HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Kyle Busch captured his second Cup championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, triumphing as his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates stumbled in the season finale.
The No. 18 Toyota driver ended a 21-race winless drought dating to June, scoring his fifth victory of the season.
Busch took the lead on a Lap 170 restart from teammate Denny Hamlin and commanded the final 97 laps as the race stayed green.
“We have a great race team and a great owner and the best sponsor in sports,” Busch told NBC. “Thank you to everyone for this opportunity. I may be the one who hoists the trophy or to have a championship, but it wouldn’t be possible without (crew chief) Adam Stevens, (owner) coach Joe Gibbs, J.D. Gibbs, Coy Gibbs, the whole family. … This (Toyota Racing Development) engine was awesome tonight. It’s been awesome all year, we had one issue. It’s so much fun to work with these guys and this group. Everybody that puts it all together for me. There’s alway your doubters, there’s always your haters. But you know what? This one’s for Rowdy Nation, ’cause you guys are the best.”
Click here for final 2019 season standings
As for the other Championship 4 drivers, Martin Truex Jr. finished second, while Kevin Harvick was fourth and Denny Hamlin wound up 10th. Joe Gibbs Racing actually placed all four of its drivers in the top 10, as teammate Erik Jones finished third to make it a 1-2-3 JGR finish, along with Hamlin rounding out the top 10.
Hamlin encountered major trouble after his team applied too much tape to the front grille of the No. 11 Toyota on a Lap 209 pit stop under green.
Truex controlled Stage 1, moving into first after Harvick led the first 20 laps.
Truex led 59 of the next 60 laps, often building a lead of more than seven seconds. By the end of the stage, 27 of the 40 cars had fallen a lap down because of the No. 19 Toyota’s blistering speed.
Truex led 39 of the next 40 laps to start Stage 2 before disaster struck. During a Lap 120 pit stop under green, his crew mixed up the left- and right-side front tires. That necessitated another stop under green for Truex, who re-emerged a lap down in 13th.
He got back on the lead lap when the caution flew for a spin by John Hunter Nemechek on Lap 137.
After restarting in 13th, Truex zoomed back into the top five within 10 laps. When the second stage ended, Truex was in fourth behind Busch, Harvick and Kyle Larson and just ahead of Hamlin.
Truex and Hamlin each picked up a spot during pit stops under the stage-ending yellow, and the Championship 4 restarted as the top four with 101 laps remaining.
Stage 1 winner: Martin Truex Jr.
Stage 2 winner: Kyle Busch
Who else had a good race: The win by Kyle Busch was the 19th of the season for JGR, setting a new modern day (since 1972) record for most Cup wins by an organization in a single season, breaking Hendrick Motorsports’ old mark of 18 set in 2007. … Last year’s champion, Joey Logano, who fell short of reaching Homestead last week in the race at Phoenix, finished fifth.
Who had a bad race: Kyle Larson was running in the top five but suffered engine issues on Lap 209 that forced him out of the race and relegated him to a last-place finish in the 40-car field.
Notable: Here’s how drivers who made their final appearances with their current teams – or their final full-time race in the Cup Series – fared: Daniel Hemric (12th), Daniel Suarez (14th), Chris Buescher (16th), Paul Menard (17th), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (19th), Matt DiBenedetto (20th) and David Ragan (27th). … Hemric wrapped up the season by winning NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year honors.
What’s next: The 2020 NASCAR Cup season opens at Daytona International Speedway on February 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET.
Kyle Busch closed out the 2019 NASCAR Cup season with both the win and the championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Busch becomes the sixth consecutive driver who has won the season finale in order to win the championship since the current playoff format began in 2014.
Here’s a quick recap of the overall outcome of Sunday’s race:
RESULTS:
Kyle Busch won his second career NASCAR Cup championship, snapping a 21-race winless streak in the process, to win Sunday’s season-ending Ford EcoBoost 400.
It’s the final time the season-ending race will be held at Homestead-Miami Speedway (for at least the forseeable future).
Busch made it a 1-2-3 Joe Gibbs Racing finish, with fellow Championship 4 driver Martin Truex Jr. finishing second, followed by teammate Erik Jones. Their other teammate, Championship 4 contender Denny Hamlin, finished 10th.
In-between, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick, the only Championship 4 driver not under the JGR umbrella, finished fourth.
Last year’s champion, Joey Logano, who came up short last week of reaching the championship round at Miami, finished fifth.
FINAL 2019 STANDINGS:
Kyle Busch broke one streak – coming into Sunday’s race winless in his last 21 starts – but extended another:
Since the current playoff format was implemented in 2014, each NASCAR Cup champion has won the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim the championship trophy.
Busch now becomes the sixth driver to essentially win the double-double, so to speak.
He also finishes No. 1 in the final season standings, followed by Martin Truex Jr. (five points back), Kevin Harvick (-7) and Denny Hamlin (-13).
As for the rest of the 16 original playoff contenders and how they finished: Joey Logano (fifth), Ryan Blaney (sixth), Kyle Larson (seventh), Brad Keselowski (eighth), Clint Bowyer (ninth), Chase Elliott (10th), William Byron (11th), Alex Bowman (12th), Kurt Busch (13th), Aric Almirola (14th), Ryan Newman (15th) and Erik Jones (16th).
Click here for final 2019 season standings
Lastly, the countdown for the 2020 season has already begun, with the Daytona 500 slated to be run on February 16.
Sunday evening saw three of the Cup Series’ four championship drivers with a chance to become just the second active Cup driver with multiple titles on their resume.
In the end, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick had to watch Kyle Busch join that club, which Jimmie Johnson had been the sole member of since 2016 until Busch won under the lights at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Truex finished runner-up in the season finale for the second year in row while Harvick brought his Stewart-Haas Racing Ford home in fourth.
Truex thought his No. 19 Toyota, which his team had been refining for three weeks after his Martinsville win, had the “complete package” for a championship night.
“We were really good on short runs, good on long runs,” Truex told NBC. “Just another one that got away. Felt like we had what it took to win tonight, even more so than last year.”
Truex’s title hopes began to fizzle due to human error on pit road. After he won Stage 1, Truex pitted from the lead in the middle of Stage 2 on Lap 120.
When new tires were placed on his car, the right- and left-front tires were placed on the wrong sides.
Truex felt a difference immediately and returned to the pits on Lap 122. The mistake corrected, Truex returned to track the first car a lap down in 13th.
Luckily for Truex, the only non-stage break caution of the race – for a John Hunter Nemechek spin – fell in his favor on Lap 137. Truex received the free pass and after pit stops restarted 13th.
“Just (lost) control of the race there with the issues we had,” Truex said. “Having to restart back where we did and eating up our tires.”
Though he used up his tires, Truex quickly returned to the top 10 in the process and by the end of Stage 2 he was in fourth. But track position and a tight car kept Truex from being able to make a real run at Busch over the final laps.
“We were faster the whole last run, it’s just that we were too far behind to make up with traffic, lapped traffic and all those things,” Truex said. “Just another one that got away. Felt like we had what it took to win tonight, even more so than last year.
Truex said missing out on a title by one spot, two years in a row “definitely stings a little, but the fact that we have one is still really a big deal. It’s hard to win these things.”
Harvick, who was trying to follow-up his title from the 2014 season, lamented a car that fell off on long runs compared to the Joe Gibbs Racing cars.
Harvick led the first 20 laps of the race before Truex passed him. Harvick led twice more for 21 laps.
“We just needed to do something different,” Harvick said. “Really our best chance was to have a caution there at the end and never got one. We just did something different hoping for a caution, and that’s what you’re supposed to do in those late situations like that. Just do the opposite of the cars you’re trying to race, and it just didn’t work out.”
Harvick said with this race’s recent history of having a late caution, “you kind of play towards that.”
Harvick was asked if being the lone Ford driver pitted against three Toyotas had any impact on how the night went for him.
“Not really … it really turns into individual battles,” Harvick said. “I’d even say those guys are all racing for each other and trying to win a championship. Never really looked at it quite that way.”
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Longtime NASCAR fan Michael Jordan is back at Homestead-Miami Speedway, supporting friend Denny Hamlin in the championship round.
Jordan is a frequent golfing partner of Hamlin, whom he befriended several years ago.
The NBA legend also attended the 2014 season finale and was among the first to greet Hamlin postrace when he exited his No. 11 Toyota after coming up short of winning his first title.
Here’s what Jordan told NASCAR on NBC analyst Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a prerace interview Sunday:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: I’m down there with the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Michael, what brings you to the race today?
Michael Jordan: “I’m a big racing fan. Started off when I was a kid. Grew up watching your dad, Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough, which was the original 11 that I remember. Now I’m good friends with Denny Hamlin. We go way back. He’s a season ticket holder at the Hornets. I spend a lot of time playing golf with him, and obviously I’m a big NASCAR fan, so I came out to support him.”
DEJ: How long has that friendship been with Denny?
MJ: “About seven years ago. I’ve known Denny for seven years. He’s just gotten better. And obviously, my interest in the sport has been there for a long period of time. I love watching. I set my clock every Sunday to watch NASCAR, and I pay attention, and actually I enjoy spending time with him.”
DEJ: You’re the owner of the Charlotte Hornets. Have you ever thought about becoming a NASCAR owner?
MJ (chuckling): “No, I’ve got a lot on my plate. I love being a fan. I still understand the sport, but in terms of ownership, nah, I think I’m just going to sit back and watch it and support from afar.”
DEJ: We love that you’re here. We appreciate it. I hope Denny can pull it off for you today. You guys get to celebrate in victory lane. You’re going to victory lane, right?
MJ: “Oh, I’ll be there. If he wins. At the end of the day, you’ve got some real good race drivers today. I watched you guys earlier, and you said anyone of the four can win. It’s going to be a good championship. I watched Xfinity yesterday, and it was a good championship with those guys. I expect it to be the same today. And I hope Denny can pull it out.”
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — NASCAR President Steve Phelps vowed Sunday morning that the racing at short tracks will be better in 2020.
That was among the key points Phelps discussed in his state of the sport news conference before Sunday’s season-ending Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Phelps also explained what will be the key points to setting the 2021 schedule, more information on the NextGen car that will debut in 2021 and the interest of other manufacturers.
One of the key points Phelps stressed was the racing at short tracks.
While drivers have complained about how difficult it is to pass, at many tracks, those concerns have been greater at some of the short tracks. Martinsville Speedway had only three lead changes each in its races this year as Brad Keselowski led 446 of 500 laps in winning in the spring and Martin Truex Jr. led 464 laps to win the playoff race last month.
Also of concern is the racing at ISM Raceway, which will host the championship races next year for the Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Xfinity Series and Cup Series. While that suburban Phoenix track has renovated its facilities, the racing has raised questions.
Here’s what Phelps said on a variety of subjects:
On the status of ISM Raceway hosting the championship race beyond next year:
Phelps: We need to make sure we are working with our industry, our teams, our (manufacturers) and Goodyear, to make sure that the racing we have in Phoenix both in the spring as well as our championship next year is as good as it can be.
We’re going to announce that 2021 schedule, as you said, in the spring, probably around April 1st, which is a self‑imposed deadline that we have for ourselves. Could that change forwards or backwards a little bit? It could.
Our promise to our fans, and we’ll do it right here, is that we are going to provide the best racing we can at our short tracks. I think we’ve overdelivered on the intermediate tracks, and we will make sure that when we get to Phoenix in the spring, and some of the other racetracks that are short tracks, that they’re going to have better racing.
On how NASCAR will make the racing better at short tracks in 2020:
Phelps: We’re going to work with our teams in order to figure out how we do that, work with our OEMs to figure out how we do that. Everyone knows I’m not an engineer, I’m not going to play one now.
I am confident, having spoken to people who are far smarter than I am in this space, that there are things we can do. And I think our teams are excited about trying to partner with us to figure out what that looks like.
On if they could just cut the spoiler to enhance the racing at short tracks and when a decision might be made:
Phelps: There are people far smarter than I am that could figure that out. Yes, could we go to something that is a lower downforce package and do we think that will probably be one of the answers that we could look at to be successful on the short tracks? Yes. Whether it’s cutting off the spoiler, other opportunities for us to take some of the downforce off there, those are things that we’ll explore. No specific timing.
On when NASCAR will announce what sponsors it has in its new model that will see the Cup series known as the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020:
Phelps: This is about our championship, and we wanted to keep it about that. We also wanted to make sure we were making sure we were true to Monster (Energy) and their three years. Monster has been a phenomenal partner for us. They’ve had significant success with their sponsorship and entitlement.
We have moved to a different model. I’m not going to get into what the announcement is, but we’ll have some announcements in Nashville around that new sponsorship model that we’re super excited about.
On cap costs for NASCAR teams as Formula 1 recently announced it would do for 2021:
Phelps: I think reasons to go to this new car, one is to take what is great racing, will be great racing in 2020, to create better racing. I think this new car will do that, this Next Gen car.
Another component certainly is around relevance. Our (manufacturer) partners were here looking at the showroom car or the street car versus what our racecar will look like. It’s going to be extraordinary. We are going to put the ‘stock’ back in stockcar.
The last component of that is to try to make sure that the costs associated with the car are not such that they just continue to escalate on that car. Whether we are going to have a cost cap moving forward, I don’t know. It is not an easy thing to do. We want to make sure that we have competitive racing. When the race starts, we want as many folks and drivers to win that race as they can.
Lots of work to do on what we would do, whether we would have a cost cap or not. But it is something that we continue to work with our race teams on to make sure that we are having competitive race teams and race teams that are profitable.
On why there might be a question to do a cost cap:
Phelps: We’re going to see, right? We’re going to see how it works with F1. A little bit of a wait‑and‑see approach on that.
It is not an easy thing to do, right? How are you going to make sure the costs are being captured fairly and smartly across the race teams? It is a slippery slope. It doesn’t mean that it’s not a good step or it doesn’t mean we’re not going to get there. It means that we’re going to study it very closely. We’re going to study what they’re doing, continue to work with our teams and (manufacturers) to make sure whatever we do moving forward makes the most sense for our sport.
On the 2021 schedule:
Phelps: We’re having a lot of discussions right now on the 2021 schedule. We’re looking at three things when we’re looking at that race schedule. We’re looking at where we’re going to have the most competitive racing that we can have, where we’re going to have full grandstands, and what does that market look like, is it a new market that we can service.
There are a lot of discussions that are going on both internally and then with other owners of racetracks. We need to obviously work with Speedway Motorsports, work with the three independent tracks that we have, then the tracks that we own as NASCAR now.
Again, we’ll look through that same lens. I think it’s important to do that. This is the first time I’ll go back to the fans. It really is about the fans. We need to make sure we are putting on compelling racing and having full grandstands when we do that.
On status of the NextGen car, which is scheduled to debut in 2021:
Phelps: So, yes, the car is on schedule, as I said. With that said, we’re going now through an RFP (request for proposal) process, RFPing different parts of the car. There are parts that fans don’t frankly care we’re competing, and other parts fans care we’re competing. Also our OEM partners, certain things they want to compete at, certain things they don’t care about.
We’re in the RFP process. We’re on the track already at Richmond. We have another test coming up in a couple of weeks.
When the teams will take delivery of that car, probably in the July timeframe of when the cars will start to be delivered. I have to give a shout out to, again, really the entire industry because they’re working collaboratively, working together. NASCAR runs the process, but there are teams that are involved, OEMs that are involved, and that’s how we’re going to be successful moving forward.
With respect to those that are in the RFPs to build the car, I don’t want to get into specifics about where that is. There would obviously need to be a separation between that race team and whatever either part or the vehicle itself that’s being put together.
If there is a team that is interested in competing for what that’s going to be, it would have to be kind of removed from what that organization is, if that makes sense.
On a new engine:
Phelps: I do think for a new engine, that engine will have some type of electrification, some hybrid that will be part of it. It’s kind of a follow to the question, in fact, I know for a fact we will not have a new OEM unless we change our engine.
This engine is going to sound significantly the same as whatever the current engine is. We’re not going to have a bunch of electric cars going around. That’s not what this is about. It’s about having a relevant engine to our OE partners, both the existing Ford, Chevy and Toyota, as well as whoever the new OEs that we’re looking at.
Some form of hybrid, some form of electrification is going to be required, whether it’s stored engine or whatever that might be is down the line. But ideally creating a single engine package as opposed to taking an engine and kind of choking the horsepower down, is something that I believe we will ultimately get to.
What that looks like frankly will be a discussion between ourselves and our existing OEs because we need to make sure we are taking care of them first and foremost before we get a new OEM into the garage. They have been incredibly supportive of that.
We’ve had a couple of different partners come to the racetrack. We had some last week. We had a group that came when we were at Talladega. Each of the OEs showed them what they do, this is what Ford does, this is what we do at GM, this is what we do at Toyota. That’s incredibly helpful. They, too, want to be able to compete on the racetrack with other OEs.
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