For the second year, we’ve asked people on Twitter to publicly predict which drivers they think will make up the 2019 Championship 4. Because, of course, opinionated internet strangers always know what’s right.
https://twitter.com/steveluvender/status/1096069271321526273
The idea here is simple: we want to avoid showboating later in the season: the “yeah, I knew it all along” and “it was obvious all year” claims that come from internet geniuses once the NASCAR Playoffs roll around. It’s just nice to have it in writing, you know?
When we called for predictions in 2018, not a single person on Twitter correctly guessed a Championship 4 of Joey Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch. Not one.
The 2019 season is a year of change in NASCAR, which might make predicting contenders before the season-opening Daytona 500 even more difficult than usual. Really, that’s more incentive to solicit guesses ahead of time. Accountability, baby.
https://twitter.com/jeff_gluck/status/1096085915561275394
Whether it’s two sets of BFFs:
https://twitter.com/_racingprincess/status/1096139867854176256
Or a repeat of 2018:
https://twitter.com/Steph_in_city/status/1096087857964466176
Or intentionally vague picks that help keep options open:
https://twitter.com/knalllen/status/1096072896466903040
https://twitter.com/Sharky96/status/1096322106005049344
Or a driver who’s only scheduled to start one race (though, maybe Jamie McMurray will win the Daytona 500 and clinch a spot in the playoffs):
https://twitter.com/harperhawk14/status/1096125357558648832
Or, everybody’s favorite — nonsensical picks (it’s OK, it’s hard to resist):
https://twitter.com/dwest9cubs/status/1096069571491123200
https://twitter.com/joyce_creative/status/1096160743068700673
https://twitter.com/Heathbar0428/status/1096091017026113536
https://twitter.com/Connorstro32/status/1096106859629547520
https://twitter.com/TonyJWriter/status/1096088837996990464
https://twitter.com/jonesbrent570/status/1096088778450571264
https://twitter.com/dankfrank3/status/1096197424719122432
Twitter never disappoints. Anyway, we’ve got hundreds of picks documented, and we’ll gladly laud those who were correct and laugh at those who were wrong.
Of course, we’ll always welcome those hot and spicy takes, too, because they’re the most fun to dig up when they’re totally wrong. Send ’em our way.
https://twitter.com/josh_obrien/status/1096092422684270592
I think Ford will struggle with the Mustang but one will make it in
– phil (@VeryFakePhil) February 14, 2019
Nevertheless, once the Championship 4 is determined in November, we’ll revisit these picks and see if anybody was right. Maybe Twitter will do a little better than last year’s goose egg.
If you, NASCAR oracle, think you can guess this year’s Championship 4 before the season begins, fire up the Twitter machine and reply to the prediction tweet with your picks. Or, if you’re up for a season-long challenge, check out @nascarcasm’s Fantasy Dumpster Fire for a chance to score some hot passes.