffler                  231

6—Greg Biffle                       409                                          6—Carl Edwards                  240

7—Elliott Sadler                    397                                          7—Brian Vickers                  246

7—Dale Jarrett                     397                                          8—Mike Wallace                   248

9—Kevin Harvick                  376                                          9—Dave Blaney                     249

9—Ricky Rudd                      376                                          10—Ken Schrader                284

                                                                                               

 

THE TURNAROUNDS

(Position in Race to the Chase Versus Last Year at this time)

GOOD TURNS                                                                                         BAD TURNS

Rank-Driver                           05            04            Diff.                         Rank-Driver                           05            04            Diff.

1—Greg Biffle                       2              19            +17                          1—Matt Kenseth                  21            2              -19

1—Carl Edwards                  13            30            +17                          2—Kasey Kahne                   23            7              -16

3—Scott Riggs                      18            34            +16                          3—Earnhardt Jr.                   15            3              -12

4—Dale Jarrett                     10            20            +10                          4—Joe Nemechek.              26            17            -9

5—Mark Martin                    7              16            +9                            5—Tony Stewart                  11            4              -7

5—Kyle Petty                        19            28            +9                            6—Ken Schrader                  31            27            -4

5—Michael Waltrip               24            33            +9                          

8—Rusty Wallace                 3              11            +8                           

8—Sterling Marlin                6              14            +8

 

 

2005 RACE TO THE CHASE
After Race #7 of 26:  Texas #1

Races Left to the Chase:  19 (73%)

 

05/LW/04                                Season  Out of     Out of     Out of     LastRce Gain        Last 3     Finishes                                Top         Top                Bottom Bonus-

Driver                     Pts.         1^st            10^th          11^th          Fin/Pts    11^th          Pts          1—2—3                   5s            10s          10s       Penalty Pts

 

1/1/6-Johnson       1142        --            +289        +293        3/165       +43          462          1—2—1                   5              7              0              35-25

2/2/19-Biffle           1007        -135         +154        +158        1/190       +68          409          2—0—1                   3              5              0              30-0

3/7/11-RWallace     905          -237         +52          +56          10/134     +12          428          0—0—0                   1              4              0              15-0

4/9/1-Ku Busch      897          -245         +44          +48          7/151       +29          320          0—1—2                   3              4              1              20-0

5/6/9-JGordon       895          -247         +42          +46          15/123     +1            431          2—0—0                   3              3              1              20-0

6/12/14-Marlin       883          -259         +30          +34          5/160       +38          445          0—0—0                   1              3              1              15-0

7/4/16-Martin         882          -260         +29          +33          20/103     -19          343          0—0—1                   2              4              0              15-0

8/3/5-ESadler         879          -263         +26          +30          28/84       -38           397          0—1—0                   1              4              0              10-0

9/8/10-Newman     873          -269         +20          +24          16/120     -2             358          0—0—0                   1              3              0              25-0

10/10/20-DJarrett  853          -289         --             +4            14/121     -1             397          0—0—0                   1              1              0              5-0

                                                                                                                Gain

                                                                                                                10th

11/5/4-Stewart      849          -293         -4             --             31/75       -46           335          0—0—1                   1              3              0              25-0

12/13/8-Harvick     845          -297         -8             -4             13/124     +4            376          1—0—0                   2              3              0              15-0

13/11/30-Edwards 833          -309         -20           -16           19/106     -15           240          1—0—0                   2              2              1              10-0

14/15/13-McMurray 824       -318         -29           -25           2/170       +49          349          0—0—0                   2              2              0              0-0

15/16/3-ErnhrdtJr 787          -355         -66           -62           9/138       +17          422          0—0—1                   2              3              1              5-0

16/17/12-Mayfield 780          -362         -73           -69           11/135     +14          370          0—0—0                   0              0              0              20-0

17/23/18-Mears     745          -397         -108         -104         4/165       +44          311          0—0—0                   1              2              1              5-0

 

18/14/34-Riggs      733          -409         -120         -116         32/67       -54           301          0—0—0                   1              3              0              0-0

19/19/28-Petty       726          -416         -127         -123         24/96       -25           347          0—0—0                   0              1              1              20-0

20/22/25-JBurton  714          -428         -139         -135         12/127     +6            297          0—0—0                   0              0              1              5-0

21/21/2-Kenseth   708          -434         -145         -141         18/114     -7             369          0—0—0                   0              1              1              20-0

22/20/24-Blaney     707          -435         -146         -142         26/85       -36           249          0—0—0                   0              1              2              10-0

23/18/7-Kahne       698          -444         -155         -151         35/58       -63           349          0—1—0                   2              2              3              5-0

24/30/33-Waltrip    691          -451         -162         -158         6/155       +34          339          0—0—0                   0              2              2              15-0

25/25/22-Bliss        664          -478         -189         -185         22/97       -24           204          0—0—0                   0              0              2              0-0

26/28/17-Nemchek659         -483         -195         -191         17/112     -10           310          0—0—0                   0              1              2              15-0

27/29/23-KyBusch 645          -497         -209         -205         21/100     -22           225          0—1—0                   1              1              2              5-0

28/24/26-Vickers  635          -507         -219         -215         34/61       -61           246          0—0—0                   0              1              3              5-0

29/27/29-Kvapil      625          -517         -229         -225         30/73       -49           301          0—0—0                   0              1              1              5-0

30/34/31-Rudd       598          -544         -256         -252         8/142       +20          376          0—0—0                   0              2              2              0-0

31/32/27-Schrader597          -545         -257         -253         23/99       -23           284          0—0—0                   0              0              2              5-0

32/26/35-JGreen   587          -555         -267         -263         43/34       -88           207          0—0—0                   0              0              1              10-0

33/31/21-Wimmer 558          -584         -295         -291         42/37       -84           189          0—0—0                   0              0              1              5-0

34/33/NA-Leffler   523          -619         -330         -326         36/55       -66           231          0—0—0                   0              0              4              0-0

35/36/37-MWallace515          -627         -338         -334         25/93       -28           248          0—0—0                   0              0              3              10-0

 

LEADER PACE

(The likelihood of the 400-point Wild Card will be determined by the pace set by the leader after 26 races. Here is the pace after four races)

 

2005                                        2004                                        2003                                                        2002

1 J Johnson          1142        1 K Busch        1032              1 M Kenseth    1090                             1 S Marlin              1082

10 D Jarrett           853          10 R Newman    834              10 K Harvick      802                              10 B Elliott              837

17 teams within 400 pts     26 teams within 400            24 teams within 400                            22 teams within 400