Four drivers will start the Ford EcoBoost 400 this weekend with one goal in mind … finish the race first to claim the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship!
While the race will feature a full field of drivers, the objective for most is try to win. They want to score as many points as possible to finish the season as high as possible. Two drivers will have winning the race as their only goal. Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin are trying to keep their respective streak of years with at least one win alive. They only want the win, nothing else is as important to them.
Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick all have a single objective in the race as well. They are the Championship Four. Each of them will be doing all they can to finish the race in front of the other three. The championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway is a “winner takes all” scenario. Win the race, win the championship. If a driver not among the Championship Four wins the race, whichever of the four drivers finishes before the other three wins the championship.
Here is a look at the data that every driver will deal with at Homestead-Miami Speedway and in the Ford EcoBoost 400…
Homestead-Miami Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.5-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 18-20 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 18-20 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 4 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 4 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 1,760 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,760 feet
Ford EcoBoost 400 Data
Season Race #: 36 of 36 (11-18-18)
Playoff Race #: 10
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 80 Laps (each)
Finale Stage Length: 107 Laps
Here is a look at the top active performers at the track…
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Homestead
Kyle Larson……………………………. 109.3
Kevin Harvick…………………………. 106.8
Matt Kenseth………………………….. 106.8
Martin Truex Jr………………………. 104.1
Kyle Busch………………………………. 98.9
Chase Elliott…………………………….. 97.0
Denny Hamlin………………………….. 95.9
Jimmie Johnson……………………….. 95.2
Brad Keselowski………………………. 90.4
Joey Logano……………………………. 89.0
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (13 total) among active drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Note: Championship Four names in RED.
Denny Hamlin has better than most shot at finally scoring his first win of the 2018 season and keeping his streak alive. Denny is the only active driver that has won multiple races in NASCAR’s top division at Homestead-Miami Speedway with two previous victories.
Three of the Championship Four have won a race at the track during their Cup Series careers. Martin Truex Jr. won this race last year and the 2017 championship in the process. Can Martin make it back-to-back race wins at Homestead-Miami Speedway and championships? If he can it will be a great way to send Furniture Row Racing out. The team announced earlier this year that they will be closing their doors at the end of this season. Martin will move to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) in 2019.
Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch have each won a race at the track during their careers. If either one can get their second career win at Homestead-Miami Speedway it would also give them a second championship of their career.
Joey Logano is the only driver in the Championship Four that has not won a race at the track and has not won a championship in the cup series. He will be doing everything he can to change both of those statistics this weekend.
Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson all have a Homestead-Miami Speedway winners trophy on the shelf. They cannot win the championship, but you know they want to win their second race at the track. Jimmie may have a little more to race for since he would keep his yearly winning streak alive if he can make it happen.
One thing that will be in just about everybody’s mind this weekend is what happened on the last lap of the race in Martinsville a few weeks ago. Joey Logano used the “bump and run” on Martin Truex Jr. to win the race and secure his spot this weekend to race for the championship. One has to figure he would do it again to win the championship against any of the other three drivers. The question is will Martin do that to Joey if he can win the championship himself? Additionally, will either of the other two drivers to that to Joey … or Martin … or each other?
we will find out all the answer and who will win the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship this Sunday, November 18th at the end of the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
