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Chase for the Championship Drivers

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Chase for the Championship Drivers

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Joe Gibbs Racing -- No. 11 Toyota Facing what could have been a season-crippling injury, Denny Hamlin rebounded from knee surgery early in 2010 to take the checkers at six stops and earn the No. 1 seed. Before Hamlin's Sept. 11 win at Richmond, a late-season slump threatened to put a dent in his momentum heading into the Chase. Wins: 6 Top 5s: 10 Top 10s: 11 Best finish in Chase final standings: 3rd

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Hendrick Motorsports -- No. 48 Chevy Four-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson will be looking for the five-peat in this year's Chase. After a generally unremarkable season, JJ is looking to pick up his performance to take full advantage of his number 2 seed. Though Johnson is still the general favorite to take the title, he'll face fierce competition from the likes of Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin. Wins: 5 Top 5s: 10 Top 10s: 14 Best finish in Chase final standings: 1st

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Richard Childress Racing -- No. 29 Chevy California-native Kevin Harvick has had quite the charmed season, taking the checkers at three Cup events, including wins at two of the sport's most fabled tracks, Talladega and Daytona. Eyes fixated on winning his first Sprint Cup title, the two-time Nationwide champ goes into the Chase seeded third. Wins: 3 Top 5s: 11 Top 10s: 16 Best finish in Chase final standings: 4th

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Joe Gibbs Racing -- No. 18 Toyota With the same brash bravado that has made him NASCAR's resident bad boy, Kyle Busch made history and enemies throughout 2010. Busch became the first driver to win a Trucks, Nationwide and Cup race in the same weekend, at the same track. But despite his historic run at Bristol, Busch has been generally inconsistent this season. Shrub also managed to make quite a few enemies, most notably Brad Keselowski and Todd Bodine. Wins: 3 Top 5s: 8 Top 10s: 14 Best finish in Chase final standings: 5th

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Penske Racing -- No. 2 Dodge A quiet year for the eldest Busch brother, 2010 saw Kurt Busch notch two victories and stay generally under the radar. But consistency has been on his side as he tries to repeat his victory in the sport's first Chase season in 2004. Wins: 2 Top 5s: 8 Top 10s: 15 Best finish in Chase final standings: 1st

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Stewart-Haas Racing -- No. 14 Chevy It took Tony Stewart 24 starts, but he lived up to expectations of a late-summer surge when he took his first 2010 checkers at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Stewart last won the Chase in 2005 and could be poised for a strong playoff season if his recent momentum continues as the Chase kicks off in Loudon, N.H. Wins: 1 Top 5s: 7 Top 10s: 14 Best finish in Chase final standings: 1st

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Roush Fenway Racing -- No. 16 Ford Named one of the sport's most underrated drivers, Greg Biffle had quite a year along with the rest of the Roush-Fenway stable. Just days after team owner Jack Roush was injured in a plane crash, Biffle delivered the team's first win of the season and snapped his own 64-race winless streak. Now he just has to duplicate that effort in the playoffs. Wins: 1 Top 5s: 5 Top 10s: 14 Best finish in Chase final standings:

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Hendrick Motorsports -- No. 24 Chevy Jeff Gordon heads into the 10-race Chase marred in the longest winless streak of his career -- 55. Wins: 0 Top 5s: 10 Top 10s: 13 Best finish in Chase final standings: 1st

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Roush Fenway Racing -- No. 99 Ford Controversy followed Carl Edwards throughout the season, as he and Brad Keselowski traded paint at both Atlanta and Gateway. But it was the later incident the rifled the most NASCAR feathers, as both Edwards and Keselowski were placed on probation through the end of the year. Despite the run-ins Edwards has had this year, he pieced together a solid season, though has yet to make it to Victory Lane in 2010. Wins: 0 Top 5s: 6 Top 10s: 14 Best finish in Chase final standings: 2nd

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Richard Childress Racing -- No. 31 Chevy Winless in 2010, Jeff Burton has met with some success through his consistent top-10 finishes. In his close to 20-year career, Burton has yet to win a title and certainly looking for his first championship win this year. Wins: 0 Top 5s: 5 Top 10s: 13 Best finish in Chase final standings: 6th

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Roush Fenway Racing -- No. 17 Ford Consistency was on Matt Kenseth's side in 2010 as the driver cruised to the 11th seed in this year's Chase. Though he has yet to reclaim championship glory after winning the title in 2003, Kenseth has placed eighth or higher in the final standings seven times. Wins: 0 Top 5s: 5 Top 10s: 10 Best finish in Chase final standings: 1st

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Richard Childress Racing -- No. 33 Chevy Fending off Mark Martin and Jamie McMurray, RCR's Clint Bowyer earned the final spot in the Chase with his sixth-place finish at Richmond. The driver has yet to make it to Victory Lane, but with New Hampshire as the first Chase's stop, Bowyer's luck could quickly change. Wins: 0 Top 5s: 4 Top 10s: 14 Best finish in Chase final standings: 3rd

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