The NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup hits the home stretch this weekend with the Camping World RV Sales 500 from Talladega Superspeedway. The race will be the sixth of the Chase and the fourth and final restrictor plate race of the season. It could also go a long way toward deciding who eventually walks away with the Sprint Cup.
NASCAR Talladega 2013 qualifying: Will Jimmie Johnson’s restrictor plate success continue?
Jimmie Johnson is currently second in the Chase standings, but may have an opportunity to make up ground this weekend, beginning with qualifying on Saturday.
Jerry Markland
With the unpredictable nature of Talladega and restrictor plate races, it’s really anyone’s race to win heading into Saturday’s qualifying. Six drivers opened as co-betting favorites with Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. all given 10/1 odds, according to Sporting News. Johnson has had the most success in restrictor plate races this season, winning twice at Daytona and finishing fifth at Talladega earlier this season.
Johnson will head into qualifying four points behind Matt Kenseth in the Chase standings. It appeared Kenseth was going to lose his lead last week, but he made a push following the last restart at Charlotte and drove his way to a third-place finish, one spot ahead of Johnson. While he hasn’t had much success in restrictor plate races this season -- including two finishes outside of the top 30 -- Kenseth won at Talladega last October. If he can drive his way to a repeat performance this week, he’ll improve his chances to hold onto the Chase lead with four races to go.
Qualifying is scheduled to begin at noon ET on Saturday. Each driver will take two laps around the 2.66 mile quad oval track. Television coverage will begin at noon with Fox Sports 2 handling the broadcast.
More from SB Nation:
See More:
