NASCAR Quicken Loans 400: Preview and prediction

May 21, 2015; Concord, NC, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) during qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
May 21, 2015; Concord, NC, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) during qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 1, 2015; Hampton, GA, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) celebrates winning the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2015; Hampton, GA, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jimmie Johnson (48) celebrates winning the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports /

Prediction

Jimmie Johnson

If recent patterns hold up, Jimmie Johnson will win the Quicken Loans 400 this Sunday, at Michigan International Speedway. He won at Kansas, lost at Charlotte, won at Dover and lost at Pocono. That’s got to be a win this Sunday right?

Well, there is also the fact that Johnson has finished top-3 of 7 of his last 8 races and has been one of the three best drivers on the track this season. At a track like Michigan, where Hendrick Motorsports performs well, Johnson is a great pick to win this Sunday.

He has four wins on the season, which is the most of any driver thus far this year, and if he can avoid any mishaps this week, he will be in contention to win at the 2-mile track. He currently sits third in the points standings, because of a few bad races, but a fifth win would cause him to rise and perhaps enter him into the conversation of best driver this season.

That conversation currently starts and ends with Kevin Harvick, who has been right there behind Johnson when he wins, but a fifth win would make it hard to ignore everything that he has accomplished this year. He is having a special season and a seventh Sprint Cup Championship in his sights.

This week at Michigan, he could add yet another trophy to his very large trophy case.

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