The Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway is set to go off Sunday, November 20, at 3 p.m. ET. The final race of the 2016 season to decide this year’s champion will be televised on the NBC Network. Eliminated Chase racer and veteran driver Kevin Harvick will start out front from his qualifying efforts on Saturday.
Kyle Busch:
Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch will look to defend his 2015 title. The Joe Gibbs speedster will start out of the ninth spot, which is the highest qualifying position of the remaining four drivers. Busch won this race last year to take the championship for his fourth top 10 in eight Homestead-Miami starts with Joe Gibbs Racing.
This season, Kyle Busch has recorded two wins and has finished in the top 10 eight times in the 10 races at 1.5-mile tracks. Las Vegas insiders have the defending champion set at 13/5 to drive on to his second straight title at the end of the Ford EcoBoost 400.
Carl Edwards:
Teammate Carl Edwards is looking for his first Sprint Cup championship. Edwards will start right next to “Rowdy” Busch for the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday. The ARRIS Toyota driver is a two-time winner at Homestead-Miami. Unfortunately, he has not finished in the top 10 in his last four events around the 1.5 mile oval.
In last years race, he finished 11th in his first track start with Joe Gibbs Racing. Carl Edwards, who ranks second in average finish (9.2) at Homestead-Miami Speedway, got a head start over the three remaining drivers when he tested last month at the venue.
The hungry racer also ranks sixth in average finish (9.1), in the 10 contests at intermediate tracks. Edwards was also the latest winner at Texas. Texas Speedway has a similar lay-out and is the same distance around. Odds gurus have Edwards penciled in as a 3/1 favorite to bring home his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship after the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday.
Joey Logano:
The Penske Racing phenom will start his #22 Pennzoil Ford Fusion out of the 13th spot for the start of the Ford EcoBoost 400. Logano won last week’s race in Phoenix and is carrying a lot of momentum with him into this week’s race.
The last time the young driver competed at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he led 72 laps and finished fourth. The fourth place result was also Joey Logano’s best finish that he has recorded around the speedy 1.5 mile track. He’s also finished in the top five in five of the 10 races at 1.5-mile tracks this season.
Odds-makers are giving the speedster plenty of respect. They have him slotted as a 3/1 favorite to claim his first ever Sprint Cup championship at the conclusion of the Ford EcoBoost 400 this weekend.
Jimmie Johnson:
The six-time Sprint Cup champion will be looking to reel in his record tying seventh title. To do so, Jimmie Johnson will have to be the ahead of the four remaining Chase racers at the end of the Ford EcoBoost 400. The veteran earned his way into this finale’ after he won at Martinsville Speedway a few weeks back.
Believe it or not, the Hendricks Motorsport’s superstar has yet to win at Homestead-Miami. Although, he has finished ninth in his last three races there. This season, Jimmy Johnson has also posted two wins, led 406 laps, and has an 8.8 average finish. The 8.8 average finish places Johnson in third in the 10 contests at intermediate ovals.
Line setters haven’t forgotten who has won six of these titles. They have Jimmy Johnson and his famed #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet at 2/1 to win his seventh crown. The 2/1 mark makes the talented veteran the favorite to drive on to glory in this year’s finale’.
Kevin Harvick:
The Freaky Fast #4 Chevrolet driver Kevin Harvick, is the only competitor that has finished in the top 10 in each of the last eight races around the 1.5 mile oval in Sunny Miami Florida.
In fact, Kevin Harvick has posted a 1.5 average finish in his two starts with Stewart-Haas Racing. That includes a win to score the championship in 2014. This season, Harvick ranks seventh in average finish (10.1) and has one win in the 10 races at 1.5 intermediate tracks this season.
Las Vegas is giving the 2014 Sprint Cup champion plenty of respect for the final race of the season. As of now, they have Kevin Harvick slotted at 19/10 to be out in front when the checkered flag is waved.
The Hun’s Pick:
A: Brad Keselowski
B: Kevin Harvick Chase Elliott Ryan Newman
C: Alex Bowman
The 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion: Carl Edwards
