Wreck Fest Separated The Contenders From The Pretenders

What a wild card race. Talladega did what most expected it to do. Separate the leaders (Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle) and put the other 10 out of reach.

For Denny Hamlin I don't think it matters that he lead part of the race or that he dropped back into 12th in the standings. But in this case he is 335 points behind the leader and with less than six races to go, it will be to difficult to climb. Sunday was really his chance  to take advantage of other chasers issues.

But effectively a blown tire ended his hunt for a championship. Now don't expect him just to ride around a take laps. Hamlin will be a factor for wins especially at the Martinsville and Phoenix. Thank goodness for the safety in these cars, he could have been injured more severely than he was.

Denny Hamlin: Eliminated

Kyle Busch had a great run going and had moved up in the  points. He was  being smart on Sunday staying out of trouble and avoiding  the first big one, only to be involved in the chaser's big one.I eliminated him last week; and that won't change this week. He is too far  behind to  really have an impact.

And unless Jimmie Johnson has a complete breakdown, Kyle doesn't have much of shot. I expect him to be just as aggressive as he was in the "regular season." We are coming up to tracks where he has ran well.This driver is looking to improve his postion in the standings.

Kyle Busch: Eliminated

For Dale Earnhardt Jr.  Talladega was suppose to be his chance to make a real run at the top three. For most of the day he ran up front, gaining drafting buddies in guys like Juan Pablo Montoya and his teammates Casey Mears and Jimmie Johnson. But with less than 20 to go, it was time to go for broke. And he got swept up in someone else's mistake. This was huge for Junior.

Last week he already on the edge of  elimination and now this week, I have to eliminate him. He has lost four positions in the last two weeks and it will be too difficult to gain any ground on the leaders. You might see Jr. and company start to look toward next year as the weeks wind down. Don't expect him to just play dead. He will race for wins but it is a little to late.

Jr:  Sorry Jr. nation, Eliminated

Matt Kenseth was minding his own business for most of the day drafting with  the leaders and being patient. He expected the big one. But what he didn't expect was he would  be taken out by his own teammate.

After consecutive weeks of strong runs and strong finishes Kenseth watched his title hopes fade quickly as the Alabama summer. Sitting ninth in points while is  improvement from where he started will mean nothing when  one of the top three hoist the trophy.

He can make ground on the guys in front of him but it's a little to late for this team as they sit 245 points out of the lead. I won't eliminate them quite yet. I think he has a couple tracks coming up where he can make some ground. But he has no more mulligans left and if after Charlotte he has gained nothing on the leaders his title hopes are over.

Matt Kenseth: Just hanging on...

For Jeff Gordon this year is one to forget. Not only has he yet to win, he has more bad luck than necessary. But the good thing is he is competitive on the track for the first time all year. A little too late yes, but it's  good to see him  coming to the track with  good cars and translating that on the track.

Sunday for him was one he'd like to forget. He tried  going back in the pack after being shuffled out on a restart to his teammates but when that wasn't working he started toward the front.  A cut tire from David Reutimann and Gordon's day was over.

His finish like the rest of the chasers involved in accidents wasn't indicative of how strong his car was. But due to the melee late in the race Gordon only lost two positions in the standings. His title hopes are probably over, but like Kenseth his  better tracks are still to come.

For the DuPont team they are looking to next year and working on the 1.5  tracks but they still can play spoiler.Like Kenseth looking for there first win, Gordon and company could be eliminated by next week from the list if they have another problem at Charlotte or gain little to no ground on the leaders.

Jeff Gordon: Has a little hope (and I mean little)

Tony Stewart, now I effectively eliminated him last week. And I wasn't wrong. I miscalculated; Talladega. While Smoke did improve four spots in the standings he still sits 203 points out. And he gained ground on the leaders after the chaser big one.

Possibly if not for Carl Edwards mistake Tony would be sitting in 10th instead of seventh. But I am not going to eliminate him this week. Like Gordon, Kenseth he still has a little hope of making a run.

He has no room for error at this point  and he can't afford  to lose any more ground to the leaders. After Charlotte will be key. If he has lost any more points his run might be over for good. Look for Stewart though to carry there momentum  from Talladega to Lowe's.

Tony Stewart: Reborn, for now.

The dark horse of the Chase might just have lost his chance. Kevin Harvick was pretty consistent throughout the day, good pit stops, and a strong car. But towards the end at Talladega anything is possible.

He lost one position in the standings and still sits within one race of the leaders. It's difficult to gain ground on the top three when you are involved in track incidents. He needs to start gaining points and leading laps and winning, if he wants any chance at a title.

Kevin Harvick: Still alive

For Clint Bowyer (fifth) and Jeff Burton (fourth) they have done something nobody else has been able to do; gain ground on Jimmie Johnson. Taking advantage of other chasers problems these two drivers avoided both big ones and  came out with strong finishes.

They did exactly what they hoped to do just survive Talladega. While they did gain ground on the leader they also need to win a races and lead laps something neither have done much of in the chase.

While they are still very much in this title chase, they need  to have strong runs here on out and avoid any issues. They can't afford to have any issues the rest of the way if they want to to make a run at that title.

Clint Bowyer: Staying within touch

Jeff Burton: Consistently consistent

For Greg Biffle he wasn't worried about winning all to much just  finishing. He was well on his way until his teammate who he was drafting with got a little to greedy and turned Biffle in front of the field.

He sits 77 points out of Jimmie Johnson, and with upcoming tracks where he ran well at Biffle will be a factor in deciding this cup. For Biffle Sunday was about surviving and hoping to avoid the big one. And while he didn't avoid the big one, he didn't lose touch with the leader.

Greg Bifle: Staying relevant

Carl Edwards quickly became the villain on Sunday. He apologized and apologized to anyone who would listen but the for the guys he knocked out of contention for a win and possibly the title didn't want to hear. At least not right then.

He was genuinely sorry for his mistake and didn't blame another driver, he admitted that he pushed to hard. but it all was a little to late. We all know it wasn't on purpose.That doesn't sour the blow to those guys who cars were wrecked.

He lost some ground on Jimmie Johnson but he still very much alive.He needs to avoid rookie mistakes and stay focus at this point he needs every point he can get.

Carl Edwards: Contender

Jimmie Johnson. What can you say goes a lap down early struggles to stay in the draft, avoids the two big ones and come out with a top 15 finish, and increases his lead. We all want to say "it's over" just hand the  trophy to him, but there is still more racing to go and anything can happen. 

Lowe's is Jimmie's  house but last time there he struggled with the car. Jimmie can't make a mistake at all. he can't afford to fall a lap down or get caught up in someone else's mess. But after Lowe's some definite test are ahead in places like Martinsville and Texas. So staying consistent is key.

Jimmie Johnson: Being Jimmie Johnson

Talladega was the real wild card and we have tracks like Martinsville which will play a factor in this chase.  The eliminated can change from week to week depending on how much ground lost or gained except for 11th and 12th place(Busch and  Hamlin). Guys who are not within a race can play spoiler. While the guys ahead of them can't afford any mistakes and guys like Tony, Jeff and Jr. can go for broke and see where they end up.

Wait until next year when this race isn't until November only three weeks before the end of the season. See how the points are affected come next November. On to Lowe's expect to see the usual suspects Jimmie and Carl and Jr.

But I think guys like Jeff Gordon who has  recently been making ground on the 1.5 tracks and running well and Matt Kenseth leave nothing on the track. See you in Charlotte.