Burning Questions for Final 2 Races of 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Regular Season

Two races remain in the NASCAR Sprint Cup regular season.

And while you might think things are pretty clear as to who will make the Chase, think again.

Actually, there are still several questions that remain.

Not the least being who among the final seven or eight drivers currently on either side of the qualification bubble will ultimately make the final 16-driver Chase field.

Or not.

So as we head into this weekend’s return of the Southern 500 to its traditional Labor Day weekend race date at Darlington Raceway, let’s look at some of those most pressing remaining questions.

Who Makes the Chase—and Who Doesn’t?

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Let’s go right for the jugular.

This is without question the most important question over the next two weeks.

With four spots left to be locked in, drivers such as Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne will be slugging it out.

But let’s not forget a number of other drivers. All they have to do is win one of the last two races, and they’ll make the Chase.

Drivers such as Greg Biffle, Austin Dillon, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, AJ Allmendinger, Danica Patrick and several others who remain winless in 2015 are all repeating the same mantra:

Win and we’re in.

It’s that simple.

The problem is, while it may seem simple in theory, in reality and execution, it’ll likely be anything but.

Will Jeff Gordon Make the Chase?

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Jeff Gordon’s final season in Sprint Cup has been nothing short of rough.

You would think that the four-time Cup champion would have visited Victory Lane at least a couple of times already in 2015.

Unfortunately, Gordon has not. And that’s the biggest rub for him to finish his illustrious career without a win.

Or even worse, without making the Chase.

Plus, Gordon is only 17 points ahead of Bowyer for the final Chase spot. One bad race at Darlington or Richmond and Gordon very well could see his last chance at a fifth Cup championship end—even before it begins.

Can Joey Logano Overtake Jimmie Johnson or Kyle Busch for Top Seed in the Chase?

Bob Brodbeck/Associated Press

Joey Logano has three wins thus far in 2015, one less than both Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.

At this juncture, Johnson would likely be the top seed going into the Chase.

But if Logano wins a fourth race at either Darlington or Richmond, and remains ahead of Johnson or Busch in the points after the final pre-Chase race, he very likely could head into the Chase as its top seed.

And if he wins BOTH those races, he will be the undisputed top seed.

Who Needs Points More Than Wins?

Andy Manis/Associated Press

That seems like such a contradictory question, particularly this late in the regular season.

Win and you’re in, as the saying goes.

But there’s at least one driver who isn’t concerned about winning in the next two races—even though he hasn’t won a race yet in 2015.

Paul Menard, who is 14th on the Chase grid, is 19 points ahead of Clint Bowyer for the final Chase spot.

Menard is only watching points in these last two races. He’s playing defense, not going on offense. If he can get a top-10 finish, great.

If he can get a top-five, all the better.

But while a win would guarantee him a spot in his first Chase ever, Menard has a mediocre career record at both Darlington and Richmond.

There’s no need to risk it: He’s going to do the prudent thing and race just good enough to stay ahead of Bowyer.

It’s simple arithmetic, really.

What Happens to Kevin Harvick in the Next Two Weeks?

Matt Slocum/Associated Press

Kevin Harvick has nothing to lose in the next two races, so don’t be surprised if he goes for wins both times.

Harvick has led the Sprint Cup points for most of this season. If he doesn’t win another race or two, he’ll likely start the Chase somewhere around fourth or fifth place.

But if Harvick were to win at Darlington or Richmond—or both—he potentially could steal the top seed in the Chase away from both Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch.

One thing in Harvick’s favor: He has a strong record at both tracks.

Do Tony Stewart or Danica Patrick Have Realistic Chances to Make the Chase?

Chuck Burton/Associated Press

Two drivers who will likely have the most eyes upon them in these next two races are Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick.

Neither has won a race in 2015. In fact, Stewart hasn’t won a Sprint Cup race since mid-2013, while Patrick is still seeking her first career Cup win.

While many may have already written Stewart off, I’m not. Remember 2011? He went through the regular season without a win.

And then once the Chase began, Stewart put on an amazing display, one rarely seen in NASCAR history.

He went on to win five of the 10 Chase races, and then beat Carl Edwards in a tiebreaker to earn his third career Cup championship.

Granted, this season has been worse for Stewart than the 2015 regular season. Plus, the format—at least with where he’s at in the points now (26th)—mandates that he win one of the next two.

Fortunately for Stewart, he has a good record at both Darlington and Richmond. While I give him a slight edge to win at Richmond, any win will do.

As for Danica, not to sound contradictory, but I think if she finds herself at the right place at the right time in the closing laps at Richmond, she could realistically win.

I’ve said it now for almost two years that if and when Patrick’s first win occurs, it will most likely come on a short track like Richmond, Bristol or Martinsville.

What a storyline it would be if she wins the last Chase qualifying race and then becomes the first female driver to ever make the playoffs.

Follow me on Twitter @JerryBonkowski