My NASCAR Final Four Picks
It’s playoff time, NASCAR style. The newly implemented point system has made it a bit easier to predict which four drivers will remain standing when we take the green flag at Miami-Homestead. Here’s my prediction for the final four.
Martin Truex Jr.
Duh! Sitting atop the point standings heading to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend with an additional 53 playoff points sitting in his glove compartment. He could run a couple races on three tires and still be a solid bet to advance through the playoffs.
Truex Jr, has arguably been NASCAR’s best driver in the last two regular seasons. Last season an engine issue at Talladega ended his title hopes. The additional playoff points he carried this year is a tremendous insurance policy against that time of catastrophic result this season.
Since NASCAR developed this new point structure seemingly aimed at rewarding regular season results, Truex Jr. has taken full advantage. As solid as a bet you’ll find anywhere in sports.
Kyle Larson
Week after week we’ve been treated to seeing the #42 car running at the top of the field. In just his fourth season driving full time in the Cup Series, Larson has taken a huge step forward. Although Larson doesn’t have as many playoff points in the bank as Truex Jr. has, he’s got enough to withstand a poor finish in the early playoff rounds.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to see Chip Ganassi’s reaction if young Larson happened to find himself taking the Monster Energy Trophy at Miami-Homestead? Speaking of Ganassi, what an amazing turnaround for this team. After years of uneventful results in NASCAR they’ve now put themselves squarely in the middle of any Championship discussion.
It sure looks to me that if anyone has anything for that Truex group, it probably will come from the Larson team.
Kyle Busch
NASCAR’s bad guy, at least where it comes from the fans, has quietly led the late season charge from the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. Just a few short weeks ago many were asking, “What’s wrong with Joe Gibbs Racing?” Well no one is asking that anymore.
The Gibbs garage has three drivers still alive in the playoffs but Busch has to be the favorite of this group to advance to the final four. Busch has ran every bit as strong as Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. of late. 33 playoff points also helps in case of a poor finish in any of the rounds.
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the NASCAR garage that is as talented a driver as Kyle Busch. His love/hate relationship with the fans also makes him the most polarizing driver seen in this sport in a long time.
Kyle Busch has won a Championship. Don’t be surprised if he doesn’t win yet again.
Jimmie Johnson
Although his recent results doesn’t necessarily warrant this pick, I just can’t get myself to pick anyone else here but Johnson. Although for most of the season, Chase Elliott’s car has been the leader of the Hendrick shop, Johnson knows how to win. That’s the difference.
Is there a better Crew Chief than Chad Knaus in racing today? In the history of the sport? When you talk sports dynasties you cannot leave this #48 team out of that conversation. That said, Johnson is anything but a shoe-in for the final four. Quite frankly, Hendrick Chevrolet’s have lacked the speed of the Toyota’s most of the season. That’s likely to continue.
It’s probably smarter to pick Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin or Kevin Harvick than Johnson here but how do you leave out a 7 time Champion? I can’t.
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