2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase qualifiers

A capsule look at the 16 drivers who have qualified for the NASCAR Chase:

1. Jimmie Johnson

Chase berths: 12. Best finish: 1st (2006, ’07, ’08, ’09, ’10, ’13).

Car: No. 48 Chevy. 2015 victories: Four.

Comment: Next championship would be seventh, tying record set by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

2. Kyle Busch

Chase berths: 8. Best finish: 4th (2013).

Car: No. 18 Toyota. 2015 victories: Four.

Comment: Made Chase after receiving waiver from NASCAR; missed season’s first 11 races with injury.

3. Matt Kenseth

Chase berths: 11. Best finish: 2nd (2006, ’13).

Car: No. 20 Toyota. 2015 victories: Three.

Comment: Won Cup championship in 2003, the year before Chase started.

4. Joey Logano

Chase berths: 3. Best finish: 4th (2014).

Car: No. 22 Ford. 2015 victories: Three.

Comment: Season got off to great start with Daytona 500 victory.

5. Kevin Harvick

Chase berths: 9. Best finish: 1st (2014).

Car: No. 4 Chevy. 2015 victories: Two.

Comment: Has finished second 10 times this season.

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Chase berths: 8. Best finish: 5th (2004, ’06, ’14).

Car: No. 88 Chevy. 2015 victories: Two.

Comment: In addition to victories at Atlanta and Michigan, has nine other top-five finishes.

7. Kurt Busch

Chase berths: 9. Best finish: 1st (2004).

Car: No. 41 Chevy. 2015 victories: Two.

Comment: Like his brother, got waiver from NASCAR after missing season’s first three races.

8. Carl Edwards

Chase berths: 9. Best finish: 2nd (2008, ’11).

Car: No. 19 Toyota. 2015 victories: Two.

Comment: Southern 500 victory has him entering Chase on a high note.

9. Brad Keselowski

Chase berths: 4. Best finish: 1st (2012).

Car: No. 2 Ford. 2015 victories: One.

Comment: Looking for second championship after winning in 2012.

10. Martin Truex Jr.

Chase berths: 3. Best finish: 11th (2007, ’12).

Car: No. 78 Chevy. 2015 victories: One.

Comment: Hot stretch in the spring resulted in victory at Pocono.

11. Denny Hamlin

Chase berths: 9. Best finish: 2nd (2010).

Car: No. 11 Toyota. 2015 victories: One.

Comment: In Chase after recently tearing ACL in right knee playing basketball.

12. Jamie McMurray

Chase berths: 1.

Car: No. 1 Chevy. 2015 victories: None.

Comment: Competing in NASCAR’s playoffs for first time; best finish was second at Phoenix.

13. Jeff Gordon

Chase berths: 11. Best finish: 2nd (2007).

Car: No. 24 Chevy. 2015 victories: None.

Comment: Won all four of his Cup championships (1995, ’97, ’98, 2001) in pre-Chase days.

14. Ryan Newman

Chase berths: 7. Best finish: 2nd (2014).

Car: No. 31 Chevy. 2015 victories: None.

Comment: Makes Chase for second consecutive season without a victory.

15. Paul Menard

Chase berths: 1. Best finish: 14th (2014).

Car: No. 27 Chevy. 2015 victories: None.

Comment: Second consecutive Chase appearance in eighth full-time season of Cup racing.

16. Clint Bowyer

Chase berths: 6. Best finish: 2nd (2012).

Car: No. 15 Toyota. 2015 victories: None.

Comment: Enters Chase with uncertainty of 2016 ride hanging over him.

This story was originally published September 12, 2015 at 11:42 PM with the headline "2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase qualifiers."