Off of his win in the night race at California, Johnson enjoys his third win of the season at Richmond International Raceway. Johnson was able to hold of a hard charging Tony Stewart in the last ten laps of the event to grab his second back to back win at the end of the regular season. 

Johnson had performed this same feat last season by winning at California, followed up by the same win at Richmond. Last season that had kicked off Johnson’s trek to win the Championship of 2007. 

This season though, Johnson has a big challenge with Kyle Busch who will have a fourty point lead over him as the chase races begin. Anything could happen, but this is the most in recent history in the Chase format that there has been a separation of this much to kick of the last ten races. 

Johnson has struggled in the first 5 races of the Chase, but came back with 4 wins and a top ten finish at Homestead to take the Championship. Johnson had also won 6 races last year before the Chase. This year it is at three. 

We should see a big challenge for the last ten races.  

Kyle Busch had started on the pole for the event today, had to contend with several factors of the race, one of those factors being a early race contact with Dale Earnhardt Jr. causing Busch to spin out backwards into the outside turn two wall. Earnhardt had come into the turn a bit hot, and at the same time Busch had come down onto Earnhardt’s car. 

Busch was able to remain on the lead lap, but numerous laps later had fallen a lap down. Busch came back later in the race to the lead lap and into the top 20. In the last 100 laps, Busch moved up to the top 15, but could not move forward anymore. 

Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne and David Ragan had a shot at the 12^th and final chase position coming into today’s race. Matt Kenseth could have lost his chase position as well, depending on the outcome. 

At times during the race Bowyer had slipped back, Kenseth had even slipped back with out of sequence pit stops which propelled Ragan into the chase. Bowyer came back into 11^th with Kenseth having some bad luck late in the race. Kenseth, along with Bowyer both had fought back to get into the chase. 

All the other top 10 drivers in the chase had locked themselves in.

Your chase drivers start off the last ten races who are (With points reset)– Kyle Busch with 5080, Carl Edwards 5050, Jimmie Johnson 5040, Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5010, Clint Bowyer 5010, Denny Hamlin 5010, Jeff Burton 5010, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth with 5000. 

PRE RACE CHATTER 

The Race to the Chase has reached the end of its road. 

Next stop: The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. 

Richmond International Raceway turns up the volume Saturday night for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, an event that has become an annual highlight of the season, as the “cut-off” race leading into the Chase, the five-year-old playoff-style format to determine the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. 

Twelve drivers make the Chase, which is contested over the season’s last 10 events. Once again, there are more drivers than 12 with a chance to qualify, coming into RIR. 

But first, here’s what we know. 

Five drivers have already clinched Chase berths: 

Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota); Carl Edwards (No. 99 Office Depot Ford); Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet); Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet); and Jeff Burton (No. 31 AT&T Mobility Chevrolet). 

Six more, who resi1de in points positions 6-11 this week, can be placed in the “highly probable” category coming into Richmond: Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford); Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell Pennzoil Chevrolet); Tony Stewart (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota); Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford); Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont-Nicorette Chevrolet); and Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota). 

And then you have a few other guys, treading tenuously on both sides of the 12th-place Chase bubble.
Clint Bowyer (No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet) has 12th-place honors this week. Of course, that’s akin to starting the final round of the Masters with a one-stroke lead. Bowyer’s position is hardly secure. 

Bowyer, who has remarkably strengthened his grip on the NASCAR Nationwide Series points lead in recent weeks despite the pressure of the Chase, holds a slim 17-point advantage (2,989-2,972) over David Ragan (No. 6 AAA Ford). 

Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Bud-weiser Dodge) is staring his hot-and-cold season squarely in the face this week. He’s 14th in points, only 48 behind Bowyer. 

Kahne has won two events this year — plus the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, which pays no points. Suddenly, despite all of that, he has the look of a long shot. 

But then, so did Jeremy Mayfield in 2004, the first year of the Chase. 

Mayfield motored into Richmond that September needing a victory to even make the Chase. Win he did, establishing a standard for drama that at once validated and highlighted NASCAR’s then-new championship approach. 

Four years later, more highlights are seemingly on deck. 

Stats aside, it all comes down to one night, one race. This is what was envisioned, when the Chase was instituted. 

QUALIFYING 

Tropical Storm Hanna washed out qualifying and practice. Starting by points is going to mean a big battle to get into the top 12. 

NOW LET’S GO RACING!! 

With no qualifying or practice, we will have a competition caution on lap 35. 

GREEN FLAG as Busch, Johnson and Edwards battle in the front. By lap 3, Busch leads by almost 1 second. Lap 4, it’s no fun being on the outside line as most of the field is single file. 

Lap 6 we drivers slip and slide on the track that does not have any rubber on it from the last rain storms from Friday and Saturday. Lap 9 Jeff Gordon slaps the wall coming out of turn two. 

Lap 15 the race for the 12^th position has Clint Bowyer, David Ragan and Kasey Kahne in a full race battle to find out who will make it. Ragan currently runs 11^th, Bowyer 13^th and Kahne 15^th. 

Lap 21 Jeff Burton, Greg Biffle, and Kevin Harvick are locked into the chase. 

Lap 23 we see in the next 10 laps that Kyle Busch will be on top of the drivers struggling in the back. Lap 25 your top 10 drivers are Kyle Busch, Harvick, Earnhardt Jr., Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Ragan and Bowyer. 

Lap 29 Harvick takes the lead. Lap 33 Earnhardt Jr. takes over 2^nd place. We hear that A.J. Allmendinger may have an engine issue.  

YELLOW FLAG lap 35 for the competition caution. Everyone is in. The race back to the track is Jeff Gordon followed out by Harvick, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin and Edwards. Hornish Jr. stays out for 5 bonus points. 

The top 12 in points run in the top 14 positions. 

GREEN FLAG lap 42. Lap 44 Harvick swings around Gordon to take the lead. Earnhardt has been working the high side in turns three and four, which allows him great runs while the rest struggle on the inside. 

Lap 48 The low line does work for Denny Hamlin though as he flies past Earnhardt and Gordon. Tony Stewart who started 8^th follows Hamlin into 3^rd place. Bowyer is the man on the bubble running 12^th 48 points in front of Ragan. Kahne is another 50 some points behind them. 

Lap 58 Harvick leads by 1.3 seconds. Lap 61 Bowyer and Earnhardt battle for 3^rd place. Lap 65 Harvick leads Hamlin by 1.2 seconds, Earnhardt Jr., who just took 3^rd by 3.7 seconds, 4^th place Stewart by 4.7 seconds and 5^th place Bowyer by 5.1 seconds. 

Lap 70 Allmendinger is in the garage, Joe Nemechek is the first driver a lap down. Robby Gordon, Sam Hornish Jr., Bobby Labonte and Patrick Carpentier will be the next drivers on the list to go a lap down. 

Lap 74 it looks like Edwards may have a tire going down and pulls his car into the pits. He will loose two laps on this deal. Lap 76 Hamlin challenges Harvick for the lead and takes it on lap 77. 

Lap 79 Earnhardt finds the rhythm to move into second. Lap 80 they bang into each other, Hamlin stays in front. Lap 82 Earnhardt Jr. takes the lead from Hamlin. Lap 85 it’s now Jr. who leads the field by 1.4 seconds. His car looks great on the long run. 

Lap 88 Ragan has moved up into 9^th place, Bowyer runs 5^th. Kyle Busch has dropped back to 6^th. Lap 90 add drivers Johnny Sauter, Bill Elliott, Scott Riggs, Michael McDowell, Travis Kvapil, Kyle Petty, David Reutimann to the lap down list. Elliott Sadler, Paul Menard, Kenny Schrader and Reed Sorenson will be the next on the list. 

Lap 95 Earnhardt leads by 3.3 seconds. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 96 as Sauter crashes into the outside turn two wall exit after banging along the wall from the start of turn one. The leaders head to pit road. Earnhardt comes back out as the leader followed by Hamlin, Harvick, Kyle Busch and Kenseth. 

Lap 100 your top 20 drivers Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Harvick, Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Bowyer, Stewart, Ragan, Jeff Burton, Johnson, Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Jamie McMurray, Mark Martin, Kurt Busch, Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya, Michael Waltrip and Ryan Newman. So far there have been 6 lead changes among 6 leaders and 2 cautions with so far 10 laps under yellow. 

GREEN FLAG lap 102 and we are back to… 

YELLOW FLAG lap 103 as Waltrip was squeezed between Brian Vickers and Ryan Newman in turn two as he spins around. Kvapil is the lucky dog. Biffle is now locked into the chase. 

GREEN FLAG lap 109 as we try to get the race going. Earnhardt pulls in front of the field by 1 second. Lap 111 Harvick takes 2^nd place from Hamlin. Lap 112 in the mid pack, we have a huge battle and even three wide on the front stretch.  

YELLOW FLAG lap 116 as Biffle slips somewhat backwards into the outside turn two wall. Petty is the lucky dog. 

GREEN FLAG lap 120 

YELLOW FLAG lap 122 as Ragan slides sideways into the outside wall of turn two. This could hurt his chance to get into the chase. Kenseth was just behind Ragan and slides sideways into Ragan. McDowell is the lucky dog. 

Lap 125 your top 5 drivers are Earnhardt Jr., Harvick, Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Bowyer. 

GREEN FLAG lap 128 with Earnhardt and Harvick leading the field into turns one and two. Earnhardt has been getting great restarts. Lap 132 the last few times Earnhardt Jr. has rocketed away from the field. This time Harvick is on his bumper. Lap 134 Harvick takes the lead. 

Lap 136 Kahne has passed Ragan in the points, but still a sizeable distance behind Bowyer by 94 points. Lap 140 Stewart takes over 6^th from Johnson on the outside. Lap 142 Harvick leads Earnhardt Jr. by 1.1 seconds. Lap 146 Truex Jr. closes in on David Reutimann for 13^th place. 

Lap 150 your top ten drivers are Harvick, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Stewart, Johnson, Burton, Jeff Gordon and Newman. Lap 152 Busch takes over 3^rd from Hamlin. 

Lap 158 as Harvick leads his 67^th lap, here are the movers of the race so far – Bowyer from 12^th to 7^th, Kurt Busch from 20^th up to 11^th, Reutimann from 27^th up to 14^th, Casey Mears from 25^th up to 15^th, Ragan Smith from 29^th up to 17^th, Petty from 41^st up to 19^th. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 164 as Montoya and Sadler are in trouble coming out of turn two. It looks like Montoya may have lost a tire and just catches the wall, down to the apron. Sadler also has a flat tire, unrelated to Montoya’s spin. Earnhardt took the lead. He will also take the lead out of pit road followed by Harvick, Kyle Busch, Hamlin and Johnson. Ragan is the lucky dog. Edwards is still one lap down. 

GREEN FLAG lap 170 as it’s Earnhardt and Harvick battling for the lead. Harvick has been good on the past few restarts. Kenseth has to come back to pit road as some metal from his earlier accident comes loose. Lap 173 Harvick is back in the lead. 

Lap 176 Bowyer has moved up into 11^th as Kenseth falls a lap down. Kenseth is on the bubble for the 12^th place position. Lap 182 Kyle Busch has moved closer to Harvick and Earnhardt, so now it is a three driver battle for the lead. 

Lap 184 where to the top 12 in points run at the moment? Kyle Busch runs in 3^rd, Edwards 31^st, Johnson 5^th, Earnhardt Jr. 2^nd, Burton 7^th, Harvick, 3^rd, Stewart 6^th, Biffle 30^th, Hamlin 4^th, Jeff Gordon 9^th, Bowyer 8^th and Kenseth 40^th. 

Lap 186 Kyle Busch took the lead. Harvick back to 2^nd, Earnhardt Jr. 3^rd. Lap 193 Earnhardt takes over 2^nd from Harvick. Busch leads by 1 second. Kenseth is struggling on the track. Lap 198 Hamlin takes 3^rd from Harvick. 

Lap 200 (Halfway home) your top 20 drivers are – Kyle Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Hamlin, Harvick, Stewart, Johnson, Bowyer, Burton, Gordon, Newman, Kurt Busch, Casey Mears, McMurray, Martin, David Gilliland, Kahne, Reutimann, Petty and Dave Blaney. So far we have seen 13 lead changes among 7 leaders as well as 6 cautions for 30 laps. 30 drivers remain on the lead lap. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 202 as Truex Jr. was trying to avoid Joe Nemechek was tagged by Hornish Jr., causing both drivers to spin out in turn 4. The race back to the track is Kyle Busch, Earnhardt Jr., Stewart, Johnson and Harvick. Edwards is the lucky dog. 

GREEN FLAG lap 208 as Kyle Busch and Jr. lead the drivers back to racing. Bobby Labonte had a good restart for a lap down driver. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 212 as Earnhardt and Kyle Busch get into each other. Earnhardt drove in a bit deep, tired to lock it up and Kyle Busch comes down on Earnhardt. It’s front right bumper of Earnhardt and left rear of Busch, causing Busch to spin out into the outside wall with big damage to the rear end. Labonte is the lucky dog. 

GREEN FLAG lap 217 as Earnhardt brings the show back to life. Kyle Busch did not loose a lap during the repairs and restarts 32^nd. Stewart is in 2^nd place. Earnhardt and Stewart are the most winning active drivers at Richmond with three wins apiece.  

Lap 225 Bowyer challenges Hamlin for 5^th, almost getting three wide heading into turn 1 with Montoya, who is a lap down on the outside of the two drivers. Lap 227 Stewart works for the lead under Earnhardt. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 227 as Sadler has his second right front flat tire of the day as he spins out on the front stretch. Most of the lead lap drivers stay out. 

GREEN FLAG lap 233 with 32 lead lap and 11 lap down drivers make the show crank up again. Lap 236 it’s a three wide battle for the lead as Johnson makes his run for the lead on the inside of Earnhardt and Stewart. Stewart has the lead, Johnson takes 2^nd place. 

Lap 240 the battle for the 12^th chase position is Kenseth on the bubble as Ragan and Kahne are 10 points apart behind Kenseth. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 242 as Kyle Busch spins out in turn four after being tapped from behind by Sadler. Hamlin is the first out followed by Johnson, Stewart, Earnhardt Jr. and Harvick. Riggs is the lucky dog. Many drivers stay out. 

GREEN FLAG lap 247 as Reutimann, Truex Jr., Martin, Waltrip and McDowell are your top 5. Lap 250 your top 10 drivers are Reutimann, Martin, Truex Jr., McDowell, Waltrip, Smith, Reed Sorenson, Ragan, Labonte and Hamlin. 

Lap 254 with the shake up in stops, Kenseth is moved back into 11^th, Ragan moves into 12^th with Bowyer points behind and Kahne 76 points behind running 13^th and 14^th. Lap 258 Stewart has moved back up to 6^th, Hamlin 9^th, Earnhardt Jr. 10^th, Burton 11^th and Ragan 12^th. 

Lap 261 Stewart is up to 3^rd, 6 seconds behind Reutimann. Earnhardt Jr., Burton and Johnson move up to 9^th through 11^th. Lap 264 we see the guys who stayed out, falling back in the field now on old tires. 

Lap 269 Reutimann is 3.4 seconds in front of the field. Martin runs 2^nd and Stewart closing in, 1.7 seconds behind Martin. Lap 275 as Stewart closes in on Martin, Truex Jr. holds onto 4^th. Burton moves to 5^th, Earnhardt Jr. 6^th, Smith 7^th and Johnson 8^th. 

Lap 278 Hamlin is mired back in 11^th and Harvick 12^th, Waltrip 13^th. Lap 280 Stewart has moved into 2^nd place, 4.4 seconds behind Reutimann. Lap 284 the movers of the race are Reutimann in the lead from his start of 27^th, Martin from 17^th to 3^rd, Truex Jr. from 18^th to 4^th, Mears from 25^th up to 7^th, Smith from 29^th to 10^th, McDowell from 38^th to 11^th, Waltrip from 34^th to 13^th and Carpentier from 39^th up to 20^th. 

Lap 289 drivers falling in the pack are Edwards from 2^nd to 22^nd, Kahne from 14^th to 23^rd, Bowyer from 12^th to 27^th, Biffle from 6^th to 28^th, Kyle Busch from the pole to 33^rd and Kenseth who tags the outside turn 4 wall from 9^th to 39^th. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 297 as Vickers slams the outside turn two wall pops a tire back on the front stretch. Schrader is the lucky dog after Reutimann just passed him when the yellow came out. The race is Reutimann, Stewart, Burton, Earnhardt Jr. and Martin. 

Lap 300 (100 to go) your top 20 drivers are – Reutimann, Stewart, Burton, Earnhardt Jr., Martin, Truex Jr., Johnson, Hamlin, Mears, McDowell, Smith, Jeff Gordon, Waltrip, Harvick, Kurt Busch, Labonte, Edwards, Ragan, Carpentier and Sorenson. So far we have seen 18 lead changes among 10 leaders and 11 cautions for at the moment 53 laps. 31 drivers are on the lead lap. We show 43 cars on the track. Hornish Jr. losses a tire after his pit stop. The tire rolls by him, which it looks like it was speeding. Hornish will make the trip around the track without a left rear tire back to pit road. 

GREEN FLAG lap 305 as Reutimann and Stewart start the race, but stuck in the middle of Montoya and Kyle Busch who are a lap down. Lap 310 the bubble chase is Bowyer over Ragan by 1 point and Kahne 52 behind them. Earnhardt takes 3^rd from Burton. 

YELLOW FLAG lap 315 as Labonte was loose coming out of turn 4. Just behind them, Bill Elliott and Edwards get into each other, spinning both of them out on the low side on the apron. Some damage to both of their cars. Petty should be the lucky dog. 

GREEN FLAG lap 320 (80 to go) as Reutimann and Stewart get the show underway once again. Lap 335 Reutimann leads Stewart by ¾’s of a second. We see that Bowyer got into Smith who clips Ragan. With that move Ragan is 56 points behind Bowyer. 

60 to go Reutimann leads Stewart by 1 second. 56 to go Martin is on the inside of Earnhardt Jr. coming out of turn two for 4^th place. Earnhardt hits the wall, almost stops but continues on. 

52 to go Stewart takes the lead from Reutimann. 51 to go Johnson is all over Reutimann for 2^nd place. 

50 to go your top ten drivers are Stewart, Reutimann, Johnson, Earnhardt Jr., Martin, Burton, Hamlin, Harvick and Mears. 47 to go Hamlin and Truex Jr. both slap the wall out of turn four. 

YELLOW FLAG with 42 to go as Riggs solo spins in turn two. Leaders on pit road. The race back to the track is Truex Jr., Johnson, Stewart, Earnhardt Jr. and Burton. 

GREEN FLAG with 37 to go as Truex Jr. and Johnson lead us back to racing. Truex Jr. took two tires. 35 to go Johnson and his four new tires take the lead. 34 to go Stewart takes over 2^nd place.  

YELLOW FLAG 30 to go as Menard and Carpentier wreck in turn two. Riggs is the lucky dog. 

GREEN FLAG with 26 to go and Johnson, Stewart and Earnhardt Jr. in front of the top three. It looked like Kenseth or someone on the inside line spin the tires which slows some of the drivers in the field. 

23 to go Kyle Busch has moved back up to 12^th. 21 to go Burton and Hamlin battle for 4^th. 

20 to go Johnson leads Stewart by ¾’s of a second. Earnhardt is 2 seconds back. 

15 to go Johnson over Stewart by a half second, Earnhardt behind by 2.3 seconds. 14 to go Martin working on Burton for 5^th. 

13 to go Hamlin takes 3^rd from Earnhardt and behind them Martin takes 5^th from Burton. 

11 to go Stewart working the inside of Johnson as they drag race on the back of the track for the lead. 

10 to go they still drag race. 

9 to go side by side for the lead. Harvick and Burton battle for 6^th. 

7 to go Johnson is scored leading the lap. 

6 to go Stewart may have hurt himself by a bit of an extra check up out of turn four. 

5 to go Johnson has the lead by a half car. 

4 to go as Stewart is doing his best for the lead 

3 to go Johnson with a two car length lead. 

2 to go Stewart may have lost the tires he needs to take over. 

WHITE FLAG as Johnson comes out of turn four to the… 

CHECKERED FLAG as Johnson has the win solidly. Stewart is hot about messing up in the last few laps. 

The top ten of the race are Johnson, Stewart, Hamlin, Earnhardt Jr., Martin, Burton, Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Reutimann and Kurt Busch. 

Johnson has a back to back win for the last two regular races of this season. Johnson led 32 of the 400 laps today. 

We saw 21 lead changes among 12 leaders. We also saw 14 cautions for 70 laps. 33 drivers finished on the lead lap all the drivers finished the race. 

David Reutimann led the most laps with 104. Earnhardt Jr. led 90 laps, Harvick 80, Kyle Busch 53, Johnson 32, Stewart 23, Truex Jr. 6, Jeff Gordon 5, Hamlin 4, Kenseth 2 and Hornish Jr. 1. 

McDowell and Reutimann tied for the hard charger of the race with 18 positions up from their start. McDowell started 38^th to finish 20^th and Reutimann from 27^th to 9^th. The hard luck day was Kenseth from 9^th to 39^th. 

Jimmie Johnson won the Chevy Rock  & Roll 400, his 37th victory in 245 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races.

This is his fourth victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2008.

This is his third victory and fourth top-10 finish in 14 races at Richmond International Raceway.

Tony Stewart (second) posted his 14th top-10 finish in 20 races at Richmond International Raceway.  It is his 13th top-10 finish in 2008.

Denny Hamlin (third) posted his fourth top-10 finish in six races at Richmond International Raceway.

Michael McDowell (20th) was the highest finishing rookie.