RMFN - Chicago

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OVERALL

24rules leads with a 2.8 average and the first-half title from Yahoo. 24 was eliminated and finished 18th in the Single Bracket and faces upcoming challenges from three other teams who are still alive in all of the other competitions - SwOOp, ROADWARRIORS and HMS_Chevy_Gurl. 24rules and ROADWARRIORS have clinched spots in the next round of the World Cup (see below); SwOOP and HMS need a win this week and help.

CHASE

The cutoff trimmed seven positions after Chicago, thanks to some big scores at the top and low scores at the bottom. 14 teams are currently eligible; 50 additional points for race wins. Six races remain before Richmond.

SECOND CHANCE

Nice start by the group to the second half of the season - 17 teams above 300; just 1 below 200. The average of 279 tied for the group's third-best race of the season. ROADWARRIORS has the thot hand with three straight 300+ races.

WORLD CUP

Indy will mark the final races of the second round, Champion Qualifying. The top two teams from each group advance to the next phase, Chase Bracket. See the World Cup Seed page for seeding details (similar to the Track Qualifying phase).

Below: details on who can finish where or in some cases, what's been decided.

Earnhardt (set): 1. Team Fritson; 2. RacinProwler.

Petty (a mess): 1. MEMTiger. FordFucus, REDNECK and SwOOp are tied entering the final week - REDNECK needs to beat MEMTiger and force a tiebreaker with the winner of SwOOP-FordFucus.

Gordon (almost set): 1/2. Rolling Thunder, Rocketman. Winner between the two at Indy is first; loser is second.

Pearson (almost set): 1/2. Leather & Lace, CandiiRacers. Leather holds a 1-game lead over Candii; the two meet at Indy; a win by Candii forces a tiebreaker for first.

Waltrip (almost set): 1/2. 24rules, Go Happy Harvick. Same as Gordon group.

Yarborough (almost set): 1. ROADWARRIORS; 2. Eight is Enough or Sliced Bread. The two battling for second meet at Indy - winner advances; loser is out.

Allison (a mess): 1/2. testcar; still a shot - HangOnHarvick and BH Racing. testcar clinches first with a tie or a loss by HangOn; BH has to win and needs HangOn to lose to Blue Angel to force a tiebreaker for the final spot.

Johnson (a mess): 1/2. NDI; still a shot - Bassman, HMS Chevy Gurl. NDI clinches first with a tie vs. Bassman; HMS needs a win by NDI and a win over Trouble in 2 to force a tiebreaker with Bassman.

SINGLE ELIMINATION BRACKET

Update from Daytona: Hoosier won the closest matchup by 59 points over Syrup. Only two other matchups over the six-race round were decided by 100 points or less. The quarterfinals feature the Nos. 42, 30, 29, 18, 17, 11, 7 and 4 seeded teams.

After Chicago: TURBO opened the biggest leads (74 over HMS Chevy). SwOOp leads Bassman (by 67); LT4SS leads BlessedWyoMom (by 43) and ROADWARRIORS leads Hoosier (by 12). This round, also six races, ends after Bristol.

DOUBLE ELIMINATION BRACKET

Update from Daytona: Losers' bracket matchups only were completed. Tough luck award to BlessedWyoMom who lost by just 22 to FordFucus. No. 3 Heavy Metal Heroes was also eliminated.

After Chicago: Semifinal matchups (with margins of 25 and 26 points after Saturday's snoozer) Sliced Bread-testcar and 24rules-ROADWARRIORS (see Overall note for implications here). This round covers just three races and ends after Pocono.

SINGLE ELIMINATION HEAT

BlessedWyoMom's big score at Daytona shuffled the outcome of the third round. BWM was next to last (15th out of 16) heading into Daytona but finished seventh, 55 points clear of the elimination zone. Rolling Thunder (5 points), RacinProwler (10) and Redline Outlaw (12) were close but no cigars.

After Chicago: Five of the eight remaining teams opened the quarterfinals with 300+ scores. HMS Chevy Gurl is already facing a big deficit. Like the bracket version, this round ends after Bristol.

DOUBLE ELIMINATION HEAT

The BlessedWyoMom comments from the Single Heat apply here, as well. BWM was last out of 18 in the losers' heat entering Daytona but finished fifth, 55 points clear of the elimination zone. Bassman (8 points) and MEMTiger (12) were the closest eliminated teams.

After Chicago: Three of the four teams in the winners' heat posted 300+ scores. Two did so in the losers' heat; HMS Chevy and need4speed face big deficits in the three-race round that ends after Pocono.