LOUDON, N.H. --- The winner of the Chase for the Championship will need fast cars, flawless pit stops and solid strategy. He'll also need a strong dose of mental toughness.

Based on Sunday's opening round of the 10-race sprint to the title, Greg Biffle has the confidence to make a run at the championship. Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Well, those two title favorites have a lot to prove.

Biffle, a long shot to claim his first Sprint Cup title, left New Hampshire International Speedway with a surprise victory. Seeded ninth in the standings and riding a 33-race winless streak one week ago, "The Biff" heads to Round 2 of the Chase ranked third in the points.

It's not so clear, anymore, whether Busch or Earnhardt can climb back into the mix. And it has nothing to do with their cars, and everything to do with their mental state.

Busch had a rough first Chase race, starting from the pole but sinking quickly to the back of the field when a bolt broke on his sway bar. Repairs and a procedural penalty dropped Busch two laps off the pace, and a later accident ensured a long, miserable day for the regular-season points leader. He finished a mortifying 34th, and that cozy lead he'd taken into the Chase -- he was the top seed, with as much as an 80-point cushion over most of the contenders -- evaporated.

Busch is now eighth in the standings and it's unknown how he'll handle the adversity. He's not faced much of it this season, reeling off a series-high eight Cup wins and adding another 10 in the Nationwide and Trucks series. It gave him a swagger and air of invincibility not lost on others.

But how he felt following Sunday's debacle is unknown. He didn't stick around to take questions, behavior many deemed unprofessional for a future champion.

His former boss thinks Busch will bounce back.

"Kyle is mature enough to handle it," said Rick Hendrick, who knows a thing or two about driver psyche, particularly after counseling Earnhardt through portions of Sunday's race.

Earnhardt drove to the front about midway through and seemed set to contend. But when a bad set of tires cost him track position, Earnhardt appeared to unravel. Hendrick quickly took the mic to settle his driver.

"You got a bad set of tires. It happens," Hendrick said. "You can do this. Talk to everybody about what the car is doing. We can make the right adjustments."

An irritated Earnhardt wasn't convinced.

"Take it out on those guys in front of you," Hendrick advised.

Earnhardt wound up in fifth place, leaving him tied for fourth in the standings, 50 points behind the leaders.

"If you let things get to you, you will not win this Chase," Hendrick said.