WWE Raw fans are used to drama, but it may be nothing like the Ford 400 on Sunday as the Sprint Cup will be given to either Carl Edwards, who has a three-point lead and is looking for his first title, while two-time champion Tony Stewart is out to become the first owner/driver since Alan Kuwicki in 1992 to win a Cup championship. Here is a look at five to watch at the NASCAR finale this weekend.
Carl Edwards (+500): Fords have won seven of the last nine events at Homestead-Miami, and Edwards has counted for two of those three, including last year. His 5.7 average in seven starts here is the best among active drivers, so it’s no BetOnline scam to see the No.99 out front. This is a great course for him and he won’t get a better chance to seal his first Cup title.
Tony Stewart (+500): But Stewart won the first two races here back in 1999 and 2000, and he finished eighth here last season. Given the run that Stewart is on, no price per head bookie would say he has no chance after four wins in the Chase and a third-place run at Phoenix to stay in the hunt. In 10 starts at Homestead-Miami, the No.14 driver has six top-10s and a 12.4 average, but he’ll probably need a victory.
Kevin Harvick (+750): Harvick’s 7.9 average in 10 starts is second only to Edwards, but the No.29 driver has never won here and would love a victory to perhaps boost his odds in next year’s pay per head sportsbook. He hasn’t performed that well down the stretch, but Harvick is always dangerous, especially when he has nothing to lose.
Jimmie Johnson (+850): Johnson’s five-year title reign will officially come to an end here, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get a win to show that he plans on starting another run in 2012. Johnson’s 11.6 average in 10 starts is fourth among active drivers and while he hasn’t been bad recently, the No.48 driver hasn’t found that extra gear in the postseason.
Denny Hamlin (+2000): Hamlin has probably wanted to come back to Homestead since last year, when he held the championship lead, but he pushed the issue early, ended up in an accident and gifted the title to Johnson. He’s generally pretty good at Homestead with an average of 11.2 in six starts, including a victory in 2009, and a victory this week would show the No.20 team will be a threat next season. Edwards won last season’s finale and wound up in the position he’s in, so don’t be afraid to take a stab at Hamlin in your sportsbooks.

