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While we understand this may be more of a coincidence than a correlation, results from the season-opening Advance Auto Parts Clash could be an accurate predictor for a championship push.
Since the postseason format shifted to an elimination-style setup prior to the 2014 season, one finisher in the top three of the season-opening, non-points race has advanced to the four-driver Championship Round at Miami.
That’s good news for Sunday’s winner Joey Logano, runner-up Kyle Busch and third place … uh, Alex Bowman. Bowman doesn’t have a full-time ride for 2017, so while he filled in beautifully for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in “The Clash,” we don’t expect him in the championship round.
That leaves Logano and Busch as the drivers looking to carry the torch here, and they are two perfect candidates. In three postseasons, Busch (2016, 2015) and Logano (2016, 2014) have each made it to the championship battle twice. Both were in the field last year when Jimmie Johnson sped to his record-tying seventh title.
Here’s a look back at the previous three years in the Advance Auto Parts Clash:
2016
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Joey Logano (Made Championship 4)
3. Paul Menard
2015
1. Matt Kenseth
2. Martin Truex Jr. (Made Championship 4)
3. Carl Edwards
2014
1. Denny Hamlin (Made Championship 4)
3. Kyle Busch