NATIONAL SERIES HEAD TO HOMESTEAD

Once again, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ comes down to a single, defining race. Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway either will crown a first-time champion – Brad Keselowski – or further burnish the credentials of Jimmie Johnson, who goes to South Florida in search of a sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup title.

Keselowski has the Cup within his grasp leading Johnson by 20 points. The 28-year-old Michigan driver can clinch by finishing 15th or better no matter what sort of magic Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus can work.

But Keselowski has finished 20th or worse in three of four races at Homestead where Johnson rallied from a 15-point deficit – roughly four points under the current system – to overhaul Denny Hamlin in 2010.

A Keselowski title would be a landmark event for Roger Penske, whose 28 previous seasons as a NASCAR Sprint Cup owner have not produced a championship driver despite "close calls" by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison and NHOF inductee Rusty Wallace.

Two other NASCAR national series champions will be crowned Saturday at Homestead. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Elliott Sadler have traded the standings lead five times over the course of the season in a replay of 2011. Stenhouse carries a lead of 20 points into the season finale and can become the series’ first back-to-back champion since 2005 with a finish of 16th or better.

Five drivers, led by James Buescher, have a mathematical shot at the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship entering Friday night’s Ford EcoBoost 200. Just 37 points cover the quintet of Buescher, Timothy Peters, Ty Dillon, Joey Coulter and Parker Kligerman. All would be first-time champions in the series.

Buescher, who leads Peters by 11 points and Dillon by 12, will prevail with any finish of seventh or better.