Top 10 in Points at This Track

First
Jimmie Johnson finished second in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, posting his fourth top-five finish in the Chase, all in the last four races and all first or second-place finishes. Johnson became the fourth different driver to lead the championship standings during the first eight races in the Chase. Johnson has climbed from eighth to first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings in the last four races gaining 173 points on the leader. Johnson was the point leader after all but four of the first 26 races in 2006 and trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 57 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by five after the adjustment in second-place. Johnson leads second-place Matt Kenseth by 17 points. He is one of only three drivers to compete in all three years of the Chase. One year ago he ranked second in the standings after the eighth Chase race. Johnson finished second in 2004 and fifth in the 2005 final standings. This will be the fifth straight season that Johnson has finished in the top 10 in the final standings. Johnson joins Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon in the Chase, giving car owner Rick Hendrick the most drivers in this year's Chase. Johnson has scored 22 top-10 finishes in 34 races this season, the most of all drivers. He has scored five victories in 2006 (Daytona, Las Vegas, the May event at Talladega, Indianapolis and second Martinsville). In 2004 Johnson posted four victories in the Chase, the most wins by a driver in the three-year history of the Chase. Like second-place Kenseth, Johnson has scored 28 top-15s in the first 34 races. Johnson has ranked among the top 10 for 103 straight races, since Atlanta in March 2004. Johnson held a 124-point lead over Matt Kenseth after Race No. 22 at Watkins Glen, the biggest lead of the season. He has competed in six races at Phoenix, scoring six top-15 finishes. Four of those finishes were top 10s. Johnson finished seventh in this race one year ago and seventh again in April. Johnson has an 8.66 average finish at Phoenix, ranking first among the top-10 drivers. Johnson has led in two races at Phoenix. Johnson has won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).

Second
Matt Kenseth finished 12th in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. He has scored seven top-15 finishes in the eight Chase races, the only driver to do so. Kenseth has scored 15 top-five finishes in 2006, tied with Tony Stewart for the most among all drivers. He has scored top-10 finishes in four of the first eight races in the Chase. Kenseth scored four victories in 2006, winning at California, Dover and the second Michigan and Bristol events. Kenseth dropped from first to second in the standings following Texas, ending two straight weeks as the leader in the championship standings. He now trails first-place Jimmie Johnson by 17 points. Kenseth led Johnson at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase by 57 points, prior to the point adjustment, and by five after the adjustment in first-place. He is one of only three drivers to participate in all three years of the Chase. One year ago he ranked sixth in the standings after race No. 8 of the Chase. Kenseth finished eighth in 2004 and seventh in the 2005 final standings. Kenseth has ranked among the top-five in the standings since his victory in race No. 2 at California, 33 straight races. Kenseth has been running at the finish in the last 28 races (since Texas in April). Kenseth has scored 28 top-15 finishes in 2006. Kenseth has led in five of the eight Chase races. He has competed in eight races at Phoenix International Raceway, scoring one victory and four top-10 finishes. His only Phoenix victory came in 2002. He finished 32nd in this race one year ago and third in April. He has only one top-10 finish in his last four races Phoenix. Kenseth has led in just three of his eight races at Phoenix. He has a 20.750 average finish there, ranking ninth among the 10 Chase drivers. Kenseth has won at least one race each season for five consecutive years (2002-2006).

Third
Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished sixth in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and climbed from fourth to third in the standings. He ranked sixth in the championship standings just three races ago. He and Matt Kenseth are the only drivers to score top-25 finishes in all eight Chase races. He trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 447 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by 25 after the adjustment ranking sixth. Earnhardt Jr. trails point leader Johnson by 61 points. This marks his second year in the Chase. One year ago he ranked 18th in the standings. He missed the 2005 Chase by 216 points. He finished fifth in 2004, the inaugural year of the Chase. Earnhardt finished 19th in the final standings in 2005. He has scored 23 top-15 finishes this season. Earnhardt Jr. has one victory in 2006, winning at Richmond in May. He has competed in eight races at Phoenix, scoring two victories and four top-10 finishes, all top-fives. He won at Phoenix in 2003 and 2004. He finished 40th in this race one year ago, his worst Phoenix finish, and 23rd there in April. Earnhardt Jr. has a 17.25 average finish at Phoenix, ranking eighth among the 10 Chase drivers. He has led in three of his eight races there, but has not led in the last three.

Fourth
Denny Hamlin finished 10th in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and dropped from third to fourth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. Hamlin has scored five top-10 finishes in the first eight races in the Chase, tying Jeff Gordon for the most among the Chase drivers. He trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 437 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by 20 after the adjustment in fifthplace. He now trails current leader Jimmie Johnson by 80 points. He is just two points behind of third-place Dale Earnhardt Jr.. Hamlin is the first Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contender to make the Chase since the program's 2004 inception. Hamlin has two victories in 2006, sweeping both races at Pocono Raceway. He has 18 top-10 finishes in 2006, the most among all rookie contenders. Hamlin has been the highest finishing rookie in 16 of the 34 races this season. Hamlin has been running at the finish in the last 28 races. He has competed in two races at Phoenix, scoring a 13th-place finish in this race one year ago and a 34th-place there in April. Hamlin led 23 laps at Phoenix in this race one year ago. His 23.5 average finish ranks last among the 10 Chase drivers.

Fifth
Kevin Harvick finished third in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and climbed from sixth to fifth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. Harvick has scored top-20 finishes in six of the eight races in the Chase. Harvick trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 304 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by 10 after the adjustment ranking third. Harvick trails current leader Jimmie Johnson by 105 points and has a 48-point lead on sixth-place Jeff Gordon. Harvick has led in two of the eight Chase races, earning 10 lap leader bonus points at New Hampshire for leading the most laps and five more at Atlanta. This marks Harvick's first year in the Chase along with Burton, the first time team owner Richard Childress has had a driver in the Chase since the program's 2004 inception. Harvick is one of five “first-timers” to compete in the Chase. Harvick has ranked among the top 10 in the last 28 races, since Phoenix in April. One year ago he ranked 14th in the standings after 34 races. Harvick has scored 18 top-10 finishes in 2006 and top-15 finishes in 25 of the 34 races. He has competed in seven races at Phoenix, scoring one victory and two top-10 finishes, both top-fives. He finished 23rd in this race one year ago and first there in April. The only Phoenix race that he led was in route to his April victory. Harvick has a 16.428 average finish at Phoenix, ranking seventh among the 10 Chase drivers.

Sixth
Jeff Gordon finished eighth in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and climbed from seventh to sixth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. He has scored three top-five finishes in the first eight races in the Chase. He joins Kasey Kahne as the only drivers with three DNFs in the first eight races in the Chase. Gordon trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 464 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by 40 after the adjustment ranking ninth. He trails current leader Jimmie Johnson by 153 points. This marks Gordon's second year in The Chase. One year ago he ranked 12th in the standings. He finished third in 2004, the inaugural year of The Chase. Gordon finished 11th in the standings in 2005. Gordon has two victories in 2006, winning at Infineon and Chicago. He has scored 22 top-15 finishes in 34 races in 2006. Gordon has scored 12 top-10 finishes in 15 races at Phoenix. Gordon finished third in this race one year ago and 10th there in April, extending a streak of 10 straight top-15 finishes at Phoenix. Gordon has an 8.933 finishing average at Phoenix, ranking second among all Chase drivers.

Seventh
Jeff Burton finished 38th in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and dropped from fifth to seventh in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. Burton has scored four top-10 finishes in the eight races in the Chase. He now trails leader Jimmie Johnson by 184 points. He trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 463 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by 35 after the adjustment ranking eighth. This marks Burton's first year in the Chase (along with Richard Childress Racing teammate Kevin Harvick) and the first time team owner Richard Childress has had a driver in the Chase since the program's 2004 inception. Burton's teammate, Harvick, began the Chase in third place. RCR has won two of the eight races in the Chase. Burton led in the first four Chase races, but not in the last four. He has posted 25 top-15 finishes in 2006. He has scored 19 top-10 finishes in 34 races this season. One year ago he ranked 19th in the standings after 34 races. Burton has competed in 14 races at Phoenix, scoring two victories and seven top-10 finishes. His Phoenix victories came in 2000 and 2001. He finished 15th in this race one year ago and ninth there in April, his 11th straight top-15 finish at Phoenix. He has led in four races at Phoenix, but not in his last six races there. Burton has an 11.571 average finish at Phoenix, ranking fourth among the 10 Chase drivers.

Eighth
Kyle Busch finished fourth in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and climbed from 10th to eighth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. Busch has scored 18 top-10 finishes in 2006. He has scored three top-10 finishes in the first eight races of The Chase. One year ago Busch ranked 20th after 34 races. He trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 361 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the point adjustment, and by 15 after the adjustment, ranking fourth. He now trails current leader Jimmie Johnson by 233 points. This marks Busch's first year in The Chase, one of five drivers new to The Chase. He has scored 24 top-15 finishes in 2006. Busch has competed in three races at Phoenix, scoring a victory and two top-10 finishes. He finished first in this race one year ago and 36th there in April, his worst finish at Phoenix. Busch finished eighth in his first race at Phoenix. He has led in all three of his races at Phoenix. Busch has a 15.0 average finish at Phoenix, ranking sixth among the 10 Chase drivers.

Ninth
Mark Martin finished 22nd in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and dropped eighth to ninth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. Martin scored four top-15 finishes in the first four races in the Chase, then followed with 30th, 24th, 36th and 22nd-place finishes in the last four races. He trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase by 449 points, prior to the point adjustment, and by 30 after the adjustment ranking seventh. He now trails current leader Jimmie Johnson by 253 points. Martin is one of only three drivers to compete in all three years of the Chase. A year ago he ranked fifth after race No. 34. Martin finished fourth in 2004 and fourth again in the 2005 final standings. During 2004 and 2005 he scored just one Chase victory (Kansas in 2005), but five second-place finishes. Martin has not won in 2006 and his best Chase finish in the first eight races is third at Kansas. He has one victory (1993) and 13 top-10 finishes in 20 races at Phoenix. Martin finished 14th in this race one year ago and 11th there in April extending a streak of 19 straight top-20 finishes at Phoenix. He finished 36th in his first race at Phoenix. Martin has a 9.4 average finish at Phoenix, ranking third among the 10 Chase drivers. Martin is the only Chase driver who has not won in 2006. Martin has not won a race since his victory at Kansas in October 2005, 40 races ago.

10th
Kasey Kahne finished 33rd in the 2006 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and dropped from ninth to 10th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup standings. It marked his third DNF in the Chase, tying Jeff Gordon for the most. Kahne has scored three top-10 finishes in the Chase. Kahne made the Chase by beating 11th-place Tony Stewart by just 16 points. He trailed then-leader Matt Kenseth by 466 points at the conclusion of the Race to The Chase, prior to the adjustment, and by 45 after the adjustment ranking 10th. This marks Kahne's first year in the Chase and the third by an Evernham Motorsports driver (Jeremy Mayfield finished 10th in 2004 and ninth in 2005). Kahne has scored six victories in 2006, more than any other driver. Kahne has posted 19 top-15 finishes in 2006. He has 17 top-10 finishes in 34 races this season. One year ago he ranked 22nd in the standings after 34 races. Kahne has competed in four races at Phoenix, scoring two top-10 finishes. He finished 27th in this race one year ago, and sixth in April. Kahne has never led at Phoenix. He has a 13.75 average finish at Phoenix, ranking fifth among the 10 Chase drivers.