It’s going to be a wicked Sprint Showdown, the first leg of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race. Finishing first in the Sprint Showdown guarantees the winner a spot in the Sprint All-Star Race this coming Sunday. It’s going to be one hell of a race with some of the best young racers in the Sprint Cup field. There are also plenty of talented veterans, angling to show that they have what it takes to beat the best drivers in the All-Star Race.
For more on this week’s NASCAR All-Star proceedings, check out our feature for the All-Star Race’s purse.
A win in the Sprint Cup Series is long overdue for Austin Dillon. One of the best up-and-coming young drivers around, Dillon has come close to a trip to victory lane with fifth place finish at Las Vegas, a fourth place finish at Martinsville and a third place finish at Talladega.
Dillon has been a stud when it comes to lower-level events. He’s been incredible in the Xfinity Series with a win at California and finishing all eight races in the top 10. He has five top five finishes over those eight races. He won’t have much competition when it comes to the Sprint Showdown.
Chase Elliott
Chase Elliott will need to wait a little bit more for his first ever Sprint Cup victory. He’ll have to take part in the Sprint Showdown before possibly starting in the All-Star Race this weekend. Elliott came oh-so-close to his first title. He fought tooth-and-nail at the Dover International Speedway, finishing a career-best third on his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy.
Elliott has been red hot, finishing in the top 10 in eight of his last 11 starts. He finished sixth at last year’s Sprint Showdown and 18th at Charlotte a week later. The 20-year-old is one of the hottest drivers to back heading into this Friday’s race.
Kyle Larson
Kyle Larson was heralded to be the next great NASCAR driver. He still has no wins to show despite teeming with potential. Larson doesn’t even look desperate for his first victory. He had a chance to get the first win of his career last weekend at Dover. But he decided not to play dirty to take the lead against eventual winner Matt Kenseth. He settled for second.
Larson could earn a feather in his cap by winning the Sprint Showdown and maybe even the All-Star Race a couple days later. It’s not the same as a Sprint Cup victory, but it should point Larson in the right direction.
Sleeper
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is good and consistent but not great. He’s finished in the top 20 in five of his last six starts. He only has one top five this year at California on March 20. He could be a very good driver in a field of young shots, as he won’t have to contend with the likes of Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson or Kevin Harvick. Stenhouse is one of the veterans to keep an eye on at Charlotte.
Long Shot
Danica Patrick
NASCAR’s wonder woman and Stenhouse-beau Danica Patrick closes out the field to watch in the Sprint Showdown. Patrick hasn’t been a good racer all season long. She’s finished in the 20s for most of the season. She’s placed in the top 20 just five times this year. She did have her best outing to date last week at Dover. She placed 13th after starting 31st. Patrick is another veteran to look out for in a relatively young field at the Sprint Showdown.
Writer’s Prediction
Larson races wrecks the field as he wins and punches a ticket into the All-Star Race.
