NASCAR's Kentucky Derby: The Start of the Chase to the Chase for Cup Series

Tensions are running high, wins are becoming mandatory and those who will challenge the five-time reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion are becoming evident.

The inaugural Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway for the top series of NASCAR begins a crucial nine-race trek to the Chase.

The Coke Zero 400 at Daytona was the wild card race that was a game changer for several drivers, including Carl Edwards, who had been the leader of the point standings for a considerable time.

Once again a first-time driver, David Ragan, got a win and will possibly be a contender for the wild-card slot.

Tony Stewart lost one more chance to snatch a win that is crucial to him making the Chase. He better hope he can get hot in the summer stretch to keep his Chase hopes alive.

The Stewart-Haas camp apparently has some work to do not only with Stewart, but teammate Ryan Newman as well. Both remain winless and Newman hangs on to 10th in the standings with Stewart 12th.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. remained seventh in the points after having been as high as third. Junior and his crew must regain momentum for top finishes and a win or face the slide to Chase irrelevance.

Sprint Cup champ Jimmie Johnson is finding his challengers to be tough this season as he sits sixth in the rankings. Can he regain his winning ways or will pit stop mistakes and bad calls cost him?

Joey Logano is starting to show some strength and is no stranger to Kentucky Speedway with three wins in the last three starts in the Nationwide series.

Kentucky Speedway is a 1.5 mile track with multiple grooves that will offer a slightly slippery and bumpy challenge for the engineers who determine the set up for the cars.

The pressure mounts for many drivers with not a lot of races left to get a coveted place in the 2011 Chase.

Right now it appears David Ragan and Brad Keselowski with one win each, are leading candidates for the wild card slot if they can maintain a position in the top 20.

Though Edwards managed to hang on to top dog slot in the points for some time until last week at Daytona, he needs to get at least another win before the race at Richmond is history.

Kevin Harvick is hot to make up for his third-place finish last year in the fight for the title. He has three wins and is on top of the point standings heading to Kentucky.

Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch have two wins each and are comfortably in the top five. Kurt Busch and his newfound Penske power is a threat to win at least another race to add to the win he has.

The younger Busch brother, Kyle, was fastest in practice for the Quaker State 400. He has dominated some Nationwide races at the Kentucky track, though he hasn't won. He may be the hot pick to win.

It is always exciting to run an inaugural race and every driver wants to be the one to win that race because it can only be done once.

There is a lot at stake with each and every race in the variety of tracks the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will compete on as the season winds down to the Chase for the Cup title.

Up next we shall see how the Kentucky derby for the elite series in NASCAR plays out with wins meaning more than ever under the new point structure and the wild card slots.