NASCAR Cup Series

Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders take on Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Published Jul. 20, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

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Among active drivers who have won races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – and there actually aren’t that many of them – only one is currently not in contention for NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Bobby Labonte is the lone active winner returning for this weekend’s Brickyard 400 with no more at stake than a race victory. Although, to be fair, most of the prior winners at the track are pretty comfortable with their position in the Chase field at this point. But the majority of those contending for a berth in the title-determining field have enjoyed some strong runs at Indy in recent seasons.

Only seven races remain until the field is set, but there’s an intense battle brewing among those outside of the top eight. And even some of those inside that tight-knit group are still facing a tough battle to lock into their Chase position.

The 2.5-mile Indy track provides the next challenge in this battle for a berth.

In recent years, this track has been the domain of the men in that top group. Points leader Kevin Harvick won this race in 2003. Four-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson, currently third in the standings, has won the last pair of races there and three of the last four. Tony Stewart, still vulnerable in his ninth position but enjoying his usual summer surge, has two wins here. And Jeff Gordon, second in the standings, leads all drivers with four wins at the storied facility.

Time is growing short and tensions are mounting as the Chase nears. Currently, five drivers are within 120 points of 12th-place Clint Bowyer. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is only 15 points outside of the field; Mark Martin only 37. Things are tight.

Who can help his cause with a top performance at Indy this weekend? While the top positions are shaping up, here’s a look at some drivers outside of the top five – but still in position to make the Chase – that bear watching this weekend:

Tony Stewart: Obviously, Stewart is one of the favorites every time the Sprint Cup Series heads to Indianapolis – his home track and a place that still makes him emotional in victory. Success at Indy has become a regular feature for Stewart. He should easily improve on his ninth position in the standings this weekend. Stewart has a pair of wins at Indy and the best average finish among all drivers – 8.5. He has seven top-10 finishes in 11 starts at the track and a worst finish of 23rd. He has only finished worse than 12th there twice.

Matt Kenseth: Entering the race eighth in the standings and seeking his first win of the year, Kenseth is one of those quiet drivers who has shown surprising strength at Indy. He has four top-10 finishes in his last five races there, a run marred by his finish of 38th in 2008. He finished 10th in 2009 and 2007, was second in 2006 and fifth in 2005. Can he pull off the upset?

Carl Edwards: Certainly, Edwards will face the distraction of questions over his incident with Brad Keselowski in last weekend’s Nationwide Series race at Gateway International Raceway. But Edwards brings a solid history to Indianapolis. Currently 10th in the standings, he enters the track with a pair of top-10 finishes in his most recent races. In five starts at Indy, he has two top-10 finishes with an average finish of 11.2.

Mark Martin: It hasn’t been the type of season that Martin and crew chief Alan Gustafson envisioned, but there’s still plenty of time left for Martin to rally into the Chase field. Martin and his Hendrick Motorsports team are currently 14th, 37 points outside of a Chase berth after finishing second in the standings last season. Indy could be a place to gain some ground, though. In 16 starts at the track, Martin has earned 10 top-10 finishes, six of them top-fives, and a respectable 13.4 finishing average. This is a chance for the veteran driver to make up some ground on the competition.

For others, there isn’t quite as much to look forward to this weekend. A rough history at Indy can make another run on the track a bit intimidating. Here’s a look at the Chase-contending drivers who are entering the danger zone at Indy:

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Although he enters the race just 15 points outside of the top 12, Earnhardt Jr. hasn’t exactly enjoyed a significant amount of success at Indy. He brings an average finish of 21.7 -- worst among those in the top 17 -- to Sunday’s race and a pair of DNFs in the last three races at the track. Earnhardt Jr. has three finishes of 34th or worse in the last five Indy races. On a brighter note, Junior has four finishes of 11th or better in his last five Cup races, a run that has put him back in Chase contention.

Ryan Newman: Entering the race 16th in the standings, and 99 points outside of the top 12, the Indiana native is looking to make up ground quickly. Unfortunately, Indy hasn’t been the place for him to do that. In nine starts at the track, Newman has just one top-10 finish. He brings an average finish of 21.4 into the race and a best finish of 13th in his last six races there, a stretch that also includes three finishes of 31st or worse.

Kurt Busch: Sure, Busch seems relatively safe in his fifth-place position in the standings. But anything can still happen. While the Penske Racing driver would love a win at the storied Indy track that has brought his owner success in the open-wheel ranks, he hasn’t fared that well in recent outings there. Busch has finishes of 27th and 40th in the last two races at the track and brings an average finishing position of 19.0 into the race.

Juan Pablo Montoya: Ok, clearly he knows how to manage this track based on his open-wheel history. And he could have won without that pesky pit-road speeding penalty last year. But Montoya and his team seem to attract setbacks this season, so one wonders just what could happen to him at a track where he brings an average finish of 17.3 in three starts.