The field of 16 is set for this year’s Nascar Chase for the Sprint Cup. Jimmie Johnson leads the field going into the myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland. However, Matt Kenseth has been the hot driver of late with three wins in the last seven races. Regardless of the past, the field of 16 will have this race at Chicagoland, New Hampshire, and Dover to make the cut to the Contender 12.
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Defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, Kevin Harvick goes into the race with what NASCAR rates the top pit crew in the whole sport. They are fast and experienced from their Sprint Cup title win last year and in 2011 for Tony Stewart. Kevin Harvick has two wins at Chicagoland in his career and will look to grab another Sunday. On top of that, Harvick has two second place finishes in that last four races despite a disappointing race at Richmond. He is currently rated fifth and will be hoping to turn in a nice finish in Illinois.
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Last year, Brad Keselowski took the checkered flag at Chicagoland in a crazy race. Keselowski has two wins, a top five finish, and a top 10 finish in six races at Chicagoland. As of late, Keselowski has two top five finishes and four top ten finishes in the last six races.
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As for his fellow Team Penske racer, Joey Logano has been hot as of late despite having a poor record at Chicagoland. He finished fourth there last year, but other than that he has had only one other top 10 finish in six races.
Joe Gibbs’ Racing has been out in front and dominating for most of the season. The resurgence of Kyle Busch has been extremely impressive. Busch has been up and down at Chicagoland, averaging an 11th placed finish. After grabbing four wins in 15 starts this season, including a win at Kentucky, which is also a 1.5 mile track, it is hard to write him off.
The favorite, however, is another Joe Gibbs’ racer in Kenseth. He has been absolutely dominant lately, winning Richmond a week ago and having two other wins on top of that in the last seven races. Kenseth has had a win and two second place finishes at Chicagoland in the past, but with all the momentum he has going into this race, he has to be one of the more clear favorites. On top of just results, Matt Kenseth has an extremely fast pit crew, and has a very good crew chief in Jason Ratcliff. This is a deadly combo of a fast car and good pit crew for Kenseth.
Another Joe Gibbs’ racer looking to make another run at the Cup after just falling short last year is Denny Hamlin. The 11 car has been up and down at Chicago in the past but did turn in a nice sixth place finish last year. Hamlin, like the rest of Gibbs’ Racing, has been hot as of late and has fared well at intermediate tracks like Chicago and Kentucky. Hamlin has turned in a top ten finish in each of the last four races providing some nice momentum going into Sunday.
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Rounding out Joe Gibbs’ contenders is Carl Edwards, who has been solid all season. However, Chicagoland has not been too friendly to Edwards in the past. He has had three very good, top five finishes in the past yet has never back-flipped in Illinois. His average running at Chicago is 16. Yet Carl Edwards will have some momentum going into the race after winning a thrilling race at Darlington two weeks ago.
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Never write off Hendrick Motorsports though, as Johnson leads the field in points and a top five finish is certainly fitting this weekend. Johnson has never won at Chicagoland, but has six top five finished there in his career. Chad Knaus and Johnson’s pit crew are no rookies when it comes to the Chase, and the whole 48 crew will be running at a high level as they search for their seventh Sprint Cup title. Another top five finish this weekend would be nothing surprising for fans.
A fan favorite, Dale Earnhardt Jr will also look to get to a fast start at Chicagoland. Many have said this is the year that Dale Jr takes the Sprint Cup. Earnhardt does a have a win at Chicagoland 10 long years ago, and since then has ranked seventh among drivers with laps run in the top 15 at Chicagoland. Furthermore, Earnhardt has a top of the line pit crew which is confident that it can perform under pressure.
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Rounding out Hendrick Motorsports in his last full season, Jeff Gordon goes into the Chase rated 12th. Gordon placed second in the race last year and sixth the year before and experience is hardly lacking for Gordon. It would be naive to think Gordon will not be looking to go out with a bang so watch out for the 24 in his final full season.
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Apart from the favorites, the racer with an outside shot looking to make an impact is Clint Bowyer. He promised to “race his heart out” prior to Richmond last week, and did earn the 10th place finish necessary to slip into the Chase. Bowyer has earned seven top 10 finished in Chicago so far in his career so do not write him off.
All in all, going into the race Sunday, all racers will be searching for a fast start and putting themselves in prime position to make the Contender 12 so tune in Sunday at 3:00 pm EST as the Chase for the Sprint Cup kicks off.