Jamie McMurray drives the #1 Bass Pro Shops/Mercury Chevrolet through the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 17, 2012 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

BROOKLYN, MI (AP) – Some of NASCAR’s biggest names are trying to keep their championship hopes alive and the Chase for the Sprint Cup is still about a month away.

Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon would all be on the outside looking in if the Chase started now. They have four races to change that, starting this weekend at Michigan International Speedway.

The top 10 drivers advance, along with the two with the most wins who are between 11th and 20th in the points standings. Gordon calls this time of year the “chase for the Chase.”

Edwards is 12th in points but has no victories this year. Busch and Gordon have a victory apiece but are 14th and 15th, just behind Ryan Newman for the second wild card spot.

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