Halfway There, Nextel Cup Race Over for Most

The Nextel Cup hunt is over for the majority of Nascar drivers who qualified for "The Chase" only four races in. Competition at the top of the pile remains fierce, with Jeff Gordon sitting first and Jimmie Johnson only one point behind.  But the gap in the points ranking opens wide beyond them, and many veteran racers find themselves in limbo, reports CBS Sportsline.

Kyle Busch, who is 260 points behind Gordon, let his frustration spill over Tuesday, saying "The team wants to be optimistic, and they want me to be optimistic, but I am sorry, it is just the realism of what has happened that sets in." Another favorite, Jeff Burton, who was on top a year ago, is now dead last in the standings.