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Carl Edwards has made up 56 points on Clint Bowyer just twice this season.By the Numbers: Miami
Fifty-six points separate Bowyer, Edwards in finale
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It all comes down to this. After 200 laps in theFord 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (4 p.m. ET, ESPN2), either Clint Bowyer or Carl Edwards will be crowned the 2008 Nationwide Series champion.
Bowyer, who goes to Homestead with a 56-point lead, is looking for his first NASCAR national series title while Edwards is looking for his second consecutive Nationwide championship.
For Bowyer to win his first title, he basically has to do what he has done a series-leading 28 times this season -- finish in the top 10.
8If Clint Bowyer finishes eighth or better without leading a lap the championship is his regardless of what Carl Edwards does.
9If Clint Bowyer leads a lap, he just has to finish ninth or better to win the championship regardless of what Carl Edwards does.
11If Clint Bowyer leads the most laps, he just has to finish 11th or better to win the championship regardless of what Carl Edwards does.
24Carl Edwards needs to finish 24th or better to stay in championship contention. If he finishes worse than 24th, he can't win the title.
Edwards has been on a tear recently, with eight top-fives and two wins in the past eight races to cut more than 200 points off of Bowyer's lead. But Bowyer has been extremely consistent all season and it won't be easy for Edwards to make up 56 points in one event -- although he has done it this season.
2Carl Edwards has out-pointed Clint Bowyer by at least 56 points twice this season. At Michigan, Edwards led the most laps and won while Bowyer finished 10th giving Edwards a 61-point edge. At Memphis, Edwards again won and led the most laps while Bowyer finished 16th giving Edwards 80 more points.
12Twelve times this season Bowyer has finished worse than ninth without leading a lap. If that happens at Homestead, it opens up the door for Carl Edwards to win the championship.
Neither driver has won at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the Nationwide Series, but the advantage clearly goes to Edwards, who averages a top-10 finish at the 1.5-mile track.
Ironically, both car owners are equally successful at Homestead. Jack Roush (Edwards' No. 60) and Richard Childress (Bowyer's No. 2) each have two wins at the track and both owners have won the last two races at Homestead -- Roush in '06 with Matt Kenseth, Childress with Jeff Burton in '07.
8.3Carl Edwards has an average finish of 8.3 at Homestead in the Nationwide Series. Edwards finished 19th in 2005 and has since posted two top-fives with a second in '06 and a fourth in '07. Edwards has led 29 laps, finished on the lead lap in every race and started in the top-five in every race.
16.8Average finish for Clint Bowyer at Homestead in the Nationwide Series. Bowyer's average finish is hurt by a crash in 2004 where he finished 39th. Since then Bowyer has hovered around the top 10 with an eighth in '05, an 11th in '06 and a ninth in '07. Bowyer hasn't led a lap at Homestead and has only finished on the lead lap twice. Bowyer's best starting position is eighth in 2006.
Championship facts
0Despite Clint Bowyer's struggles at Homestead, Carl Edwards has never out-gained Bowyer by 56 points at the track.
29Number of consecutive weeks Clint Bowyer has led the Nationwide points this season.
207Number of points Carl Edwards has gained on Clint Bowyer in the past eight Nationwide races.
Also
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Homestead-Miami Speedway
Nationwide Winners
| Year | Winner | Start | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Dale Jarrett | 26 | Ford |
| 1996 | Kevin Lepage | 10 | Chevrolet |
| 1997 | Joe Nemechek | 3 | Chevrolet |
| 1998 | Jeff Burton | 23 | Ford |
| 1999 | Joe Nemechek | 12 | Chevrolet |
| 2000 | Jeff Gordon | 6 | Chevrolet |
| 2001 | Joe Nemechek | 20 | Chevrolet |
| 2002 | Scott Wimmer | 26 | Pontiac |
| 2003 | Kasey Kahne | 3 | Ford |
| 2004 | Kevin Harvick | 12 | Chevrolet |
| 2005 | Ryan Newman | 1 | Dodge |
| 2006 | Matt Kenseth | 5 | Ford |
| 2007 | Jeff Burton | 30 | Chevrolet |
Nationwide Series
Official Standings
| Pos. | +/- | Driver | Points | Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | -- | Clint Bowyer | 4977 | Leader |
| 2. | -- | Carl Edwards | 4921 | -56 |
| 3. | -- | Brad Keselowski | 4624 | -353 |
| 4. | -- | David Ragan | 4431 | -546 |
| 5. | -- | Mike Bliss | 4397 | -580 |
| 6. | +1 | Kyle Busch | 4281 | -696 |
| 7. | -1 | David Reutimann | 4264 | -713 |
| 8. | -- | Mike Wallace | 4019 | -958 |
| 9. | -- | Jason Leffler | 3926 | -1051 |
| 10. | -- | Marcos Ambrose | 3921 | -1056 |
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