One Last Shot to Win it all: The Final Four

The Chase.  10 weeks. 10 races. 10 different tracks. 16 drivers from 8 different teams. This has probably been the most exciting Chase there has been since the beginning of the Chase in 2004. Going into Homestead this coming Sunday brings us to a point in the sport. The final four have NEVER won Sprint Cup championship. Sure, watching Kurt Busch lose a tire and come back to win the Championship that same race was exciting, but nothing compares to this year’s Chase. We will see a new champion crowned since Brad Keselowski in 2012.

Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman all enter Homestead on Sunday tied in the points. Whoever bests the rest is the Champion. These four drivers have to be the furthest from being similar. All of these guys have talent, but how far does talent get you until you need to start using luck? Or your front bumper. Let’s look at how these four got to the final round.

Harvick: 5^th, 3^rd, 13^th, win, 9^th, 33^rd, 2^nd,win

Logano: 4^th, win, 4^th, win, 4^th, 11^th, 5^th, 12^th, 6^th

Newman: 15^th, 18^th, 8^th, 6^th, 7^th, 5^th, 3^rd, 15^th, 11^th

Hamlin:6^th, 37^th, 12^th, 7^th, 9^th, 18^th, 8^th, 10^th, 5^th

Their driving style is so different from each other and so are their nicknames. Of course, Hamlin came up with his own, but I’ll count it. All four of these drivers have one thing in common though. They are the 2001, 2002, 2006, and 2009 Rookies of the Year. Let’s look further into the drivers’ seasons and let’s look at how they got there.

Denny Hamlin: Self-nicknamed The Deliverminator, Denny Hamlin won a thriller at Talladega in April, securing his spot in the 2014 Chase. So far, it’s been Hamlin’s only win on the season. Hamlin got to the final four with a 5^th place at PIR.

Harvick: Also known as ‘Happy’, ‘Mr. Where Did He Come From?’ or The Closer, Kevin Harvick won his ticket to the Chase all the way back to the second race of the season at PIR. Harvick went on to win one more race in the regular season before punching his ticket to the top 8 with his win at Charlotte. Harvick got into the final four with a win at PIR.

Joey Logano: Nicknamed ‘Sliced Bread’ (as in the greatest thing since) by two-time Busch Series Champion Randy LaJoie, Joey Logano punched his ticket to the Chase win a last lap pass on Jeff Gordon at Texas Motor Speedway. Logano went out to win two more races in the regular season at Richmond and Bristol. Logano won two races in the Chase at New Hampshire and Kansas Speedway. Joey is the first driver to open the Chase with 5 consecutive top 5 finishes. Logano got to the final four with a 6^th place finish at PIR.

Ryan Newman: Nicknamed ‘Rocket Man’, Ryan Newman was one of only two drivers to make the Chase on points, making him a consistent driver.  Newman was consistent with no finishes outside the top 20. Newman got to the final four by finishing 11th.

Harvick may be the favorite going into Homestead, but Joey is a worthy challenger. Denny Hamlin has to be the dark horse of the final four. I don’t think many people had him going this far in the Chase, I know I didn’t. I only have one of my pick left in the final four and that’s Logano. I’m still sticking with Mr. Challenger. Ryan Newman is definitely a wildcard. He’s been almost unpredictable the entire season, let alone the Chase. Homestead will definitely be a race for the history books.

Harvick and Logano both are chasing SHR and Team Penske’s second titles and their first as drivers. SHR won their first with driver/owner Tony Stewart in 2011 with a tie breaker with RFR’s Carl Edwards. It was Stewart’s third championship. Team Penske won their first with driver Brad Keselowski in 2012. It was Keselowski’s first championship. Hamlin is chasing Joe Gibbs Racing’s 4^th title. JGR won theirs in 2000, 2002, and 2005, one with Bobby Labonte (2000) and two with Tony Stewart (2002, 2005). This potentially be Hamlin’s first ever NASCAR Championship. Newman, who moved to RCR after last season, is chasing RCR’s seventh title. RCR won titles in 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994; all with the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. This may be Newman’s first NASCAR title. Despite all four of these drivers chasing their first Sprint Cup title, Kevin Harvick is the only driver of these four to have a championship in NASCAR’s top three touring series, winning Busch Series championships in 2001 and 2006.

One final thing. A tally of championship picks. Who is the fan favorite to win the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship? Well, the tally is in. Let’s take a look.

Kevin Harvick: IIIIIIIIIII (11)

Joey Logano: IIIIIIIIIII (11)

Denny Hamlin: IIIIII (6)

Ryan Newman: II (2)

And there is a tie. I’m not going to take my words away, Harvick is still the favorite going into Homestead this Sunday, but I think all four of them have a good chance of winning it all. There is only one way to find out who is going to win it all. Tune into ESPN on Sunday to watch the Ford Eco-boost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway! Catch you guys soon!