So it comes down to this. The last race of this lengthy NASCAR season. Following 35 points spending races, the last 4 drivers who will race to the championship Sunday have been decided.
Since the removal format to pick a winner was released two years ago the winner has also won the race. Odds are then the winner of the race Sunday will even wear the Cup crown. Others can triumph, but three of the previous five race winners dating back to Tony Stewart in 2011, have also won the title, so don’t be shocked if the driver celebrating a race triumph in victory lane Sunday, can also be celebrating his championship.
Here’s how it shakes out among the four finalists for Sunday’s 36th race of this year for your betting or fantasy racing leagues. Driver Ratings are accumulated from 2005-2016 races (23 total) among active drivers at Phoenix. The Driver Rating is a number based on a formula developed by NASCAR which combines”loop info” components like average running position, average speed under green, variety of workouts, and other stats. There’s a maximum of 150 points a driver can earn for every race. The odds are present as of Wednesday.
1. Carl Edwards (7-1). Edwards has just two wins here along with the highest driver rating one of the 4, 109.4. The only driver among the Championship 4 having a number of wins at Homestead, Edwards still has memories of losing the race, and the title, to Tony Stewart in 2011. Section of the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Edwards will be seeking salvation Sunday, and he might just get it.
2. Jimmie Johnson (7-2). Homestead is one of the few tracks in NASCAR which Johnson hasn’t won at. He runs well here and has the second highest driver evaluation of this 4, 96.7. Johnson will want to make history Sunday with a title. If he brings his”A” game and can prevent a few of the miscues the team has suffered this season occasionally, Johnson could pull it off.
3. Kyle Busch (5-1). Busch is looking to defend his title, earned with a win at Homestead this past year. He has the third highest driver evaluation, 95.5. However he hardly made the Championship 4, and has struggled sometimes. But with one final race and a chance to bring another name, and Joe Gibbs rebounds , Busch could be in position to add another win, and another title.
4. Joey Logano (7-1). Logano is possibly the underdog among the Championship 4. He’s never won at Homestead, has the lowest motorist evaluation among the field, 83.5. However, Logano finished fourth last year and headed the second most laps in the race, 72. Logano has been surprising at times this year and he could certainly be a surprise Sunday by winning his first Cup title.
OTHERS: There will be a total of 36 other motorists trying to acquire Sunday. Chief among them, Matt Kenseth (12-1). Kenseth has the second greatest driver evaluation one of the field, 108.4, also won here in 2007. Coming off a disappointing finish at Phoenix last week, Kenseth will be looking to make a strong statement. Kevin Harvick (6-1) was also disappointed a week as he failed to make the cut for the first time since the removal format started. He also won the raceand the title in 2014, has the fifth greatest driver rating, 104.3, and may add another win for his Homestead resume Sunday.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be run on Sunday, November 20. Live coverage will be on NBC starting at 2:00 p.m. ET using all the green flag coming just after 2:30 p.m. ET.
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