By Jared Turner The dress rehearsal is over and it’s down to business this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway where the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup kicks off on Sunday with the MyAFibRisk.com 400. With the standings reset and the 16 championship contenders seeded based on wins from the regular season, there’s a three-way tie atop the points between Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch. Even more significant, however, is that just 12 points separate the championship leaders from the five winless drivers who enter the Chase with no bonus points. Although the season is 26 races old, Sunday’s showdown at…

By Aaron Burns Wearing a black bicycle helmet, black-and-silver shorts and a bright green shirt that says “Play hard, practice harder,” Caleb C. gets to work on another rap video. This isn’t the type of rap video to which many are accustomed. For one, Caleb C. is still in his first year as a rap sensation, so he’s still learning his way in the business. Oh, and he just turned eight on Sept. 1. The star of “Little Rappers,” a group of kids who rap about NASCAR, Caleb has cornered the stock-car rap market. He produced his first video, “The NASCAR Rap,”…

By Jared Turner CHASE GRID PREDICTIONS CHALLENGER Jimmie Johnson: Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Kyle Busch: Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Matt Kenseth: Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Joey Logano: Team Penske, Ford Kevin Harvick: Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Kurt Busch: Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet Carl Edwards: Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Brad Keselowski: Team Penske, Ford Martin Truex Jr.: Furniture Row Racing, Chevrolet Denny Hamlin: Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Jamie McMurray: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Chevrolet Jeff Gordon: Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet Ryan Newman: Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Paul Menard: Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Clint Bowyer: Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota  …

  By Jerry Bonkowski After 26 races full of anticipation and build up, the 12th edition of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup is here. When the green flag drops on the MyAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on Sunday afternoon, 16 drivers will begin their quest to potentially win NASCAR’s most celebrated championship. Only one will emerge from the season-ending and championship-deciding race at Homestead-Miami Speedway 10 weeks from now with the ultimate victory. Along the way, there will be excitement aplenty, as well as drama, anger and even angst as NASCAR fans watch the field get pared to 12, 8 and…