NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup contenders expected to have a wild-card race on their hands Sunday at Phoenix International Raceway. With rain washing the rubber off the track at the start of the day and then the reconfigured track presenting some unknown elements, teams were uncertain exactly what to expect in the race.

So which Chase drivers managed to run well in the Kobalt Tools 500, the penultimate race of the season? And which ones struggled? Take a look.

Started ninth, finished second: Edwards took the lead on Lap 166 after carefully working on his car with his Roush Fenway Racing team throughout the opening segment of the race. The work of points leader Edwards and crew chief Bob Osborne paid off. Edwards finished second — one spot ahead of Tony Stewart, who's No. 2 overall — after leading 27 laps to carry a narrow points edge into the season finale.
 

Started eighth, finished third: Stewart led a race-high 160 laps before settling for his final position after losing ground in the pits. Still, he was the hottest driver in town most of the race and kept up the heat in his bid for the title. He continued to pressure Carl Edwards and set up a stellar showdown between the two in the season finale next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
 

Started 27th, finished 19th: Harvick certainly didn’t have the day he envisioned. He qualified deep in the field and never seemed to have a great handle on Phoenix, thwarting his shot at actually making up lost ground in the Chase. Harvick will have to wait for another shot at the title. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 51 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 12th, finished 18th: Keselowski lost ground on a restart early in the race, then saved his effort with 85 laps to go. Keselowski’s car slid out from under him, but he managed to hold on to it in traffic. He led four laps late in the race but gave up the spot for his final pit stop. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 65 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 16th, finished 14th: Johnson’s off year continued at Phoenix, where he was just behind a crashing Geoffrey Bodine early in the race and was never a factor in the outcome. This usually is the time of year when Johnson really hits his stride. This year, he’s looked merely like most other Chase contenders who struggle to get a handle on the final races. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 68 points behind Edwards.
 

Started first, finished 34th: On Lap 158, Kenseth once more took the lead, slipping past Tony Stewart. He led a total of 49 laps in the race, but his potential for a strong finish was nullified when he was rear-ended by Brian Vickers, who sent Kenseth straight into the wall to cause a caution period on Lap 177. Kenseth sustained heavy damage and another major blow — he also lost a shot at a top finish off the bumper of Vickers at Martinsville — to his opportunity for a top points finish. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 70 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 22nd, finished 24th: Phoenix just was not kind to the Hendrick Motorsports drivers this time around. Earnhardt watched his opportunity to win a race this season dwindle to the final event after a day when he initially felt confident in his car. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 102 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 17th, finished 22nd: On Lap 13, Kurt Busch appeared to hit some track-drying compound and slid toward the wall, but he saved his car. Later, his day took a more heartbreaking turn. Busch was leading the race when he ran out of gas heading into his final pit stop. His car stalled during the stop, costing him crucial positions on the track. Then he was penalized for speeding on pit road, ending his chance to recover from the setback. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 107 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 30th, finished fifth: Newman was running second behind teammate Tony Stewart with 20 laps to go amid a green-flag pit sequence among the leaders. He went on to finish fifth, which vaulted him three spots in the Chase to ninth. Still, he was eliminated from title contention as he sits 107 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 33rd, finished 12th: Hamlin still might not be getting the top finishes he desires, but his effort Sunday kept him in the top 10 in the standings and showed improvement for the driver and his group. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 110 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 23rd, finished 32nd: In the final segment of the race, Gordon found himself having issues with his brakes. To nurse things to the end, he was forced to slow on the track and watched himself be lapped and fall to his final finish. He was eliminated from title contention as he sits 112 points behind Edwards.
 

Started 34th, finished 36th: Busch was a big gainer early in the race, blistering his way through the pack in the opening segment. He rallied through the field and was on pace to have a stellar outing when he was forced to the garage on Lap 189 after suffering an engine failure. That ended a dramatic week for Busch in which his primary sponsor, Mars, opted off his car and Interstate Batteries stepped in for the final two races after Busch was penalized for wrecking Ron Hornaday in a Camping World Truck Series race at Texas. Busch was eliminated from title contention as he sits 135 points behind Edwards.