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CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 5, 2007

Updated: 10/04/2007 11:45 pm

RACE FOUR: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY

UAW-FORD 500 (coverage starts 1 p.m. Sunday, WFTS, Ch. 28)

Last week's race at Dover produced some separation in the standings, but Talladega could change everything. The only restrictor-plate race in the Chase - and the first super speedway race for the Car of Tomorrow - has a high potential for wrecks and a surprise outcome. Most of the Chasers aren't focused on winning as much as they are trying to get out of Alabama with a decent finish.

Compiled by Tony Fabrizio
1. JIMMIE JOHNSON (5,506)

AT TSS: 11 starts, 1 win, 3 top 5s, 4 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 1, 1, 6, 14, 3

COMMENT: Was a menace at Talladega early in his career, but has mastered plate racing. Has won at Talladega and Daytona.

2. JEFF GORDON (-6)

AT TSS: 29 starts, 5 wins, 12 top 5s, 15 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 22, 4, 2, 11, 5

COMMENT: Ranks with the late Dale Earnhardt as one of the two greatest plate racers of all time. Gordon got his fifth Talladega victory in April.

3. CLINT BOWYER (-14)

AT TSS: 3 starts, 0 wins, 0 top 5s, 0 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 20, 12, 1, 12, 2

COMMENT: The surprise of the Chase, Bowyer has a win at New Hampshire and a near-win at Kansas. He has crashed in all three of his Talladega starts.

4. TONY STEWART (-114)

AT TSS: 17 starts, 0 wins, 8 top 5s, 10 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 13, 2, 3, 9, 39

COMMENT: Stubbornly stayed on the track at Kansas with a rubbing fender, and a resulting blown tire left him with a 39th-place finish.

5. KEVIN HARVICK (-126)

AT TSS: 13 starts, 0 wins, 3 top 5s, 7 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 14, 7, 17, 20, 6

COMMENT: The Daytona 500 winner ought to be a threat. He had his first decent run of the Chase at Kansas, leading 18 laps and finishing sixth.

6. KYLE BUSCH (-136)

AT TSS: 5 starts, 0 wins, 0 top 5s, 0 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 3, 20, 4, 5, 41

COMMENT: After a strong Chase start, Busch suffered a major setback at Kansas when Dale Earnhardt Jr. took him out.

7. CARL EDWARDS (-142)

AT TSS: 6 starts, 0 wins, 1 top 5, 3 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 2, 42, 12, 1, 37

COMMENT: Has had a tough two weeks - a 25-point penalty after winning Dover and a crash when Stewart blew a tire in front of him.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. (-158)

AT TSS: 5 starts, 0 wins, 1 top 5, 2 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 6, 15, 5, 13, 38

COMMENT: Is a three-time Busch Series winner at Talladega, so he knows how to drive the track. He's a good dark horse pick for Sunday.

9. KURT BUSCH (-177)

AT TSS: 13 starts, 0 wins, 6 top 5s, 10 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 9, 9, 25, 29, 11

COMMENT: Has been fast in every Chase race so far, but he hasn't been able to avoid trouble in any of them.

10. JEFF BURTON (-186)

AT TSS: 27 starts, 0 wins, 2 top 5s, 10 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 4, 18, 18, 7, 36

COMMENT: Led the points standings this time last year. He has been mediocre in the Chase so far this year.

11. MATT KENSETH (-219)

AT TSS: 15 starts, 0 wins, 3 top 5s, 6 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 7, 14, 7, 35, 35

COMMENT: Has led a combined 241 laps the past two races, yet has two 35th-place finishes because of a blown engine and a wreck.

12. DENNY HAMLIN (-248)

AT TSS: 3 starts, 0 wins, 0 top 5s, 0 top 10s
LAST 5 FINISHES: 19, 6, 15, 38, 29

COMMENT: Is the one Chaser who can't aim to merely get out of Talladega unscathed. He's down in the points and needs a top-5 finish.

CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP

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