Top 10 Battle Tightens Up

Denny Hamlin’s first win of 2011 at Michigan caused a standings shakeup – and a virtual dead heat around the all-important top-10 spot.

Those in the top 10 after Richmond earn Chase berths, but also get three bonus points for each win during the 26-race regular season.

Hamlin, with the victory, launched three spots to ninth. Tony Stewart, despite a solid seventh-place finish at Michigan, dropped two spots to 11th.

But those standings positions are separated by a microscopic margin.

Just two points separate eighth-place Ryan Newman and 11th-place Stewart.