Driver Will Be Eliminated At Talladega Before Race Trims Chase Field

Which is kind of fitting, considering this is a Chase elimination race.

MORE: Chase qualifying scenarios | Talladega schedule | Crashes

There were 42 cars entered for Sunday’s Hellmann’s 500, but by Saturday’s qualifying one car had dropped out. The last time entries outnumbered the starting positions was Sept. 10 at Richmond, the final race before the Chase began.

Here’s the explanation for why the field fell to 41.

After Talladega, the Chase field will be reduced to eight drivers for the next three-race segment. Jimmie Johnson at Charlotte and Kevin Harvick at Kansas advance to the Round of 8 because of their race victories. For 10 other drivers, points advancement is possible, if improbably. Several drivers must win at Talladega to advance.

Good luck with that.

After Talladega, the Chase goes to Martinsville, Texas and Phoenix. Four more drivers will be eliminated at that point, leaving four to compete for the Cup in the Chase championship race.

Here are the Talladega entries. Chase drivers are in bold.