Ford 400 Race Preview

Homestead-Miami Speedway -- 11/16/08

Author: Becca Gladden

Published: Tuesday Nov 11 2008 9:26pm

While Jimmie Johnson's coronation this Sunday at Homestead-Miami is almost assured, NASCAR Public Relations would like you to know the following:

`The good news for Edwards lies at Homestead. The most points Edwards has gained on Johnson in one race is 127, at Homestead in 2005. In that race, Johnson finished 40th and Edwards finished fourth. If Edwards had won that race, he would have gained 147 points - six more than the deficit he now faces. Plus, Edwards’ Roush Fenway Racing team has won the last four Homestead races - and five out of the last six.`

Of course, that was Johnson's worst finish at Homestead (the result of a wreck) in seven starts. Since then, he's had finishes of 9th and 7th, and previously finished as high as 2nd in 2004. This weekend, he only needs to finish 36th or better to clinch.

Still, isn't it interesting to note that at least one sportsbook is showing Edwards at +275 and Johnson at +550 to win?

Homestead-Miami is another relatively flat 1.5 mile oval, similar to tracks like Texas and Atlanta, where Edwards has won during the Chase. The track has 18-20 degrees of progressive banking, creating a choice of racing grooves that NASCAR drivers appreciate.

Ryan Newman, who's had two top-10 finishes in six Homestead starts, notes, `Homestead is a good race track. I like it a lot better since they have added the progressive banking, because that has really made it a multi-groove race track. You can pass anywhere on the track, but typically the high side is the place to be. You have to go where the guy in front of you is not.`

Homestead-Miami is one of the newer racetracks on the NASCAR circuit, with just nine total Cup races here - one a year since 1999. The track has undergone several changes in design, however, so it's not really the same track it was in those early years.

Only two drivers have more than one win at Homestead: Tony Stewart, (+1400) who won the first two races held in 1999 and 2000, and Greg Biffle (+400) who won three straight from 2004-2006.

Single-race winners include Bill Elliott in '01, Kurt Busch (+3000) in '02, Bobby Labonte in '03, and Matt Kenseth (+800) last year.

As noted above, Roush Fords have won four straight races at Homestead (three by Biffle, one by Kenseth), and five of the last six, including Kurt Busch's 2002 win with Roush. Bobby Labonte has the only GM win and Bill Elliott the only Dodge win. Toyota has not been to Victory Lane at Homestead in either the Cup or Busch series.

Among active drivers with more than one start at Homestead, Carl Edwards has the best average finish at 7.8. He's followed in that category by Kevin Harvick (+2800), Jeff Gordon (+1400), Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle.

Although Stewart won the first two races back when this track was shaped like a little Indy, he hasn't had a top-10 finish here since 2004.

And while I don't often mention the average start statistic, as it doesn't mean much in terms of the final result, I found it interesting that in four Homestead races, Kasey Kahne (+2800) has started 4th, 3rd, 1st, and 3rd.

Looking at points accumulated over the last five Homestead races including bonus points, Greg Biffle (not surprisingly) leads the way, followed by Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth.

Gordon, of course, is holding out hope for that elusive 2008 victory. Although this is one of just two tracks where he has never won a Cup race, Gordon has finished as high as 3rd here (2004), and has four top 5s in nine starts.

And here's a bit of trivia for you: Last year's race at Homestead was the final race ever for NASCAR's `old` (non-COT) car.

In that race, Matt Kenseth led 214 of 267 laps for the win. Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin (+2100) were the only other drivers to lead double-digit laps. Jimmie Johnson started on the pole and finished 7th, while Carl Edwards finished 5th.