The 12 drivers who qualify for the Chase will have their point totals re-set to 5,000. They then will get 10 bonus points for each pre-Chase victory; those new totals establish the Chase seedings.

Currently, Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have five victories apiece and thus, a total of 50 bonus points each. They’ll start the Chase seeded 1-2 (Johnson gets the top seed via the traditional tiebreak of next-best finishes).

How important are the bonus points? Consider: Jeff Gordon currently is second in the series standings and has secured a Chase berth but because he has no race wins this year, he’s destined to have the lowest point total (tied with several others) to start the Chase – 5,000. Unless he wins Saturday night at Richmond, which would give him 5,010.

Guys to watch as they try to win Saturday: Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch, currently tied with three wins apiece. If one of them wins at Richmond, they’ll start the Chase seeded third with 5,040 points, only 10 behind Johnson and Hamlin.