Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup – Week 4
THE RACE: Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (Concord, N.C.)
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 13; 7:30 p.m. ET
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 BAND OF AMERICA 500 CHAMPION: Kasey Kahne
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 wins pre-Chase. Clint Bowyer, winless starting the Chase, was the 12th and final seed.
THE WEEK'S STORYLINES:
After four races in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon leads the point standings – barely. He’s nine points (5,890-5,981) ahead of Jimmie Johnson. Clint Bowyer is in third place, only 63 behind Gordon.
Collectively, the 12 drivers in the Chase have won a total of 13 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Two drivers have nine of those wins – Jimmie Johnson (five) and Jeff Gordon (four). Surprisingly, seven of the Chase drivers have yet to win a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, so Saturday’s prime-time event presents a prime opportunity for a breakthrough victory.
Kasey Kahne dominated at Lowe’s Motor Speedway last year, sweeping the two series races at the track. This year he’s out of the Chase and racing for respectability – and to build momentum for 2008. In recent weeks he has started to regain his form of past seasons.
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).
