DRIVER PROFILES Chase for the championship

A glance at the 12 drivers competing in NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup championship heading into this weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway (in order of points):

JIMMIE JOHNSON

Points: first, 5,878

Car: No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet Team: Hendrick Motorsports

Last week: Johnson inched closer to his third straight title with a sixth-place finish in Charlotte. Briefly pushed winner Jeff Burton before dropping back before the checkered flag. Five more steady performances, and he’s a virtual lock to join Cale Yarborough as the only driver to win three straight Cup titles.

JEFF BURTON

Points: second, -69

Car: No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet Team: Richard Childress Racing

Last week: Got the breakthrough performance he needed in Charlotte with his second victory of the season. Gambled by going fuel only on his last pit stop and had more than enough to hold off Kasey Kahne. Must carry that momentum forward and not fade as he did two years ago when he led at the Chase’s halfway point only to finish seventh.

GREG BIFFLE

Points: third, -86

Car: No. 16 3M Ford Team: Roush Fenway Racing

Last week: Proved he’s in it to win it after another strong performance in Charlotte, finishing seventh, though he admitted afterward catching Johnson will be difficult if he keeps seeing the champion in front of him and not in his rearview mirror.

CARL EDWARDS

Points: fourth, -168

Car: No. 99 Office Depot Ford Team: Roush Fenway Racing

Last week: How quickly things change. Two weeks ago Edwards’ go-for-broke gamble at Kansas had the circuit abuzz. His ill-timed bump at Talladega, his scuffle with Kevin Harvick and tire and ignition problems at Charlotte, where he finished 33rd, have made him a longshot.

CLINT BOWYER

Points: fifth, -185

Car: No. 07 Jack Daniels Chevrolet Team: Richard Childress Racing

Last week: Took four tires on his last pit stop. but it didn’t pay off, leading to a ho-hum 12th-place finish at Charlotte. Like Burton last week, he needs to make something happen at Martinsville to pose any kind of threat to Johnson.

KEVIN HARVICK

Points: sixth, -207

Car: No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet Team: Richard Childress Racing

Last week: Scuffled with his ill-handling car much the same way he scuffled with Carl Edwards a couple days before the race in Charlotte. Harvick finished 13th, his second straight run outside the Top 10.

TONY STEWART

Points: seventh, -228

Car: No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

Last week: Ran strong at Charlotte before getting penalized for speeding down pit road, costing him valuable track position as he ended up 11th.

JEFF GORDON

Points: eighth, -245

Car: No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet Team: Hendrick Motorsports

Last week: Overcame a bumpy start that included a scrape with the wall on the first lap to finish eighth at Charlotte. Has five races left to get his first victory of a frustrating year.

KYLE BUSCH

Points: ninth, -326

Car: No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

Last week: Recaptured some of his midseason form with a fourth-place finish at Charlotte. Not bad considering he dropped a lap after incurring a penalty for speeding on pit road and spent the last 150 or so miles trying to catch up.

DALE EARNHARDT JR.

Points: 10th, -354

Car: No. 88 AMP Energy-National Guard Chevrolet Team: Hendrick Motorsports

Last week: The Chase just keeps getting worse for Earnhardt. Hit the wall after popping his right front tire on lap 102. He made it back out after repairs but finished 36th.

MATT KENSETH

Points: 11th, -360

Car: No. 17 DeWalt Tools Ford Team: Roush Fenway Racing

Last week: Recorded his third DNF of the Chase after getting bumped from behind by Travis Kvapil and sent into the wall, finishing 41st.

DENNY HAMLIN

Points: 12th, -380

Car: No. 11 FedEx Toyota Team: Joe Gibbs Racing

Last week: A week after being sent to the hospital with concussion-like symptoms following a wreck at Talladega, Hamlin managed a 16th-place finish in Charlotte. Could have finished higher but sustained some damage after scraping the wall following a run-in with Clint Bowyer.

Associated Press