The season will NOT be over this Sunday (6/14) for the first time since NASCAR began Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 1999.
For the past 21 years, the November race at Homestead has been the final race of the season. However, NASCAR decided to move that race to March for 2020 and have the fall race at Phoenix Raceway end the season and serve as the championship race.
The Dixie Vodka 400 should have taken place March 22nd. However, the coronavirus pandemic prevented that from happening. NASCAR returned to racing May 17th without fans at the tracks. This Sunday there will be a small number of fans at the race. Homestead will invite up to 1,000 South Florida service members to be at the track for the race. There will be strict safety protocols in place for those guest as you can see here.
Here is what faces the drivers and teams this Sunday in Florida.
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
Dixie Vodka 400 Data
Season Race #: 12 of 36 (06-14-20)
Race Length: 267 laps / 400.5 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 80 Laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 107 Laps
These are the active drivers that have performed well racing at Homestead-Miami during their careers in NASCAR’s top division in November. It will be interesting to see if the same drivers do well racing at the track in June instead of November when weather conditions will likely be very different.
Top 10 Active Driver Ratings at Homestead
Kevin Harvick …………………………… 108.8
Martin Truex Jr. ………………………… 107.3
Matt Kenseth ……………………………. 105.2
Kyle Busch ……………………………… 102.3
Denny Hamlin ………….……………….. 97.4
Joey Logano ………………….…………. 94.2
Jimmie Johnson …………………..……. 93.7
Chase Elliott ……………………….……. 91.8
Brad Keselowski …………………..……. 89.2
Clint Bowyer ……………………….……. 85.9
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2019 races (15 total) among active drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Once again I will point out that weather conditions will more than likely be different from previous races at the track. However, here are the active drivers that have won at Homestead-Miami during their Cup Series careers.
Active Drivers with Homestead-Miami Speedway Win(s)
Denny Hamlin – 2 Wins
Kurt Busch – 2 Wins
Joey Logano – 1 Win
Martin Truex Jr. – 1 Win
Jimmie Johnson – 1 Win
Kyle Busch – 1 Win
Kevin Harvick – 1 Win
Matt Kenseth – 1 Win
How will racing at the track in June differ from racing at the track in November? Will the mentality of the drivers be different for the race since it will not be the final race of the year?
We will find out the answers to these questions and many more Sunday, June 14th starting at 2:30 PM central time (3:30 PM eastern time) in the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
