Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.
1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won his second straight pole and was in contention at Loudon despite hitting the wall. He eventually finished seventh as teammate Joey Logano won.
“When I hit the wall,” Keselowski said, “I thought the worst. But the Chase is long and grueling, and won’t be won in a day. You’ve got to keep your eyes on the prize. For me personally, I’m able to see the ‘Lite’ at the end of the tunnel.”
2. Joey Logano: Logano led 78 laps and pulled away on the gree-white-checkered restart to take the win at New Hampshire. With the victory, Logano joins Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski as the only drivers to have clinched berths in the next round.
“It’s great to win at my home track,” Logano said. “I have lots of supporters at home, but none more fanatical than my father.”
3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished ninth in the Sylvania 300, posting his 17th top-10 finish of the year. He is sixth in the points standings, 20 out of first.
“There were a whopping 15 cautions on Sunday,” Earnhardt said. “That really slowed the race down, and it truly made it feel like a ‘Sunday drive.’”
4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished fifth at New Hampshire, posting his ninth top 5 of the year. He is fourth in the points standings, 17 behind Brad Keselowski.
“Some say the Jimmie Johnson aura of invincibility is fading,” Johnson said. “That could change in a matter of seconds with a win at Dover, where I’ve won several times. A win there, and all my critics will realize I am a threat to win the Cup. So I’m replacing the aura of invincibility with the aura of convincibility.”
5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 104 laps and finished third in the Sylvania 300 at Loudon. He is now third in the Sprint Cup points standings, seven out of first.
“Traditionally,” Harvick said, “the Loudon winner is awarded a lobster. That’s what Joey Logano got. It may be the first time the race trophy was older than the race winner.”
6. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished a troubling 26th in Sunday’s caution-filled race at Loudon. He is seventh in the points standings, 27 behind Brad Keselowski.
“The pressure will be on at Dover,” Gordon said. “I need a solid finish in order to advance. So, the only clinching scenarios I want to hear are the ones that don’t involve my rear end.”
7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 21st at Loudon and is now eighth in the points standings, 40 out of first.
“Fifteen is simply way too many cautions,” Kenseth said. “’Proceed with caution’ is a warning for drivers, not instructions for race officials.”
8. Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch finished eighth at Loudon and has posted top 10’s in both Chase races. He is fifth in the points standings, and barring a disaster, should advance to the Challenger round.
“I like my chances,” Busch said. “For me, a ‘disaster of the bar’ would be my lawyer not being able to get me a reduced sentence for going 128 miles per hour in a 45 MPH zone.”
9. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 17th in the Sylvania 300, the top finisher among Roush Fenway Racing cars.
“I guess all we can do is put that finish behind us,” Edwards said, “and move on. And speaking of moving on, I’ll be at Joe Gibbs Racing next year. Nobody’s is more excited about it than me. In fact, nobody’s excited about it but me.”
10. Kyle Larson: Larson finished second in the Sylvania 300 and now has a third and a second in the last two races.
“I’m 21 years old,” Larson said, “but I’m certainly not the baby of the sport. That title belongs to Cole Custer, who won the Truck series race at New Hampshire at the age of 16 years, 7 months, and 28 days. I’ve heard of the Gillette Young Guns; it’s too bad Cole’s not shaving. He could be a Gillette Young’un.”
