If there is anything NASCAR can take away from this Chase for the Cup is that the sport needed this kind of championship battle.
Since 2006, the Chase became a way for Jimmie Johnson to run rampant over his competition. He could have a mediocre 26 races where he just manages to make the Chase. But, once the final 10 races began, he becomes unstoppable and runs all over the other 10, and in recent years 12, drivers.
But, after four years of seeing the No. 48 team hold up the championship trophy at season's end, this year could be a changing of the guard.
Look at the scenarios that are playing out heading into Homestead. Johnson is in an unfamiliar position where he's doing the chasing, and maybe he enjoys that position.
If Johnson does come out of Homestead as champion, it would be the first time he truly earned the title. The 2010 season was one where the Lowe's team showed vulnerability, and the rest of the field pounced. The driver that took the most advantage was Denny Hamlin.
He became probably the most unprecidented competitor because of how his off-season went. With a torn ACL, no one could see how competitive he could be inside the car.
Hamlin wanted to tough out the season, but six races in he decided to have surgery done. One week after, he finished 30th at Phoenix, refusing to get out of the car.
That toughness gave the team the confidence in their driver and his ability. One week later, he won at Texas.
Now, Hamlin is in probably the most vulnerable of spots. He enters Homestead leading the points, but only by 15 over Johnson. Every lap, every corner, and every second will change the points.
There is only one way for Hamlin to guarantee a title. Hamlin needs to finish at least second and lead the most laps to guarantee his first championship.
As if having Johnson that close was hard enough, Kevin Harvick is in the best spot he can hope for. He is in third, just 46 points back. He just needs to handle his business and hope for a mistake by one of his competitors. It was a near disaster for Harvick at Phoenix, but he came out with a top-10 finish and closed the gap.
There is literally no guarantee of who will finish with the championship on Sunday, and NASCAR has waited for this kind of battle for over six years.
The last Chase that was this close was the inaugural one in 2004 where Kurt Busch won by eight points, and it came down to the final laps to guarantee a victory.
The fans that are coming to the Homestead-Miami Speedway will be in for the battle they have been waiting for. There are two drivers that have an opportunity to knock off the No. 48 team as the top team in NASCAR.
Can it happen?
There's a lot of fans that hope it does, but there's many more that want to see a five-time champion.
From the green flag to the checkered, Homestead is going to be a very intense, and exciting, race. The fans, the media, and everyone within NASCAR has wanted this kind of championship battle for many years.
They finally have it.
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