The 2016 Chase for the Sprint Cup is headed toward the homestretch. Only three races remain on the season, and the first of those three will take place in Texas for the 2016 AAA Texas 500 on November 6, 2016. Current Chase leader Jimmie Johnson has rediscovered the winning touch in recent weeks. Can he claim yet another win in a track which he’s dominated in past seasons? Let’s take a look at some of his top competition for the checkered flag this weekend.
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Johnson is heating up at just the right time. The six-time Sprint Cup champ won for the second time in four races last week in Martinsville, and has placed in the top five in three of his last four.
And if you think there’s no way he can keep his terrific run going, just take a look at what he’s done in Texas. Johnson has won five of his last eight races in Texas, a truly amazing feat. With the form he’s currently in, win No. 6 in nine looks very likely.
Kevin Harvick
Harvick has some work to do after a disappointing 20th-place finish in Martinsville last week. The 2014 champ needs strong performances in the next two races to stand a chance of making it back to the championship race.
But based on past form, Harvick should be capable of putting together a strong showing in Texas. Although he has yet to win in Texas, Harvick has finished in the top three in three of his last four races in Texas. At the very least, he should be a top contender this weekend.
Martin Truex Jr.
Truex’s Chase may be over, but he is not ready to pack it in just yet. He showed that last week as he started in pole and finished 7th in Martinsville.
Truex has been simply terrific in intermediate tracks this season, with wins in Charlotte, Darlington, and Chicago. He has yet to record a win at the Texas track, but he did lead 141 out of the 334 laps in the Duck Commander 500 earlier this season on his way to respectable 6th place finish.
Sleeper
Brad Keselowski
Keselowski will be an intriguing sleeper in Texas. Although he has yet to win at the track, he’s been a consistent top-10 finisher in Texas (six top-10 finishes in his last eight starts, to be exact). His 8.60 average finish is also the third-best for drivers with at least four starts at the track since 2014.
And despite getting eliminated, Keselowski has been one of the more consistent drivers in the Chase. He’s finished in the top-5 in four of the last seven races, including a runner-up finish last week in Virginia.
Long Shot
Kurt Busch
Busch finished 22nd last week in Martinsville, and needs a strong showing in Texas to keep his championship hopes alive. But Kurt does have a rather good track record of success at the track in recent years. He’s finished inside the top-10 in three of his last four races in Texas, which makes him one of the more intriguing long-shot bets in the field.
Writer’s Prediction
Jimmie Johnson scores yet another huge win in Texas.
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