NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase Grid 2016: Standings, Schedule After Goody's Fast Relief
One spot in the Championship 4 is set, but we are still a few weeks from deciding the Sprint Cup title.
Jimmie Johnson clinched his spot in the final Chase for the Cup race with his win Sunday in the Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. He can now relax heading into the next two events as the rest of the seven remaining drivers battle to stay alive for a championship.
Here is a look at the latest standings with three races remaining in the 2016 season:
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| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 48 | 4044 | - |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | 4039 | -5 |
| 3 | Matt Kenseth | 20 | 4039 | -5 |
| 4 | Kyle Busch | 18 | 4037 | -7 |
| 5 | Joey Logano | 22 | 4033 | -11 |
| 6 | Kevin Harvick | 4 | 4021 | -23 |
| 7 | Kurt Busch | 41 | 4019 | -25 |
| 8 | Carl Edwards | 19 | 4005 | -39 |
Two more spots can be secured with wins in the next two events, leading to the championship event.
| Date | Event | Location | Time (ET) |
| Nov. 6 | AAA Texas 500 | Texas Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. |
| Nov. 13 | Can-Am 500 | Phoenix International Raceway | 2:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 20 | Ford Ecoboost 400 | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 2:30 p.m. |
While points will help earn a spot in the final round, you can be certain most of the Chase drivers will be doing what they can to win a race in the next two weeks. This is the only way you can guarantee a trip to the next round.
This leaves plenty of uncertainty for the coming races, not even knowing who will be in the final four spots until after Phoenix.
Johnson explained the challenge in the new format before Sunday's competition, per Nick Bromberg of Yahoo Sports:
"The biggest reason why it is different is at this point there would be two or three cars you would have to worry about [in] the Chases that I have won the way the format was. Now there are eight guys on the table, and then it goes down to four with equal points at Homestead. You can’t build a feeling or pick a favorite. It is fun to do, and it creates conversation, but it is impossible to truly pick a favorite at this point.
"
He obviously doesn't need to worry about the next two events; he only needs to focus on what it will take to win his seventh career championship.
On the other hand, the pressure is now on for the rest of the seven drivers hoping to use the next two races to secure a spot in Homestead-Miami.
Considering how tough it is to get through on points, the favorites to advance are the ones you can bet on to win one of the upcoming races. Kevin Harvick is one of those drivers, especially after making a habit of coming through with clutch wins.
The veteran found a way to stay alive in the Chase this season with wins at New Hampshire and Kansas, something he can do again in one of the next two events. The odds are that he will come through in the last week at Phoenix, a competition he has won eight times, including six of the last eight races.
Bob Pockrass of ESPN.com joked Harvick wasn't even going to try until that race:
The reality is it doesn't matter where he finishes in the next event or how badly he performed in Martinsville. As long as he wins in Phoenix, he has a chance to win a Sprint Cup title.
Johnson would have been a favorite to advance thanks to his five wins in Texas, the setting for next week's race, but this isn't as important now that he has his spot in the final round secure.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to winning a NASCAR event.
Martin Truex Jr. appeared to be one of the favorites to win a championship until blowing his engine in Talladega, keeping him out of the top eight spots.
Drivers like Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin and others have performed well as of late and remain top contenders. Defending champion Kyle Busch also can't be counted out until he is eliminated.
The only thing we do know is the next two races are certain to feature plenty of excitement.
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