Chase Frontrunner #48-Jimmie Johnson’s amazing run of consecutive top 10 finishes in The Chase came to an end at Texas at 12, dating back to last season. In fact, Johnson’s 15th is his worst Chase finish since a 24th in race #4 of 2006 at Talladega. That’s how strong and consistent this team has been. Still, the #48 holds the largest lead with two to go in the five-year history of The Chase. It’s not that #99-Carl Edwards and #16-Greg Biffle aren’t good at Phoenix. It’s just that Jimmie Johnson has been terrific there, winning the last two races at PIR, four straight top 5s and six straight Top 10s. Edwards carded a fourth the last time out at PIR and Biffle had a second in the fall race last year. #18-Kyle Busch’s sixth at Texas moved him ahead of #88-Dale Jr. and #11-Denny Hamlin for 10th place, but he stands only one point ahead of Jr. and three ahead of Hamlin for the ‘chase’ to the stage at the Waldorg in NYC, only the top-10 drivers go to MYC and are on the stage. See more stats and history of the chase on my Chase Stats after Texas page and 2008 Chase News/Rules page.(11-6-2008)
