As the laps wound down on the first Chase race of 2008 at Loudon, it appeared as though Jimmie Johnson was going to run away with his third straight victory. However on a restart with 12 laps to go, Greg Biffle powered his way around Johnson on the inside, holding on to earn his first win in 33 races.

"I was holding back at the end there, and then we got those cautions there and it closed me up to Jimmie Johnson and gave me a shot at him," Biffle said in victory lane. "The horse rode today, didn't it?"

Johnson had led the most laps in the event and finished 2nd while Carl Edwards finished 3rd, as they are now tied for the points lead. The driver who started the Chase with the lead, Kyle Busch, had issues from the start of the race with the sway bar. To add to his issues he spun on lap 83 and was hit by Jamie McMurray, taking considerable damage that left him off the pace. He would finish 13 laps down in 34th, now 8th in the championship standings, 74 points behind the leaders. 

Another Chase driver to find trouble was Matt Kenseth, who was running in the top-15 when he was caught up in a wreck on lap 229 that ended his day. Kenseth finished 40th and now is last among the Chase field, 177 points behind the leaders.

Other than Busch and Kenseth the Chasers did well at Loudon, with the other ten Chasers finishing 14th or better. It didn't come easy for some, however, as Tony Stewart had to recover from a pit road speeding penalty during a green flag pit stop to finish 8th, and Jeff Gordon had to rally through the field in the final 12 laps to finish 14th after barely missing a wreck. Those recoveries earned those drivers valuable points that could make the difference at Homestead.

Heading into race two of the Chase at Dover next weekend, there are still 11 drivers within 99 points of the points lead, meaning a slip up could drop you to the back of the Chase field, but a good performance could make up a lot of ground.

After 26 races building up to it, the time has finally come for the Chase to begin. The Chase field is set, and twelve drivers will compete over ten races to determine who will be the champion, and it all starts this weekend at the Magic Mile, Loudon.

1. Carl Edwards

Edwards had to make an unscheduled pit stop when he had a tire going down, putting him behind early. He would be able to make a nice recover though, as he finished 13th. In eight career starts at Loudon, he's only finished better than 12th once.

2. Kyle Busch

Busch had one of the cars to beat at Richmond, but a tangle with Dale Earnhardt Jr. just past the midway point sent him from the lead to the wall. Despite the incident and the damage to his car Busch was able to finish 15th. Busch needs to do well this weekend at Loudon, where he struggled earlier this year, if he wants to win this championship.

3. Jimmie Johnson

Johnson has now won back-to-back races and looks to be one of the drivers to beat in the final ten races. He may get to a fast start this weekend at Loudon, where he's won two races and earned five top-10's in the last six races there.

4. Kevin Harvick

Though he's winless this season Harvick is going to be another driver to watch in the Chase. He hasn't contended for wins very often this year, but lately he's been very consistent, and he had one of the best cars at Richmond, as he posted his seventh top-10 in the last 8 races. That kind of consistency in the next ten races will earn him his first championship.

5. Tony Stewart

Stewart came close to earning his first win in over a year at Richmond, but wasn't able to get around Johnson in the closing laps and had to settle for a 2nd place finish. Fortuanately for him he'll get another chance to earn a win this weekend at Loudon, where he had a dominant car earlier this year, but lost the race due to pit strategy and ill-timed rain.

6. Matt Kenseth

Kenseth's day was ruined early when he took a spin with teammate David Ragan in turns 1 and 2, relegating him to a 39th place finish. After a slow start earlier this year Kenseth has been very consistent, and should earn a top-10 at Loudon, where he had a decent car earlier this year.

7. Denny Hamlin

Hamlin and his team have earned three straight third place finishes, gaining momentum heading into the Chase. Hamlin could contend for the win this weekend, where he had a solid 8th place finish earlier this year, but more importantely he could contend for the championship if he can keep performing the way he has the past three races.

8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

After a stretch of poor races Earnhardt righted the ship at Richmond, leading 90 laps and finishing 4th. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for Earnhardt, who had seven straight races without a top-10. He can't allow that to happen in the Chase if he wants to earn his first championship.

9. Greg Biffle

Biffle was running in the top-10 when his car got loose and walked up the track, smacking the wall in turns 1 and 2. This wouldn't be the end of his day, however, as Biffle managed to recover and finish 14th. It's those kinds of recoveries that can keep you from losing too many points during the Chase, and ultimately win you the championship. However, Biffle can't afford to perform like he has in the past at Loudon, where his average finish is 19.5.

10. Jeff Burton

Burton also ended a slump at Richmond, earning his first top-10 in five races by finishing 6th. Burton had a decent car at Loudon earlier this year, and if he and his crew could improve a little over their performance in June they could be a contender to win. It wouldn't be the first time Burton has won here, he has more wins at Loudon than any other driver with 4.

Other Notables:

11. Clint Bowyer- Bowyer kept himself out of trouble all day and earned a 12th place finish, good enough to earn him a Chase spot. He won this weekend's race last year.

12. Jeff Gordon- Gordon's team has struggled throughout the year, and unless they figure something out this weekend, Gordon will have to wait until next year to try to earn his 5th championship.

13. David Ragan- Ragan fought all day long but couldn't recover from the crash, as he finished 32nd. However he could still try to earn his first career victory in these next ten races.

14. Kasey Kahne- Kasey just didn't have the car to get a good finish at Richmond, let alone one good enough to get him in the Chase. That team's preparation for next year begins this weekend.

15. Joey Logano- First career start, take two... Logano wasn't able to start at Richmond because of qualifying being cancelled, but he'll race this weekend in the 96 for Hall of Fame Racing.

After his win at California Jimmie Johnson was back in the picture as one of the drivers to beat for the championship. Johnson added to his cause Sunday afternoon by taking the lead late in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 and holding off a hard charging Tony Stewart to earn his 37th career victory, and fourth of 2008.

Just like last year when Johnson's team won it's 2nd championship, Johnson has won the final two races before the Chase, gaining momentum as the Chase starts.

"It's hard not to feel that way," Johnson said when asked in victory lane if he felt like his team is peaking at the right time. "I think our chances are good. I feel like we have all the tools now. ...If we don't win it they can't say we weren't trying this year."

All eyes were also fixated on Clint Bowyer and David Ragan, who sat 12th and 13th in points heading into Richmond, separated by just 17 points. Early in the race it looked as though Ragan would be able to run up front and try to get in the Chase, but while he was running in the top-10 he spun in turns 1 and 2, as his teammate Matt Kenseth also spun right behind him, significantly damaging his car and putting him back in the pack.

Despite the damage Ragan and crew didn't give up, fighting all day long and getting back into the top-15. But contact with 65 laps to go with Regan Smith put him back in the pack again, and he couldn't make up the deficit as he finished 32nd, while Bowyer cruised into the Chase by finishing 12th.

Earlier this year at Richmond contact between Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. with four laps to go sent Earnhardt spinning from the lead. The roles were reversed Sunday at Richmond, when Earnhardt got into Busch heading into turn 1 on lap 212, sending Busch spinning from the lead and into the wall. Earnhardt would go on to finish 4th while Busch mustered a 15th place finish despite suffering heavy damage on the rear-end of his Toyota.

 The race was pushed from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon because of tropical storm Hanna. The decision to close the track came a day before the race was scheduled to start, as Nascar moved all track activity, including the Nationwide Series race, to Sunday, fearing for the safety of the 100,000 fans expected to attend.

"We've postponed everything until Sunday in lieu of the weather, in lieu of the forecast, and in lieu of what all the state, local, city officials are telling us about the impending winds and rain. We felt it was the right decision to make," said Jim Hunter, vice president of corporate communications for NASCAR.

This is it, race number 26 at Richmond, the short track that thinks it's a superspeedway. Being the last race for the Chase, this means that fourteen drivers trying to earn one of twelve spots in the Chase have one more race to get into the Chase field, one chance to climb in, and one chance to blow it and lose it all.

1. Carl Edwards

While Carl had a decent car in his bid for a third straight win, but not a car capable of winning the race as he finished 6th, a good finish but not what many expected after his domination at Fontana earlier this year. Edwards has struggled at Richmond in the past, with only one top-10 in the past four races, but that top-10 was a 7th earlier this year.

2. Kyle Busch

Busch fought his car throughout the night as he finished 7th, also falling short of the expectations many had for him. Busch has been stellar at Richmond throughout his career, and he should be a driver to beat there. In seven career starts, he's finished in the top-5 six times, but is still searching for his first win there.

3. Kevin Harvick

Harvick has been on a roll the past five races, with finishes of 8th or better in each race, including Sunday night when he finished 4th. He's also been on a roll at Richmond, where he's earned seven straight top-10 finishes, including a win in 2006.

4. Matt Kenseth

Kenseth has earned three straight top-10 finishes, including two top-5's. Kenseth's consistency is what has put him in position to make the Chase, which he has done every year since it's inception. While he's struggled at Richmond the past couple of races, he should earn a good finish this weekend with the way he's been running lately.

5. Greg Biffle

Biffle had a great car all night at Fontana, unfortuanately for him Jimmie Johnson had a dominant car, but Biffle's 2nd place ensured that he would make the Chase just by starting the race this weekend. Biffle has enjoyed success at Richmond, with five straight top-10's at one point in his career, but the last three races he's failed to finish in the top-10.

6. Jimmie Johnson

What's this? Jimmie Johnson and crew are once again one of the best teams in Nascar, proving so with their dominant win at Fontana, and just in time for the Chase. Well, should have seen this coming, the past two years he's done that very same thing... and gone on to win back-to-back championships. Anyone else sense a three-peat?

7. Tony Stewart

Stewart had a poor-handling car all night long at California, as he finished a disappointing 22nd. Stewart has done well at Richmond, however, especially since the COT was introduced, earning three top-10's in the three races run so far.

8. Denny Hamlin

Hamlin had a good car throughout the night, and he was able to finish a solid third, helping his chances of making the Chase. Hamlin isn't in the Chase yet, though, he needs to have a fairly decent run at Richmond to get in, but that shouldn't be a problem considering how well he ran earlier this year, he just needs to avoid getting a flat tire...

9. David Ragan

Ragan had a solid race at Fontana, running in the top-15 most of the night before finishing 13th. Only 17 points separate Ragan from 12th place Clint Bowyer, and he could be this year's Cinderella if you could get in the Chase. This may be one of the better tracks for him to get that done, too, as he finished 3rd here in this race last year.

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt was able to finish 11th on Sunday night, which was good considering how loose his car was all night long, as he had to struggle with the car to just keep from wrecking off every corner. Expect Earnhardt to be a contender for the win at Richmond, where he was just a few laps from the victory before the contact with Kyle Busch.

Other Notables:

11. Kasey Kahne- Kahne had a good run at Fontana, finishing 8th, but 48 points may just be too many to make up in one race.

12. Clint Bowyer- To get in the Chase, Ragan will have to beat Bowyer, who won at Richmond earlier this year. If he has a car as good as the one he had earlier this year, he'll more than likely be in the Chase.

13. Jeff Gordon- Just when you think this team is starting to turn things around they struggle... nothing is certain with this team but if the past means anything they should at least get a top-10, something they've done since the COT was introduced, even after starting last here in May.

14. David Reuttimann- It's seems like Michael Waltrip is getting closer to being a contender to win again, but as an owner. Reuttimann was impressive all night long as he was in the top-10 for most of the evening and finished 9th.

15. The new kid on the block and the veteran- 18 year old Joey Logano is set to make his first career Cup start at Richmond, many will look to see if the young driver can be as impressive as he's been in the other racing series he's been in. On the flip side is Mark Martin, the 49 year old veteran who will look for his 36th career win at a place where he's earned 24 top-10's, including a third earlier this year.

As soon as Jimmie Johnson's car was unloaded from the hauler on Friday it was the class of the field. Johnson easily won the pole on Friday, and on Sunday night he led 227 of 250 laps, but found himself behind Greg Biffle on a restart with 31 laps to go. Johnson wouldn't stay behind for long though, as he passed Biffle in turns three and four as he ran away with the win.

"This race car was unbelievable," said Johnson from victory lane. "We've been working hard to get it right. We've been burning the midnight oil, burning the wick at both ends, and it's paid off. We clinched (a spot in the Chase for the championship) and we got 10 more bonus points, which is important."

Johnson's win was his third at the Auto Club Speedway, where he also earned his first career win in 2002, tying him for the most wins at the track all-time with Jeff Gordon.

While Johnson dominated the race, many eyes were on the drivers on the bubble of making the Chase. Kasey Kahne recovered well from his two 40th place finishes at Michigan and Bristol to finish 7th, pulling back within 44 points of Clint Bowyer with one race left, while David Ragan lost a few points, as he's now 19 points behind Bowyer heading into Richmond.

Denny Hamlin didn't gain any positions in the points standings, but his third place finish put him 93 points ahead of 13th place David Ragan, meaning headed to Richmond an average run will put him in the Chase, along with the drivers ahead of him in points. Regardless of what Ragan does at Richmond, Hamlin will be in the Chase with a 20th place finish.

The top six in points have clinched their spots in the Chase assuming they start the race at Richmond, while Kevin Harvick just needs to finish 42nd. 8th place Tony Stewart needs to finish 35th or better, while 9th place Matt Kenseth needs to finish 25th and Jeff Gordon needs to finish 23rd.

Jimmie Johnson's dominant win has given new life to the talk of his persuit of a third straight championship, as he seems to peaking at the right time to have momentum heading into the Chase.