With Dale Jr.’s final races in the next couple weeks here, there is a prediction I’d like to make based on how this round of 8 has played out... we have 3/4 drivers locked into the championship race (Truex, Harvick, and Busch) with one spot left available between Brad K., Denny, Chase (Hendrick car), Blaney, and Johnson (Hendrick car)... in a perfect non-scripted world, you could never count Johnson out but he has not looked at all like the Johnson we have seen over the last decade or so in this round of 8. This and with Brad K having a decent cushion over 5th place, I’m predicting that neither Hendrick car will make the final 4 which allows for all the Hendrick eggs to go into the 88’s basket, this setting up the Homestead event which will see two separate but heavy storylines coming into play...
1) Which of the 4 drivers competing for the championship will win it?
2) Will Dale Jr. finish out his NASCAR cup series career with a win?
If the first part of my prediction comes to fruition this weekend, don’t be surprised if Dale Jr. takes the checkered at Homestead and for the first time since the 16 team elimination round style playoff format (enacted in 2014), the winner of the championship and the winner of the final race will not be the same driver... (2014 Harvick won Homestead clinching his championship, 2015 Busch did the same, and last year 2016 Johnson followed suit).
What do you think?