Welcome to Homestead, Florida, and the championship edition of NASCAR’s American Gladiators. With a slim three point advantage going into the final round we have from Columbia, Missouri 32-year old Carl Edwards. His opponent is the two-time former champion, from Columbus, Indiana, 40-year old Tony Stewart.
[media-credit id=40 align=”alignright” width=”230″]
[/media-credit]Like American Gladiators, we have our two contenders and 41 gladiators who will be out to upset, run into, and out pace the principles in this action. There is Nitro Kyle Busch, who can go off at any moment, having already taken one series title contender to the wall this season. Titan Jimmie Johnson has already claimed five trophies for his own case and might be forgiven for making things a little tough on his successor. I’m sure Thunder, Turbo, Tower, Hawk, Tank and the rest of the gang have their own plans to bring the heat to Miami. No, I’m not talking about those big guys with the big balls and the leaky nets who are well on their way to a non-existent season to call their own.
While everybody else is either hoping to end the NASCAR season strong so they might have something to hang their helmet on heading into 2012, or maybe to earn a job or to keep a job, this Sunday at Homestead will be all about two drivers and only two drivers. With this one going down to the wire, who should be considered the favorite?
Stewart has won two at Homestead, the opening pair in 1999 and 2000. He has six Top Tens in a dozen starts, with an average finish of 12.4. Good, but there is better. Edwards has won two of the past three run in Miami, has four Top Fives and a half dozen Top Tens in just seven starts. His average finish is 5.7. When you hear that this is a track Cousin Carl loves, they are not just whistling in the dark. In a season where the Chase has left us with two guys with identical points over nine races, the venue might make a difference. Now if you can only ignore those four Chase wins for that other guy. Like a fine coffee, this one should be good to the last drop. Enjoy the week.
