The Eliminater Round. The hardest of all the rounds of the Chase. Three races of bumping, banging, and free-for-all brawling. A win in any race, and you’re guaranteed a spot in the championship finale. A wreck, and your hopes may be gone. One mistake can end your season. So be sure you don’t make a mistake.

Martinsville is race one of this round, and it is one of the most fun races of the year. The Fall leaves in the background, the smell of Martinsville hot dogs, and the ever-present sound of bumping and banging. Not much is better than that.

Of the eight drivers remaining in the chase, very few have won here. Only three of the eight remaining drivers have won here, and only one has won here multiple times. But the multi-time winner, well, let’s just say that this is his best track.

Jeff Gordon has won here eight times, a tie for the most amount active drivers. And this is his final race here. What better place to possibly win your last race? Gordon has been getting faster and faster as the Chase progresses, and were it not for a penalty in the race here earlier this year, he may have won that race.

Gordon is undoubtedly a legend at Martinsville, but he will not be alone on the track. Every other chase driver is desperate to advance, and there are several who are capable of winning this race. However, Gordon is without a single doubt the favorite.

The real important question is: who will make a mistake in this race? Last year both Kevin Harvick and Brad Keslowski wrecked in this race, and it cost Keslowski a chance at a Championship. When it comes to the drivers left in the Chase, I think every driver but Gordon and Harvick should be worried, as far as advancing to Homestead goes. Harvick is dominate at Phoenix (he has won five of the past six races there, including the past four), so he is most likely feeling confident. And Gordon has won at every track left to race at.

Aside from Gordon and Harvick, none of the remaining drivers have outstanding stats at the remaining tracks. However, should my predictions be accurate, there are still two Chase spots left to fill. I believe one will be taken by Kyle Busch, and that Kurt Busch and Carl Edwards will fight over the remaining spot.

Why do I chose these drivers in particular? Well, Kyle Busch just survived his worst round of the Chase, and I believe that him and his team can power their way to Homestead, they just have to keep mistakes to an absolute minimum. And as far as Edwards and Kurt Busch go, they both are fast right now, and they are both pretty good at the remaining tracks.

However, at this point one can only predict. Only when the checkered flag drops at Phoenix can we know for sure who will advance. And for those who wonder why I don’t think Joey Logano will advance, I think that Matt Kenseth will make sure that he doesn’t advance.