Chase for the Championship
The first 26 races determine which drivers, based on overall points, will compete for the Nextel Cup championship during the final 10 races. All drivers in the top 10 in points and any other drivers within 400 points of the leader qualify.
Before Race 27, the points are adjusted for all drivers who qualified for the Chase. The first-place driver in the standings begins with 5,050 points; the second-place driver starts with 5,045, and so on, with five-point drops continuing through the list of title contenders. If at the end of the final 10 races there is a tie, the first tiebreaker is number of wins, then number of second-place finishes, then number of thirds, etc.
(Standings under the traditional points system)
| Championship contenders | |||
| Through Chase Race 10 of 10 | |||
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Brad Keselowski Points: 2,400; Wins: 5 Behind first: -- Last race: 15th at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
 1 |
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Clint Bowyer Points: 2,361; Wins: 3 Behind first: -39 Last race: Second at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
1 |
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Jimmie Johnson Points: 2,360; Wins: 5 Behind first: -40 Last race: 36th at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
 2 |
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Kasey Kahne Points: 2,345; Wins: 2 Behind first: -55 Last race: 21st at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
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Greg Biffle Points: 2,331; Wins: 2 Behind first: -69 Last race: Sixth at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
4 |
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Denny Hamlin Points: 2,329; Wins: 5 Behind first: -71 Last race: Second at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
18 |
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Matt Kenseth Points: 2,324; Wins: 3 Behind first: -76 Last race: 14th at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
11 |
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Kevin Harvick Points: 2,320; Wins: 1 Behind first: -80 Last race: Ninth at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
3 |
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Tony Stewart Points: 2,311; Wins: 3 Behind first: -89 Last race: 17th at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
1 |
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Jeff Gordon Points: 2,303; Wins: 2 Behind first: -97 Last race: First at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
4 |
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Martin Truex Jr. Points: 2,298; Wins: 0 Behind first: -102 Last race: Seventh at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
4 |
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. Points: 2,244; Wins: 1 Behind first: -156 Last race: 11th at Homestead-Miami Last three at Avg. finish at |
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