Chase lineup pretty much determined with three to go


With only three races remaining—including Saturday night’s Irwin Tools 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway—is the top-12 drivers who will make up the lineup for the 2010 Chase for the Sprint Cup already determined? Granted, the complete lineup won’t set in stone for three more races, with the points being reset and the Chase field locked in after the Sept. 11 race at Richmond International Raceway, but are the drivers in the top-12 heading into this weekend’s race the same 12 drivers who will still be in the top-12 after Richmond?

There’s a pretty good chance that the drivers in the top-12 right this moment will still be there after Richmond, meaning there’ll be no room at the inn so to speak for drivers who currently find themselves on the outside looking in with just three to go until the all-too-important reset.

Points leader Kevin Harvick locked himself into the top-12 with his win at Michigan International Speedway last weekend, so he is already officially a Chase driver for 2010. Several other drivers have a shot to join Harvick as Chase shoe-ins by clinching their spots in the Chase field come Saturday night. Drivers all the way down to sixth-place in points Carl Edwards can mathematically leave Bristol locked into the Chase. To do that, a driver must leave Bristol Motor Speedway with a 391-point advantage over the driver who occupies the 13th spot in points at the conclusion of Saturday night’s race.

To read more, visit Auto Racing Daily.

Photo of Kevin and DeLana Harvick by Amanda Vincent
Chase lineup pretty much determined with three to go Chase lineup pretty much determined with three to go Reviewed by Amanda Vincent on Thursday, August 19, 2010 Rating: 5