Chase driver capsules

The field for the fifth Chase for the Cup is set. The top 12 drivers in the points standings qualify for the 10-race Chase, which begins Sept.14 at New Hampshire.

Each driver begins the Chase with 5,000 points plus 10 bonus points for each race won during the first 26 weeks of the season.

Busch

KYLE BUSCH -- 5,080 points
If there's a favorite to win the Chase, it has to be Busch, who starts with a 30-point advantage in bonus points. Busch has won a Sprint Cup Series-best eight races this season.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished fifth in the Chase posting five top-five and six top-10 finishes.
• In 2006, finished 10th in the Chase posting three top-10 finishes in the 10 races that make up the Chase.
• In 2005, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish the season 20th in the standings and posted three top-10 finishes in the last 10 races of the season which included a win at Phoenix.
• In 2004, only participated in six races in the Cup Series.

CARL EDWARDS -- 5,050
Edwards is the only driver who has consistently matched Busch's speed this year. Edwards won six races but begins the Chase with 50 bonus points; he was penalized 10 bonus points because of a penalty assessed after his victory at Las Vegas. If Edwards and Busch remain trouble-free during the Chase, they will battle for the title.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished ninth in the Chase posting one win at Dover and four top-five finishes.
• In 2006, failed to make the Chase, but he went on to finish the season 12th in the standings.
• In 2005, ran his first full season in the Cup Series and finished third in the point standings with nine top-10 finishes including wins at Atlanta and Texas.
• In 2004, only ran 13 races but posted five top-10 finishes.

JIMMIE JOHNSON -- 5,040
No other driver is better at the end of the season than Johnson has been in winning two consecutive Cup titles. Last year, the No. 48 team won four of the last five races. A small improvement in the team's intermediate track program could go a long way toward a third championship.

Chase history
• In 2007, won the Chase for the second consecutive season. He posted eight top-10 finishes including four wins: Martinsville, Atlanta, Texas and Phoenix.
• In 2006, came back from ninth in the Chase standings to win the championship with six top-10s which included a win at Martinsville and four second-place finishes.
• In 2005, finished fifth in the standings with seven top-10 finishes including two wins: Dover and Charlotte.
• In 2004, finished second in the standings, eight points behind Kurt Busch. He posted seven top-10 finishes including four wins: Charlotte, Martinsville, Atlanta and Darlington.

DALE EARNHARDT JR. -- 5,010
Junior has been fighting a holding pattern since the early-season euphoria of the move to Hendrick Motorsports. Sunday's fourth-place finish was his first top five and second top 10 since his victory at Michigan on fuel mileage in June. The odds against a first championship are long.

Chase history
• In 2007, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish 16th in the standings having posted three top-10 finishes in the last 10 races of the season.
• In 2006, finished fifth in the standings with five top-10 finishes, two of which were top fives.
• In 2005, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish 19th in the standings having posted three top-10 finishes in the last 10 races of the season.
• In 2004, finished fifth in the standings with six top-10 finishes including wins at Talladega and Phoenix.

Date	Track	Time	TV
Sept. 14	Loudon	1 p.m.	ABC
Sept. 21	Dover	1 p.m.	ABC
Sept. 28	Kansas	1 p.m.	ABC
Oct. 5	Talladega	1 p.m.	ABC
Oct. 11	Charlotte	7 p.m.	ABC
Oct. 19	Martinsville	1 p.m.	ABC
Oct. 26	Atlanta	1 p.m.	ABC
Nov. 2	Texas	3 p.m.	ABC
Nov. 9	Phoenix	3 p.m.	ABC
Nov. 16	Homestead	3 p.m.	ABC

All times ET

CLINT BOWYER -- 5,010
The trend line has been down for the third-place finisher in last year's Chase, ever since Bowyer's early-season streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes ended with a victory at the first Richmond race in May. Remember, though, Bowyer won his first Cup race in the first Chase race at New Hampshire last year.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished third in the Chase with five top-10 finishes including a win at New Hampshire.
• In 2006, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish the season 17th in the standings posting four top-10s in the 10 races that make up the Chase.
• In 2005, only ran one race in the Cup Series and finished 22nd at Phoenix.

DENNY HAMLIN -- 5,010
Don't dismiss Hamlin's chances; he finished third in the final standings as a rookie in 2006. After a disheartening 39th-place finish last month at Michigan, Hamlin staked his claim to a spot in the Chase with consecutive third-place finishes at Bristol, Fontana and Richmond. If he can avoid the gremlins that have haunted him this year, Hamlin will be a factor.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished 12th in the Chase with three top-10 finishes.
• In 2006, participated in his first full-time Cup season. He became the first -- and thus far only -- rookie to make the Chase, going on to finish third in the standings. He posted seven top-10 finishes in the 10 races that make up the Chase.
• In 2005, only participated in seven races in the Cup Series capturing three top 10s.

JEFF BURTON -- 5,010
Though Burton's Chevrolets have shown improved speed lately, he hasn't had the finishes to match the potential of his cars. Two years ago, Burton appeared the likely Chase winner until he wrecked at Talladega and blew an engine at Martinsville. Consistency is the key for the No. 31 team.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished eighth in the Chase with six top-10 finishes.
• In 2006, finished seventh in the Chase with five top-10 finishes including a win at Dover, which moved him into the points lead. He held the lead for four consecutive weeks until an engine failure landed him a 42nd-place finish at Martinsville, which knocked him from the top spot.
• In 2005, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish the season 18th in the standings and posted three top-10s in the 10 races that make up the Chase.
• In 2004, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish the season 18th in the standings with two top-10s in the 10 races that make up the Chase.

TONY STEWART -- 5,000
The two-time champion says the challenge of organizing his own team, Stewart-Haas Racing, for next year hasn't been a factor in his performance behind the wheel in his final season with Joe Gibbs Racing. The fact remains that Stewart is winless through 26 races for the first time in his 10-year Cup career.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished sixth in the Chase with five top-10 finishes.
• In 2006, failed to make the Chase by 45 points. Went on to finish the season 11th in the standings, winning three of the 10 Chase races: Kansas, Atlanta and Texas.
• In 2005, won the Cup Series title for the second time. During the Chase he posted seven top-10 finishes, five of which were top-fives.
• In 2004, finished sixth in the series standings with six top-10 finishes.

GREG BIFFLE -- 5,000
If Biffle is still in the running when the Chase comes to Homestead-Miami for the season finale, the driver of the No. 16 Ford will be a threat, having won three consecutive races there (2004-06). Recent upgrades to Biffle's pit crew will help in the Chase.

Chase history
• In 2007, failed to make he Chase, but went on to finish 14th in the standings. He posted four top-10 finishes including a win at Kansas.
• In 2006, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish 13th in the standings. He posted three top-10 finishes in the 10 races of the Chase; including a win at Homestead.
• In 2005, finished second in the standings with six top-10 finishes including one win at Homestead.

Gordon

JEFF GORDON -- 5,000
A fifth championship for Gordon is unlikely, given that five of the 10 Chase races are contested on 1.5-mile intermediate speedways. The No. 24 team simply hasn't found setups that work consistently on those types of tracks. Unless he finds something soon, Gordon will be a follower, not a leader.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished second in the standings with nine top-10 finishes including two wins at Talladega and Charlotte.
• In 2006, finished sixth in the standings with six top-10 finishes and four finishes of 24th or worse.
• In 2005, failed to make the Chase, but finished the season 11th in the standings.
• In 2004, finished the season third in the standings only 16 points behind champion Kurt Busch. Gordon finished the Chase with seven top-10 finishes, five of which were third or better.

KEVIN HARVICK -- 5,000
Having solidified his position in the Chase with six consecutive top-10 finishes to close out the regular season, Harvick will need more of the same in the Chase to overcome a huge bonus-points deficit to Busch. As with Burton, his RCR teammate, Harvick can't have a bad race in the Chase.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished 10th in the Chase with four top-10 finishes and five top-10 starts.
• In 2006, finished fourth in the Chase with six top-10 finishes including wins at New Hampshire and Phoenix.
• In 2005, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish the season 14th in the standings posting three top-10s in the 10 races that make up the Chase.
• In 2004, failed to make the Chase, but went on to finish the season 14th in the standings posting four top-10s in the 10 races that make up the Chase.

MATT KENSETH -- 5,000
The model of consistency, Kenseth has qualified for the Chase every year since its introduction in 2004. But the last driver to win the title under the previous points system hasn't had the speed to match Roush Fenway teammates Edwards and Biffle this year, and he'll be a factor in the Chase only if the speed horses have trouble.

Chase history
• In 2007, finished fourth in the Chase with six top-10 finishes including a win at Homestead.
• In 2006, finished second in the Chase with five top-10 finishes in last 10 races of the season. His lowest finish in the 2006 Chase was 23rd.
• In 2005, finished seventh in the Chase with six top-10 finishes.
• In 2004, finished eighth in the Chase with only one top-10 finish in last 10 races of the season.