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 NASCAR's Chase format now features three elimination rounds and a
one-race climax at the usual finish line, Homestead-Miami Speedway
on Nov. 16.
Sixteen drivers enter the playoffs this week at Joliet's Chicagoland
Speedway, where the 26-race regular season gives way to the expanded
Chase. Thirteen drivers are in by virtue of winning regular-season
races and three earned a spot with their position in the standings.
The favorite is Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 team, which had a
Sprint series-best four victories in 2014, including two 1.5-mile
speedways (Las Vegas and Kentucky), and there are five such tracks
in the Chase.
The Standings
All drivers bank 2,000 points, plus three points for regular-season
victories. Keselowski leads with 2,012 and four are even with 2,009:
Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano.
Among drivers with the same point total, order of finish determines
their place in the official standings. The first tiebreaker is most
second-place finishes.
Gordon is No. 2 entering Chicagoland with wins in Indianapolis,
Kansas and Michigan.
As in the regular season, drivers must start ever race or receive a
NASCAR waiver to remain in contention.
The First Round
Races at Chicagoland, New Hampshire and Dover define NASCAR's
"Challenger Round." A race victory by drivers who have not yet been
eliminated from the Championship guarantees a spot in the final 12,
or the "Contender Round."
Points will determine the rest of the field.
The Contender Round
All remaining drivers are reset at 3,000 points. Four more drivers
are eliminated over the course of three races -- at Kansas Speedway,
Charlotte Motor Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway -- and, again,
a victory guarantees a spot in the subsequent round.
The Eliminator Round
Eight drivers, all starting with 4,000 points when the green flag
drops at Martinsville Speedway -- followed by spins through Texas
Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway -- are fighting to
be in the final four. Only the four remaining drivers are eligible
for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship at Homestead on Nov. 16.
The highest finisher among the four finalists is champion.
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The Field
Place/Driver/Points/2014 victories
1. Brad Keselowski / 2,012 (Las Vegas, Kentucky, Loudon, Richmond)
2. Jeff Gordon / 2,009 (Kansas, Indianapolis, Michigan)
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. / 2,009 (Daytona, Pocono, Pocono)
4. Jimmie Johnson / 2,009 (Charlotte, Dover, Michigan)
5. Joey Logano / 2,009 (Texas, Richmond, Bristol)
6. Kevin Harvick / 2,006 (Phoenix, Darlington)
7. Carl Edwards / 2,006 (Bristol, Sonoma)
8. Kyle Busch / 2,003 (California)
9. Denny Hamlin / 2,003 (Talladega)
10. Kurt Busch / 2,003 (Martinsville)
11. Kasey Kahne / 2,003 (Atlanta)
12. Aric Almirola / 2,003 (Daytona)
13. AJ Allmendinger / 2,003 (Watkins Glen)
14. Matt Kenseth / 2,000
15. Greg Biffle / 2,000
16. Ryan Newman / 2,000
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