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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Auto Racing notes: Chase outsiders not leaving anything to chance

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It’s the kind of jumble that can make even the most seasoned driver nervous.

Matt Kenseth stands fifth in the points standings and seems a lock to make in into NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup championship when the 10-race playoffs begin in three weeks at Chicagoland Speedway.

But the 2003 series champion is still winless this season.

With three races remaining in the regular-season, including two on unpredictable short tracks, he’s not banking on anything just yet.

“I never feel like you’re a lock for anything until you’re really a lock for something,” Kenseth said Friday at Bristol (Tennessee) Motor Speedway, the first of those short tracks to be navigated in the next three races. “Until it’s mathematically impossible to be out, I never feel like you’re in. We want to win.”

He’s still in a lot less precarious position than, say, Greg Biffle.

Twelve drivers are already locked into the playoffs as race winners. Kenseth’s 709 points put him 13th in the Chase standings, 49 points ahead of Biffle, who is in the final qualifying spot.

Three drivers – Kasey Kahne, Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson – are within 24 points of Biffle, and the list of non-winners also includes very capable drivers such as Kahne, Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray.

In NASCAR’s new format, a win by any of them, or by one of several other drivers, would allow the race winner to jump into the championship field.

“You’ve got to really be on offense and defense” at Bristol, Biffle said. “You come in here and run as hard as you can. We’re here to win and we feel like we run in the top 10 about every time we’re at Bristol, and that’s the position you need to be in in order to put yourself in a position to win.”

The dicey nature of the jumble gets all the more intriguing with rookies Dillon and Larson among those hot on Biffle’s heals. Dillon trails by 22 points for 16th place; Larson is 24 back.

“Being a rookie, I don’t have much to lose,” Dillon said.

“There has never been a rookie make the Chase. This would be a great opportunity to do that. … I don’t feel a huge sense of urgency.”

Kevin Harvick will start from the pole position tonight at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Harvick turned a lap at a track-record 131.362 mph. He knocked Jeff Gordon from the top spot for his 11th career pole. It is his fifth pole this season, which he attributes to one thing: “faster cars.”

Gordon, the points leader, will start outside the front row, with Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in the second row.

Ryan Blaney bolted past Kyle Busch on a restart with six laps remaining and won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night for his second career victory.

Blaney’s victory was a surprise after Busch, seeking to become the first driver ever to win four consecutive races in the series on the 0.533-mile oval, had dominated, especially on restarts.