Jeremy Mayfield usually doesn’t draw much attention as he goes about the business of racing a stock car in NASCAR’s Nextel Cup series.

His best points finish in 11 years has been seventh in 1998, and probably the single biggest day of Mayfield’s racing life came last September when he won at Richmond in the 26th and final race of the regular season to earn his way — barely — into NASCAR’s first 10-race chase for the championship.

Until he stretched his final tank of gas for 52 laps and held on to win last Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, Mayfield had been cruising along as little more than a blip on NASCAR’s radar this season.

Still, look at the standings heading into Saturday night’s race at Bristol — one of only three events left before the start of this year’s playoffs. There is Mayfield, sixth in the points, 399 behind leader Tony Stewart but also a relatively safe 167 in front of 10th place Jamie McMurray.

While drivers such as four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, former champions Dale Jarrett and Matt Kenseth and other big names including Elliott Sadler, Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. need big finishes or virtual miracles to make the Chase, Mayfield simply needs to stay consistent.

“We don’t want to be talked about,” Mayfield said. “We go to the track and race and that’s all we want. We don’t want to make movies and all that stuff. We’re here to race and that’s the way I look at it.

“When you perform good and get all the attention, that’s great. But how would you like to not be performing and get all the attention? That looks bad, too. I’m pretty happy with what we’ve got going on.”

In 23 starts so far this season, Mayfield, who wound up 10th in the points a year ago, has only four top fives and six top 10s. But, on the plus side, he has failed to finish only one race.

“It’s all about consistency,” Mayfield said. “That’s the way it has been forever. You can win the battles, but it doesn’t matter unless you win the war.”

Most of the teams racing Dodges in Cup have struggled this year with the new Charger, including Mayfield’s Evernham Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne, who is 19th in the points after winning rookie of the year honors and finishing 13th last year.

Team owner Ray Evernham said Mayfield’s victory, despite coming on fuel economy rather than speed, showed the No. 19 Dodge team, overseen by crew chief Richard “Slugger” Labbe and team director/engineer Kenny Francis, is headed in the right direction.

“You’ve got to be there when somebody makes an error, or when opportunity happens you’ve got to capitalize on it,” Evernham said. “So many times, with the (No.) 9 (Kahne’s car), or even with the 19, we’ve not capitalized. I think that’s where Slugger and Kenny and Jeremy and the rest of that team are starting to really deliver points that can keep them in the hunt.

“Since that team’s been through it, I think they’re prepared for it. They’ve got a year under their belt, and with the communication between Jeremy and Kenny and Slugger, they’re able to capitalize on every opportunity.”

Sunday provided an opportunity, with Labbe going against his season-long strategy of taking no big chances, making the gutsy decision to stretch the final fuel load to the end.

With 27 cars finishing on the lead lap at Michigan, had Mayfield run out before the end, it would have cost the team dearly.

“You race to win,” Labbe said. “It pays the most points and helps to pay the bills, so that’s all you can do.”

Still, the team hasn’t been taking many of those chances this year — and doesn’t plan to over the next three races.

“Right now, we’re bouncing back and forth,” Mayfield said. “We could be in or we could be out (of the Chase). You’ve got to play it safe.

“Like a week ago at Watkins Glen, I could have maybe finished ninth or 10th,” added Mayfield, who was 11th on the road course.