NASCAR: Staff Picks for Championship Four

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JOLIET, IL – SEPTEMBER 16: Martin Truex Jr. drives the #78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Montana Lindsley’s Championship Four

Martin Truex Jr.: Furniture Row Racing, Cole Pearn, and Martin Truex Jr. have set the field ablaze by winning stage after stage and taking home four victories. Not to mention winning the regular season title. I think they will continue to perform by winning even more stages and gaining an already big lead on second place in points. Truex Jr. and will take the No. 78 to Miami and be one the final four.

Kyle Larson: This has truly been Larson’s breakout season with four wins and he has shown that Chip Ganassi Racing has lots of speed capable of carrying them to Homestead-Miami. Barring any major troubles or significant drop in performance, Larson should grab some valuable stage points and race wins that will put him as a favorite come Championship Four time.

Jimmie Johnson: Defending MENCS champion Jimmie Johnson has lacked his usual strong runs over the summer stretch. On the other hand, it’s hard to ever count out Mr. Seven-Time as he entered the playoffs last season in a similar situation. Yet he walked out of Miami as a champion once again. It may be hard to see Johnson make it past the Round of 8, or maybe even the Round of 12, but they will find the horseshoe that gets them to the Final Four, I (almost) guarantee it.

Brad Keselowski: This may or may not be a surprise pick, but Keselowski is five years removed from his first Cup title back in 2012. He’s brought the No. 2 team close a few times since, but since his Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano did not make the playoffs, I can see Keselowski not having to worry about a teammate and going all in for his second title. I doubt Penske plays favorites either, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Penske shop is putting forth their best time and resources towards the “Blue Deuce”.

Champion

Martin Truex Jr.: When it comes down to it, Martin Truex Jr. has been the best driver this season. I don’t see any reason why that stops in these final 10 races. People are quick to point out his struggles and his luck that usually bites him, but that team has almost everything going for it at the moment. Even with the fact that Furniture Row Racing added a second car this season (that already seems to be going away for 2018), they didn’t miss a beat from last season’s four wins. With as much “adversity” as Truex and team get thrown at them, they will “overcome it” to become the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.

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