CHASE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP Driver biographies A glance at the 12 drivers competing in NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup championship heading into this weekend’s race at Homestead-Miami

JIMMIE JOHNSON

Chase points: first, 6,561 Car: No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. Team: Hendrick Motorsports Position change: None. Last week: And we’re done. Barring some sort of catastrophe, expect the season finale in Miami to be a four-hour coronation as Johnson joins Cale Yarborough as the only drivers to win three straight points titles. Johnson bounced back after some trouble in Texas with a dominant win in Phoenix for his seventh victory of the season.

CARL EDWARDS

Chase points: second, -141 Car: No. 99 Office Depot Ford. Team: Roush Fenway Racing Position change: None Last week: Edwards needed a win and another slip-up by Johnson to make it interesting heading to Miami, but got neither. Edwards struggled to get control of his car all day in the desert and managed just a fourth-place finish. It was his 18th top-five this season, but he’ll likely have to wait until next season to win a points title.

GREG BIFFLE

Chase points: third, -168 Car: No. 16 3M Ford. Team: Roush Fenway Racing Position change: None Last week: Almost assured himself a third-place finish in the points title by taking 11th in Phoenix. Another solid performance in Miami and a stumble by Edwards could help him match the second-place season he put together in 2005. The way Biffle ran during the Chase — taking the first two races and staying in the top five in points all the way through — means he’ll be a force to reckon with next year.

JEFF BURTON

Chase points: fourth, -269 Car: No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet. Team: Richard Childress Racing Position change: None Last week: Will almost assuredly finish the season in the top five, but once again was unable to capitalize on a mid-Chase surge that briefly lifted him to second in the standings. Put together a ho-hum ninth-place at Phoenix that will make him a bystander while Johnson makes a run at history.

KEVIN HARVICK

Chase points: fifth, -328 Car: No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet. Team: Richard Childress Racing Position change: Plus 2. Last week: Remained one of the Chase’s most pleasant surprises by finishing seventh in Phoenix, his 18th top-10 of the year. Through 35 races this year he is one of only two Chase drivers — Clint Bowyer is the other — to not record a DNF.

CLINT BOWYER

Chase points: sixth, -335 Car: No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet. Team: Richard Childress Racing Position change: None Last week: Likely won’t repeat his third-place finish of a year ago, but continued a decent Chase run with a 12th-place finish at Phoenix.

JEFF GORDON

Chase points: seventh, -410 Car: No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet. Team: Hendrick Motorsports Position change: Minus 2 Last week: Engine trouble at Phoenix sent him to a 41st-place finish and left him with just one more chance to avoid a winless season. Won’t be easy at Homestead, where Mission No. 1 will likely be making sure Johnson gets around the circuit safely to wrap up his third straight points title.

MATT KENSETH

Chase points: eighth, -470 Car: No. 17 DeWalt Tools Ford. Team: Roush Fenway Racing Position change: None Last week: Had a string of three straight top-10s end with a 15th-place finish at Phoenix. The race was a microcosm of Kenseth’s season, he battled handling issues, a flat tire and a late-race accident but kept fighting. If he can repeat his win last year at Homestead, he’ll lock up a spot in the top 10 and a trip to New York for the season-ending banquet.

DENNY HAMLIN

Chase points: ninth, -471 Car: No. 11 FedEx Toyota. Team: Joe Gibbs Racing Position change: Plus 3 Last week: Has a chance to finish an up-and-down season on a high note in Miami after a fifth-place finish in Phoenix, his ninth top-five of the season and his 20th top-10 finish.

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

Chase points: 10th, -474 Car: No. 88 AMP Energy-National Guard Chevrolet. Team: Hendrick Motorsports Position change: Plus 1. Last week: Didn’t run like he was just playing out the string at Phoenix. Challenged in the top five most of the day before ending up sixth.

KYLE BUSCH

Chase points: 11th, -481 Car: No. 18 M&Ms Toyota. Team: Joe Gibbs Racing Position change: Minus 1 Last week: The regular-season champion lost his chance at a title early in the Chase and refocused on simply finishing in the top 10. Will need a strong run in Miami to get a trip to New York, however, after losing ground despite an eighth-place finish at Phoenix.

TONY STEWART

Chase points: 12th, -502 Car: No. 20 Home Depot Toyota. Team: Joe Gibbs Racing Position change: Minus 3 Last week: This isn’t exactly the way Stewart envisioned ending his long run at JGR. “Smoke” ran in the top 10 almost all day at Phoenix before getting involved in a pair of late-race incidents that relegated him to a 22nd-place finish.

Associated Press