NASCAR 2012 Ford EcoBoost 400 Race Picks & Predictions
By ATSSportsline.com
HOMESTEAD, FL (ATS Consultants) - The 10th and final race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which heads to Homstead, Fla. for the Ford EcoBoost 400.
Brad Keselowski needs a finish of 15th or better; or 16th and at least one lap lead; or 17th and the most laps led, even if Jimmie Johnson wins and leads the most laps. This will tough for Keselowski, who has just one top-15 finish and three finishes of 20th or worse here. The series has not had a new champion since 2006 so he goes grom dark horse contender to the man with the best chance to win after nine races.
Matt Kenseth 8-1
This will be Matt Kenseth’s final race in the #17 Roush-Fenway Ford. In five of the last seven races here, he’s finished in the top ten. Last year at Homestead, he finished 4th and had a 6th place average running position. In 2007 he led 214 laps and walked away with the trophy. In the last two races at these venues he’s finished 1st and 4th. This season at 1.5 mile tracks he has a 10th place average finish. According to oddsmamkers from online sports book Bovada.lv, Matt Kenseth is 8-1 to win this weekend’s race.
Kyle Busch 10-1
Kyle has been the most consistent non-Chase driver since the Chase began nine races ago. He dominated the race at Phoenix last week and once again had to settle for a third place finish. Busch has finished 19th,18th, 8th, 19th, 20th, 38th and 41st in his career at Homestead. He could be a factor in this race.
Long Shot
Mark Martin 30-1
Martin has averaged a top 15 finish the past seven races at Homestead. He finished 9th here during the 2007 season but that is his only top 10 at this track in his last five attempts. In the last two intermediate track races, the #55 has been pretty sporty with Mark behind the wheel, especially at Kansas back in October.
2012 Ford EcoBoost 400 Race Information
Race Date: Sunday, Nov. 18
Location: Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
Start Time: 3pmET
Green Flag: Approx. 3:16pm ET
TV Coverage: ESPN
Radio Coverage: Motor Racing Network (MRN/Sirius NASCAR Radio)
Track Type: 1.5 mile oval, 267 laps, 400,5 miles
Last year’s top 5
1. Tony Stewart (Start: 15)
2. Carl Edwards (1)
3. Martin Truex Jr. (2)
4. Matt Kenseth (8)
5. Jeff Gordon (7)
Past Winners
2011 Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 114.976mph
2010 Carl Edwards, Ford, 126.585mph
2009 Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 126.986mph
2008 Carl Edwards, Ford, 129.472mph
2007 Matt Kenseth, Ford, 131.888mph