NASCAR: Boldly Predicting Who Takes The Final Chase Spots

USA Today Sports

Those Who Missed The Cut:

Clint Bowyer – I don’t know what it is about Bowyer but I just don’t see him having enough to close it out this season. Bowyer hasn’t had a horrible year (two top-fives and eight top-10 finishes) but it also has not been they year that he has hoped for. Bowyer will battle hard for the final spot in the chase but will come up just short to Austin Dillon.

Paul Menard – Menard will be the third car in the battle for the last spot in the chase. Menard has turned some heads this season with some of his runs but much like Bowyer I don’t see him closing the deal. Menard will still be in it come race 26 but like Bowyer he is going to end up coming up short to Austin Dillon.

Tony Stewart – I would love for Stewart to win a race over the final seven and make his way into the chase. Honestly, Stewart is the one factor that I think could blow up my predictions. However, it’s hard to see him winning given how he has run this season. With only six top-10 finishes Stewart has had a disappointing season and some of that can be attributed to the leg injury. If I had to pick a spot where he is going to win his way into the chase I would go with Indianapolis. If a win doesn’t happen there then I feel safe saying Stewart isn’t making the chase this year.

Danica Patrick – Patrick would need to win to make the chase, plain and simple. The fact that she could win over the final seven races means that she still has a shot but I can see the drivers above her on this list winning before she does. That being said, Patrick has made huge strides this season and I believe that she will make the chase in 2015.