2011 Ford 400 – Post-Practice Predictions

2011 Ford 400 Post-Practice Predictions, Picks, Tips and Preview – Favorites and Sleepers to Win Ford 400: Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be highlighted by a variety of battles. Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart will be fighting it out for the Sprint Cup title, and the Ford drivers will be fighting for Edwards while the Chevy drivers will be doing the same for Stewart. It is a battle that only exists in NASCAR, where the team aspect is often forgotten. Most weeks, every driver on the track is focused on beating the other 42 and getting to Victory Lane. However, that will change Sunday with a title on the line. If a Chevy driver can give a spot to Stewart in the closing laps and give him the title, they will do it, and there will be Ford drivers looking to do the same for Edwards as well.

2011 Ford 400 – Post-Practice Top 5

1. Carl Edwards: He certainly left little doubt that he is the favorite to win the title Sunday. Edwards posted the second-fastest lap in the opening practice Saturday and topped the charts in Happy Hour. He also recorded the second-best 10-lap average speed in the first practice. Edwards is the defending winner of Sunday’s race and has won two of the last three races at Homestead. No driver has a better average finish at the track, and he could end up winning the race and the championship.

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick posted the ninth-fastest lap in the first practice at Homestead Saturday, and he had the third-best 10-lap average speed in Happy Hour. He has finished third or better in three straight starts at Homestead, and Harvick had the long-run speed during Saturday’s practices that has made him so effective in years past. Homestead is famous for eating up tires, and Harvick seems to be able to handle the tire wear as well as any driver.

3. Matt Kenseth: He opened Saturday’s practices with the third-fastest lap in the first session, and Kenseth followed it up with the fifth-best 10-lap average speed in Happy Hour. He is a former winner at Homestead and has been one of the best at 1.5-mile tracks all season. Given the importance of pleasing sponsors, it is no coincidence that Ford drivers have dominated the Ford 400 over the years, and Kenseth could continue the trend this weekend.

4. Jeff Gordon: Gordon had respectable speeds in both practices Saturday, ranking eighth and 12th in terms of fastest laps. However, his real strength was on longer runs, and he had the best 10-lap average speed in Happy Hour. Gordon has never won at Homestead, but he has finished sixth or better in three of his last four starts. At a track where speeds tend to drop dramatically over the course of a tire run, Gordon’s long-run speed should pay off.

5. Clint Bowyer: He was the total package in practice Saturday. Bowyer recorded the seventh-fastest lap in the final session, and more importantly, he ranked fifth in the first practice and second in Happy Hour in terms of 10lap average speeds. Bowyer has been the model of consistency at Homestead, finishing 12-th or better in four of his five starts. He appears to have a car capable of taking the next step and picking up his first win at the track Sunday.

2011 Ford 400 – Post-Practice Top Sleeper

1. A.J. Allmendinger: Allmendinger came to life in Happy Hour, posting the fourth-fastest lap of any driver. Speed is nothing new for him at Homestead, where he has finished 11th or better in all three career starts. With his history of success at the track, Allmendinger could cap a year of upsets with his first career Cup Series win.

View the most current vegas betting odds to win the 2011 Ford 400 for this Sunday, November 20th at Homestead-Miami.