2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup

The 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup was the ten-race playoff that determined the champion of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, contested among the top twelve drivers following the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 on September 12 at Richmond International Raceway. The entire chase was broadcast on ABC in the USA and TSN 2 in Canada.

Format
For the second year, the twelve drivers who qualified for the Chase had their point totals reset to 5,000 points, with a ten-point bonus for each race they won prior to the Chase. The driver who earns the most points at the end of the Chase will be declared the 2009 series champion.

Changes
This year's changes were where the ten races will be. Atlanta Motor Speedway's fall date, the Pep Boys Auto 500, was switched to the Labor Day weekend, and Auto Club Speedway, which hosts the Pepsi 500, took the space in the race schedule. Talladega Superspeedway's date, the AMP Energy 500 was in return, moved to Atlanta's date with Auto Club moving into Talladega's original position.

Races
‡ – Ineligible for the Chase as he did not finish in Top 12.

Qualified Drivers
The 12 drivers who have qualified for the chase after the Chevy Rock and Roll 400
 * Tony Stewart (Stewart Haas Racing #14 Chevrolet)
 * Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports #48 Chevrolet)
 * Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports #24 Chevrolet)
 * Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing #11 Toyota)
 * Carl Edwards (Roush Fenway Racing #99 Ford)
 * Kasey Kahne (Richard Petty Motorsports #9 Dodge)
 * Kurt Busch (Penske Racing #2 Dodge)
 * Juan Pablo Montoya (Earnhardt Ganassi Racing #42 Chevrolet)
 * Ryan Newman (Stewart Haas Racing #39 Chevrolet)
 * Mark Martin (Hendrick Motorsports #5 Chevrolet)
 * Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing #16 Ford)
 * Brian Vickers (Red Bull Racing Team #83 Toyota)

Results
NOTE: Standings in Cup points before the race in parentheses.

Race One: 2009 Sylvania 300
Results:
 * 1) Mark Martin (1)
 * 2) Denny Hamlin (4)
 * 3) Juan Pablo Montoya (11)
 * 4) Jimmie Johnson (3)
 * 5) Kyle Busch
 * 6) Kurt Busch (6)
 * 7) Ryan Newman (7)
 * 8) Elliott Sadler
 * 9) Greg Biffle (12)
 * 10) Clint Bowyer

Other Chase drivers:
 * 11. Brian Vickers (8)
 * 14. Tony Stewart (2)
 * 15. Jeff Gordon (6)
 * 17. Carl Edwards (9)
 * 38. Kasey Kahne (5)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Mark Martin          5,230 points
 * 2) Jimmie Johnson     – 35
 * 3) Denny Hamlin       – 35 (Third by tiebreaker)
 * 4) Juan Pablo Montoya – 55
 * 5) Kurt Busch         – 65
 * 6) Tony Stewart       – 76
 * 7) Ryan Newman        – 79
 * 8) Brian Vickers      – 90
 * 9) Greg Biffle        – 92
 * 10) Jeff Gordon        – 102
 * 11) Carl Edwards       – 113
 * 12) Kasey Kahne        – 161

Race Two: 2009 AAA 400
Results:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson (2)
 * 2) Mark Martin (1)
 * 3) Matt Kenseth
 * 4) Juan Pablo Montoya (4)
 * 5) Kurt Busch (5)
 * 6) Jeff Gordon (10)
 * 7) A. J. Allmendinger
 * 8) Kasey Kahne (12)
 * 9) Tony Stewart (6)
 * 10) Ryan Newman (7)

Other Chase drivers:
 * 11. Carl Edwards (11)
 * 13. Greg Biffle (9)
 * 18. Brian Vickers (8)
 * 22. Denny Hamlin (3)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Mark Martin          5,400 points
 * 2) Jimmie Johnson     – 10
 * 3) Juan Pablo Montoya – 65
 * 4) Kurt Busch         – 75
 * 5) Tony Stewart       – 106
 * 6) Denny Hamlin       – 108
 * 7) Ryan Newman        – 110
 * 8) Jeff Gordon        – 122
 * 9) Greg Biffle        – 138
 * 10) Brian Vickers      – 151
 * 11) Carl Edwards       – 153
 * 12) Kasey Kahne        – 189

Race Three: 2009 Price Chopper 400
Results:
 * 1) Tony Stewart (5)
 * 2) Jeff Gordon (8)
 * 3) Greg Biffle (9)
 * 4) Juan Pablo Montoya (4)
 * 5) Denny Hamlin (6)
 * 6) Kasey Kahne (12)
 * 7) Mark Martin (1)
 * 8) David Reutimann
 * 9) Jimmie Johnson (2)
 * 10) Carl Edwards (11)

Other Chase drivers:
 * 11. Kurt Busch (4)
 * 22. Ryan Newman (7)
 * 37. Brian Vickers (10)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Mark Martin          5,551 points
 * 2) Jimmie Johnson     – 18
 * 3) Juan Pablo Montoya – 51
 * 4) Tony Stewart       – 67
 * 5) Kurt Busch         – 91
 * 6) Denny Hamlin       – 99
 * 7) Jeff Gordon        – 103
 * 8) Greg Biffle        – 114
 * 9) Ryan Newman        – 164
 * 10) Carl Edwards       – 165
 * 11) Kasey Kahne        – 190
 * 12) Brian Vickers      – 250

Race Four: 2009 Pepsi 500
Results:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson (2)
 * 2) Jeff Gordon (7)
 * 3) Juan Pablo Montoya (3)
 * 4) Mark Martin (1)
 * 5) Tony Stewart (4)
 * 6) Carl Edwards (10)
 * 7) David Ragan
 * 8) Kurt Busch (5)
 * 9) Clint Bowyer
 * 10) Kevin Harvick

Other Chase drivers:
 * 13. Ryan Newman (9)
 * 20. Greg Biffle (8)
 * 29. Brian Vickers (12)
 * 34. Kasey Kahne (11)
 * 37. Denny Hamlin (6)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson       5728 points
 * 2) Mark Martin        – 12
 * 3) Juan Pablo Montoya – 58
 * 4) Tony Stewart       – 84
 * 5) Jeff Gordon        – 105
 * 6) Kurt Busch         – 121
 * 7) Greg Biffle        – 188
 * 8) Carl Edwards       – 192
 * 9) Denny Hamlin       – 219
 * 10) Ryan Newman        – 223
 * 11) Kasey Kahne        – 306
 * 12) Brian Vickers      – 351

Race Five: 2009 NASCAR Banking 500 Only from Bank of America
Results:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson (1)
 * 2) Matt Kenseth
 * 3) Kasey Kahne (11)
 * 4) Jeff Gordon (5)
 * 5) Joey Logano
 * 6) Clint Bowyer
 * 7) Casey Mears
 * 8) Kyle Busch
 * 9) Martin Truex, Jr.
 * 10) Kurt Busch (6)

Other Chase drivers:
 * 11. Ryan Newman (10)
 * 13. Tony Stewart (4)
 * 16. Greg Biffle (7)
 * 17. Mark Martin (2)
 * 34. Brian Vickers (12)
 * 35. Juan Pablo Montoya (3)
 * 39. Carl Edwards (8)
 * 42. Denny Hamlin (9)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson       5933 points
 * 2) Mark Martin        – 90
 * 3) Jeff Gordon        – 135
 * 4) Tony Stewart       – 155
 * 5) Kurt Busch         – 177
 * 6) Juan Pablo Montoya – 195
 * 7) Greg Biffle        – 268
 * 8) Ryan Newman        – 288
 * 9) Kasey Kahne        – 331
 * 10) Carl Edwards       – 341
 * 11) Denny Hamlin       – 372
 * 12) Brian Vickers      – 485

Race Six: 2009 TUMS Fast Relief 500
Results:
 * 1) Denny Hamlin (11)
 * 2) Jimmie Johnson (1)
 * 3) Juan Pablo Montoya (6)
 * 4) Kyle Busch
 * 5) Jeff Gordon (3)
 * 6) Jamie McMurray
 * 7) Ryan Newman (8)
 * 8) Mark Martin (2)
 * 9) Tony Stewart (4)
 * 10) Kevin Harvick

Other Chase drivers:
 * 11. Brian Vickers (12)
 * 17. Kurt Busch (5)
 * 20. Carl Edwards (10)
 * 25. Greg Biffle (7)
 * 32. Kasey Kahne (9)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson		 6098 points
 * 2) Mark Martin		– 118
 * 3) Jeff Gordon		– 150
 * 4) Tony Stewart		– 192
 * 5) Juan Pablo Montoya	– 200
 * 6) Kurt Busch		– 240
 * 7) Ryan Newman		– 312
 * 8) Greg Biffle		– 350
 * 9) Denny Hamlin		– 352
 * 10) Carl Edwards		– 413
 * 11) Kasey Kahne		– 439
 * 12) Brian Vickers 		– 530

Race Seven: 2009 AMP Energy 500
Results:
 * 1) Jamie McMurray
 * 2) Kasey Kahne (11)
 * 3) Joey Logano
 * 4) Greg Biffle (8)
 * 5) Jeff Burton
 * 6) Jimmie Johnson (1)
 * 7) Michael Waltrip
 * 8) Brad Keselowski
 * 9) Elliott Sadler
 * 10) Bobby Labonte

Other Chase drivers:
 * 13. Brian Vickers (12)
 * 14. Carl Edwards (10)
 * 19. Juan Pablo Montoya (5)
 * 20. Jeff Gordon (3)
 * 28. Mark Martin (2)
 * 30. Kurt Busch (6)
 * 35. Tony Stewart (4)
 * 36. Ryan Newman (7)
 * 38. Denny Hamlin (9)

Point Standings:
 * 1) Jimmie Johnson		 6248 points
 * 2) Mark Martin		–184
 * 3) Jeff Gordon		–192
 * 4) Juan Pablo Montoya	–239
 * 5) Tony Stewart  	–279
 * 6) Kurt Busch		–312
 * 7) Greg Biffle		–340
 * 8) Ryan Newman		–402
 * 9) Kasey Kahne		–414
 * 10) Carl Edwards		–437
 * 11) Denny Hamlin		–448
 * 12) Brian Vickers 		–551