2016 NASCAR Week 36 Preview: Homestead

Ford EcoBoost 400

Homestead-Miami Speedway

By Richard Tix

The year is 2011. The race is the Daytona 500. A new racing season where everyone is hopeful to make a Championship run and writing their own story in NASCAR history. Little did we know at the time, but a win by rookie Trevor Bayne at the Daytona 500 would be shadowed by the way the season ended. 

Bayne's win marked the youngest driver to ever win the Daytona 500. Just one day after his birthday, Bayne won the 500 at just 20 years and one day old. It was an amazing moment for him and also Wood Brothers as it was the first time since 2001 that a Wood Brothers car got to grace Victory Lane at any track, let alone the historic Daytona International Speedway.

What a start to an epic season that no one could ever script.

The race is the GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. It's the first race of the 2011 Chase and 26th race of the season. Just in his third year as owner/driver at Stewart-Haas Racing Tony Stewart won the first Chase race to get off to a nice start on his quest to a third Cup Championship. His hot streak continued onto Loudon where he won again. Those two win's were astonishingly his first two of the season.

Smoke then went on a four race streak where he had an average finish of 13.75 with two top 10's (8th and 7th). Smoke headed into Martinsville on his heels with four races left and 19 points back of Carl Edwards who had a nice cushion on his own quest for his first Championship (closest was Matt Kenseth back 14 points at that point). 

Here is where most fans forget that the 2011 season started with a shocking win by Bayne, because Tony Stewart put everyone's memory on his accomplishments following the next four races. Smoke reeled off three wins in those next four races (Martinsville - win, Texas - win, Phoenix - 3rd, Homestead - win) including a win at Homestead-Miami where Carl Edwards finished second. 

During that span the pressure changed from all on Smoke to all on Edwards heading into Homestead and neither backed down. Going head to head with a Championship on the line, finishing one and two, and tying in season points, nothing was left on the table. Who would have thought a season starting with a 20 year old winning NASCAR's biggest race ending in a tie in the final moments?

Because Stewart won five races on the season (amazingly all in the Chase) he won the tie breaker against Carl Edwards (one win on the season). It was an exciting moment where Stewart became a driver/owner Champion and will go down as one of the most heated Championship battles ever. 

Just as Tony Stewart road off into the sunset at Homestead in 2011, he will do so again after this season's Championship race. This time he does not have a Championship on the line. No Smoke narratives that defy the idea's of Hollywood script makers everywhere. Just plain Tony. The fun loving guy when he is having fun. The aggravated, yet passionate guy when he is frustrated. A guy who wear's it all on his sleeve no matter the up's and down. That is the guy who will ride into the sunset after this Homestead trip.

He won't be in a car, but I don't think he will let us forget he isn't still around, that isn't his style. So, soak in one last race with Tony Stewart wheeling it into turn three and coming out of turn four. Let it sink in how open and genuine he is about the sport even when he is being a critique and never forget you got to witness one of the best drivers to ever wheel it driving a NASCAR Cup car. Because, he wasn't just a NASCAR driver but a racer, a pure, passionate, fun loving, heated, hard nosed driver of anything he could get his hands on.

**This section is just a quick look at some of Cup drivers latest finishes. This is not a tool for fantasy purposes and NBTW only is looking at end results. No deep statistic's are involved, but rather it is just a quick way to get ready for the race and get caught up on who has finished well at each track**

The Good

• Kevin Harvick - The past two years he has needed good finishes at Homestead and he got it (1st and 2nd). Will he spoil the Chaser's chance at a win this time while on the outside looking in?
• Kyle Busch - Rowdy won this race last year on his way to his first NASCAR Cup Championship, can he do it again? He has three top 10's in the last four races here.
• Brad Keselowski - 3rd, 3rd, and 6th. Those are BK's last three finishes here at Homestead. Will it be enough to finally get a win? Can he take a win from a Chase driver?

The Middle

• Carl Edwards - We know he can run very well here (see story above), but lately he hasn't closed out this race well. 11th, 34th, 12th, and 12th are his last four finishes here. Can he step it up for a Championship?

The Bad

• Kurt Busch - It's hard to think Kurt could have won the Championship even if he was in the final four this weekend. He just hasn't been that good here. SHR would have to give him a bad fast car to have a shot.
• Greg Biffle - Once a winner for three straight (2004-2006), the Biff has lost a step at Homestead. One top 10 (top 5) in his last five races here, Biffle just can't get it done.
• Jamie McMurray - 14 races, two top 5's, and four top 10's. The statistics pretty much say it all so I won't go too much deeper.

Another season has come and gone. It was a fun ride and I appreciate all of you who come check out the site, support it, and follow along on Twitter or Google +. I do this because I love the sport and it keeps me engaged weekly, but without people who follow along it wouldn't be worth it. I love the interaction with all the fans, so again, thanks for following along.

Per usual, Behind the Wall will have plenty of offseason content to check out weekly. Season reviews on drivers will get posted throughout the offseason and then we will get started on driver previews for 2017. Driver contracts, 2017 Paint Schemes, preseason Chase and Championship predictions, plus plenty more all up until Daytona 2017!