Those guys better be on their toes. Not only do they have [our] 48 to worry about, but they have the 29 [Kevin Harvick]—and one race winner take all. It’s going to be one hell of a show.”
--Jimmie Johnson, four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion, on chasing down Denny Hamlin’s 11 car in a one-race shootout for NASCAR Sprint Cup supremacy next Sunday (Nov. 21) at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Next Sunday, Homestead-Miami Speedway will host a one-race shootout to decide the closest-ever Sprint Cup Championship race in NASCAR history. Denny Hamlin will enter Ford Championship Weekend (Nov. 19-21) with a 15-point lead over four-time reigning Champion Jimmie Johnson and just a 46-point margin over Kevin Harvick. Tickets for this historic Championship finale are available starting at $55 via HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com and (866) 409-RACE.
In Chase Race 9 of 10 today en route to Sunday’s Sprint Cup Championship finale, Hamlin finished 12th at Phoenix to retain the Championship lead over Johnson, who finished 5th. Harvick finished 6th to remain in striking distance of the title. Carl Edwards won the race at Phoenix to sit fourth in Championship standings (-264) entering Ford Championship Weekend.
“We have one heck of a points race going to Miami,” said Johnson, in the unfamiliar role of “hunter” rather than “huntee” this late in the season. “I’m pumped. I’m so happy to put pressure on that 11 team—we’re ready to race for this thing.”
With just 15 points separating the top two drivers, Johnson still faces some odds in completing his “Drive for Five”: Every year since the inception of the Chase in 2004, the driver holding the points lead with one race remaining has gone on to win the Sprint Cup Championship. Hamlin—who led 190 laps today but fell victim to fuel strategy at the end of the race—also won last year’s Ford 400 Championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
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