NASCAR All-Star Race 2015: Breaking Down Top Contenders at Charlotte
Winning races on NASCAR's Sprint Cup circuit is more important than ever since it essentially guarantees a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and even though the standings won't be impacted by Saturday's Sprint All-Star Race, the emphasis on winning will be crystal clear.
Since the winner of the race takes home a cool $1 million, there is plenty of incentive to go all out at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A poor finish won't impact a driver's pursuit of a Sprint Cup championship, so there is no reason to be anything other than aggressive.
That should make for an extremely entertaining event as always, but it could also lead to some big-time squabbles on the track.
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With that in mind, here is a look at a few drivers who stand out above the rest as contenders to win the 2015 Sprint All-Star Race.
Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson is already among the greatest drivers of all time, but he continues to add accolades to his impressive resume. The six-time Sprint Cup champion is potentially on track for another title this year, and he has a legitimate chance to continue his All-Star dominance as well.
JJ is one of six drivers who have won the Sprint All-Star Race on multiple occasions, but nobody can match his win total of four, according to Jayski's:
Johnson has proven many times over the years that he has the intelligence, nerves and driving acumen to come through in the clutch. That has manifested itself several times in the All-Star Race, including both the 2012 and 2013 editions.
He was unable to guide the No. 48 car to victory lane for a third consecutive time last year, but there is reason to believe that he will end his brief drought.
That has something to do with the fact that his team is just as driven to win as he is. Per Team Lowe's Racing, crew chief Chad Knaus doesn't even care about the monetary side of things:
Johnson and Knaus certainly won't turn down the $1 million paid to the winner, but it certainly seems to be secondary to them.
Commitment to excellence is what has helped Johnson become arguably the best driver in the world, and he'll use that to his advantage Saturday night.
Since breaking his leg and foot in the Xfinity Series' season-opening race at Daytona, Kyle Busch has been on the shelf. Fans have eagerly anticipated his return and they will finally get their wish in the Sprint All-Star Race.
The 30-year-old superstar is officially back, and he will undoubtedly want to make up for lost time. According to Jared Turner of FoxSports.com, Busch can't wait to get back to his winning ways.
"I think the biggest thing I missed is being able to hold up trophies, being in victory lane. That's probably the biggest thing. I know my teammate Denny Hamlin has won, my teammate Matt Kenseth has won. Besides those races that they've won, it may look like we've struggled a little bit as an organization.
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There may be no better race for Busch's return than the Sprint All-Star Race since it will allow him to go for a win immediately. He will need to string together several good finishes in Sprint Cup competition in order to get himself in the top 30, but that won't be a concern Saturday.
Also, in some ways, the All-Star Race will serve as a warm-up event for him before he truly gets back into the swing of things. Rustiness could ultimately prevent him from winning, but the fact that he is so driven and motivated to return to form might be enough to help him take the checkered flag.
Jamie McMurray
The Sprint All-Star Race has yielded some surprising winners over the years, but perhaps none was more shocking than Jamie McMurray's victory last year.
McMurray is a solid driver with seven career victories on the Sprint Cup circuit, however, few gave him a legitimate chance in such a star-studded field. He was able to outlast some extremely stiff competition in 2014, though, and he now has a chance to be a repeat winner.
The 38-year-old veteran is enjoying a very strong season as he is currently eighth in the standings. According to Brant James of USA Today, McMurray feels as though he is performing better on a weekly basis in 2015 than he possibly ever has before:
"We've had a couple of those (finishes) where we ran really well and something happened and instead of it resulting in a 35th- or 40th-place finish, we were still able to get a top-15 out of it. When I look at the points, if you just get a couple of those it's almost a whole race that you add to your points. But outside of that we've probably run better consistently this year than I ever have. It just comes down to the cars continue and really being able to finish the whole race.
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That consistency means McMurray figures to enter the All-Star Race in a good state of mind, and that positivity should make it that much easier for him to vie for a win.
He is once again an underdog of sorts even after winning last year and carrying that momentum over into the 2015 campaign, but the fact that he is flying under the radar should suit him just fine.
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