Threat Level: Maximum

Jimmie Johnson – Everybody wants to be that guy - the one who can say he’s been there, done that. That guy is Johnson, who has captured two straight Sprint Cup titles and is knocking on the door of a third. The no. 48 team has it all; Hendrick equipment, the best crew chief in the garage, and a driver who does not know how to lose.

The last 10 laps of the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 and Richmond were a microcosm of Johnson’s career in NASCAR. Tony Stewart had a better car and was hungry for the win, but Johnson didn’t seem to care. He always finds ways to win, and in this case it was an undiscovered line snug against the wall to hold Stewart off for his fourth win of the season and second straight race heading into the Chase.

The early part of 2008 was a struggle for the no. 48 team, but an all time high amount of testing has Johnson back on top of the NASCAR world.

Threat Level: High

Kyle Busch – Johnson’s 40 point deficit to Busch at the onset of the Chase could be easy to overcome all at once. Busch’s make or break style of racing isn’t as bad as it used to be, but the kid is still a risk taker. His unmatchable speed at some tracks is offset by the times when other drivers get to Busch, or a bad car gets to him.

It’s still hard to look back at what Busch has done this season and not consider him the top contender heading into the Chase. It’s a rare race to see when Busch doesn’t sniff the lead, but as Jeff Gordon learned last season, there’s no beating Johnson when he’s on top of his game.

Carl Edwards – Edwards wins a lot. That’s really good. When Cousin Carl isn’t winning, he’s nowhere to be found. Take Richmond for instance. Edwards dawdled around without any pressure to make the Chase and finished an unmentioned 13th place. That type of run won’t cut it come Chase time when more consistent drivers are running 10th on a bad day.

What Edwards does have going for him are the track types in the Chase. Atlanta, Texas and Lowe’s Motor Speedway have all been very friendly places for Edwards. If Carl can go streaking through October with a few wins, look for him to be neck and neck for the Cup.

Threat Level: Moderate

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – The no. 88 team had an up and down summer highlighted by a win at Michigan. Since then, Earnhardt has scored only two top 10 finishes. Often unreliable Tony Eury Jr. needs to get his team back to a consistent pace of top fives and tens in order for his Championship able driver to compete. A happy Dale Jr. makes for a happy finishing position.

Jeff Burton – Like Earnhardt, Jeff Burton relies on consistency. Also like Earnhardt, he’s due for a win. Burton is the kind of driver that’s good for one or two a year, and the spring race at Bristol was a long time ago. If the no. 31 team is high up in the standings going to Texas, look at that race to be make or break for Burton’s championship hopes. Burton won’t throw away the Chase making mistakes, but he could lose it by never winning.

Tony Stewart – Never count Stewart out. He might be done with Joe Gibbs Racing at the conclusion of the 2008 season, but Stewart’s fire was showing after a near miss second place finish at Richmond. Stewart wants one bad, and his JGR Toyota Camry might be the best equipment he sits in for the next few seasons.

Threat Level: Low

Greg Biffle – Greg Biffle likes speedways, and NASCAR likes to put a lot of them in the Chase. Biffle could surprise people in the last 10 races and snatch some victories in his stout Roush equipment. Or he could go unnoticed by just about everyone and struggle to finish in the top 10 in points.

Clint Bowyer – Bowyer heads into the Chase seeded fifth after stealing the spring race at Richmond. The no. 07 has shown flashes of greatness and streaks of mediocrity in 2008, but expect Bowyer to be out of the Chase by the final few races and happily accept a Nationwide crown.

Denny Hamlin – 2008 hasn’t been a typical Denny Hamlin type season. Hamlin didn’t even win a Pocono race. If Hamlin can’t even win Pocono, nobody should expect him to win anywhere else.

Threat Level: Try again next year

Matt Kenseth – An average finish of 15.1 was just enough to get Kenseth into the Chase, but the no. 17 team will struggle to make a splash. Teammates Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, and David Ragan have better shots of winning week in and week out.

Jeff Gordon – Despite hearing about Jeff Gordon more than alcohol at an AA meeting, this just hasn’t been the year for the no. 24 team. This group has come to the track too many times this year with no grasp of the car, and no idea how to fix it. Look for them to make the Chase a test session.