SM Staff

The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup field is set. It needed all 400 laps in Richmond, along with some rain and a platter of pit strategy, but the field is set and the playoffs can begin.

The 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup begins next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Here is a look at one of the deepest chase fields in history.

All attention was on Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, the two drivers who would finish 12th (yes, I said 12th) in the standings that lead to NASCAR’s playoff, The Chase. It was an amazing turn of events and Gordon deserves most of the credit, but there were 41 other drivers out there and one (Bowyer) was making a statement for Michael Waltrip Racing that was just as amazing.

The four-time champion is gearing up for another run at the championship. His fight for the championship this year will be very difficult. Gordon made the Chase as a wild card. Wild card drivers don’t get to use their victories as bonus points coming into the Chase.

Following weeks of build up and anticipation, the NASCAR Spring Cup Series arrived at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night for the final race before the Chase for the Championship. Ten drivers arrived already locked-in to the Chase, including Tony Stewart who was assured of either a finish in the top ten or a wild card spot.

The 10th race of the 2012 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series schedule (NCATS) takes the stars of the NCATS to the 0.333 mile paved oval known as Barrie Speedway. The tight quarters of the short track that many of these drivers grew up racing at have always provoked close and exciting racing.

Kevin Harvick won the Virginia 529 College Savings 250 in Richmond International Raceway. This was Harvick's sixth Nationwide Series win at Richmond and his first in the series since going to victory lane here since 2010

Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured the pole for Saturday nights NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway with a lap of 127.023 MPH (21.260 secs).

A pair of drivers in contention for the World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship took a major hit on Thursday while a four-time champion survived a treacherous track on the opening night of the 59th annual Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway.

Let’s examine The Chase. The tracks that are involved these days are Chicagoland, New Hampshire, Dover, Talladega, Charlotte, Kansas, Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.