six drivers are still in the ‘danger zone’: 7-Greg Biffle +141 ahead of 13th place, 8-Kevin Harvick +129, 9-Jeff Gordon +108 look to be in good shape. It gets more precarious for 10-Matt Kenseth +78, 11-Denny Hamlin +57 and 12-Clint Bowyer +12. In the first Race to the Chase in 2004, Kasey Kahne came to Bristol in 10th place, six points ahead of Jeremy Mayfield. He finished 21st and dropped to 11th place, 26 points out, and ended up missing the inaugural Chase. Saturday night, Kahne got caught up in the big wreck and dropped out of the Top 12 with a 40th place finish. He’s now stuck in 14th spot, 56 points out of Clint Bowyer in 12th. David Ragan overcame a 27th starting spot to post a career-best 10th at Bristol and draw within 12 points of the Top 12. Ragan and the #6 team look poised for a big run at California and could leave Fontana with a spot in the Top 12. Carl Edwards clinched his spot in The Chase (third in his career) in grand fashion, but Dale Junior’s 18th, Jimmie Johnson’s 33rd and Jeff Burton’s 42nd meant all three will have to wait until Fontana to uncork the champagne. If you look at Fontana #1 and both Michigan’s, Denny Hamlin has finishes of 41-14-39 and Clint Bowyer has finishes of 19-26-20. David Ragan has finishes of 14-8-3 and Kasey Kahne has 9-2-40. See more on my Chase Stats after Bristol page and Chase Scenarios on my 2008 Chase page.(8-29-2008)
