Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Johnson is 4-to-1 Favorite at Homestead in Last Ditch effort

No wins at Homestead, but Johnson is 4/1 favorite this week (Getty)
By Micah Roberts
The Linemakers on Sporting News

LAS VEGAS -- Jimmie Johnson will try to do something he’s never done before in his career – win at Homestead. Despite it being one of five tracks on the circuit Johnson has yet to win on, the LVH SuperBook still installed Johnson as the 4-to-1 favorite to take the checkers at Sunday’s Ford Ecoboost 400.

He’s the favorite because Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus will put everything they have into gaining maximum points this week, which means trying to win the race and lead the most laps.

If Brad Keselowski (10-to-1) finishes 15th or better Sunday, it doesn’t matter where Johnson finishes -- Keselowski, who leads Johnson by 20 points in the Sprint Cup standings, would clinch the championship. But you can bet the No. 48 will be letting it all hang out in Sunday's season finale.

Johnson may have never won at Homestead, but in five of his 11 starts there, he was not trying to win. Still, he finished ninth or better on the track in four of his championship seasons. He had already been eliminated from the Chase before last season’s final race, and he finished 32nd.

Although the progressive banking and configuration of Homestead is different from the other 1.5-mile tracks, the set-up required this week will be similar, which means drivers like Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth all have a great chance to win and is why they are all listed at 8-to-1.

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