LONG POND, Pa. (RacingWire) - As the deadline to make the NASCAR Chase for the Championship nears, drivers outside the top 10 in point’s positions are working overtime to get into the playoffs. In a unique twist NASCAR added two wild card positions to the Chase competition to be determined by wins.
Greg Biffle isn’t ready to throw in the towel on the 2011 NASCAR season, he wants to win and that is the only acceptable solution to get him in the Chase race. With a more traditional approach to his dilemma, Biffle sits 13th in points behind the leader Carl Edwards 122 points back.
Clint Bowyer isn’t budging either. Bowyer plans to be in the Chase by scoring more points than those sitting inside the top 10 at this moment. 
He is prepared to take highly “calculated educated risks,” Bowyer said in the Pocono Media Center. “Yes, you have to take a risk, but you got to be able to make it work.” He continued, “you can’t just take a risk knowing that it is not going to work, it doesn’t do you any good. You’re going to dig yourself an even deeper hole.”
Bowyer, who was in the Chase in previous years, is only 35 points outside of ninth. “Its time to definitely (take a risk) if an opportunity is there, and it’s a maybe, you need to go for it.,” he said. The points race is tight and Bowyer is watching the three drivers in front of him that do not have wins either: Stewart, Earnhardt and Hamlin. One or all three can be pushed out of the Chase if their next five races don’t pan out as well.
Over the course of the next five weeks, the Sprint Cup Series will head to Watkins Glen, Bristol, Michigan, Atlanta and Richmond. For Bowyer the only thing he is looking forward too is taking care of business. “That’s where all my focus right now is, being a part of the chase,” he said. But taking care of business also means dealing with pressure. “Hell yeah, there is a tremendous amount of pressure inside 6 races. I can’t win championships unless I’m in the chase. It’s my only opportunity of being a part of that elite group. I’ve been in it and I’ve not been it, it’s a hell of a lot more fun being in it.”
A.J. Allmendinger, on the other hand, is satisfied with a positive learning curve and ready to take a win if lady luck turns his way. 
If the Richard Petty Motorsports team does not win this season, they feel great strides have been made in their short track program and are satisfied with the results.
However, Allmendinger who has yet to earn his first career win, welcomes the chance to stand in victory lane. “I’d take a win anywhere right now, for us its one of those things that there are certain weekends I think were close and there’s other weekends were not even close,” Allmendinger added. “So, I’m just trying to be consistent and get better each weekend. “
His recent crew chief change is a clear indication that the tides are turning in his favor. Greg Irwin, joined the team before Indy. “Indy went really well, except for the finish,” said Allmendinger. “We didn’t get lucky on the finish.”
But Allmendinger is looking at the whole season in general. While he and the No. 43 team would like to make the Chase, it is not in his words the defining moment of the season. He hopes to establish better finishing positions and to make the team a true contender next season. In order to do that, he is hopeful the team will see better results on 1.5 mile tracks with Irwin’s help.
Other drivers who need a win to propel their season include Mark Martin, and Kasey Kahne. The past Chase contenders are also sitting on the outside looking in. As the drivers approach the final five races, their personal agendas will play out for all to see. The season is about to heat up.
