5th - Clint Bowyer, RCR Chevrolet
Starting Deficit: 70 points 2008 Stats: 1 win, 4 Top-5s, 12 Top-10s
2008 Regular Season Point Standing: 12th (-762)
2007 Chase Result: 3rd
Chase Chances: Bowyer ending up being the last qualifier into the Chase -- he secured his spot by beating out David Ragan and Kasey Kahne at Richmond -- but moved up to 5th thanks to Kyle Busch. If you remember back to Richmond in May to the now infamous incident that saw Busch get in the side of Dale Earnhardt Jr. with three laps to go while the No. 88 was leading. Bowyer was able to scoot under both the spinning Earnhardt Jr. and Busch as the No. 18 slid up the track, and later held on for his his only win in 2008 so far on the last restart.
That's not to say, though, that Bowyer didn't have a season worthy of a Chase run. A year ago, Bowyer shocked the world (somewhat quietly, though) by finishing third behind Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in the Chase. With just three races to go, Bowyer actually had a legitimate chance to catch them thanks to win at the Chase opener a year ago at New Hampshire and a second-place run at Kansas. Bowyer has the consistency to the same in 2008, though I don't see a title run in the cards.
Prediction: Just In It.
