The "Chase for the Championship" has become a major media element since it's success in deciding last season's championship. At first, when NASCAR President Brian France unveiled the concept, there were lots of folks who were less than excited about it, myself included. Actually, I still don't care much for it, but it has to be dealt with, and like it or not, it may as well be accepted.
I get amused by the way some of the TV personalities claim that this driver or that driver is "out of the Chase." The last I heard Dale Jr. was considered to be a "long shot" to make the chase. Some of the reports about drivers being out of the chase are believable, because of their higher numbered point's standings and race finish ratios. On the other hand, some reports are not up to snuff. A lot can still happen before the last ten races signal the beginning of the Chase. I've seen these multiple winners in the first part of the season drop of suddenly and fall victim to a string of DNF's.
It seems to me that with 16 races in the books for the season, the main issue is "tires." The teams that have figured out the 2005 Goodyear offering are the ones who are winning. Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have it down to a science, with Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing knocking solidly on the door. Other teams are way out in left field; so far this season, Dale Earnhardt Inc. hasn't had a clue what to do about the tires, except to change them after they blow out. That's a hard thing to have to say, but it pretty much sums it up, and DEI certainly isn't the only team to be suffering that problem.
With 15 races down, Greg Biffle had won five of them with Jeff Gordon winning three. Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson are the only other multiple winners before the Infineon event with two wins each.
| Track | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Daytona - | J Gordon | Kt Busch | Earnhardt | Riggs | Johnson |
| California - |
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