The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoff field is finally complete, setting the stage for a 10-race dash to the finish and the championship glory that awaits Nov. 20 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Story lines abound, and our Holly Cain and Zack Albert tackle three pressing topics before the postseason gets underway at Chicagoland.
1. Can anyone stop the Joe Gibbs Racing alliance in the Chase?
Cain: There is no denying the strength of the JGR alliance from top to bottom. The question is whether it can sustain this level of performance over the next 10 weeks with a larger bull’s-eye on its defending champion back. At this point JGR is favorite. But that’s the crazy thing about letting these championships play out. Heart and motivation count, too.
Albert: The quintet of JGR-affiliated drivers may look nearly invincible now, but the two-year sample size of the current Chase format has proven to be a petri dish of unpredictability. Team Penske has two drivers — Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski — in position to drive a wedge into the Gibbs dominance, but Kevin Harvick and his Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 Chevrolet — already champions in the new playoff system — have a substantial shot at fending off a Toyota triumph.
2. With a handful of new, young faces making their Chase debuts this season, are we witnessing a changing of the guard?
Cain: With such a talented group of young drivers in the series, their participating in the Chase was inevitable. It was simply a matter of “when.” Best of all for them — and the sport — Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon and Chris Buescher have not only earned their way into the Chase mix, they look to be legitimate players. The old guard has a big wake-up call and there are other young talents who may well join this mix next year. All good signs for the sport and the fans.
Albert: The influx of Chase newbies this year would suggest the opening stages of an overhaul to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver roster. It’s refreshing, a dash of blossoming names alongside the familiar faces in the playoff brackets. Now the challenge is for the youth movement to make deep dives into the postseason, rather than go quietly in the Chase’s early rounds.
3. Who’s your best bet for a Chase surprise?
Cain: I don’t know that Kyle Larson and his talent is a surprise to anyone. But, he is peaking at the right time of the season and has an envious track record at the upcoming Chase venues. And just for good measure, his Chip Ganassi Racing team knows a little about winning racing championships, too.
Albert: This is going to sound odd to talk about a driver with six championships to his credit and multiple wins this season as a surprise candidate, but Jimmie Johnson‘s current 21-race dry spell equals the longest of his Sprint Cup career. Is there a charge left in the No. 48 camp? Time will tell, but it’s still difficult to discount a group that has turned up the boost again and again come playoff time. A record-tying seventh title for Johnson remains a real possibility.