Chase Field
The 12 drivers in the Chase are led by Jimmie Johnson although he starts nine points behind both Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. Those two start with a three-point lead over Jeff Gordon. Matt Kenseth is fourth and he is six points behind Busch and Harvick. Carl Edwards, Johnson, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman start nine points back while Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin begin the Chase 12 points back.
Favorites
Jimmie Johnson is the champ and until someone beats him he is the favorite. "You start building some confidence. You get to the championship format, and it's the same thing.” Johnson said, “Over time, I've built a lot of confidence. I feel like I have a better road map on where to focus. I don't waste a lot of time worrying about other areas."
Teammate Jeff Gordon could be the man to beat him. Gordon has won the Championship four times and will be going for his fifth title.
"I feel like we've got more momentum going into the Chase. I feel like our team is really, really strong," Gordon said. "We've got an awesome race team right now. I'm extremely excited."
Anything is possible in the Chase and any of the 12 drivers can win the championship. Harvick comes off a win last week and is definitely a contender. "It's really going to come down to who makes the least mistakes," Harvick said. "There are a lot of cars that can win. A lot of cars that can be competitive. It's going to be who makes the least amount of mistakes and capitalizes the most on the days that you are off."
Brad Keselowski has been very hot in the past month and could be a contender even though it is his first time in the Chase. "I'm viewing it like a 1-year-old that got his first box of crayons -- happy and amazed to have them," Keselowski said. "And it's great. Everything is fresh, new, and a lot of positive momentum."
Two of the more popular drivers in NASCAR odds at BetDSI sportsbook are Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart. Neither is a favorite but each has a chance. "I'm proud to be in the Chase," Earnhardt said. "I feel like I'm a good enough driver to be in the Chase; my team is good enough to be there."
