HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — A glance at the four drivers in the NASCAR championship race Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
DRIVER: Kyle Busch
TEAM: No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
BORN: May 2, 1985
HOMETOWN: Las Vegas
CREW CHIEF: Adam Stevens
SPONSOR: M&M's
SOCIAL MEDIA: @kylebusch (Twitter), @rowdybusch (Instagram)
NOTES: Busch is racing for his second championship and has been among the top teams all season. He has eight wins this season, including last weekend at Phoenix. He won Homestead in 2015 to clinch the title in a season in which he raced only 25 times because of injury. He has been the top driver at Gibbs this season and solidified himself as a strong contender among NASCAR's Big Three. Busch was second to Truex a year ago.
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DRIVER: Kevin Harvick
TEAM: No. 4 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
BORN: Dec. 8, 1975
HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, California
CREW CHIEF: Rodney Childers/Tony Gibson
SPONSOR: Jimmy John's
SOCIAL MEDIA: @KevinHarvick (Twitter and Instagram)
NOTES: Harvick is seeking his second Cup championship and is trying to accomplish it with an interim crew chief. Rodney Childers was suspended in a cheating scandal after a win at Texas. Harvick has Tony Gibson on the box for the second straight race. Harvick was won eight times this season and won Homestead in 2014 to clinch his first championship. Harvick is the only Stewart-Haas Racing driver in the championship field after all four drivers made the round of eight.
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DRIVER: Martin Truex Jr.
TEAM: No. 78 Toyota, Furniture Row Racing
BORN: June 29, 1980
HOMETOWN: Mayetta, New Jersey
CREW CHIEF: Cole Pearn
SPONSOR: Bass Pro Shops/5-hour Energy
SOCIAL MEDIA: @MartinTruex_Jr (Twitter and Instagram)
NOTES: Truex was strong this season with four wins but far from as dominant as he was a year ago when he won his first championship. Truex is trying to send Furniture Row Racing out a winner in its final season. FRR shut down once it was unable to secure sponsorship for Truex next season. Truex is set to join fellow championship driver Kyle Busch next season at Joe Gibbs Racing.
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DRIVER: Joey Logano
TEAM: No. 22 Ford, Team Penske
BORN: May 24, 1990
HOMETOWN: Middletown, Connecticut
CREW CHIEF: Todd Gordon
SPONSOR: Shell/Pennzoil
SOCIAL MEDIA: @JoeyLogano (Twitter and Instagram)
NOTES: Logano rebounded from a disappointing 2017 to make the championship field for the second time in three seasons. Logano won twice this year for team owner Roger Penske and enters far from the favorite. Logano was denied the 2016 title in part because of a poor pit stop and he finished series runner-up. Logano is the only driver still left in the championship hunt who has yet to win a Cup title.
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