2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 12 Championship Contenders

2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup Power Rankings – Top 12 Championship Contenders: With NASCAR’s penalties in the books, the Chase field is officially set and the 2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. More importantly, the points for the 12 championship contenders are now reset and just 15 points separate top-seed Matt Kenseth from 12th-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. History says it will take 10 near-perfect races to claim the crown, and the remaining schedule features a variety of tracks that will test all 12 drivers in different ways. With that in mind, here is a look at how the 12 Chase drivers stack up.

1.      Jimmie Johnson: Even though he enters the Chase in a bit of a slump, his history of success in the playoffs can’t be overlooked. Since the Chase was established in 2004, Johnson leads all drivers in wins, top-five finishes and top-10s. In fact, his 22 wins in the Chase are twice as many as any other driver. Not to mention the fact that he was the best driver in the series for a majority of the year.

2.      Matt Kenseth: His first year with Joe Gibbs Racing has been a massive success, and he will start the Chase as the point leader thanks to his series-leading five wins. As long as the engine issues that plagued him early in the year stay away, Kenseth has shown he can pile up the elite finishes that it takes to win the Chase.

3.      Kevin Harvick: History says that a smooth and steady approach won’t lead to a title, but Harvick could be the exception. He has a knack for snatching away victories in the closing laps, and through the first 26 races, he has 21 top-15 finishes. Harvick almost never has a bad race, and if he can mix in a few top-five finishes in the final 10 races, he could be the last man standing.

4.      Kyle Busch: There is no doubt that Busch is talented enough to win a title, and his series-leading 11 top-five finishes are proof. However, the question has always been whether or not he can put together 10 great races without making a major mistake along the way. Busch had an incredible showing in the Chase last year when he wasn’t eligible for the title. If he repeats the performance this season, he likely be the champ.

5.      Kasey Kahne: By settling for a wild card berth in the Chase, Kahne doesn’t get the bonus points from his two victories. However, he faced a similar situation last year and rallied to finish fourth in the points. Still, the lack of bonus points and his tendency to find major trouble could come back to haunt him at some point.

6.      Joey Logano: If momentum alone could win a title, Logano would be the favorite to win the title. He has scored more points than any other driver in the series over the past seven races, and his 14 top-10s are tied for the third most in the series. On the flip side, Logano is already in the middle of the best stretch of his career, and extending it for another 10 races could be tough.

7.      Carl Edwards: Thanks to a sketchy restart at Richmond, Edwards rolls into the Chase coming off his second win of the year. However, the win has been more of an exception than the norm for Edwards this year. Consistency has been his biggest strength, but he will really have to find another gear in the Chase to contend with the frontrunners.

8.      Kurt Busch: Busch definitely has the fearless attitude to win the Chase, and Furniture Row Racing has been putting out fast cars most of the year. Still, it’s tough to believe a single-car team based out of Colorado can outlast NASCAR’s super teams over a 10-race stretch.

9.      Clint Bowyer: He is the luckiest driver in the garage right now after NASCAR decided to assess the 50-point penalty to his regular season point total, meaning the penalty he received for intentionally spinning out at Richmond is essentially meaningless. Meanwhile, Bowyer has been rock solid all year and has the ability to go on a run and win the title, don’t be surprised if his actions at Richmond come back to haunt him.

10.  Ryan Newman: NASCAR’s penalties to Michael Waltrip Racing slide Newman into the Chase, and he happens to be running his best heading into the final 10 races. On the flip side, he has never really been the type of driver that reels off a lot of top-five finishes in succession, and that is what is usually take to win a title.

11.  Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has had another solid season, but once again, he has piled up his points by staying out of trouble rather than by winning races and leading laps. History says that a title can’t be one simply by avoiding wrecks and finishing in the top 15 every week. Meanwhile, Junior has just one top-five finish in the 12 races leading up to the Chase.

12.  Greg Biffle: Since winning at Michigan in June, Biffle has gone in the wrong direction. He has just four top-10s since the victory, and his three top-five finishes this season are by far the fewest among the Chasers. Unless he finds a bunch of speed in the final 10 races, he is going to be an afterthought.

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