Kansas offers opportunity for win to non-Chasers

Overall, the Chasers had another better-than-average showing at Dover International Speedway last week. Led by Jimmie Johnson, four of the top five finishers are in playoff contention, but the non-Chasers also acquitted themselves well by taking four positions inside the top 10. The two best drivers from their ranks could be obtained for bargain basement prices prior to the start of the AAA 400.

Joey Logano's third-place finish marked a complete turnaround from this race last year when he was involved in a crash and provided spectacular highlights by barrel rolling down the track. Paul Menard's last top-10 came nine weeks ago at Chicagoland Speedway and with five consecutive results outside the top 20, he was no doubt off most fantasy owners' radar screens.

Kansas

This week's fantasy studs, duds and sleepers.

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Turnabout

Turnabout is fair play. In the first two weeks, two drivers have won and two drivers have used up their mulligan for the season. It just so happens, that those two drivers were the same in each race. After a disastrous Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Johnson overcame a 25th-place finish to dominate much of the weekend and win at Dover. Clint Bowyer was equally stout en route to his win New Hampshire, only to struggle at Dover and finish 25th, but much worse news was delivered in the middle of the week.

After post-race inspection at the R&D center, NASCAR said Bowyer was not playing fair when the body of his No. 33 Chevrolet was found to be out of tolerance by the thickness of a quarter, for which the team was fined $150,000 and docked 150 points. The fine caused emotions to run wild at the track and when Denny Hamlin suggested that the RCR organization had been getting away with that particular foul for several weeks leading up to the Chase, it raised the ire of Kevin Harvick, who proceeded to make his point on the track during practice by banging into Hamlin's car a few times.

Both drivers sustained minor damage in the altercation and became the center of attention for the remainder of the weekend. Hamlin was able to overcome his setback and finished ninth on a track that has not been particularly kind to him in the past; Harvick finished 15th and dropped three positions in the points standings.

Over the Rainbow

Now the series rolls into Kansas Speedway, a track that has been very friendly to several of this year's Chasers in the past, although as a rule, it is not always kind to drivers currently in playoff contention. While New Hampshire and Dover both have perfect records of Chase races being won by Chase contenders, only half of the previous six events have gone to Chasers on this 1.5-mile track.

During the first year of the playoff-style format, Joe Nemechek was a surprising winner. In 2006 and 2007, Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle won respectively, but it is notable that they are a part of this year's Chase contingent. In fact, the past four races on this track have been won by one of the current playoff contenders, which will continue to make them highly valued on Sunday. (Continued)