Joey Logano is in.
Kevin Harvick is close.
And six other drivers are battling for the final two spots in NASCAR’s Final 4.
NASCAR heads to Fort Worth, Texas for the AutoTrader Echo Park Automotive 500 Sunday, 3:30 (now rescheduled for noon, Tuesday) and the second race of the Round of Eight.
Logano punched his ticket to the Final 4 with an upset win (he was 14-1) last Sunday in Kansas. Harvick has amassed enough points that it would take a near miracle for him to miss qualifying.
Then it gets interesting.
Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski are currently third and fourth in the standings.
Chase Elliott is just eight points behind Keselowski for the final spot and Alex Bowman, in sixth, is 27 points out of fourth.
Martin Truex (31 points behind) ad Kurt Busch (73 points behind) round out the top eight.
Of course as Logano did a week ago, win and you’re in.
The final qualifying race is Nov. 1 in Martinsville, Va. and the Cup Championship is slated for Nov. 8 in Phoenix.
Here’s how the Eckel 4, which as always includes Scott “Tobacco Road’’ Baker, Mike “Left Turn’’ Sweeney, and Barry “Dr. NASCAR’’ Davis, see Sunday’s race.
Kevin Harvick (13-5): Three of “The 4’’ had Harvick on top this week even though he probably doesn’t need the win to advance. He’s also won here in 2017, 2018 and 2019, so there’s that. And he’s looking for his 10th win of the season. His ninth win came 37 days ago and amazingly that’s his longest drought of the season.
Joey Logano (7-1): “Left Turn’’ thinks Logano, who won here in 2014, is going to win for a second consecutive week. He certainly looked good last week. But as Dorothy once said to Toto, “This isn’t Kansas.’’
Brad Keselowski (16-1): Three of the four (everyone but me) put Keselowski on their list to finish second or third and hold onto one of the top four spots. He’s never won here, but he has finished second twice.
Longshot Play: Alex Bowman (35-1): Three of the four (everyone but “Tobacco Road’’) thinks Bowman could be a surprise Sunday. At those odds it might be worth a shot, even if he’s never been better than fifth here.