June 27th. It was the first race in New Hampshire and Carl Edwards finished 25th. It would be the last time he ran outside the top dozen before the boys headed to California for this Sunday’s fourth race of the ten event Chase. Over that span Edwards has not yet won, but has ten Top Tens to his credit. If only he could finish on top once or twice, the title could wind up his. Then again, maybe he won’t even need it.
Officially, Edwards is 53 points behind Jimmie Johnson in the Chase, but Carl has been hot for more than three months. The big question is if he can continue to be so to the end, or is the big chill about to begin?
Here is how things stand for our hot 20 after the past ten events…
*Chasers in bold
1 (1) – Carl Edwards – 1532 pts
Hasn’t had a bad finish in over three months.
5 (3) – Jamie McMurray – 1374 pts
If not for those six times 30th or worse this season.
2 (7) – Kevin Harvick – 1421 pts
On pace to have the best season of his career
3 (2) – Kyle Busch – 1400 pts
A dream machine turned Kansas into a nightmare
4 (4) – Tony Stewart – 1394 pts
Has left over a hundred Chase points on the table
6 (5) – Jeff Burton – 1327 pts
Too bad about those last 130 miles.
7 (9) – Ryan Newman – 1314 pts
Not bad for only leading 31 laps all season.
8 (10) – Jimmie Johnson – 1313 pts
Thinks California is the place they ought to be.
11 (6) – Juan Pablo Montoya – 1285 pts
Must be thrilled that he is not in Kansas anymore.
9 (8) – Jeff Gordon – 1296 pts
Whenever he feels down he just thinks of Mark and Junior.
10 (17) – Greg Biffle – 1293 pts
Keeping within the top 15 each week would sure help.
12 (13) – Matt Kenseth – 1254 pts
Jack must be a happy man with three in the top ten at Kansas
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16 (16) – A.J. Allmendinger – 1173 pts
Has ran well since the Chase; too bad he is not in it.
13 (11) – Denny Hamlin – 1235 pts
Not good, not bad, just was what it was.
14 (15) – Kurt Busch – 1226 pts
Sure glad he didn’t tick off Reutimann.
15 (12) – Clint Bowyer – 1186 pts
Forget the title, he is fighting just to have dinner.
17 (20) – Joey Logano – 1115 pts
Tired of Ambrose and his baby kangaroo jokes.
18 (21) – Mark Martin – 1097 pts
After six straight outside top 15, has been inside the last two.
19 (18) – Martin Truex Jr – 1096 pts
Four straight 20th or worse.
20 (22) – Marcos Ambrose – 1063 pts
Loves singing Six White Boomers to Logano.
