NASCAR: Is it Kyle Busch’s turn Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami for the Dixie Vodka 400? Eckel and friends submit their picks
Kyle Busch and Martin Truex, NASCAR’s top two drivers in 2019, went into the week looking for their first wins of 2020.
Busch is still looking.
Truex Jr. ended his 2020 drought with a trip to Victory Lane, Wednesday night at Martinsville.
Is it Busch’s turn Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami for the Dixie Vodka 400?
If there was ever a place for Busch, last year’s Cup Champion, to get hot it’s Miami and not just because of he weather.
Busch, who comes in at 11-2 odds, won at Homestead last year on his way to the crown. He finished fourth here in 2018 and second in 2017.
In 11 races thus far this season Busch, who sits in 10th place overall with 318 points, is winless and has just three top five finishes.
Truex, the 2019 second-place finisher, seems to have righted a slow start to the 2020 season. Wednesday’s win moved him into fourth place overall, with 381 points. Truex is the co-favorite of the handicappers at 5-1. He has also had success in this race, with a win in 2017 and second-place finishes in 2018 and 2019.
Points leader Kevin Harvick is the other co-favorite at 5-1 to win his third race of the season.
Here is the way The Eckel 3, which as always includes Scott “Tobacco Road’’ Baker and Mike “Left Turn’’ Sweeney see the race.
Kyle Busch (11-2): This week it’s “Tobacco Road’’ hanging his hat on Busch getting to Victory Lane. I mean it has happen sooner or later, right?
Martin Truex Jr. (5-1): It’s not easy to win two races in less than a week, but Truex loves this course and may be ready to get on a roll.
Denny Hamlin (10-1): “Left Turn’’ is looking for Hamlin, who began the season very well, to get back on track and win for the third time this year.
Joey Logano (9-1): Second in the overall standings, Logano won here in 2018 and finished in the top five last year. He’s got a good chance, Sunday.
Kevin Harvick (5-1): It’s foolish to leave out Harvick. So we didn’t.
Longshot: Matt Kenseth (80-1): This is a “Left Turn’’ special.