{"id":14153,"date":"2017-11-19T14:59:38","date_gmt":"2017-11-19T20:59:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=14153"},"modified":"2017-11-19T14:59:38","modified_gmt":"2017-11-19T20:59:38","slug":"nascar-race-preview-ford-ecoboost-400","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2017\/11\/19\/nascar-race-preview-ford-ecoboost-400\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR race preview: Ford EcoBoost 400"},"content":{"rendered":"

News, notes and photos courtesy of NASCAR<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series<\/u><\/b><\/p>\n

Championship Race: Ford EcoBoost 400<\/b><\/p>\n

The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

The Date: Sunday, Nov. 19<\/b><\/p>\n

The Time: 3 p.m. ET<\/b><\/p>\n

TV: NBC, 2 p.m. ET<\/b><\/p>\n

Tickets: <\/b>NASCAR.com\/tickets<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio<\/b><\/p>\n

Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps), Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 80), Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 160), Stage 3 (Ends on Lap 267)<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"

Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 Bass Pro Shops\/Tracker Boats Toyota, drives through the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 17, 2017 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

By The Numbers: Homestead-Miami Speedway<\/b><\/p>\n

1 \u2013<\/b> Tony Stewart is the only driver in series history to win at the famed 1.5-mile speedway in his first appearance (1999).<\/p>\n

2 \u2013<\/b> Number of Coors Light poles at Homestead-Miami Speedway by the series leaders: Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne.<\/p>\n

4 \u2013<\/b> Number of times the winner of the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway has won the title during the Playoff Era; including the last three seasons in the elimination-style format of the Playoffs (Tony Stewart, 2011; Kevin Harvick, 2014; Kyle Busch, 2015; Jimmie Johnson, 2016).<\/p>\n

10 \u2013<\/b> Number of Playoff races at Homestead-Miami Speedway that were won by Playoff contenders; three times a non-Chase contender has won season finale: Greg Biffle (2004 and 2006) and Denny Hamlin (2013).     <\/p>\n

12 \u2013<\/b> Number of different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winners at Homestead-Miami Speedway; led by Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart with three each.<\/p>\n

13 \u2013<\/b> Number of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff races Homestead-Miami Speedway has hosted (2004-2016).<\/p>\n

14 \u2013<\/b> The most cautions in a single Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (11\/21\/2004; the inaugural Playoff race in Miami)<\/p>\n

14 \u2013<\/b> Number of different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light pole winners at Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/p>\n

15 \u2013<\/b> The worst finish by the eventual series champion in a Playoffs race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (it happened three times: Tony Stewart in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2008 and Brad Keselowski in 2012). <\/span><\/p>\n

18 \u2013<\/b> Total number of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/p>\n

18-20 \u2013<\/b> The degrees of banking in all four turns of Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/p>\n

22 \u2013<\/b> The age of the youngest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Joey Logano (11\/18\/2012 \u2013 22 years, 5 months, 25 days).<\/p>\n

24 \u2013<\/b> The age of the youngest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Kurt Busch (11\/17\/2002 \u2013 24 years, 3 months, 13 days).<\/p>\n

26 \u2013<\/b> The most number of lead changes in a single race at Homestead-Miami Speedway (11\/20\/2011).<\/p>\n

38 \u2013<\/b> The lowest starting position by a race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway (Denny Hamlin, 2009).<\/p>\n

46 \u2013<\/b> The age of the oldest Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award and race winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway: Bill Elliott set both records in 2001 (11\/11\/2001 \u2013 46 years, 1 month, 3 days).<\/p>\n

67 \u2013<\/b> Total number of NASCAR national series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway, second-most by a track in the state of Florida: MENCS (18), NXS (22) and NCWTS (21).<\/p>\n

150.0 \u2013<\/b> The highest score in driver rating scale, considered a perfect performance, and has only been accomplished at Homestead-Miami Speedway once, in 2010 by Carl Edwards.<\/p>\n

267 \u2013<\/b> Number of laps scheduled for this weekend\u2019s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/p>\n

449 \u2013<\/b> Number of laps led at Homestead-Miami Speedway by the active series leader (Matt Kenseth, 17 starts).<\/p>\n

Happy At Homestead: Recent Title-Clinching Performances<\/b><\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s Ford EcoBoost 400 (3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) will mark the conclusion of the 69th NASCAR season. Below are how the last seven season finales at Homestead-Miami Speedway turned out:<\/p>\n

2010 \u2013 Jimmie Johnson Tracks Down Denny Hamlin For Fifth Straight Title<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Denny Hamlin held a comfortable 15-point lead on Jimmie Johnson for the championship heading into the season finale. However, Hamlin could not close out the title. Hamlin damaged his Toyota with an early-race spin and finished 14th as a result. Kevin Harvick, who was third in points entering the race, finished third. Johnson placed runner-up to take home his fifth consecutive championship.<\/p>\n

2011 \u2013 Tony Stewart Wins Third Championship In Epic Race<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Trailing leader Carl Edwards by three points entering the 2011 finale, Tony Stewart virtually needed a win to capture the title \u2013 especially considering that Edwards ultimately finished runner-up in the race.<\/p>\n

Stewart drove to the front from the back of the field twice and edged out Edwards to get to Victory Lane.<\/p>\n

The pair finished the season tied in points, but Stewart held the tiebreaker over Edwards of most wins during the season (five to one).<\/p>\n

2012 \u2013 Brad Keselowski Fends Off Jimmie Johnson For First Championship<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Brad Keselowski entered the 2012 season finale 20 points ahead of second-place Jimmie Johnson in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings.<\/p>\n

Keselowski, who won two Playoff races to help put himself in championship-clinching position, didn\u2019t produce his best performance with a 15th-place showing.<\/p>\n

But problems in the pits for Johnson caused the five-time champion to finish 36th and helped Keselowski secure his first championship, as well as the first title for Team Penske.<\/p>\n

2013 \u2013 Jimmie Johnson Closes In On Earnhardt And Petty With Sixth Title<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

After building up his points lead on the strength of six wins, 16 top fives and 23 top 10s, Jimmie Johnson needed to finish 23rd to capture his sixth Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship.<\/p>\n

Following an incident on a restart just shy of the 200-lap mark, Johnson ended up 23rd when it all sorted itself out.<\/p>\n

By the end of the race, he worked his way up to finish ninth, earning Hendrick Motorsports a record 11th championship.<\/p>\n

2014 \u2013 Harvick Rides To Two \u2018Do Or Die\u2019 Victories To Earn First Series Title<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Kevin Harvick started the penultimate race of the 2014 season needing a win to get into the Championship 4 race at Phoenix. He dominated the contest, leading 264 laps to earn the victory and a spot in the Championship 4. After playing mind games throughout Homestead week with the rest of the field, Harvick held off runner-up Ryan Newman to earn his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title.<\/p>\n

2015 \u2013 Kyle Busch Overcomes Injury For Improbable Comeback<\/i><\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

Just ninth months after breaking his right leg and fracturing his left foot, Kyle Busch edged out defending champion Kevin Harvick for the Homestead race win and his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after sustaining his injuries in a crash in the season-opening race NASCAR XFINITY race at Daytona. He came back to win five races and cement his name in NASCAR history.<\/p>\n

2016 \u2013 Johnson Ties Series Record With Seventh Championship<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Jimmie Johnson proved once again to not count him out in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. He won his way into the Round of 8 with a victory at Charlotte, then took the checkered flag at Martinsville to punch his ticket to Homestead. He provided a walk-off win at Homestead to capture his seventh championship, tying Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series record.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fastenal Ford, Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation\/Monster Energy Ford, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Jimmy John’s Ford, walk through the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2017 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Matt Sullivan\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

A Spoiler At Homestead?<\/b><\/p>\n

Under the \u201cwin and you\u2019re in\u201d elimination-style Playoff format, the eventual champion has won at Homestead the last three years (Kevin Harvick, 2014; Kyle Busch, 2015; Jimmie Johnson, 2016). Still, a driver out of championship contention can win the race. Below are some candidates:<\/p>\n

Kyle Larson<\/i><\/b>:<\/b> Kyle Larson often calls Homestead-Miami Speedway his best track. The 25-year-old NASCAR Next alumnus finished runner-up at Homestead last year after leading a race-high 132 laps and placed fifth at the 1.5-mile track in 2015. Larson has had a breakout season in 2017, setting career highs in wins (four), top fives (14), top 10s (19) and average finish (13.6).<\/p>\n

Matt Kenseth<\/i><\/b>:<\/b> Matt Kenseth, who\u2019s likely competing in his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race this weekend, spoiled Chase Elliott\u2019s championship hopes last Sunday by winning an emotional race at Phoenix. He\u2019ll try to finish his career on a high note by winning again at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In 17 starts at Homestead, Kenseth owns one win, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes. He has finished seventh or better in his last four starts at the South Florida track.<\/p>\n

Denny Hamlin<\/i><\/b>:<\/b> Hamlin is a two-time winner at Homestead. In addition to his two wins, he has four top fives and eight top 10s, with 213 laps led. He was eliminated from the Playoffs at Phoenix due to a wreck, even though he led a race-high 193 laps.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AXALTA Chevrolet, drives through the garage area during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2017 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Junior\u2019s Final Ride<\/b><\/p>\n

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make what will likely be his final career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start in Sunday\u2019s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.<\/p>\n

The 14-time Most Popular Driver hasn\u2019t raced up to his standards in his final full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, but will try to get one last win. He has struggled at Homestead throughout his career with only one top five, two top 10s and a 21.5 average finish in 16 starts at the 1.5-mile track.<\/p>\n

Earnhardt enters the race weekend running as well as he\u2019s had all season. He has finished in the top 11 in six out of his last seven races, including three seventh-place showings and a 10th-place result last Sunday at Phoenix.<\/p>\n

For his career, the No. 88 Chevrolet driver has made 630 starts, won 26 races, logged 149 top fives, recorded 260 top 10s and posted a 15.8 average finish.Earnhardt is a two-time Daytona 500 champion (2004, 2010).<\/p>\n

Kenseth\u2019s Swan Song<\/b><\/p>\n

Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn\u2019t the only driver likely competing in his final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race. 2003 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth may compete in his final contest at Homestead.<\/p>\n

Kenseth, who won at Phoenix last Sunday, will try to visit Victory Lane for the second consecutive week at Homestead where he owns one win,four top-five and nine top-10 finishes in 17 starts.<\/p>\n

Heading into Sunday\u2019s race, Kenseth claims 39 wins, 181 top fives and 326 top 10s in 649 career starts. He boasts a 14.1 career average finish.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

News, notes and photos courtesy of NASCAR   Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race: Ford EcoBoost 400 The Place: Homestead-Miami Speedway The Date: Sunday, Nov. 19 The Time: 3 p.m. ET TV: NBC, 2 p.m. ET Tickets: NASCAR.com\/tickets Radio: MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 400.5 miles (267 laps), Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 80), Stage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14154,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[527,16],"class_list":["post-14153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-homestead-miami-speedway","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/HMS_MENCS_Car_111817.jpg?fit=5147%2C3431&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-3Gh","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14153"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14157,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14153\/revisions\/14157"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14154"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}