One thing is certain. Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano are sure-fire bets to be championship contenders in 2017. They sat down with the media at the CMS Media Tour Wednesday and gave their thoughts on a variety of subjects.
With more than a month left in the old year, talk about the new is already starting to dominate. Tony Stewart is now retired, with Clint Bowyer no doubt thrilled at the chance to get back into quality equipment as his replacement.
It was down to four as NASCAR made its final stop of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Two champions had already been declared, with Johnny Sauter taking the truck title, with the junior circuit claimed by Mexico’s Daniel Suarez. Now it was down to Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Joey Logano to determine the Cup championship.
That's a wrap on the 2016 NASCAR season and history was made as Jimmie Johnson tied Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt to become a seven-time champion. It was a huge moment in NASCAR, with plenty of strategy and drama being played out in the closing laps.
So it ends. Another NASCAR season. A Hall of Fame career for Tony Stewart. The reign of a title sponsor. The wait for another seven-time champion, or a repeat champion, or maybe the crowning of the newest member of NASCAR royalty.
It sucks not to matter. Forty cars took to the track at Phoenix, and only six of them mattered. Not Jimmie Johnson or Carl Edwards. Both had already locked in a final four berth at Homestead, so they mattered not. Not Kyle Larson or Trevor Bayne, who spun early.
With one final championship berth on the line, it was only fitting that the race went into overtime and it was also fitting that late race calamity allowed Joey Logano to sneak his way into the Championship 4.
Coming to Phoenix, a track that's been Kevin Harvick's playground as of late, Joey Logano acknowledged that Harvick is very fast at Phoenix, "but he is also beatable" at Phoenix.
