As the Chase for the Sprint Cup nears, positions 10 through 14 are tighter than they have ever been.  The one man that needs to be concered about his security in the Chase is the Daytona 500 Champion, Matt Kenseth.  Nipping at his heals are his co-car owner and mentor Mark Martin, Juan Montoya, Kasey Kahne, and David Reuitmann.

While drivers like Kasey Kahne, David Reuitmann, and Mark Martin have accounted for five Sprint Cup Series since Kenseth's last win at the Auto Club Speedway, Kenseth has been trailing off the past few weeks.  After an impressive 4th place finish at Dover, he catapulted from 11th to 8th in the points.  However, his recent string of finishes has him averaging about 15 for each race, and that will not get it done to make the Chase.

Only Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson have made the Chase every year since it's inception in 2004.  Kenseth knows what he has do and has been faced with this adversity before.  However, the last two winners of the Daytona 500 didn't make the Chase the same year.  We will see how Mr. Consistancy does as the Chase nears.