Here’s how the 12-driver field stands in championship points in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup heading into Saturday evening\u2019s Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, starting at 7:40pm EST as postseason race 5-of-10. <\/p>\n
1\u2014Jimmie Johnson (5718: leader)<\/strong> BetUS now has Johnson the NASCAR odds on favorite at -150 to claim the 2008 Sprint Cup title to three-peat as champion. It would be a historic feat that’s looking more realistic each time the checkers wave. This team is on its game at the highest level as a strong 9th at Talladega indicates.<\/p>\n 2\u2014Carl Edwards (5646: -72 pts) <\/strong>His bad outing last week at Talladega cost him 62 points. But there’s four intermediate tracks (1.5-miles) remaining on the Chase schedule, with the first being on Saturday in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s, so don’t even consider counting Edwards out because he thrives on these sized tracks.<\/p>\n 3\u2014Greg Biffle (5641: -77 pts.)<\/strong> Biffle struggled the most among the Big Three heading into Talladega, having never finished in the top-10 in his 11 starts there. Well, his 24th-place finish there last week keeps the ugly streak alive, and like Edwards, he lost ground to Johnson but still well within striking distance with more than half the Chase to go.<\/p>\n 4\u2014Jeff Burton (5619: -99 pts.)<\/strong> While Edwards and Biffle fell slightly further back to the two time defending champion, Burton’s stout 4th-place Talladega run (combined with struggles from Edwards and Biffle) put him right back into contention, as he chipped away 22 markers off his 121 point deficit prior to last week’s race. He’s reached the bumpers of the second and third-place drivers and with a little racing luck, consistency and no mulligans during the remainder of the Chase, Burton could make things interesting as arguably the best active driver never to have won a Cup in 15 years of trying.<\/p>\n 5\u2014Clint Bowyer (5566: -152 pts.)<\/strong> Continues flying quietly under the radar with still a slight shot at becoming a contender as he slowly climbs upwards in the standings. He’s posted top-15s in all four races to start the Chase, including a strong 5th-place run last week at Talladega, moving him up two positions. But like every driver below him he must avoid any DNFs and hope for a little luck along with mishaps by drivers ahead of him.<\/p>\n 6\u2014Kevin Harvick (5547: -171 pts.)<\/strong> Chances are slipping away as his deficit grows. Harvick hasn\u2019t shown he has the ammo to compete with the big guns. His 20th-place Talladega finish that dropped him a spot severely hurt his chances.<\/p>\n 7\u2014Tony Stewart (5515: -203 pts.)<\/strong> If you bet on NASCAR and selected Stewart to take the checkers at Talladega last week, congratulations, as he claimed his first victory of 2008. He made a considerable jump up in the standings, but barring a miracle, he won’t become a factor. His four positions earned in the point standings was most among chasers on the week.<\/p>\n 8\u2014Jeff Gordon (5486: -232 pts.)<\/strong> Gordon couldn’t avoid ”The Big One” making for a 38th-place finish at Talladega last week, which pretty much ends any chance of him making a serious run for the championship. With title hopes gone, his focus should now turn to ending a 35-race winless streak that has him six races from his first season since 1993 without a victory.<\/p>\n 9\u2014Matt Kenseth (5473: -245 pts.)<\/strong> A 26th-place run last week at Talladega only retains his ninth spot in points and does nothing to help his chances at raising the Cup.<\/p>\n 10\u2014Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5469: -249 pts.)<\/strong> A strong run at Talladega was the only hope Earnhardt Jr. had to get back into contention. But last week’s 28th-place finish at the track he has five wins at, puts an end to his chances after falling two positions in the standings.<\/p>\n 11\u2014Kyle Busch (5387: -331 pts.)<\/strong> Despite a respectable 15-place finish last week at Talladega and gaining a spot in the points, it’s time to start testing for 2009.<\/p>\n