The 2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup served as the ten-race playoff series among the top ten drivers in the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. After the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 on September 10, 2005, the ten drivers atop the standings were locked into the playoff, with the participants as follows:

Tony Stewart - Joe Gibbs Racing #20 (Joe Gibbs) — 5,050 points Greg Biffle — Roush Racing #16 (Geoff Smith) -5 points Rusty Wallace — Penske Racing #2 (Roger Penske) -10 points Jimmie Johnson — Hendrick Motorsports #48 (Jeff Gordon) -15 points Kurt Busch — Roush Racing #97 (Georgetta Roush) -20 points Mark Martin — Roush Racing #6 (Jack Roush) -25 points Jeremy Mayfield — Evernham Motorsports #19 (Ray Evernham) -30 points Carl Edwards — Roush Racing #99 (Jack Roush) -35 points Matt Kenseth — Roush Racing #17 (Mark Martin) -35 points Ryan Newman — Penske Racing #12 (Roger Penske) -45 points

Sylvania 300 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Ryan Newman (1) Tony Stewart (2) Matt Kenseth (3) Greg Biffle (5) Rusty Wallace (6) Mark Martin (7) Jimmie Johnson (8) Jeremy Mayfield (16) Carl Edwards (19) Kurt Busch (35)

Standings after race one: Stewart 5,230 pts (leader) Biffle -20 pts (unchanged) Newman -40 pts (+7 places)× Wallace -40 pts (-1 place) Kenseth -50 pts (+4 places) Johnson -53 pts (-3 places) Martin -54 pts (-2 places) Mayfield -95 pts (- 1 place) Edwards -109 pts (-1 place) Kurt Busch -142 pts (-5 places)

×-Holds tiebreaker with one win.

MBNA RacePoints 400 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Jimmie Johnson (1) Rusty Wallace (3) Mark Martin (4) Ryan Newman (5) Jeremy Mayfield (7) Carl Edwards (9) Greg BIffle (13) Tony Stewart (18) Kurt Busch (23) Matt Kenseth (35)

Standings after two races: Johnson 5362 pts (+5 places) R. Wallace -7 pts (+2 places) Newman -12 pts (unchanged) Martin -21 pts (+2 places) Stewart -23 pts (-4 places)× Biffle -23 pts (-3 places) Mayfield -81 pts (+1 place) Edwards -103 pts (+1 place) Kenseth -124 pts (-4 places) Kurt Busch -170 pts (unchanged)

×—Holds tiebreaker with more wins (5).

UAW-Ford 500 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Tony Stewart (2) Matt Kenseth (3) Ryan Newman (4) Carl Edwards (5) Kurt Busch (8) Jeremy Mayfield (12) Rusty Wallace (25) Greg Biffle (27) Jimmie Johnson (31) Mark Martin (41)

Standings after three races: Stewart 5,515 pts (+4 places) Newman -4 pts (+1) R. Wallace -76 pts (-1) Johnson -82 pts (-3) Biffle -98 pts (+1) Edwards -100 pts (-2) Kenseth -111 pts (+2) Mayfield -112 pts (-1) Martin -138 (-5) Kurt Busch -180 (unchanged)

Banquet 400 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Mark Martin (1) Greg Biffle (2) Carl Edwards (3) Tony Stewart (4) Matt Kenseth (5) Jimmie Johnson (6) Rusty Wallace (7) Kurt Busch (14) Jeremy Mayfield (16) Ryan Newman (23)

Standings after four races: Stewart 5,684 pts (unchanged) Newman -75 pts (unchanged) Biffle -88 pts (+2 places) R. Wallace -90 pts (-1) Johnson -92 pts (-1) Edwards -95 pts (unchanged) Martin -113 pts (+2) Kenseth -116 pts (-1) Mayfield -157 pts (-1) Kurt Busch -224 pts (unchanged)

UAW-GM Quality 500 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Jimmie Johnson (1) Kurt Busch (2) Greg Biffle (3) Mark Martin (5) Ryan Newman (7) Carl Edwards (10) Jeremy Mayfield (11) Rusty Wallace (24) Tony Stewart (25) Matt Kenseth (26)

Standings after five races: Stewart 5,777 Points (unchanged)× Johnson tied (+ 3 places) Biffle -11 pts (unchanged) Newman -17 pts (- 2) Martin -51 pts (+2) Edwards -54 pts (unchanged) R. Wallace -92 pts (-3) Mayfield -115 pts (+1) Kenseth -124 pts (-1) Kurt Busch -142 pts (unchanged)

× — Holds tiebreaker with more wins (5).

Subway 500 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Tony Stewart (2) Jimmie Johnson (3) Kurt Busch (6) Ryan Newman (10) Matt Kenseth (12) Rusty Wallace (19) Greg Biffle (20) Carl Edwards (26) Jeremy Mayfield (28) Mark Martin (34)

Standings after six races: Stewart 5,957 pts (unchanged) Johnson -15 pts (unchanged) Newman - 63 pts (+1 place) Biffle - 83 pts (-1) Edwards -149 pts (+1) R. Wallace -166 pts (+1) Martin -170 pts (-2) Kurt Busch -172 pts (+2)× Kenseth -172 pts (unchanged) Mayfield -216 pts (-2)

×—Holds tiebreaker with more wins (3).

Bass Pro Shops MBNA Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Carl Edwards (1) Mark Martin (3) Matt Kenseth (5) Greg Biffle (7) Tont Stewart (9) Jimmie Johnson (16) Ryan Newman (23) Kurt Busch (36) Rusty Wallace (37) Jeremy Mayfield (38)

Standings with three races to go: Stewart 6,100 pts (unchanged) Johnson -43 pts (unchanged) Biffle -75 pts (+1 place) Edwards -107 pts (+1)× Newman -107 pts (-2) Martin -143 pts (+1) Kenseth -155 pts (+2) R. Wallace -257 pts (-2) Kurt Busch -260 pts (-1) Mayfield -310 pts (unchanged)

×—Owns tiebreaker with more wins (3).

Dickies 500 Running Order among Chase Drivers Actual finish in parentheses: Carl Edwards (1) Mark Martin (2) Matt Kenseth (3) Jimmie Johnson (5) Tony Stewart (6) Kurt Busch (10) Greg Biffle (20) Rusty Wallace (22) Ryan Newman (25) Jeremy Mayfield (35)

Standings with two races to go: Stewart 6,250 pts (unchanged) Johnson -35 pts (unchanged) Edwards -77 pts (+1 position) Biffle -122 pts (-1) Martin -123 pts (+1) Kenseth -140 pts (+1) Newman -169 pts (-2) Kurt Busch -276 pts (+1) R. Wallace -310 pts (-1) Mayfield -402 pts (unchanged)§

§ — Mathematically eliminated from the chase.

Checker Auto Parts 500 Running Order among Chase Drivers On Sunday, November 13, Roush Racing suspended Kurt Busch prior to the running of the Checker Auto Parts 500 race at Phoenix International Raceway after being arrested for charges against him of reckless driving off the track. By NASCAR rules, the team remains in the Chase, although for the Owner's Championship only for teams.

Actual finish in parentheses (Drivers only): Greg Biffle (2) Tony Stewart (4) Carl Edwards (6) Jimmie Johnson (7) Ryan Newman (12) Mark Martin (14) Jeremy Mayfield (19) Rusty Wallace (29) Matt Kenseth (32)

Standings with only the Ford 400 remaining (Drivers only): Stewart 6,255 pts (unchanged) Johnson -52 pts (unchanged) Edwards -87 pts (unchanged) Biffle -102 pts (unchanged) Martin -162 pts (unchanged)§ Newman -207 pts (+1 position)§ Kenseth -288 pts (-1 position driver)§ R. Wallace -395 pts (+1 position driver)§ Kurt Busch -441 pts (-1 position)≈§ Mayfield -476 pts (unchanged)§

§ — Mathematically eliminated from championship competition (Being 190 points or back from the leader - 156 points once the final race starts).

≈ — Kurt Busch was suspended for the final two races by Roush Racing after his arrest because of reckless driving charges.

Ford 400 Running Order among Chase Drivers Jimmie Johnson was eliminated on Lap 127 when a tire blew and he crashed into Turn Three at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Carl Edwards led the most laps, and Greg Biffle won the race by .017 seconds over teammate Mark Martin leading a top four Roush Racing sweep, the team's third podium sweep (top three) in eleven races, but when Tony Stewart crossed the finish line in 15th place, he clinched the 2005 NEXTEL Cup championship.

Actual finish in parentheses (Drivers only): Greg Biffle (1) Mark Martin (2) Matt Kenseth (3) Carl Edwards (4) Ryan Newman (7) Jeremy Mayfield (10) Rusty Wallace (13) Tony Stewart (15) Jimmie Johnson (40)

Kenny Wallace, driving for suspended driver Kurt Busch, finished 21st, and the #97 team finished eighth in owner points, 336 points behind the #20.

Final standings (Drivers only) - NASCAR Awards: Tony Stewart 6,533 Points (Champion) - $6,173,633 Greg Biffle -35 points (+2 Places) - $2,624,124 Carl Edwards -35 points (Unchanged) - $2,003,164 Mark Martin -105 points (+1 Place) - $1,727,115 Jimmie Johnson -127 points (-3 Places) - $1,700,048 Ryan Newman -174 points (Unchanged) - $1,381,404 Matt Kenseth -181 points (Unchanged) - $1,243,360 Rusty Wallace -353 points (Unchanged) - $1,201,850 Jeremy Mayfield -460 points (+1 Place) - $1,174,177 Kurt Busch -535 points (-304 #97 team overall) (-1 Place) - $1,151,543

52. Kenny Wallace -6,157 points (-304 #97 team overall) - $36,471

Nextel Cup Top Ten bonus monies do not include a share of the Nextel Cup Leader Bonus left unclaimed at the end of 2005.

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References

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