By The Associated Press

Published: Monday, October 1, 2012, 7:00 p.m.
Updated: Monday, October 1, 2012

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It doesn't take long to thin the field of championship contenders in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and some believe it has already been reduced to a three-driver race.

Clint Bowyer begs to differ.

Bowyer has had a pretty nice start to the Chase, finishing inside the top 10 in all three races. But it's not been enough in the points standings, where he is seemingly spinning his tires despite decent finishes. He is fourth in the standings, 25 points behind leader Brad Keselowski, but certain he's still in the title race. Why? Because Round 4 of the Chase is at Talladega Superspeedway, where Bowyer is the two-time defending race winner.

“This weekend is everything,” Bowyer said Monday. “Talladega is the one that's going to make the difference.”

Everybody considers Talladega the wild card of the 10-race Chase because the smallest mistake in a restrictor plate race can have devastating consequences.

Five-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson knows that all too well — he's yet to finish a plate race this season through no fault of his own. Johnson was collected in an accident on the second lap of the Daytona 500, suffered an engine failure at Talladega in the spring and was in yet another accident in July at Daytona.

Most title contenders worry the championship can be lost at Talladega because of another driver's error. Bowyer believes that's going to work to his advantage, especially with everyone assuming only Keselowski, Johnson and Denny Hamlin are left as viable title contenders.

“I'm going in there with the confidence of knowing I've won the last two, and I am a guy who needs a good run to get myself back in the championship,” he said.

Only 17 points separate Bowyer from Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Martin Truex Jr., who is eighth in points. Wedged between the MWR drivers is three-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and five-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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