Sprint Cup Chase 2015: Standings Outlook Before NASCAR at Sonoma

Like the days in the month of June, Kevin Harvick's lead in the Sprint Cup Standings is dwindling steadily. Harvick holds just a 15-point advantage over Martin Truex Jr. heading into the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, California, on Sunday. Here's a look at the latest standings:

Position	Driver	Points	Behind	Wins
1	Kevin Harvick	576	---	2
2	Martin Truex Jr.	561	-15	1
3	Joey Logano	520	-56	1
4	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	508	-68	1
5	Jimmie Johnson	506	-70	4
6	Brad Keselowski	480	-96	1
7	Jamie McMurray	464	-112	0
8	Matt Kenseth	456	-120	1
9	Kasey Kahne	447	-129	0
10	Jeff Gordon	434	-142	0

Click here to see full standings.

After Sunday, there will only be 10 races remaining before the challenger round in The Chase begins. As it stands, 10 drivers have already drastically increased their chances of making The Chase by winning races this season. Six-time Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with four wins, though, he is just fifth in the points standings.

Harvick has two wins and is also a virtual lock for The Chase. Those powerhouses shouldn't have to worry about qualifying for NASCAR's playoffs, but times might start to get a little desperate for the drivers who have yet to find Victory Lane.

The pressure is on drivers like Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon. Neither of them have won this year, and while both would be in The Chase if it started today, there's only 47 and 34 points separating them from the final spot, respectively. 

An early exit in a race could create a tough situation.

Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

This will be Gordon's last full season in the sport and thus his last time racing at Sonoma. He's the all-time winner at the venue, and it clearly holds a special place in the future Hall of Famer's heart. Per Zack Albert of NASCAR.com, Gordon said:

"

It does feel different. It feels a little more emotional and I think that will ramp up through Sunday. This has been a very special place for me and always will be. To know that this if the final time that I will be driving here and just the build-up -- going to Rio Linda to that quarter-midget track last week that was the first place I ever raced at -- that just built a lot of emotion into what is occurring this weekend. It also adds pressure that I want to do really well this weekend.

"

It goes without saying; a win on Sunday would put Gordon in position to compete in The Chase, but it would also be one heck of a story considering this is his last run at the venue. It's too early in the season to call this a must win for Gordon, but you can bet it's one he'd love to have.

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Another driver to watch will be Carl Edwards. He's the defending champion and flying under the radar a bit, despite the fact that he's already won once this year.

Since winning the Coca-Cola 600 on May 24, Edwards hasn't been able to crack the top 10 in any race. Despite his recent mediocrity, NASCAR Stats tells us that he's become a force on road courses:

Johnson is a safe pick considering he's also won in Sonoma back in 2010, but Edwards has to be considered a serious threat to repeat. We'll see who grabs the checkered flag on Sunday.