Jimmie Johnson has stormed into the Chase
for the championship by winning his second consecutive race to grab
a ton of momentum for his title defense.
The two-time defending Cup champion passed Tony Stewart and
Martin Truex for the lead with 34 laps to go on Sunday at Richmond
International Raceway. It was the final event before NASCAR's
10-race title hunt begins next week in New Hampshire.
Clint Bowyer locked down the last spot in the Chase for the
championship field when David Ragan's gutsy challenge ended because
of contact with multiple cars.
The Chase field is Johnson, Stewart, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards,
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Jeff
Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Bowyer.