This is a high-intensity time for drivers looking to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup or advance their seeds. With just two races left in the Sprint Cup regular season, here's who is in the Chase as of now. Photo: Gregory Shamus  Michael Waltrip Racing is shutting down at year-end, but Bowyer is hanging tough in the final Chase slot. With two races to go, Bowyer leads Aric Almirola by 35 points and Kasey Kahne by 37. Photo: Robert Laberge  Two loose wheels in the last 100 laps killed any hope Gordon had of a top-five finish at Bristol. Still, he's 52 points ahead of the Chase cutoff. Unless two new winners show up in the next two races, he'll likely be in the Chase. Photo: Sean Gardner  Despite a bad run at Bristol, where he finished 24th, Menard is a virtual lock for his first Chase appearance. He's now 54 points ahead of the Chase cutoff and has two winless drivers behind him in points. Photo: Todd Warshaw  It's been more than two years since Newman has won a race, but last year he finished second in points and at Bristol he increased his margin from 56 to 63 points ahead of the Chase cutoff. Photo: Chris Trotman  With more points than any other winless driver, McMurray is a lock to make the Chase for the first time unless something truly dreadful happens. He is 76 points ahead of 17th-place Aric Almirola. Photo: Todd Warshaw  A victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May means Edwards is in the Chase, no matter who wins the next two regular-season races. Photo: Sarah Crabill  All four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have won this year, with Hamlin winning the short-track race at Martinsville Speedway. He's locked into the Chase and finished third at Bristol Saturday night. Photo: Rainier Ehrhardt  A victory at Pocono in June gave Truex a slot in the Chase, but he's had an awful lot of ups and downs lately. At least his cars consistently have speed. Photo: Jared C. Tilton  Although the 2012 Sprint Cup champion hasn't won since his last-lap pass for the victory at Auto Club Speedway in the spring, he is riding a streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes. Photo: Doug Pensinger  The lowest seed among the drivers with two victories, the elder Busch is still in great Chase shape and appears set to return to Stewart-Haas Racing for a third season in 2016. Photo: Brian Lawdermilk  Although Hendrick Motorsports has struggled in recent weeks, Earnhardt has been the most consistent performer of the group. He used two Lucky Dog free passes to rally and finish ninth at Bristol. Photo: Jared C. Tilton  Fast everywhere he goes, Harvick has posted two victories and a series-high 17 top-five finishes in the first 24 races of the season. He has finished second an incredible 10 times. Photo: Chris Graythen  Kenseth has three victories so far this year, including two of the last four races. But he lost a motor at Bristol on Saturday night and finished 42nd, which was not good. Photo: Brian Lawdermilk  The Bristol winner Logano has been on a good roll in recent weeks, with two victories, two runner-up finishes, seven top fives and eight top 10s in the last 10 races. A true championship contender. Photo: Chris Trotman  One of only two four-time winners on the season, Busch is still running well, but he has cooled off from his incredible hot streak of a month or so ago. Photo: Sarah Crabill  Still the No. 1 Chase seed, Johnson was a respectable fourth at Bristol Motor Speedway. But he needs more speed if he’s to win a seventh championship. Photo: Nick Laham
With just two races left before the field is set, take a look at the 16-driver Chase grid as it sits after Saturday's Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.