The Chase for the Cup is more than halfway complete and everything seems to be in order for a controversy-free finish.

And, NO, Junior fans; "We would have won the championship if our engines didn't keep blowing up," isn't a valid controversy - it is sad reminder that DEI just isn't up to Tier 1 competition yet and a lame excuse.

Teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson (-53) are running away with the title - fighting over it back and forth (figuratively and literally) as the Chase continues. Clint Bowyer (-115), however, is still lurking in striking distance, but is one bad race away from leaving Gordon and Johnson alone at the top.

Farther back are Tony Stewart (-249), Carl Edwards (-285), and Kyle Busch (-290) - who are all hoping for a Holiday Miracle to get them back into the Chase. But anything short of a Tonya Harding-Nancy Kerrigan repeat pretty much means these guys are done.

Then there is the rest of the best; Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., and Matt Kenseth. I believe the OSCARs calls this the "Just happy to be nominated" group.

But things are falling into place, just as they should.

Gordon has six wins, Johnson has seven, and no one else has more than three wins.

Gordon has 20 top 5 finishes, Johnson 17, with Denny Hamlin (11) the only other racer with more than 10.

Gordon has 26 top 10 finishes, Johnson has 20, and only Tony Stewart (22) has more than 20 top 10s.

Gordon leads all racers with 1280 laps led to date, and Johnson has 1216. No other racer has topped 1000 laps led, although Tony Stewart is close with 980.

Not that money has anything to do with Championships (right) but Gordon has $6,531,278 and Johnson has $6,455,627. Kevin Harvick leads all racers with $6,934,224 - due to no DNFs and has completed the most laps - no other racer has earned more than $6 million so far.

Barring some epic 2004 Yankees-like collapse to the Red Sox, Gordon will either grab his fifth career title or Johnson will walk home with back-to-back titles.

And who said the Chase didn't work? Now qualifying - that's a whole different story.