It has come down to one race, one final opportunity, and a last dash in the regular season for drivers to make the 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup.  As of now, 9 of the 11 spots are spoken for.  In Atlanta, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman secured their spots in the championship hunt.  Brad Keselowski also locked up at the least a Wild Card position.

But, that still leaves three positions open, and at least five drivers with the opportunity to make their way in with the wild card.  Positions 9 and 10 are held by drivers with no wins, but with strong seasons.

On a weekend where memories of terror attacks and lost lives will be on the minds of everyone, NASCAR again descends on the Richmond International Raceway to do battle and determine the 12 drivers that will go head-to-head in the final 10 races for the championship.

Some drivers have momentum heading into the Chase, while others are hoping to find their stride this weekend.

It is all on the line, and the writers are very aware of that fact, and that helped determine their picks.  It's the final weekend of the regular season rules for the writers in making their picks, so let's take a look at their choices for victory in the Wonderful Pistachios 400:

 

Misan Ayuka:  Carl Edwards

I was deciding between Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards.  Busch has been losing momentum, Hamlin has been gaining it back but is taking baby steps, Edwards after the last two races looks posied for his first championship.

Richmond as of late as been a good track for Edwards recently.  In the last five races there he has two top-fives, three top-10's and a pole.  Edwards is my pick for the championship and a win at the action track will be his first step.

 

James Broomhead:  Denny Hamlin

Just like us the drivers are going all out for their final chance to grab a win before the Chase. Hamlin isn’t quite locked in yet – but is odds on to take a wildcard spot. While those wins might not count for anything in the reset points it all about the momentum headed into the ten races that decide the title.

I was tempted to go off the wall and try and pinch a win from under everyone else, but I’ve opted for the no brainer pick. Hamlin’s a Virginia boy and has always gone well at his home track, and that quest for momentum should push him into Victory Lane.

 

Kelly Crandall:  Kyle Busch

Heavy favorite will be hometown hero Denny Hamlin but Busch has been the one in victory lane lately.

 

Billy Fellin:  Kyle Busch

He won in the spring and as long as I feel like he'll be competitive again. In a race that will feature plenty of beating and banging, I feel like this is a race he'll try and get out in front and stay as far away from the rest of the pack as possible.

NOTE:  Billy will be one of the media members attending the race at Richmond, covering for the Richmond-Times Dispatch.

 

Michael Hirshbein:  Kyle Busch

No reason given.

 

Christopher Leone:  Matt Kenseth

I'm not sure why, seriously.

 

Kara Martin:  Denny Hamlin

No reason given.

NOTE:  Kara is also attending this weekend's festivities in Richmond, as she is credentialed with Speedway Media.

 

Ryan O'Hara:  Jeff Gordon

No reason given.

 

Dustin Parks:  Denny Hamlin

Simply put, I need a win.  I don't like the idea of entering the Chase with zero wins through the first 26 races, so I have to play the odds on this one.

Sure, Busch has the momentum at this track, but Hamlin is the defending race winner, and last year his win locked him into the top spot in the Chase.  This year, a win will lock in the final wild card spot so he can make the Chase.

It's his hometown track, and I'm backing on FedEx delivering a victory.

 

Sal Sigala Jr:  Kyle Busch

This week I'm points racing, and also because MPH picked him every week other than Ambrose for road courses. No way I'm gonna get beat by a rookie. LOL J/K MPH. Let's get the chase started and may the best writer win. Good luck to all of you!

 

Rob Tiongson:  Jeff Gordon

While all the talk this summer's been mostly on Brad Keselowski, let's not discount Jeff Gordon's amazing summer streak. In early June, he was outside the top-10 in points and struggling with consistency. Fast forward to September and he's sitting fifth in the standings and will most likely be in the top-three when the Chase starts.

They still have some things to prove to fans but it's clear that Gordon, crew chief Alan Gustafson, and the No. 24 team are clearly ready  to "Drive to End Hunger" not only with a worthy cause, but for that elusive fifth title.

 

Standings following Atlanta:

Sal Sigala Jr. (861) Jimmie Johnson finished second (4)

Kelly Crandall (840) Matt Kenseth finished ninth (3)

Christopher Leone (826) Brad Keselowski finished sixth (3)

James Broomhead (825) Kurt Busch finished fourth (2)

Michael Hirshbein (825) Kyle Busch finished 23rd (5)

Billy Fellin (818) Kurt Busch finished fourth (2)

Ryan O'Hara (773) Carl Edwards finished fifth (2)

Kara Martin (771) Tony Stewart finished third (1)

Rob Tiongson (765) Brad Keselowski finished sixth (2)

Misan Ayuka (764) Tony Stewart finished third (3)

Dustin Parks (750) Brad Keselowski finished sixth (0)

 

Final Thoughts:  One race will determine the 12 men that will compete for the 2011 championship.  Nine drivers are locked in, which include a four-time champion, a driver that shows up out of nowhere to win.  One loves to flip out, another drives like a rocket, one with momentum, one critical of his team.  One gets a little bit rowdy, one is quietly in, and one set to defend his five-straight titles.

It's the last race to make the Chase, and everyone is anticipating a very intense battle that will take 400 laps to determine.

Coverage from Richmond is on ABC at 7:30 p.m. ET.

 

Summary of Picks:

Kyle Busch-4

Denny Hamlin-3

Jeff Gordon-2

Carl Edwards-1

Matt Kenseth-1