Playoff Picture: Is Chase Shaping Up To Be Two-Man Race?

If you read between the lines, Denny Hamlin’s Chase strategy with six races to go is quite simple: Out-run Jimmie Johnson.

“At this point, to be within whatever amount of points we are (36), I can take that and I can race him from there,” Hamlin said after finishing eighth on Sunday.

‘Him,’ of course, means Johnson. That’s where Hamlin’s focus is, and where it probably should be – even though there are two other drivers within 100 points of the Chase lead, too. In reality, Hamlin has been gunning for Johnson since the California race one year ago.

It was then that Hamlin let Johnson get in his head, forcing the Joe Gibbs Racing driver into a mistake. Hamlin vowed to bring more determination than ever to the 2010 Chase, and so far, he’s come through.

Hamlin lost 28 points to Johnson at Fontana, leaving California “a little disappointed” since there was a moment with a few laps remaining where Hamlin felt he could have finished ahead of the No. 48 car.

“We’ve got to run a little bit better,” Hamlin said. “We got up front, but we just couldn’t capitalize.”

Hamlin – who said restarts were his Achilles’ Heel on Sunday – knows the upcoming tracks are ones where he’ll have to make his move if he hopes to be in Chase contention for the final few races.

“I go to Charlotte thinking I can win the race and lead the most laps,” he said.

And he certainly feels the same way about Martinsville the following week.

Kevin Harvick could probably insert himself into the picture a bit more (he’s currently 54 points out). Fourth-place Jeff Gordon (85 back) needs to finish better than he has been in order to make a move.

But ultimately, it’s still all about Johnson.