Edwards Fastest of Champion Contenders in Final Practice

The NASCAR championship race Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway is sold out.

He will exit with three championships bearing different names (a Winston Cup, a Nextel Cup and a Sprint Cup) and earned under different formats (full-season points in 2002, and distinct Chases systems in ’05 and ’11).

Those closest to Stewart know what an emotional toll the last several years have taken on him, and they understand his desire to finally just be able to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants to do it. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 175.959. 10. “But in the end he’s meant a lot to this sport”, Harvick said, adding that he’s not convinced Stewart is making the right move. He did it in his first year with GMS Racing after leaving Thorsport Racing. He also has 2 other wins this season along with 25 top 10 finishes to his credit.

One of the most structured and regimented drivers in the series, he’s handling the stress of a hectic championship week like a pro.

This season, Busch has been a bit more methodical in his racing. Sauter won back-to-back races at Martinsville and Texas, and was runner-up at Phoenix last week.

Tyler Reddick, driving his final race for Brad Keselowski, finished second. Johnson, Busch, Logano and Edwards are the four drivers racing for the championship.

Stewart missed the final 15 races in 2013 with a broken leg after a crash in a sprint vehicle. This is the same track that gave him the heartbreak of a tie-break in 2011 where he not only finished 2nd to Tony Stewart in the race, but in the points as well due to the rules breaking ties.

Ultimately, the NASCAR world in which Jeff Gordon thrived might not have been the best fit for Tony Stewart.

“I’m 100% focused on my recovery, and I will continue to follow everything the doctors tell me”.

Indianapolis 500 – Starts: 5; Wins: 0; Best finishes: 5 in 1997, 6 in 2001. Majority are no longer in contention for the championship and are already looking toward improving in 2017.

Edwards hasn’t forgotten that and five years later, Edwards is back with a chance at his first championship. But if the two are fighting for the win, don’t be shocked to see the teammate rules go out the window and it’s every man for himself.

Early in the practice, Jimmie Johnson ran over a carbon fiber pipe which eventually led to a red flag caution.

Busch took much of the blame after the race. Johnson is shooting for his fifth win in 2016 and his seventh title. Last year: Kyle Larson closed the season with a win in Miami, and Chris Buescher clinched the series championship.

This postseason, Johnson seemed like he could turn his winning form on and off like a light switch. Johnson turned in the least amount of laps of the Championship contenders with 38. He would have made it back to the finale past year, but he was adamantly unapologetic about his role in an accident with Matt Kenseth that virtually ended Kenseth’s Chase.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed that I didn’t win a Daytona 500, a Southern 500 and most of all an Indy 500”, Stewart said.

Logano and Edwards sure would like to put their name among the greats who have won before. Kenseth would be suspended for two races because of the crash. That’s a crucial component for a title contender, especially since that is the only thing that would guarantee a title.

Logano heads to Homestead as the top overall seed after posting five top-five finishes in the first nine races of the Chase.

Kevin Harvick won the pole during Friday’s qualifying, but Kyle Busch is the highest of the Championship Four drivers on the starting grid at No. 9.

Joey Logano leaned in toward Jimmie Johnson and offered a few words of comfort. Edwards was fifth on the chart for best 10 consecutive lap averages, and that’s typically the clue as to who has a strong vehicle.