The Johnson, er, Hamlin Inevitability Watch: Down to two

With Jimmie Johnson's Drive for Five now in a bit of jeopardy, we broaden our look this weekend to include all the past Chases. And lo and behold, it's rarely been closer after 34 races than it is right now. Let's look onward, shall we? 2010: As you know, Denny Hamlin leads, with Jimmie Johnson 33 behind and Kevin Harvick 59 back. Which would you rather be right now, hunter or hunted? 2009: After the infamous Texas wreck where he stayed in his car and willed his team to keep him in the race, Johnson held a 73-point lead over Mark Martin heading into the final two races. 2008: Despite a charge from the 99, Johnson was 106 points ahead of Carl Edwards, and 143 in front of Greg Biffle. It was all just about sewn up by this point. 2007: With the charge nearly finished, Johnson was 30 up on regular-season dominator Jeff Gordon. The writing was on the wall.2006: Another tight Chase; after 34 races, Johnson was 17 ahead of Matt Kenseth, 78 up on Dale Earnhardt Jr., and 80 up on some kid named Denny Hamlin. 2005: In the closest parallel to 2010, numerically speaking, eventual champion Tony Stewart was 38 up on Johnson and 77 on Edwards.2004: In the first Chase, Kurt Busch led at this point, with Jeff Gordon 41 points, Earnhardt 47 back, Johnson 48 (ha!) behind, and Martin 102 back. And it turned out to be a race that came down to the final lap at Homestead. We can hope, can't we?There you go. The past seems to indicate that Hamlin will hold on, but we know not to rely too much on that. Your take? 

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