Race Weekend Central

Matt McLaughlin’s Driver Handicaps: 2007 Homestead Race

Jimmie Johnson – Johnson has top-10 finishes in four of his six starts at Homestead, including a second-place result scored here in 2004. For those looking for a little drama, Johnson did crash out here in 2005 en route to 40th place.

Jeff Gordon – Gordon has top-10 finishes in six of eight Cup races at Homestead, producing an average finishing position of 11th. His best run here was third in 2004.

Clint Bowyer – Bowyer finished 10th here last year in his only Homestead Cup start. He started the Chase with a victory; can he end it with one as well?

Kyle Busch – In two Homestead Cup starts, Busch has finished 38th and 41st. It may be for the better that he isn’t running for the title this weekend; his meltdown would make Chernobyl look like a Black Cat firecracker.

Tony Stewart – Stewart won the first two Cup races ever run at Homestead back in 1999 and 2000. But in the six Cup races run here since, he’s managed just two top-10 finishes.

Matt Kenseth – After struggling mightily at Homestead early in his career, Kenseth has managed to post top 10s in the last two Homestead Cup races. However, his average finish here remains 23rd.

Kevin Harvick – Harvick finished second here in 2003, and has top-10 finishes in five of his six Homestead Cup starts. He won a Busch Series race here in 2004.

Jeff Burton – Burton hasn’t managed a top-10 finish here since 2002, back when few folks knew Bill France Jr. had a son named Brian. He has finished third here twice in days of yore.

Carl Edwards – Edwards is averaging a ninth-place finish here after three Cup starts.

Kurt Busch – Busch won here in 2002, but finished dead last here last year after a wreck. It’s been that type of up and down experience for him here; he owns a middling average of 21st at Homestead.

See also
Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: 2007 Ford 400 at Homestead Edition

Martin Truex Jr. – Truex finished second in this race last year. This year, even a finish that good isn’t going to help him any.

Denny Hamlin – Hamlin finished third in this race last year. Again, it’s a matter of too little too late this year.

Ryan Newman – Despite two top-10 finishes in five Homestead Cup starts, Newman is averaging a 21st-place finish here.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. – After seven Homestead Cup starts, Junior is still looking for a top-10 result. His average Cup finish here is 27th.

Greg Biffle – Biffle has won the last three Homestead Cup races.

Casey Mears – Mears finished fifth here in 2005, but his average finish after four Homestead Cup starts is 23rd.

Jamie McMurray – McMurray is averaging an 18th-place finish at Homestead despite two top-10 finishes in five career starts.

Bobby Labonte – Labonte dominated the inaugural Homestead Cup race, only to get bumped aside by then-teammate Stewart at the finish. He had top-10 finishes in four of his first five starts here, and won the 2003 Homestead Cup race when Bill Elliott had a flat on the last lap. His last three outings here have been less than stellar, however.

Kasey Kahne – Kahne led 90 laps here last year en route to a fourth-place finish. His other two Homestead Cup starts yielded less than satisfactory results.

JJ Yeley – Yeley ran out of gas late and finished 30th last year, after a decent run in his only Cup start at this track.

About the author

Matt joined Frontstretch in 2007 after a decade of race-writing, paired with the first generation of racing internet sites like RaceComm and Racing One. Now semi-retired, he submits occasional special features while his retrospectives on drivers like Alan Kulwicki, Davey Allison, and other fallen NASCAR legends pop up every summer on Frontstretch. A motorcycle nut, look for the closest open road near you and you can catch him on the Harley during those bright, summer days in his beloved Pennsylvania.

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