Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup: Week 10, Homestead-Miami Speedway

THE RACE: Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway

WHEN: Sunday, November 18

TV: ABC

RADIO: MRN, Sirius Satellite Radio

DRIVERS QUALIFIED FOR THE CHASE: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer.

DEFENDING SERIES CHAMPION: Jimmie Johnson

DEFENDING CHECKER AUTO PARTS 500 CHAMPION: Greg Biffle

CHASE FACTS: • The last 10 races of the 36-race NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series season • 12 drivers in the Chase field. • The top 12 drivers in the standings after the season’s 26th race (at Richmond on Sept. 8) qualified for the Chase. Those 12 had their point totals reset at 5,000; they then got 10 bonus points for each race victory prior to the Chase. The bonus points created the Chase “seedings.” • Jimmie Johnson started the Chase as the top seed with 5,060 points, via his six pre-Chase wins. Clint Bowyer, winless starting the Chase, was the 12th and final seed.

SOME STORYLINES: • Going into the season finale, defending NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson leads Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon by 86 points. Gordon has four championships on his resume. • Johnson has an average finish at Homestead of 14.5. Gordon owns an average finish of 11.4. • Greg Biffle comes into this race with three consecutive victories at Homestead. Biffle did not make the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, but comes in with some momentum. He finished second at Phoenix International Raceway.

THE CHASE SCHEDULE (track sizes in parentheses)
Sept. 16—New Hampshire (1.058 miles); Sept. 23—Dover (1 mile); Sept. 30—Kansas (1.5 miles); Oct. 7—Talladega (2.66 miles); Oct. 13—Charlotte (1.5 miles); Oct. 21—Martinsville (.526 mile); Oct. 28—Atlanta (1.54 miles); Nov. 4—Texas (1.5 miles); Nov. 11—Phoenix (1 mile); Nov. 18—Homestead (1.5 miles).