Edwards & Stewart Go Head-To-Head At Homestead For The Sprint Cup Championship

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The final race in the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will take place this Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Race number ten in NASCAR’s version of the “playoffs” called The Chase has turned out to be a “championship game” between Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart.

Last week at Phoenix, Kasey Kahne won the race while Edwards and Stewart drove to a draw as far as championship points goes. Both before and after that race, 3 points separated the number one and two drivers in the Sprint Cup points standings respectively. The one positive that Edwards and Stewart took away from the desert of Arizona was that they had eliminated the other 10 Chase drivers from any chance of winning the championship. That sets up this weekend’s head-to-head competition between the two drivers to determine who will be the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion.

The NASCAR Championship weekend festivities get underway today in Florida with the two day ‘NASCAR Championship Drive Fan Fest‘ which includes a concert headlined by Blake Shelton tonight (11/17). As the fans enjoy all the fun, the biggest question on their minds will likely be, “Will Edwards or Stewart win the Sprint Cup Championship” and receive the highest honor at the NASCAR Awards Ceremony in Las Vegas hosted by Reba McEntire this December?

Edwards heads into this weekend’s Ford 400 race with the advantage of being the points leader by 3 points over Stewart. Although it isn’t much, it does simplify what Edwards has to do to win the championship and therefore likely give him a mental advantage as well.  With the current points system in NASCAR, here are scenarios to look for on the Homestead-Miami Speedway to determine who will win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship.

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CARL EDWARDS WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP IF:

Edwards finishes ahead of Stewart in the race.

TONY STEWART WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP IF:

#1 – Stewart wins the race.

#2 – Edwards leads a lap and Stewart doesn’t, but Stewart finishes four spots ahead of Edwards.

#3 – Edwards leads the most laps, Stewart doesn’t lead a lap, but Stewart finishes five spots ahead of Edwards.

#4 – Stewart leads a lap, Edwards doesn’t lead a lap and Stewart finishes two spots ahead of Edwards.

#5 – Stewart leads the most laps, Edwards doesn’t lead a lap and Stewart finishes one spot ahead of Edwards.

#6 – Stewart and Edwards both lead a lap and Stewart finishes three spots ahead of Edwards.

#7 – Stewart and Edwards tie for the most laps lead and Stewart finishes three spots ahead of Edwards.

#8 – Stewart leads the most laps, Edwards leads a lap and Stewart finishes two spots ahead of Edwards.

#9 – Stewart finishes three spots ahead of Edwards with neither driver leading a lap.

If somehow Edwards and Stewart end the race in a points total tie, the championship will be determined by the “tie breaker”. By NASCAR rule, that means the driver with the most wins in the season wins the Sprint Cup Championship. Heading into the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Edwards has 1 win to Stewart’s 4. In the event of a points tie, Stewart is the champion.

Tune in to a preview of what can happen in the Ford 400 by joining JD & Kevin in the Morning on B104, Friday morning, at 6:50am for Wilson’s Race Report.

You can hear all the action of race number ten of The Chase, the Sprint Cup Championship Ford 400 race, from Homestead-Miami Speedway on our sister station WJBC FM, 93.7, starting at 1pm central time Sunday  (11/20/11).