CASPER
New member
TALLADEGA, Ala. – Kevin Harvick sat patiently in his parked car waiting for NASCAR to declare a winner at Talladega Superspeedway.
There was no disappointment when the victory went to teammate Clint Bowyer.
It's the big picture that counts now, and Sunday's race did little to clear up a crowded Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.
"I think it's going to be a small margin all the way to the end," said four-time defending series champion Jimmie Johnson.
Right now it's the smallest margin in the seven years since the Chase began.
NASCAR's three title contenders all left Talladega with their championship chances intact, as Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Harvick remained locked at the top of the points standings. The race ended with a photo-finish and three relieved title contenders.
Johnson has a 14-point lead over Hamlin, while Harvick is 38 back with three races remaining.
"We've gone through seven races, and you can throw a blanket over the three of us," Harvick said. "It's really going to just come down to dotting the Is, crossing the Ts, keeping that performance level where it needs to be."
"It's going to be an awesome championship battle all the way to Homestead, and I'm really looking forward to it," Johnson echoed.