Pressure builds on the trio racing for final Chase spot

RICHMOND, Va. -- All emotions are not equal when it comes to the three drivers trying to squeeze into the 12th and final spot in the 2008 Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Clint Bowyer sits in the 12th position heading into the Chevy Rock & Roll 400, which, weather permitting, will be held Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. But he didn't wear the look of a man holding the advantage Friday.

"I'm just ready to go," he said. "It's challenging, but it's time to see what we're made of."

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Bowyer is a mere 17 points in front of David Ragan heading into the race, the 26th and final one of the Sprint Cup series "regular season." The Chase is comprised of the final 10 races, when the top 12 to survive the regular season battle it out for the points championship.

In contrast to Bowyer, whose answers were clipped and seemed on edge Friday, Ragan appeared relaxed and confident. Ragan agreed with the notion that more pressure rests on Bowyer and Kasey Kahne, who is 14th in points (31 behind Ragan and 48 behind Bowyer), than on himself.

In only his second full-time Cup season, the perception is that Ragan is more or less just happy to be here in this position. Expectations were higher for Bowyer and Kahne coming into the season, and seem to remain so.

"Some of that is accurate," said Ragan, who posted the second-fastest time in the final practice Friday before the rains hit, trailing only Jeff Gordon. "I'd say that we are definitely just happy to be in this position. I think the pressure is probably on Clint more than anybody because it's his spot to lose and it's ours to gain. We all have a lot of pressure on us to go out and get the job done and try to get in the Chase.

"But, yeah, I can imagine that there's probably a little more pressure on Clint not to mess up. We can go out and just race as hard as we can and whatever happens happens."

Kahne has been in a similar position previously. He arrived at Richmond in 2006 needing to race his way into what was then a 10-driver Chase, and did so by finishing third to make up a 30-point deficit, knocking two-time points champion Tony Stewart out of the Chase in the process.

"We have a little bit further to go this time against two really good cars in Ragan and Bowyer, so it's going to be difficult," said Kahne, who struggled during the final practice Friday, with his fastest lap time ranked only 29th out of the 46 drivers who participated. "It's going to be an interesting race. Hopefully we'll be good enough to keep it interesting." (Continued)