#39-Ryan Newman (-117), #1-Jamie McMurray (-128) and #5-Mark Martin (-147) are all looking to make Chase history at Richmond Saturday night, one becoming the driver to make up the biggest deficit in the last race before the Chase. Jeremy Mayfield’s dramatic win in 2004 overcame a 55 point deficit and landed him in Chase I.
#99-Carl Edwards’ strong second at Atlanta was another in a very good string of late for the #99. He’s scored the most points over the last five races (792) and went from being a Chase bubble driver to clinching a race early.
The “Smoke” is rising. Sunday night’s win makes a statement that the winner of Chase II in 2005 might be ready for a repeat. #14-Stewart’s typical summer charge has transformed him from sweating the Chase two months ago, to making it easily.
CLINCH SCENARIOS – 1-Kevin Harvick clinched at Michigan. 2-Jeff Gordon clinched at Bristol. 3-Kyle Busch, 4-Tony Stewart, 5-Carl Edwards, 6-Jeff Burton, 7-Jimmie Johnson, 8-Kurt Busch, 9-Matt Kenseth, 10-Denny Hamlin clinched at Atlanta.
For season-to-season comparison after 25 races, current standings and more, see my Chase Stats after Atlanta page. And for Chase history, how the ‘old system’ would had played out and more, see my 2010 Chase Rules and News page.(9-9-2010)
