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jimmie-johnson-martinsville-nascar-april-2013Jimmie Johnson is the first competitor to qualify for the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The five-time Sprint Cup champion is the only driver to have qualified for all 10 editions of NASCAR’s post season, and the earliest to clinch a Chase spot since Jeff Gordon also clinched at Watkins Glen in 2007. Now Johnson has a surprisingly daunting task ahead of him: Solve the riddle that is Michigan International Speedway. Michigan is one of five active tracks at which Johnson has not won. The others are all tracks that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits once per season: Chicagoland, Watkins Glen, Kentucky and Homestead.

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jimmie-johnson-nascar-daytona-500-victory-lane-2013Jimmie Johnson this week can become the first driver to clinch a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™. The five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion needs to leave Watkins Glen International with at least a 193-point lead over the driver holding the 11th position in the standings. Johnson, the only driver to appear in all previous nine editions of the Chase, currently leads 11th-place Tony Stewart by 178 points. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has never won at The Glen, but has finished third twice – including a year ago.

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NASCAR National Series Clinch Scenarios Set For Homestead

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2012) – Brad Keselowski leads five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson by 20 points going into Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Keselowski clinches his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship with a finish of 15th or better; or 16th and at least one lap led; or 17th and the most laps led, even if Johnson wins and leads the most laps.

All other drivers have been eliminated from championship consideration.

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Continue reading “NASCAR Cup, Nationwide, Truck Series Clinch Scenarios Heading To Homestead-Miami Speedway”

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10 Drivers Have Locked Up Spots; Eight Others Still Eligible

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 4, 2012) – Below are the 2012 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup clinch scenarios for Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway, the final race before the Chase field is set. Nine drivers have clinch top-10 spots in the Chase: Greg Biffle, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick. Tony Stewart, currently 10th, has clinched at least a Wild Card spot.

Tony Stewart, on the strength of three wins, has already clinched at least a Wild Card Chase spot. Regardless of where any other driver finishes, he will clinch a top-10 position with a finish of 14th or better, 15th and at least one lap led or 16th and the most laps led. Only three drivers can supplant Stewart in the top 10: Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon.

Continue reading “Richmond Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup Clinch Scenarios”

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Three competitors have clinched seeded spots in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ and another – 2003 champion Matt Kenseth – moves to the post season with at least a “wild card” entry. Current points leader Greg Biffle, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. locked up Chase berths at Bristol Motor Speedway over the weekend.

For Biffle, it’s redemption after failing to qualify a year ago. Johnson continues to be the only driver to qualify in each of the nine seasons since the Chase format was adopted in 2004. Earnhardt is in for the second straight year and fifth time overall. Kenseth, a Chase qualifier for the eighth time, and other members of the current top 10 can lock up top-10 positions by holding leads of at least 49 points over 11th place following Sunday’s AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (depending on which driver is in 11th and who wins Sunday’s race, some drivers can leave with a 48-point lead and still clinch a top-10 spot).

Continue reading “Driver Chase Clinch Scenarios: Eight Spots Remain”