2008 CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP

After Race #4 of 10:  Talladega #2

Races Left in the Chase:  6 (60%)

Charlotte               Texas

Martinsville           Phoenix

Atlanta                   Homestead

 

Season/Chase      Out of     Lst Rce  Lst 5       Overall  Chase      Top         Top         Bottom

Pos./LW                 Pts             1^st         Fin/Pts    Pts/         W—2—3   W—2—3               5s            10s          10s         

1/2-JGordon (+15)5690/650   --           1/190       680          5—5—2     1—1—0                 18-3         24-3         1-0

2/1-Johnson (-15) 5681/621   -9           2/175       711          6—2—5     0—1—1                 16-2         19-3         5-0

3/3-Bowyer (-49)   5627/627   -63         11/135     759          1—1—1     1—1—0                 4-2           14-2         3-0

4/4-Stewart (-37)  5536/506   -154       8/147       656          3—3—2     0—0—1                 10-1         21-3         5-1

5/5-Harvick (-76)   5488/478   -202       20/108     624          1—1—0     0—0—0                 4-0           12-1         3-0

6/7-Edwards (-63) 5485/465   -205       14/121     506          3—1—2     1—0—0                 8-1           12-1         3-1

7/9-KuBsh (-38)     5475/458   -215       7/146       496          2—0—2     0—0—0                 5-0           11-1         2-0

8/6-KyBsh (-124)   5430/420   -260       36/60       523          1—2—1     0—0—0                 8-2           16-2         5-2

9/12-Hamlin (-14)  5428/418   -262       4/170       573          1—2—5     0—0—0                 11-1         16-1         3-1

10/8-Truex (-142)  5390/380   -300       42/42       498          1—2—1     0—0—0                 6-1           11-1         5-2

11/11-Kensth (-99)5372/362   -318       26/85       483          1—2—1     0—0—0                 8-0           17-1         5-2

12/10-JBrtn (-150) 5354/344   -336       43/34       453          1—1—2     0—0—0                 7-0           13-1         5-2

 

NOTES

ท          THE DRIVE FOR FIVE:  Jeff Gordon stormed to the lead at Talladega and to the point in The Chase, but Saturday night poses a big challenge for JG as he guns for championship number five.  Gordon has finishes of 30—2—30—38—36—24—41 in his last seven starts at LMS.

ท          THE PUSH FOR THE PODIUM:  Only the top 10 of the 12 Chasers get to the stage at the Waldorf for the championship banquet. Martin Truex occupies the final spot, +18 over Matt Kenseth and +36 over Jeff Burton.

ท          SMOKE NEEDS TO GET HOT:  Tony Stewart is about one race behind as he goes to LMS, and he doesn’t have a top 5 there in the last seven starts. He has to string together top 5s and hope the law of averages catches up with the leaders.

 

2007 CHASE FINISHES

                                NH     DO    KS     TA     LO     MA     AT     TX     PH     HO

1—J Gordon          2       11        5        1

2—J Johnson       6       14        3        2

3—C Bowyer         1       12        2      11

4—T Stewart         3         9      39        8

5—K Harvick          17      20        6      20

6—C Edwards       12        1      37      14

7—Ku Busch          25      29      11        7

8—Ky Busch            4        5      41      36

9—D Hamlin           15      38      29        4

10—M Truex           5      13      38      42

11—M Kenseth       7      35      35      26

12—J Burton         18        7      36      43

 

 

CHASE COMPARISON CHARTS

                                      Out of                                              Out of                                              Out of

2006                        Pts/1st                   2005                        Pts/1st                   2004                        Pts/1st

1-JBURTON            5598/+6                   1-TSTEWART         5684/+75                 1-KUBUSCH            5685/+29

2-MKENSETH          5592/-6                    2-RNEWMAN          5609/-75                  2-DALE JR              5656/-29

3-MMARTIN           5588/-10                  3-GBIFFLE              5596/-88                  3-JGORDON            5606/-79

4-KHARVICK          5565/-33                  4-RWALLACE        5594/-90                  4-ESADLER             5542/-143

5-DHAMLIN            5547/-51                  5-JJOHNSON          5592/-92                  5-MMARTIN           5535/-150

6-DALE JR              5492/-106                6-CEDWARDS         5589/-95                 6-TSTEWART         5512/-173

7-JGORDON            5451/-147                7-MMARTIN           5571/-113                7-MKENSETH          5505/-180

8-JJOHNSON          5442/-156                8-MKENSETH          5568/-116                8-RNEWMAN          5453/-232

9-KKAHNE               5413/-185                9-JMAYFIELD         5527/-157                9-JJOHNSON          5438/-247

10-KYBUSCH          5413/-185                10-KUBUSCH          5460/-224                10-JMAYFIELD       5428/-257