FORT WORTH, Texas—Mathematically, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon still have a chance to win the Sprint Cup championship. The reality with three races left? “We’ve still got a great battle going for second in points,“ Gordon said yesterday. “If for some crazy reason those guys had trouble, we’ve got to make sure we capitalize on them. Our focus right now is winning races and trying to get to second in points.“

TALLADEGA, Ala.—Jamie McMurray was the unlikely winner of an uncharacteristically dull race at Talladega Superspeedway, where a ban on bump-drafting forced most competitors to treat the event as a slow Sunday drive. The day started with a stern warning from NASCAR President Mike Helton against the aggressive driving that has turned Talladega into the most exciting track on the circuit. What followed was an anesthetized first 450 miles, with long periods of single-file traffic and no driver willing to defy NASCAR’s order not to bump through the corners.

Michael Waltrip pulled up to the back of Jimmie Johnson’s car, settled in on his bumper and shoved him all the way around Talladega Superspeedway as the two drivers worked on a strategy for NASCAR’s fastest racetrack. “We got hooked up and started flying,“ said Johnson. Only problem? NASCAR doesn’t want to see such aggressive drafting anymore, and when Waltrip didn’t heed a warning to back off a bit, he was yanked out of the final practice session leading into today’s race.

MARTINSVILLE Denny Hamlin is learning to relish making the best of things after the end of his championship bid, and trying to set himself up to be somebody next year. Coming off consecutive back-of-the-pack finishes—with contending cars, no less—that took him out of title contention, Hamli, a former Chesterfield resident, made the most of another good car at Martinsville Speedway, passing Jimmie Johnson and leading the last 138 laps to win Sunday.

1. Jimmie Johnson6,098 2. Mark Martin-118
3. Jeff Gordon-150
4. Tony Stewart-192
5. Juan Montoya-200
6. Kurt Busch-240
7. Ryan Newman-312
8. Greg Biffle-350
9. Denny Hamlin-352
10. Carl Edwards-413
11. Kasey Kahne-439
12. Brian Vickers-530
13. Kyle Busch-2,178
14. Matt Kenseth-2,203

Since the Goody’s Headache Powder 500 on March 29, Stewart-Haas Racing has become a force to be reckoned with. Before the race at Martinsville on March 29, driver-owner Tony Stewart had recorded three top-10s, but the good runs were mixed in with finishes of 26th and 17th. His first hired driver, Ryan Newman, recorded his first top-10 finish the week before by finishing seventh at Bristol, but that was his first finish better than 27th.

MARTINSVILLE - Ryan Newman edged Jeff Gordon in qualifying for tomorrow’s Tums Fast Relief 500, turning a lap of 96.795 mph yesterday to secure the pole position as the second half of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup gets under way. “It’s the place to be, no doubt, and it’s the place to finish,“ said Newman, who is eighth in the championship points standings through the first five Chase races. “Obviously, that’s what we want.“

1. Jimmie Johnson5,728 2. Mark Martin-90
  3. Jeff Gordon-135
  4. Tony Stewart-155
  5. Kurt Busch-177
  6. Juan Montoya-195
  7. Greg Biffle-268
  8. Ryan Newman-288
  9. Kasey Kahne-331
10. Carl Edwards-341
  11. Denny Hamlin  -372
  12. Brian Vickers-485

CHARLOTTE, N.C. It was just a little more than two years ago when two-time series champion Tony Stewart accused NASCAR officials of “playing God” by manipulating races through phantom debris cautions. Upset because a series of caution flags contributed to him losing a race at Phoenix, Stewart likened the sport to professional wrestling in complaining that the bogus debris calls changed the outcome of races.

Sprint CupRace: NASCAR Banking 500 When: Saturday, 7 p.m. Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (Concord, N.C.) Qualifying: Thursday, 7 p.m., ESPN2 Track length: 1.5 miles Race distance: 501 miles (334 laps) Last year’s winner: Jeff Burton Qualifying record: Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 188.425 mph (Feb. 25, 2005) Race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 155.012 mph (June 22, 1997) On the air: TV—ABC; radio—WRVA (1140) Nationwide Race: Dollar General 300 Where: Lowe’s Motor Speedway When: Friday TV: ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. Camping World Truck Race: Kroger 200 Where: Martinsville Speedway When: Oct. 24 TV: SPEED, 12:30 p.m.

FONTANA, Calif.—Jimmie Johnson is back in control of NASCAR’s Chase for the Championship. The three-time defending Sprint Cup champion easily pulled away from Jeff Gordon following a restart with three laps left to win the Pepsi 500 yesterday at Auto Club Speedway for his fifth victory of the year and 45th overall. The win was Johnson’s fourth at the 2-mile oval and sent a message to the rest of the contenders he has no plans of giving up his spot atop the series easily.

FONTANA, Calif.—Don’t tell Rick Hendrick that NASCAR needs Danica Patrick. Hendrick said while he’d be intrigued if the IndyCar driver opted to make a move to stock cars, he doesn’t think the sport needs her to thrive. “I don’t think she’s important to our future,“ Hendrick said. “I mean, she would add a new dimension, maybe if she participated in the Nationwide Series or Cup Series one day. But I don’t think that’s going to make any difference where NASCAR is.“

Sprint CupRace: Pepsi 500 When: Sunday, 3:15 p.m. Where: Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, Calif.) Qualifying: Friday, 6:30 p.m., SPEED Track length: 2 miles Race distance: 500 miles (250 laps) Last year’s winner: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet Qualifying record: Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 188.425 mph (Feb. 25, 2005) Race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 155.012 mph (June 22, 1997) On the air: TV—ABC; radio—WRVA (1140) Nationwide Race: Copart 300 Where: Auto Club Speedway When: Saturday TV: ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. Camping World Truck Race: Kroger 200 Where: Martinsville Speedway When: Oct. 24 TV: SPEED, 12:30 p.m.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Longtime NASCAR fans deride the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship as manufactured drama that has ruined the racing. Try telling that to the five drivers who used Kansas Speedway to gain points on leader Mark Martin. “I think that’s why they made the Chase,“ four-time series champion Jeff Gordon said after chipping 19 points off his deficit Sunday.

When: 2 p.m.
  Where: Kansas Speedway
  Track length : 1.5 miles
  Race distance: 400 miles (267 laps)
  Defending champion: Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet
  Qualifying record: Matt Kenseth, Ford, 180.856 mph (Oct. 8, 2005)
  Race record: Mark Martin, Ford, 137.774 mph (Oct. 9, 2005)