Nextel Cup Chase driver profiles

Here is the field for the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup listed in predicted order of finish.

1. Kurt Busch

Chase history: 1st in '04, 10th in '05

The skinny: Busch has been preaching consistency of late, and a new/old friend sure has helped him achieve that goal. Since Pat Tryson became Busch's crew chief at Sonoma in June, Busch has seven top 10 finishes and two wins in 11 races. Busch also has been qualifying well with Tryson and has eight top 15 starts in that span. The time each spent with Roush Racing must have contributed to getting this team up to speed so quickly.

2. Tony Stewart

Chase history: 6th in '04, 1st in '05

The skinny: No driver is better suited for the Chase than Stewart -- 20 of his 32 career wins have come in the second half of the season. Stewart prefers driving loose cars, and the warmer temperatures in late summer help him in that area. Because Stewart missed out on the Chase last year, he raced for wins toward the end of this season and picked up three in the final seven races. Anything he learned then he will apply

3. Carl Edwards

Chase history: 3rd in '05

The skinny: For Edwards, the turning point in the season appears to have come at Darlington, when he qualified fourth and finished fifth at that demanding track. Edwards has had seven top five finishes in the past 16 races, including two wins at Bristol and Michigan. His reunion with crew chief Bob Osborne this season has been the key to his success. Among the Roush Fenway teams, Edwards' group seems to have the best handle on the