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Chase For The Championship

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 14, 2007

CHASE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP

RACE ONE: NEW HAMPSHIRE

Sylvania 300 (2 p.m. Sunday, WFTS, Ch. 28)

NASCAR's playoffs open Sunday with a 'Car of Tomorrow' race at New Hampshire International Speedway, where Denny Hamlin won in July. Passing is difficult on the tight one-mile circuit and tempers sometime flare. Recall the 2005 Chase race in which Robby Gordon hurled his helmet at Michael Waltrip's car, Kasey Kahne intentionally wrecked Kyle Busch and bragged about it, and Greg Biffle said the race looked like 'cheap wrestling.'

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON (5,060)

AT NHIS: 11 starts, 2 wins, 3 top-5s, 6 top-10s

COMMENT: Defending champion starts the Chase with the lead and momentum after winning the last two races. He swept New Hampshire's races in 2003.

2. JEFF GORDON (-20)

AT NHIS: 25 starts, 3 wins, 11 top-5s, 14 top-10s

COMMENT: Gordon has been in a win-or-bust mode the last several weeks with his big points lead. He'll have to make the mental switch back to points racing.

3. TONY STEWART (-30)

AT NHIS: 17 starts, 2 wins, 9 top-5s, 10 top-10s

COMMENT: Stewart lost a thrilling duel to Ryan Newman in the 2005 Chase opener at New Hampshire, but went on to win the championship.

4. CARL EDWARDS (-40)

AT NHIS: 6 starts, no wins, 1 top-5, 1 top-10

COMMENT: Edwards may represent the best hope for Ford fans, as he has been stronger than Roush-Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth in recent weeks.

5. KURT BUSCH (-40)

AT NHIS: 13 starts, 2 wins, 4 top-5s, 5 top-10s

COMMENT: Roger Penske's Dodge program is starting to show muscle. Busch enters the Chase as one of the hottest drivers on the circuit.

6. DENNY HAMLIN (-50)

AT NHIS: 3 starts, 1 win, 2 top-5s, 3 top-10s

COMMENT: Hamlin is good everywhere, but he is particularly good on flatter tracks such as NHIS. Along with Johnson and Stewart, he's a favorite this weekend.

7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. (-50)

AT NHIS: 3 starts, no wins, 1 top-5, 1 top-10

COMMENT: The two-time Busch Series champ makes his first appearance in the Chase. Notably missing is his teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

8. MATT KENSETH: (-50)

AT NHIS: 15 starts, no wins, 5 top-5s, 10 top-10s

COMMENT: Kenseth's lone win came in February at California, and he has led only 35 laps in the last 14 races. He'll have to pick it up.

9. KYLE BUSCH (-50)

AT NHIS: 5 starts, 1 win, 2 top-5s, 2 top-10s

COMMENT: Busch had a terrible Chase last year and is looking to redeem himself.

10. JEFF BURTON (-50)

AT NHIS: 25 starts, 4 wins, 7 top-5s, 7 top-10s

COMMENT: Burton has an excellent record at New Hampshire, but he has led only 28 laps all year. Like Kenseth, he'll need to run harder.

11. KEVIN HARVICK (-50)

AT NHIS: 13 starts, 1 wins, 3 top-5s, 8 top-10s

COMMENT: Harvick looked like one of the championship favorites in February when he won the Daytona 500, but he heasn't won since and struggled to make the Chase.

12. CLINT BOWYER (-60)

AT NHIS: 3 starts, no wins, no top-5s, no top-10s

COMMENT: The only driver in the Chase from whom virtually nothing is expected, Bowyer can go for broke. His career-best race finish: third twice.

CHASE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP

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