Late qualifier Denny Hamlin was the only driver between Ryan Newman and a record eighth pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

1. Three races to go until the Chase, and Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin are separated by 35 points for the 12th and final spot. Who gets in?

In the end, Michigan was a good weekend for Denny Hamlin. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver rallied from a 33rd-place starting position to finish second Sunday, moving up three positions in the standings and further solidifying his position in NASCAR's Chase field.