NASCAR Cup Series

A glance at the 16 drivers competing in NASCAR's playoffs

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:27 p.m. ET

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) A glance at the 16 drivers competing in NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, which begins Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway. The drivers are in order of seeding for the 10-race playoffs:

No. 2 Ford, Penske Racing

DRIVER: Brad Keselowski

BORN: Feb. 12, 1984

HOMETOWN: Rochester Hills, Michigan

CREW CHIEF: Paul Wolfe

TWITTER: (at)keselowski

NOTEWORTHY: Has been one of the fastest drivers this season, but has yet to put it together in the new Chase format. He failed to qualify for the finale in 2014 and 2015.

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No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Kyle Busch

BORN: May 2, 1985

HOMETOWN: Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF: Adam Stevens

TWITTER: (at)KyleBusch

NOTEWORTHY: The reigning Sprint Cup champion has four wins this season, but his consistency has been up and down.

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No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Denny Hamlin

BORN: Nov. 18, 1980

HOMETOWN: Chesterfield, Virginia

CREW CHIEF: Mike Wheeler

TWITTER: (at)dennyhamlin

NOTEWORTHY: Hamlin opened the season with a win at the Daytona 500. He's still seeking his first championship, and the final pit stop in the 2014 finale cost him the title.

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No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Kevin Harvick

BORN: Dec. 8, 1975

HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, California

CREW CHIEF: Rodney Childers

TWITTER: (at)KevinHarvick

NOTEWORTHY: Won the first version of NASCAR's elimination Chase in 2014, then finished second in the championship race last year. Has been plagued by pit crew issues that have cost him several wins over the last three years.

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No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Carl Edwards

BORN: Aug. 15, 1979

HOMETOWN: Columbia, Missouri

CREW CHIEF: Dave Rogers

TWITTER: None

NOTEWORTHY: Edwards drives for powerhouse JGR, which has all four of its drivers in the Chase. Despite the depth, only one JGR driver made it to the finale last year.

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No. 78 Toyota, Furniture Row Racing

DRIVER: Martin Truex Jr.

BORN: June 29, 1980

HOMETOWN: Mayetta, New Jersey

CREW CHIEF: Cole Pearn

TWITTER: (at)MartinTruexJr56

NOTEWORTHY: Truex is back in the Chase this year after making it to the finale last year. As a sister team to Joe Gibbs Racing, the move to Toyota has led to wins in two crown jewel races this year, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500.

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No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

DRIVER: Matt Kenseth

BORN: March 10, 1972

HOMETOWN: Cambridge, Wisconsin

CREW CHIEF: Jason Ratcliff

TWITTER: (at)mattkenseth

NOTEWORTHY: Is looking for redemption after last year's Chase, in which a feud with Joey Logano led to his suspension.

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No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson

BORN: Sept. 17, 1975

HOMETOWN: El Cajon, California

CREW CHIEF: Chad Knaus

TWITTER: (at)JimmieJohnson

NOTEWORTHY: The six-time NASCAR champion has not won a title since 2013. He's carried the flag for Hendrick Motorsports this season with two victories.

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No. 22 Ford, Team Penske

DRIVER: Joey Logano

BORN: May 24, 1990

HOMETOWN: Middletown, Connecticut

CREW CHIEF: Todd Gordon

TWITTER: (at)joeylogano

NOTEWORTHY: Didn't make the Chase finale last year in part because of a feud with Matt Kenseth. Has not had as strong a season as he did the last two years, when he was a title favorite.

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No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

DRIVER: Kyle Larson

BORN: July 31, 1992

HOMETOWN: Elk Grove, California

CREW CHIEF: Chad Johnston

TWITTER: (at)KyleLarsonRacin

NOTEWORTHY: Earned a spot in the Chase late last month with his first career victory. Is in his third season in the Cup Series and has turned up his performance the last month.

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No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Tony Stewart

BORN: May 20, 1971

HOMETOWN: Columbus, Indiana

CREW CHIEF: Mike Bugarewicz

TWITTER: (at)TonyStewart

NOTEWORTHY: Missed the first eight races of the season with a broken back, but returned to win on the road course at Sonoma to earn a Chase berth in his final season before retirement.

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No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

DRIVER: Kurt Busch

BORN: Aug. 4, 1978

HOMETOWN: Las Vegas

CREW CHIEF: Tony Gibson

TWITTER: (at)KurtBusch

NOTEWORTHY: Busch has had a quiet year, with one victory but steady consistency. He's one of three Stewart-Haas Racing drivers in the Chase.

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No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports

DRIVER: Chris Buescher

BORN: Oct. 29, 1992

HOMETOWN: Prosper, Texas

CREW CHIEF: Bob Osborne

TWITTER: (at)Chris-Buescher

NOTEWORTHY: Last year's Xfinity Series champion earned a spot in the Chase by winning the rain-shortened race at Pocono. Still had to fight to stay within the top-30 in points to lock in his berth.

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No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

DRIVER: Chase Elliott

BORN: Nov. 28, 1995

HOMETOWN: Dawsonville, Georgia

CREW CHIEF: Alan Gustafson

TWITTER: (at)ChaseElliott

NOTEWORTHY: The son of Hall of Famer Bill Elliott has had a strong rookie year as Jeff Gordon's replacement. He won the pole for the Daytona 500 and is only one of two Hendrick Motorsports drivers to make the Chase.

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No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

DRIVER: Austin Dillon

BORN: April 27, 1990

HOMETOWN: Welcome, North Carolina

CREW CHIEF: Slugger Labbe

TWITTER: (at)austindillon3

NOTEWORTHY: Making his first Chase appearance in his third full Sprint Cup season. Is still seeking his first career Sprint Cup victory.

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No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates

DRIVER: Jamie McMurray

BORN: June 3, 1976

HOMETOWN: Joplin, Missouri

CREW CHIEF: Matt McCall

TWITTER: (at)jamiemcmurray

NOTEWORTHY: Made his first Chase last season but was eliminated after the first round. Gave Chip Ganassi Racing two cars in the Chase for the first time in team history.

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