Harvick, Busch look for bonus points at Pocono

Six races remain until the field is set for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Though no driver has clinched a spot yet, a number of them are mathematically comfortable. For those few, it's time to win.

Kevin Harvick certainly belongs in that "pretty safe bet" group. The points leader has a hefty 536-point lead over the Chase cutoff, meaning only a titanic slump would knock him out of the top 12. He also has a 184-point lead over second place.

Problem is, if the Chase were to start today, that lead would evaporate -- and turn into a deficit.

After race No. 26 at Richmond, the top-12 drivers will have their points reset to 5,000, with 10 additional bonus points added for each victory during the regular season. Only 60 potential Chase bonus points remain.

Harvick has two victories (for 20 bonus points), which trails Jimmie Johnson's and Denny Hamlin's five wins, and 50 bonus point, each.

The statistics suggest a third victory could come soon. Harvick certainly has the momentum, scoring four top-five finishes in the past five races, including a runner-up finish last week at Indianapolis. In those four finishes, Harvick has an average finish of 2.8, a Driver Rating of 109.7, an Average Running Position of 8.8 and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 87.1.

Harvick's statistics at Pocono are similarly stout. He finished fourth there in the series' first trip to the triangular track, scoring a Driver Rating of 113.2, an Average Running Position of 6.4, while running 195 of the 204 Laps in the Top 15. He also cleared a hurdle that has blocked him for the previous 18 Pocono races -- he led a lap. Harvick led five laps, the first of his 19-race Pocono career.

Kurt Busch is in the same situation. Currently a healthy 262 points inside the top 12, Busch needs to focus on bonus points. They could come this weekend. Busch has two perfect Driver Ratings of 150.0 at Pocono in his wins in 2005 and '07.