Kevin Harvick didn't win, but he did make up ground on Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin. Now, with three races to go, the Chase is closer than ever.

Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick were side-by-side when a caution came out on the final lap. It took NASCAR several minutes to declare a winner. In the end, it was Bowyer, who now has won two Chase races.

Here is a look at how the 12 Chase drivers fared in Race No. 7 of the Chase on Sunday at Talladega:

1. Jimmie Johnson – Finished 7th: Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus played the race almost perfectly, hiding in the back, away from danger (that ultimately never came). They made their move with about 15 laps to go and came home with a solid finish. (-)

2. Denny Hamlin – Finished 9th: Hamlin's laying back strategy almost backfired on him when he lost the draft and ultimately went a lap down. In the end he was disappointed – he had a shot at the win – but he shouldn't be. Now it's on to Texas. (-14 points)

3. Kevin Harvick – Finished 2nd: As

Unlike last week's race at Martinsville, there's nothing predictable about what's going to happen this Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

The last time the circuit was there, Kevin Harvick won, Denny Hamlin finished in the top five, and Jimmie Johnson wrecked.

Each Thursday during the Chase, Yahoo! Sports breaks down the 12-driver field. Here is a look at how the field stacks up heading into race No. 7 of the Chase, Sunday's AMP Energy Juice 500:

1. Jimmie Johnson

5998 pts.

Don't be surprised to see Johnson log a bunch of laps at the back of the pack, hoping to avoid the "Big One" at Talladega. He got caught in a wreck in the spring.
Last week's result: 5th

2010 STATS
Wins	Top 5s	Poles
6	15	3

CAREER AT TALLADEGA
Avg. finish:	17.8
Last time:	31st

REMAINING TRACKS
Best: Phoenix (4.9) Worst: Talladega (17.8)
Total avg.: 11.4

2. Denny Hamlin

5992 pts. (-6)

Hamlin's never considered much of a restrictor-plate racer, but he's better than you think. Past results indicate

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As one loyal reader put it, and then there were three …

Let's get to the mailbag:

Dear Mr. Hart, I am sorry to say that I didn't read your column. Without reading it I already knew what you were going to say about the Chase.

You seem like a nice guy and you have a job to do but trying to pump hype into this so-called championship is a waste of your writing talent.

I was one of those guys who used to watch a race from flag to flag every Sunday. I also attended the races at Watkins Glen which I lie very close to. The economy had nothing to do with my not going to races. The people who run NASCAR are why I don't follow this sport any longer.

There has just been too many changes and rules that have taken away the credibility of NASCAR.

I am sure you have read a lot of the criticism of

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Can Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick save the Chase? In other words, can they turn the critics' opinions in its favor?

It's no secret that the Chase format isn't wildly popular. Fans constantly criticize it, television ratings slump during it and large chunks of seats remain empty at some tracks when it rolls into town.

There is any number of reasons for the antipathy, be it Jimmie Johnson's four-year dominance or the refusal of some race fans to accept a new way to crown a champion.

But there is potentially a third reason why, that the Chase format hasn't regularly delivered on its promise to produce a nail-biting race to the championship. In the six-year history of the Chase, there has been only one tight battle – Kurt Busch's eight-point win in the inaugural Chase of 2004.

Since then, however, the Chase has been devoid of any drama heading into the season finale. Tony Stewart had a comfortable 52-point lead going to

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Denny Hamlin did exactly what he predicted he would do – win at Martinsville. And now the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship is as wide open as ever, with Hamlin trailing Jimmie Johnson by just six points with four races to go.

Here is a look at how the 12 Chase drivers fared in Race No. 6 of the Chase on Sunday at Martinsville:

1. Jimmie Johnson – Finished 5th: He was never a factor for the win, and while he maintained the points lead, Johnson now can't afford to race conservatively next week at Talladega. That is huge. (-)

2. Denny Hamlin – Finished 1st: Momentum clearly is in Hamlin's corner now. Not only has the Chase gone almost exactly as he scripted it, but he now has put Johnson in an unfamiliar situation. (-6 points)

3. Kevin Harvick – Finished 3rd: No one expected Harvick to be a challenger at Martinsville, but he was. Harvick has to be thrilled heading to Talladega, where he will be a favorite to win. (-62

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It's Denny vs. Jimmie, with Kevin just hoping to hang on.

That pretty much sums up this weekend's race at Martinsville Speedway, a track where Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson have combined to win the last eight races, while Kevin Harvick has never finished better than seventh there.

Each Wednesday during the Chase, Yahoo! Sports breaks down the 12-driver field. Here is a look at how the field stacks up heading into race No. 6 of the Chase, Sunday's TUMS Fast Relief 500:

1. Jimmie Johnson

5843 pts.

A ninth-place finish at Martinsville is tantamount to a DNF for Johnson at Martinsville. He never ran higher than third there in April. Was that just an anomaly?
Last week's result: 3nd

2010 STATS
Wins	Top 5s	Poles
6	14	3

CAREER AT MARTINSVILLE
Avg. finish:	5.4
Last time:	9th

REMAINING TRACKS
Best: Phoenix (4.9) Worst: Talladega (17.8)
Total avg.: 10.2

2. Denny Hamlin

5802 pts. (-41)

His goal is to win and lead

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NASCAR hoped that inducting only five people into its Hall of Fame each year would create a buzz. It's done more than that. It's approaching vuvuzela level.

Jay, enjoyed your column on the HoF snubs. Great Tommy Boy reference as well. You made great arguments for Cale and Darrell and there is no doubt they are Hall material. Though in Ned's defense, he retired early. This NASCAR HoF is going to be messy for a while because NASCAR wants to get in the pioneers before they all have passed away.

I agree, though there shouldn't be a reason that Richard Petty last year wasn't getting every vote. These votes are always ridiculous. Who are these people? Of all the pro sports that conduct voting at least NASCAR allows the fans a voice.

Casey J. Bauer
Orlando, Fla.

Jay, I don't really think I

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Jamie McMurray crashed the party, but Jimmie Johnson is smiling, too. The four-time champion was down early at Charlotte Motor Speedway, spinning on Lap 33 in Saturday night's Bank of America 500. But he managed to rally back and actually extend his points lead. Imagine that.

Here is a look at how the 12 Chase drivers fared in Race No. 5 of the Chase at Charlotte:

1. Jimmie Johnson – Finished 3rd: Everyone has issues, even Johnson. But for whatever reason, the 48 team always seems to bounce back. At one point in the race, Johnson had slipped to fourth in the standings. He wound up extending his points lead. (Leader)

2. Denny Hamlin – Finished 4th: A huge performance for Hamlin, who has never been very good at Charlotte. He didn't beat Johnson, but he minimized the damage better than he could have imagined. (-41 points)

3. Kevin Harvick – Finished 8th: Like Hamlin he lost points, but he has to be satisfied. Now, Harvick has