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Clint Bowyer has it. David Ragan and Kasey Kahne both want it. One race, one night and only one will go home happy.

Boiled down to its bones, that’s the story for Saturday night’s Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.

Bowyer, Ragan and Kahne may not figure in who wins the 26th race of the 2008 Sprint Cup season, but going in they are the main players in the event’s central drama - the battle for the final spot in this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup.

It is at least mathematically possible that Bowyer, Ragan and Kahne could all make the Chase. That, however, would take a remarkable set of circumstances given the gap between Denny Hamlin, who’s currently 11th in the standings, and the three drivers directly behind him.

Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Hamlin primarily need only to avoid disaster to secure their slots in the 10-race championship battle that commences next weekend at Loudon, N.H. Kenseth is 109 points ahead of Ragan, who’s 13th, while Gordon’s Chase cushion is 102 points and Hamlin’s is 93.

In the first four years of the Chase, the largest gap that’s been closed in the final regular-season event at Richmond is 55 points. That’s how far behind Jeremy Mayfield was in 2004, the year NASCAR implemented the Chase when he came from 14th to knock Kahne from one of the 10 qualifying spots.

Kahne was 30 points out of the top 10 in 2006, the last year only 10 drivers made the Chase. But he was actually 45 points behind the driver he passed with his third-place finish at Richmond, Tony Stewart, who finished 18th and missed the playoff.

Bowyer’s perch, then, seems precarious. He’s only 17 points up on Ragan, who’s trying to make the Chase for the first time the way Bowyer did a year ago. Kahne is 48 points back as he tries to fight his way in at the last race the way he did two seasons ago…..

The players

Who’s in, who’s close and who’s clinging to hope going into the final race before NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup:

Clinched Chase spots

Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton

On the brink

GREG BIFFLE: Clinches when he starts Saturday’s race.

KEVIN HARVICK: Needs only to finish 42nd or better at Richmond.

Must dodge disaster

TONY STEWART: Clinches with a finish of 35th or better.

Still some angst

MATT KENSETH: 109 points ahead of 13th, clinches with a finish of 25th or better.

JEFF GORDON: 102 points ahead of 13th, clinches with a finish of 23rd or better.

DENNY HAMLIN: 93 points ahead of 13th, clinches with a finish of 20th or better.

Sweating bullets

CLINT BOWYER: 17 points ahead of 13th, but if he wins the race he’s in the Chase.

Heart’s still beating

DAVID RAGAN: 17 points behind Bowyer.

KASEY KAHNE: 48 points behind Bowyer.

Continue reading this story on ThatsRacin.com

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