Auto Racing: Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship driver profiles
September 14, 2012 10:52PM
Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr.,Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth are the 12 Chase drivers. | AP Photo/Autostock, Nigel Kinrade
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Updated: October 17, 2012 6:26AM
Chasers
(points in parentheses)
Denny Hamlin (2,012)
Joe Gibbs Racing — No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota
Crew chief: Darian Grubb
First NASCAR start: 2005
2012 average finish: 12th
2012 best finish: Four wins
Career wins: 21
Best Chase finish: Second in 2010
Best Chicagoland finish: Fifth
2011 Chicagoland finish: 31st
2012 prize money: $5,316,971
Career prize money: $47,887,907
Notable: Has made the Chase for the seventh consecutive year, every year that he has been a full-time Cup driver; was the 2006 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year.
Jimmie Johnson (2,009)
Hendrick Motorsports — No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet
Crew chief: Chad Knaus
First NASCAR start: 2001
2012 average finish: 11th
2012 best finish: Three wins
Career wins: 58
Best Chase finish: Won fifth consecutive title in 2010.
Best Chicagoland finish: Second
2011 Chicagoland finish: 10th
2012 prize money: $6,097,514
Career prize money: $116,184,171
Notable: Johnson and wife, Chandra, self-published a book of photographs titled “On The Road,” detailing the 2011 Chase.
Tony Stewart (2,009)
Stewart-Haas Racing — No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet
Crew chief: Steve Addington
First NASCAR start: 1999
2012 average finish: 13th
2012 best finish: Three wins
Career wins: 47
Best Chase finish: Won his third Cup title in 2011.
Best Chicagoland finish: Won three times
2011 Chicagoland finish: First
2012 prize money: $5,115,100
Career prize money: $106,171,655
Notable: The Indiana native twice won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway; was the 1999 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year.
Brad Keselowski (2,009)
Penske Racing — No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge
Crew chief: Paul Wolfe
First NASCAR start: 2008
2012 average finish: 11th
2012 best finish: Three wins
Career wins: Seven
Best Chase finish: Fifth in 2011
Best Chicagoland finish: Fifth
2011 Chicagoland finish: Fifth
2012 prize money: $4,421,415
Career prize money: $17,174,974
Notable: His brother, Brian, also races in both the Cup and Nationwide series; third generation driver.
Greg Biffle (2,006)
Roush-Fenway Racing — No. 16 Scotch Blue Ford
Crew chief: Matt Puccia
First NASCAR start: 2002
2012 average finish: Ninth
2012 best finish: Two wins
Career wins: 18
Best Chase finish: Tied for second in 2005
Best Chicagoland finish: Fourth
2011 Chicagoland finish: 26th
2012 prize money: $4,534,958
Career prize money: $55,366,529
Notable: Rookie of the Year and series champion in both the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Trucks Series.
Clint Bowyer (2,006)
Michael Waltrip Racing — No. 15 5-Hour Energy Drink Toyota
Crew chief: Brian Pattie
First NASCAR start: 2005
2012 average finish: 11th
2012 best finish: Two wins
Career wins: Seven
Best Chase finish: Third in 2007
Best Chicagoland finish: Fourth
2011 Chicagoland finish: Seventh
2012 prize money: $3,982,292
Career prize money: $38,675,099
Notable: First year at MWR after spending seven seasons with Richard Childress Racing.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2,003)
Hendrick Motorsports — No. 88 AMP Energy/7-Eleven/National Guard Chevrolet
Crew chief: Steve Letarte
First NASCAR start: 1999
2012 average finish: Ninth
2012 best finish: One win
Career wins: 19
Best Chase finish: Third in 2003
Best Chicagoland finish: First
2011 Chicagoland finish: Third
2012 prize money: $4,372,845
Career prize money: $73,315,371
Notable: Voted NASCAR’s most popular driver for the ninth consecutive year in 2011.
Matt Kenseth (2,003)
Roush-Fenway Racing — No. 17 Best Buy Ford
Crew chief: Jimmy Fennig
First NASCAR start: 1998
2012 average finish: 10th
2012 best finish: One win
Career wins: 22
Best Chase finish: Second in 2006
Best Chicagoland finish: Second
2011 Chicagoland finish: 21st
2012 prize money: $5,708,897
Career prize money: $86,894,001
Notable: Won the 2003 Cup championship, the last before the 10-race Chase format.
Kevin Harvick (2,000)
Richard Childress Racing — No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet
Crew chief: Gil Martin
First NASCAR start: 2001
2012 average finish: 11th
2012 best finish: Second, twice
Career wins: 18
Best Chase finish: Third, 2011 and 2010
Best Chicagoland finish: First
2011 Chicagoland finish: Second
2012 prize money: $4,311,251
Career prize money: $78,330,672
Notable: Two-time Nationwide Series champion; three-time Trucks Series champion owner with wife, DeLana; 2001 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year.
Martin Truex Jr. (2,000)
MWR — No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota
Crew chief: Chad Johnson
First NASCAR start: 2004
2012 average finish: 11th
2012 best finish: Second
Career wins: One
Best Chase finish: 11th, 2007
Best Chicagoland finish: Ninth
2011 Chicagoland finish: 18th
2012 prize money: $3,990,537
Career prize money: $34,670,243
Notable: Fan of all Philadelphia sports teams; used to work on a clam boat for his father’s seafood business.
Kasey Kahne (2,000)
Hendrick Motorsports — No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet
Crew chief: Kenny Francis
First NASCAR start: 2004
2012 average finish: 14th
2012 best finish: Two wins
Career wins: 14
Best Chase finish: Eighth in 2006
Best Chicagoland finish: Third
2011 Chicagoland finish: 12th
2012 prize money: $3,564,336
Career prize money: $52,767,003
Notable: In 2008 was the first driver voted into the Sprint Cup All-Star race and won, then a week later won the Coca-Cola 600.
Jeff Gordon (2,000)
Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet
Crew chief: Alan Gustafson
First NASCAR start: 1992
2012 average finish: 14th
2012 best finish: One win
Career wins: 86
Best Chase finish: Second in 2007
Best Chicagoland finish: One win
2011 Chicagoland finish: 24th
2012 prize money: $4,394,479
Career prize money: $127,726,335
Notable: Won four Cup championships — 1995, ’97, ’98, 2001 — before the Chase format; three-time Daytona 500 winner.
Compiled by Tina Akouris
