So it comes down to this. The final race of the lengthy NASCAR season. After 35 points paying races, the last 4 drivers that will race to the championship Sunday have been determined.
Considering that the removal format to decide a champion was released two years ago the champion has also won the race. Odds are then the winner of this race Sunday will also wear the Cup crown. Others can triumph, but three of the last five race winners dating back to Tony Stewart in 2011, also have won the name, so don’t be shocked if the driver celebrating a race triumph in victory lane Sunday, is also celebrating his championship.
Here’s how it shakes out one of the four finalists for Sunday’s 36th race of this year for your gambling 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 unites”loop data” elements such as average running posture, average rate under green, variety of fastest laps, and other stats. There is a maximum of 150 points a driver can make for every race. The odds are current as of Wednesday.
1. Carl Edwards (7-1). Edwards has just two wins here along with the highest driver evaluation one of the 4, 109.4. The only driver among the Championship 4 with multiple wins at Homestead, Edwards still has memories of losing the race, and the name, to Tony Stewart in 2011. Part of the Joe Gibbs Racing team, Edwards will be seeking salvation Sunday, and he may just get it.
2. Jimmie Johnson (7-2). Homestead is one of the few tracks in NASCAR which Johnson has never won at. He works well here though and has the second highest driver evaluation of this 4, 96.7. Johnson will be looking to make history Sunday with a title. If he brings his”A” game and may avoid some of the miscues that the team has endured 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 rating, 95.5. However he hardly left the Championship 4, also has struggled sometimes. However, with one last race and an opportunity to add another title, and Joe Gibbs Racing behind him, Busch could be in position to add another triumph, and yet another name.
4. Joey Logano (7-1). Logano is perhaps the underdog one of the Championship 4. He’s never won at Homestead, gets the lowest driver rating among the field, 83.5. However, Logano finished fourth last year and led the 2nd most laps in the race,” 72. Logano was astonishing at times this season and he could certainly be a surprise Sunday by winning his first Cup title.
OTHERS: There will be a total of 36 other motorists seeking to win Sunday. Chief among them, Matt Kenseth (12-1). Kenseth has the 2nd highest driver evaluation among the area, 108.4, also won here in 2007. Coming off a disappointing finish at Phoenix last week, Kenseth will be looking to make a powerful statement. Kevin Harvick (6-1) was frustrated a week since he failed to make the cut for the first time since the removal format started. He also won the race, and the title in 2014, has the fifth greatest driver evaluation, 104.3, and could add another win to his Homestead resume Sunday.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford EcoBoost 400 in Homestead-Miami Speedway will be run on Sunday, November 20. Live coverage will be on NBC starting at 2:00 p.m. ET using the green flag coming only after 2:30 p.m. ET.
Read more: nba-2019.com
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