Therefore it comes down to this. The final race of this long NASCAR season. Following 35 points paying races, the last 4 drivers that will race to the championship Sunday happen to be decided.
Considering that the removal format to decide a winner was released two years ago the champion has also won the race. Odds are then that the winner of the race Sunday will even wear the Cup crown. Others could win, but three of those last five race winners dating back to Tony Stewart in 2011, also have won the title, so don’t be shocked if the motorist celebrating a race win in victory lane Sunday, can also be celebrating his championship.
Here’s how it shakes out one of the four finalists for Sunday’s 36th race of the 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 speed under green, variety of workouts, and other stats. There is a maximum of 150 points a driver can make for each race. The odds are present as of Wednesday.
1. Carl Edwards (7-1). Edwards has just two wins here and the highest driver rating among the 4, 109.4. The only driver among the Championship 4 with a number of wins at Homestead, Edwards still has memories of losing the race, along with the name, to Tony Stewart at 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 very few tracks in NASCAR that Johnson has never won at. He runs well here though and has the 2nd greatest driver evaluation of this 4, 96.7. Johnson will be looking to make history Sunday with a seventh title. If he brings his »A » game and can prevent some of the miscues that the team has suffered this season at times, Johnson could pull it off.
3. Kyle Busch (5-1). Busch is looking to defend his title, made with a win at Homestead this past year. He has the third greatest driver rating, 95.5. However he barely made the Championship 4, and has struggled at times. But with one final race and an opportunity to add 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 perhaps the underdog one of the Championship 4. He has never won at Homestead, has the lowest driver evaluation among the field, 83.5. But Logano finished fourth last year and led the 2nd most laps in the race, » 72. Logano was surprising 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 drivers trying to acquire Sunday. Chief among them, Matt Kenseth (12-1). Kenseth has the 2nd highest driver evaluation among the area, 108.4, also acquired here in 2007. Coming off a disappointing finish at Phoenix a week, Kenseth will be looking to make a powerful statement. Kevin Harvick (6-1) was also disappointed a week since he failed to make the cut for the first time since the removal format began. He won the race, and the title in 2014, has the fifth best driver evaluation, 104.3, and could add another win for his Homestead restart Sunday.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford EcoBoost 400 in Homestead-Miami Speedway will be conducted on Sunday, November 20. Live coverage is going to be on NBC beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET with the green flag coming just after 2:30 p.m. ET.
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