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While Clint Bowyer was winning the Sprint Cup race at Richmond, Jeff Gordon came back from problems to finish second and make the last Wild Card spot in the 12-man NASCAR-style playoffs.
Bowyer, who overcame an earlier incident with Juan Pablo Montoya, smiled and said "thank you, Juan Pablo, for wrecking me and winning me the race," he said in Victory Lane.
The race, at the three-quarter mile oval, was delayed by almost 90 minutes due to rain then red flagged for another 51 minutes due to rain.
While the crews couldn't work on their cars they could think about fixes and that made the difference for Gordon who seemed finished before he began.
When he got out his car for the first and most lengthy stoppage the usually affable Gordon was tense with a television interviewer.
''I was pretty ticked off that we got that far behind,'' Gordon said. ''When you have that kind of a start to a race, you don't have a lot of hope that you're going to get it turned around.''
But it was an entirely different story after the race.
"Went from last week to being the most disappointed I've ever been to finish second to the most excited I've ever been to finish second," said the four-time Cup Champion.
"What a race for us. We just flat out missed the setup at the beginning. Luckily Alan and the engineers got together and found the tools that we could utilize to make the car better."
Mark Martin finished third.
Kyle Busch who had been a favourite for the Wild Card had a problem on a late race call by his crew chief, Dave Rogers, who took the blame when he radioed his driver "we missed it. I blew it, bud. My fault. A taught-faced 16th place."
Busch added "We missed it. Plain and simple."
With Gordon in the Chase, Hendrick Motorsports had all four drivers including five-time champion, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne in the Chase.
And Michael Waltrip Racing made NASCAR's playoffs for the first time and with its two full-time drivers, Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr.
Under NASCAR rules the points were reset to 2000 with the top ten drivers earning three bonus points for each win in the regular 26-race portion of the season.
Denny Hamlin, who had four wins in 2012 will take the top seed with 2012 points.
Chase Seedings
1. Denny Hamlin, 2012 points
2. Jimmie Johnson, 2009 points
3. Tony Stewart, 2009 points
4. Brad Keselowski, 2009 points
5. Greg Biffle, 2006 points
6. Clint Bowyer, 2006 points
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2003 points
8. Matt Kenseth, 2003 points
9. Kevin Harvick, 2000 points
10. Martin Truex Jr., 2000 points
11. Kasey Kahne, 2000 points
12. Jeff Gordon, 2000 points
Bowyer, who overcame an earlier incident with Juan Pablo Montoya, smiled and said "thank you, Juan Pablo, for wrecking me and winning me the race," he said in Victory Lane.
The race, at the three-quarter mile oval, was delayed by almost 90 minutes due to rain then red flagged for another 51 minutes due to rain.
While the crews couldn't work on their cars they could think about fixes and that made the difference for Gordon who seemed finished before he began.
When he got out his car for the first and most lengthy stoppage the usually affable Gordon was tense with a television interviewer.
''I was pretty ticked off that we got that far behind,'' Gordon said. ''When you have that kind of a start to a race, you don't have a lot of hope that you're going to get it turned around.''
But it was an entirely different story after the race.
"Went from last week to being the most disappointed I've ever been to finish second to the most excited I've ever been to finish second," said the four-time Cup Champion.
"What a race for us. We just flat out missed the setup at the beginning. Luckily Alan and the engineers got together and found the tools that we could utilize to make the car better."
Mark Martin finished third.
Kyle Busch who had been a favourite for the Wild Card had a problem on a late race call by his crew chief, Dave Rogers, who took the blame when he radioed his driver "we missed it. I blew it, bud. My fault. A taught-faced 16th place."
Busch added "We missed it. Plain and simple."
With Gordon in the Chase, Hendrick Motorsports had all four drivers including five-time champion, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne in the Chase.
And Michael Waltrip Racing made NASCAR's playoffs for the first time and with its two full-time drivers, Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr.
Under NASCAR rules the points were reset to 2000 with the top ten drivers earning three bonus points for each win in the regular 26-race portion of the season.
Denny Hamlin, who had four wins in 2012 will take the top seed with 2012 points.
Chase Seedings
1. Denny Hamlin, 2012 points
2. Jimmie Johnson, 2009 points
3. Tony Stewart, 2009 points
4. Brad Keselowski, 2009 points
5. Greg Biffle, 2006 points
6. Clint Bowyer, 2006 points
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2003 points
8. Matt Kenseth, 2003 points
9. Kevin Harvick, 2000 points
10. Martin Truex Jr., 2000 points
11. Kasey Kahne, 2000 points
12. Jeff Gordon, 2000 points