Posted on by Staff Report

The winding down of the racing calendar also means recognizing memorable performances and the crowning of champions. Here’s a season in review and lookaheads for multiple NASCAR, ARCA and touring series, plus a taste of the titles handed out in eNASCAR.

***

Kyle Busch celebrates at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

2019 champion: Kyle Busch.

Season review: The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 driver emerged from a stout Championship 4 field to claim his second premier-series title at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Busch, who also captured the regular-season crown, prevailed five times including a title-clinching victory in the finale. The 34-year-old driver became just the second active driver with multiple championships, joining seven-time champ Jimmie Johnson in that category. (Recap)

***

Tyler Reddick and the 2019 Xfinity Series championship trophy
Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

XFINITY SERIES

2019 champion: Tyler Reddick.

Season review: Reddick emerged from a heated battle with Cole Custer to net his second consecutive series title, becoming the first driver since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2011-12) to do so. The distinction for Reddick is accomplishing the double with two different teams, first with JR Motorsports and next with Richard Childress Racing. He’ll join the Cup Series with RCR in 2020, fresh from a successful six-win season in the Xfinity Series. (Recap)

***

Matt Crafton celebrates with his daughter at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Jonathan Ferrey | Getty Images

GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES

2019 champion: Matt Crafton.

Season review: The 43-year-old veteran driver accepted the underdog’s role and ran with it, outrunning the competition at Homestead-Miami Speedway to grab his third Gander Trucks championship. Crafton now sits only one title behind series great and NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday Jr., who joined Crafton on the championship stage. Crafton’s other titles came consecutively in 2013-14, and all have come during his long tenure with ThorSport Racing. (Recap)

***

Sam Mayer celebrates his K&N East title at Dover International Speedway.
NKP | NASCAR

K&N PRO SERIES EAST

2019 champion: Sam Mayer.

Season review: Mayer won four of the K&N East Series’ 12 races in 2019, cruising in the season finale at Dover International Speedway to best Chase Cabre by 39 points in the final standings. In taking his first title, Mayer became NASCAR’s youngest champion at 16 years, 3 months and 8 days. (Recap)

***

Derek Kraus celebrates after clinching the K&N West title
Meg Oliphant | NASCAR

K&N PRO SERIES WEST

2019 champion: Derek Kraus

Season review: Kraus notched five victories and led all major statistical categories to secure his first NASCAR K&N West crown by a 49-point margin over Rookie of the Year Jagger Jones. The 18-year-old Wisconsin native, who also made four Gander Trucks starts in 2019, has 10 K&N West wins overall and has finished in the top five in points the last three years. (Recap)

***

Andrew Ranger celebrates with his crew after clinching the NASCAR Pinty's Series title.
Matthew Murnaghan | NASCAR

PINTY’S SERIES

2019 champion: Andrew Ranger

Season review: Ranger won four times and held off Kevin Lacroix by just 11 points to secure the championship in the Canada-based circuit. Ranger finished among the top 10 in all 13 races, capping his third Pinty’s Series title and his first in 10 years. (Recap)

***

Doug Coby Modified Tour Title

WHELEN MODIFIED TOUR

2019 champion: Doug Coby

Season review: Coby won four times in 2019 and won his sixth modified championship in the past eight seasons, finishing above Justin Bonsignore by eight points. Justin Bonsignore won the series finale at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park (Connecticut) to give himself a chance, but Coby’s seventh-place run allowed him to clinch the crown. Coby now only trails Mike Stefanik (seven) for the most Whelen Modified Tour titles in the modern era. (Recap)

***

Christian Eckes at Kansas
Barry Cantrell Photo

ARCA MENARDS SERIES

2019 champion: Christian Eckes

Season review: Eckes drove from the rear of the field in the finale at Kansas Speedway, winning the race and clinching the title in the process. It was the first series championship for the 18-year-old, who had to rally from missing a race earlier in the season due to an illness to make up lost points. He finished the year with four wins, 13 top fives and 17 top 10s in 19 starts. (Recap)

***

Loris Hezemans celebrates his Whelen Euro Series title
Stephane Azemard | NASCAR Whelen Euro Series

WHELEN EURO SERIES

2019 champion: Loris Hezemans

Season review: Hezemans won four times late in the season to put the Elite 1 Division title race out of reach. The 22-year-old Dutch driver, who made his Xfinity Series debut at Road America in 2019, secured his first Euro Series championship by 49 points over Belgian ace Longin Stienes. (Recap)

***

PEAK MEXICO SERIES

Ruben Garcia Jr. celebrates in Mexico City.
NASCAR Home Tracks

2019 champion: Ruben Garcia Jr.

Season review: Ruben Garcia Jr. wrapped up his second consecutive championship, his third in four years, in the NASCAR PEAK Mexico Series for the Canel’s Racing team. Garcia — a member of the NASCAR Next youth initiative in 2014 and 2015, kicked off his title-winning season with a victory in Monterrey, then clinched the series crown with a sixth-place finish in the season finale at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez behind race winner Salvador De Alba Jr. (Recap)

***

2019 NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champ Jacob Goede at his home track, Elko Speedway.
Martin DeFries | Redline Graphics

WHELEN ALL-AMERICAN SERIES

2019 champion: Jacob Goede

Season review: Goede locked up his sixth straight championship at home track Elko Speedway in his native Minnesota, but his performance was enough to snare an even larger prize — the Whelen All-American Series Division I national title. Goede won 10 times at Elko and also prevailed at two tracks in neighboring Wisconsin to claim his first national crown. (Recap)

***

Zack Novak, eNASCAR PEAK Antifreeze iRacing Series champion for 2019
Roush Fenway Racing

eNASCAR PEAK ANTIFREEZE iRACING SERIES

2019 champion: Zack Novak

Season review: Novak won his first PEAK iRacing Series championship in spectacular fashion, passing Keegan Leahy with seven laps to go at virtual Homestead-Miami Speedway, then holding off the more experienced Leahy over a frenetic final laps to earn the win. Novak, 17, won the inaugural eNASCAR IGNITE Series championship (a series for drivers aged 13-16) in 2018. He was drafted by Roush Fenway Racing prior to this season, and rewarded them by advancing to the Championship 4 and winning the title. Novak won a series-high four races in the 18-event schedule. (Recap)

***

eNASCAR HEAT PRO LEAGUE

2019 champion: Stewart-Haas Gaming

Stewart-Haas Gaming selfie
Alejandro Alvarez | NASCAR Digital Media

Season review: Stewart-Haas Gaming took the inaugural eNASCAR Heat Pro League championship by besting Leavine Family Racing on a tiebreaker of laps led. Brandyn Gritton (SHG_HotRod_14p, Stewart-Haas Gaming) dominated the PlayStation 4 race, leading 58 of the 70 laps. In the Xbox event, Josh Shoemaker (SHG Slick 14x, Stewart-Haas Gaming) was second. Leavine Family Racing’s duo of Josh Harbin (ThAbEaR_95, Leavine Family Gaming) took second in the PS4 race, while a last-lap lead change saw Nick Vroman (HDM Motorsports95, Leavine Family Gaming) take the checkered flag in Xbox race. (Recap)

Posted on by Holly Cain

NASCAR will formally honor its newest NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series champions Friday at the year-end banquet at the Charlotte Convention Center.

Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick, 23, earned his second consecutive Xfinity Series title Saturday evening in the Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale after a thrilling battle for the lead between him and Stewart-Haas Racing driver Cole Custer. With the victory, Reddick becomes the first driver to win consecutive Xfinity Series championships since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011-12, and the Californian is the first to do so with different teams (last year he drove for JR Motorsports).

ThorSport Racing driver Matt Crafton, 43, won his third career Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Austin Hill, who had been eliminated from title contention, won the race, and Crafton finished second – best among the four drivers vying for the title. It follows historic back-to-back title runs in 2013-14, making the Californian one of only three drivers in series history to earn three championships.

RELATED: Champs celebrate at Homestead

Reddick will take a pre-celebration trip to Florida’s Universal Studios on Wednesday, joking he may have to find someone to ride the roller coasters with him because his longtime girlfriend, Alexa De Leon, is about to deliver the couple’s first child. Reddick announced the baby boy’s name will be “Beau.” The couple decided if he won the title, he would get to pick the name.

Reddick and two of his championship challengers – Custer and Christopher Bell – will be moving up to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2020.

Crafton heads into the banquet on the cusp on some significant historical possibility. Crafton’s efforts tie him with Jack Sprague (1997, 1999 and 2001) for second place on the list of championships. Only NASCAR Hall of Famer Ron Hornaday has won more titles (1996, 1998, 2007 and 2009).

The Sunoco Rookie of the Year Awards will also be formally celebrated. Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe, 24, took home the rookie honors in the Xfinity Series, earning his second career win at Iowa Speedway this season. The Indiana native finished with 26 top-10 finishes in the 33 races and fifth in the championship – best among those who didn’t qualify for the Championship 4.

Tyler Ankrum won top rookie honors in the Gander Trucks. Even after missing the first three races of the season because he had not turned 18 yet, Ankrum rallied to earn a playoff position. The California native won his first career series race in the DGR-Crosley Toyota at Kentucky Speedway in the summer to earn a championship opportunity. He ultimately finished eighth in the standings.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards Banquet will make its Nashville debut Dec. 5, when Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch will be feted for his second Cup Series championship.

Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR issued an array of penalties for lug-nut infractions Tuesday after the season-ending race weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

RELATED: 2020 NASCAR schedules

In the Monster Energy Series, officials penalized the Leavine Family Racing No. 95 Toyota team for one lug nut not securely fastened in a post-race check. Crew chief Michael Wheeler was fined $10,000. Matt DiBenedetto drove the car to a 20th-place finish Sunday in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

The Stewart-Haas Racing No. 00 Ford of championship contender Cole Custer was also found with one lug nut not safe and secure after Saturday’s Xfinity Series finale. Crew chief Mike Shiplett was fined $5,000.

In the Gander Outdoors Truck Series, the On Point Motorsports No. 30 Toyota of Danny Bohn was found with two lug nuts not safely secured after Friday’s season-ending race. Crew chief Steven Lane was fined $5,000 and suspended for the next points-paying race in the series.

Also in the Gander Trucks ranks, the Halmar-Friesen No. 52 Chevrolet of title contender Stewart Friesen was found with just one lug nut missing or not properly fastened. That infraction resulted in a $2,500 fine for crew chief Trip Bruce III.

Posted on by Staff Report

GMS Racing announced Tuesday that Zane Smith will drive full time for the organization in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series next season.

Smith spent last season in a part-time effort with JR Motorsports, recording seven top-10 finishes in 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in its No. 8 Chevrolet. The 20-year-old driver will campaign for Sunoco Rookie of the Year. The team said that sponsorship arrangements and a truck number would be announced at a later date.

RELATED: 2020 Gander Trucks schedule

GMS also announced veteran Kevin “Bono” Manion will serve as the team’s crew chief. Manion spent last season as crew chief for DGR-Crosley’s No. 17 Toyota, which was driven in 18 races by Tyler Ankrum.

Smith and Manion have already paired for one race together — Smith’s lone Gander Trucks start in 2018 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. That effort yielded a fifth-place finish for DGR-Crosley’s No. 54 entry.

“When I got the offer from Mike Beam asking me to run a truck full-time for GMS Racing, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” Smith said in a statement provided by the team. “GMS is a Championship caliber team and to be a part of an organization like theirs is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’m looking forward to working with Manion again. He has a lot of experience and I know we will be a great team.”

Smith is a product of the NASCAR Next youth initiative. He won four ARCA Menards Series races in 2018 on the way to a runner-up finish in the season standings.

Posted on by Staff Report

One of the perks — among many — for winning the NASCAR Cup Series championship is the Champion’s Tour of New York City on the Tuesday after the finale.

As such, 2019 champion Kyle Busch is making the Big Apple rounds with stops at Good Morning America, SiriusXM, FOX, the New York Stock Exchange and more.

Track Busch’s champion’s journey below and stay tuned for updates throughout the day.

 

Posted on by Staff Report

Nick Sanchez finished his race season about a month ago feeling good about what he had learned in his rookie late model season.

He recently received more accolades to make his first year racing in Division I of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series even more special.

Nick Sanchez

Sanchez is the 2019 recipient of the Wendell Scott Trailblazer Award, an annual award given to an outstanding minority or female driver in the Whelen All-American Series. The award recipient is selected by a committee as nominated by drivers, crew members, and track operators based not only on the driver’s final standings in the top 500 of the national standings, but also based on exceptional on-track performance, sportsmanship, and community service.

The award is named for Wendell Scott, a Virginian who on December 1, 1963 became the first, and to date only, African-American driver to win a race in NASCAR’s top national series.

Scott was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015.

Sanchez said he got a call from a NASCAR official about a week ago out of the blue to learn he won the award. He will officially receive the award Saturday on stage at the Charlotte Convention Center at the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the NASCAR Awards.

“Honestly it was a total surprise because I really hadn’t thought much of it and I was so focused on just trying to win and the unreal idea of trying to go for a national championship and I totally forgot about that award,” Sanchez said. “And when someone told me about it I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ That’s an awesome accomplishment as well.”

Sanchez drives for Rev Racing, the competition arm of NASCAR‘s Drive for Diversity Program that serves as the NASCAR-supported racing team that develops female and minority drivers and pit crew members in development series for future competition at NASCAR‘s highest levels.

The 18-year-old Miami, Florida, driver got his start with Rev Racing running in its Legends Car program before moving up to Late Models this year. He credited his team with helping him win the Wendell Scott award.

“It feels pretty good and especially how it’s a performance-based award, it really shows that my Rev guys brought a good late model the whole year,” he said. “I’m pretty excited for it. It’s a nice accomplishment.”

Sanchez finished 23rd in the Whelen All-American Series Division I final points standings. He had one national points win and 15 top-5 finishes in 20 late model starts this season.

Related: Nick Sanchez Picks Up First Late Model Win, Set His Sights on National Honors

Sanchez also ran three races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East this year, and had a pole start at South Boston Speedway on May 4.

Nick Sanchez

In the late model, Sanchez and his Rev Racing team traveled to five different tracks this season: Motor Mile, South Boston, and Langley Speedways in Virginia, Myrtle Beach Speedway in South Carolina, and Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina. He also raced at Loudon Speedway in New Hampshire in a K&N Pro East race on September 21. Getting the chance to see his fair share of different sized tracks with character gave him the opportunity to really dive in and get his feet wet in his first season.

“I couldn’t imagine racing at one track with the same people, just the same routine,” Sanchez said. “I love getting different challenges thrown at me, whether it be different tracks, different drivers, different races, twins or long races. I can attribute all that to my success I guess you could say this year.

“Definitely stepping into the K&N car, especially that last race at New Hampshire I definitely got a ton of big track experience and definitely got my feet wet there which I’m pretty stoked about.”

Sanchez finished his season with a win at Langley Speedway, helping finish the year on a high note. After feeling like he missed out on victories early in the year, he was glad to see he had gotten past early “rookie mistakes.”

“Honestly, by the end of the year I felt like I progressed more as a driver than I ever had,” Sanchez said. “I was a lot more patient at the end of the year because at the beginning of the year, I’m not going to lie, I gave up many, many, many wins just on not knowing any better. By the end of the year I kind of learned my lesson and revamped my racing mindset, I guess you could say.”

Sanchez said he hopes to be able to release his plans for the 2020 soon, and he’s “very stoked” about it.

For now, he has many reasons to be proud of his rookie season.

“That makes it a lot more special just knowing people voted for me based on performance and everything else,” Sanchez said. “It’s a pretty nice accomplishment. I’m pretty proud.”

Posted on by H.A. Branham

(Note: Today is the first installment of a four-part series on the four finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Ninth Annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. Today, Bob Behounek of Berwyn, Illinois, is featured.)

For Bob Behounek, starting the Chicago Brushmasters was indeed a stroke of genius. Or rather, a master stroke. Pick your pun, but these Brushmasters aren’t fooling around: In 12 years of existence, the group of volunteer artisans has raised approximately $940,000 to benefit the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana (RMHC).

That money has helped support the charities’ admirable mission of caring for families of children with complex medical needs by providing comfort, support and a sense of community. Part of that support comes in the form of five houses, three family rooms and two Ronald McDonald Car Mobile Units.

Behounek, from Berwyn, Illinois, is one of four most-deserving finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Ninth Annual Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. The award, named in honor of the foundation’s late founder and chairwoman, honors NASCAR fans who are accomplished volunteers working for children’s causes in their communities throughout the United States.

VIDEO: Meet Bob Behounek

The winner of the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award will be determined via an online fan vote that is ongoing through 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 3 at NASCARfoundation.org/Award. The winner will be announced Dec. 5 during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards in Nashville, Tennessee. The NASCAR Foundation will donate $100,000 to the charity represented by the award winner, with $25,000 donations awarded to the other finalists.

Behounek is an artist himself, having been a race car letterer, sign painter and pin-striper for 50 years. This is where vocation, volunteerism and NASCAR intersect for Behounek, a fan of the sport for more than 55 years. At 8 years old, NASCAR paint schemes had him infatuated. He once painted the name of a NASCAR legend, Fireball Roberts, on his bicycle. After all, his first name is Robert.

His appreciation has become a bit more sophisticated, but childhood wonderment remains part of the foundation.

“Combining two of my passions, cars and art, NASCAR represents a supreme blend of design in motion, speed and an advertising extravaganza, all at once,” Behounek said.

If Behounek wins the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, kids will also win. The resulting $100,000 donation would cover the costs of nearly 1,200 overnight stays for families at one of the RMHC facilities.

Such support is invaluable for children and families in their time of need. Behounek knows this, lives this. He knows a family from some years back whose members stayed three months at one of the RMHC houses. Sadly, they lost their child, but the family sent an emotional note to Behounek expressing everyone’s gratitude for having the stays covered.

“I had a poster made of the e-mail,” Behounek said. “Every year I use it as motivation to remind myself and my fellow Brushmasters that all of our hard work is for these families.”

Other nominee profiles: Joe Vaughn | Todd Smith | Angela Hamby

Posted on by Track Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 19, 2019) – Two-time DAYTONA 500 champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been named the Honorary Starter for the 62nd running of “The Great American Race” on Sunday, Feb. 16 at Daytona International Speedway. The announcement was made on Earnhardt’s popular Dirty Mo Media podcast, The Dale Jr. Download.

Earnhardt, DAYTONA 500 champion in 2004 and 2014, has been a regular DAYTONA 500 attendee since he completed his final full-time season as a NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2017. He was the Official Pace Truck Driver for this year’s DAYTONA 500 and in 2018 served as the race’s Grand Marshal.

Daytona International Speedway has assembled a special DAYTONA 500 ticket package around Earnhardt’s Honorary Starter role. The package, costing $250, covers a ticket to the DAYTONA 500, UNOH Fanzone/Pre-Race Access, an exclusive question-and-answer session with Earnhardt and a commemorative item signed by Earnhardt. To purchase, fans can visit www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or call 1-800-PITSHOP.

MORE: Book your hotel now

Earnhardt, now a commentator for NBC Sports, enjoyed a 19-year NASCAR Cup Series career during which he was named the NASCAR Cup Series’ Most Popular Driver 15 times consecutively from 2003-17. He won a total of 17 events at Daytona International Speedway, tied for the third-best all-time total.

“The only thing left for Dale now is for him to sing the National Anthem prior to the DAYTONA 500,” said Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile. “That probably won’t happen. But what will happen, come February, will be another outpouring of support from race fans about Dale’s involvement. There’s no way to exaggerate how much he means to the fans and to NASCAR. Any role he plays on a DAYTONA 500 weekend is significant.”

MORE: Full 2020 schedule

“One thing is certain, I’m not doing any singing at Daytona no matter how hard they ask,” Earnhardt joked. “But I am going to enjoy waving the green flag in February. The start of the DAYTONA 500 is a special moment in not only NASCAR but all of sports. I am truly honored to be part of that.”

Recent DAYTONA 500 Honorary Starters include Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee LaDainian Tomlinson; Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ken Griffey Jr.; and actors Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise.

Tickets for the 2020 DAYTONA 500 and all DAYTONA Speedweeks presented by AdventHealth events can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat, and by downloading Daytona International Speedway’s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.

Posted on by Holly Cain

HOMESTEAD, Fla. — It was Kyle Busch’s championship evening at Homestead-Miami Speedway Sunday, but it also had a distinctive feel of being a J.D. Gibbs kind of achievement.

Team owner Joe Gibbs’ oldest son J.D. was president of the Joe Gibbs Racing team and an omnipresent positive vibe in the NASCAR garage for more than a decade. Typically smiling and joking, but also ultra-competitive, he helped guide the team to four previous Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championships and won hearts because of his positive spirit.

J.D. Gibbs passed away on Jan. 11 at 49 after a valiant and lengthy fight against a degenerative neurological disease. His passing and its effect on the 2019 season have been simultaneously heartbreaking and heart-strengthening for the team.

The last race J.D. attended was the 2015 Homestead-Miami Speedway season finale, which was coincidentally — or not, depending how you chose to believe — the last time Kyle Busch won at Homestead and when he captured his first season championship.

Joe Gibbs was smiling widely in the celebration Sunday night after Busch’s championship victory. But there was also an unmistakable special gleam in his eye. This one was for J.D.

“This has been an emotional year for us and for me, starting with the Daytona 500,” Gibbs said of his driver Denny Hamlin’s season-opening Daytona International Speedway victory only a few weeks after J.D.’s passing.

“And I think anyone that saw that would say there’s no way that could happen by accident. I feel like God was kind of overseeing that and I think J.D. was there. And it kind of continued the entire year for me.”

RELATED: Busch speaks about J.D. in Victory Lane

Hamlin’s emotional win at Daytona in the weeks after J.D. Gibbs’ passing was memorable and, Joe Gibbs believes, highly motivational to the entire team. Counting Busch’s win at Homestead, the four-car JGR organization set a NASCAR modern era (since 1972) record with 19 wins. All four of his drivers — Busch, Hamlin, Sunday’s championship runner-up Martin Truex Jr. and young driver Erik Jones — won races this season and qualified for the playoffs.

“It’s been emotional to win the number of races we’ve won,’’ Gibbs said. “It’s just something that doesn’t normally happen. I think he has been a part of it and everyone that worked at Joe Gibbs racing when J.D. left us, each and everyone of them felt that.

“I think they have devoted this year to him and I know all of us did family-wise.”

Busch acknowledged after the race Sunday night he was thinking of J.D. and cognizant of the totality of J.D.’s impact on the organization. Busch said he couldn’t remember exactly if it was J.D. or Coach Gibbs who initially reached out about bringing him onto the team. But he spoke fondly about what J.D. has meant to him and his career.

“I know it’s been a difficult time on (J.D.’s wife) Melissa and Joe (Gibbs),” Busch said in Victory Lane. “To be able to reward them with a championship, I know how much it means to them, but it’s the best I can do.”

“I know J.D. was looking down on us all year long.”

Busch added, “He’s an honorable man and honorable father and one that reflects the Lord and lived that way and showed people how to do that.

“A lot could be learned from those type of individuals.”

RELATED: J.D. Gibbs through the years

That was evident this week in JGR’s precedent-setting three entries in the championship race. It’s the kind of lofty ambition J.D. would have absolutely appreciated — and been so very proud.

Busch’s teammate, Hamlin, carried a special message on the back of his Toyota this weekend and a memorial to his friend all season long. J.D. had been No. 11 when he played high school football, and Hamlin’s Toyota is No. 11. It was J.D. who hired a young Hamlin and gave him his first opportunity in NASCAR’s big leagues.

Although Hamlin missed out on winning his first championship this weekend, he remained positive about the opportunity he had and absolutely motivated to do even better next year.

He was smiling and positive even as he discussed his championship near-miss.

Listening to Hamlin speak, seeing his attitude all week there was an unmistakable J.D. influence there. From Busch’s win to Hamlin’s good try — from Truex’s runner-up run to the team’s 23-year-old Jones career-best, third-place finish — there was effort, results and positive momentum.

And J.D. would have been so proud.

“I just want to say thanks to everyone,” Gibbs said. “People asked me if it was emotional all year, I felt like I could feel J.D. all year and it’s kind of hard to put into words.

“But it’s been special and different and was great to finish it up the way we did tonight.”

Posted on by Data Skrive

Tanner Gray finished 16th in the Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Austin Hill came away with the victory in the race, with Matt Crafton finishing second, and Christian Eckes crossing the finish line third. Ross Chastain took fourth place, followed by Brett Moffitt to round out the top five.

Hill also won the first two stages of the race.

Gray qualified in 26th position. After three career starts, the first-year driver continues to search for checkered flag No. 1 .

Gray battled 31 other cars in the field and the race endured three cautions and 14 caution laps. There were 12 lead changes before the checkered flag.

Toyota added 40 points to its season total with Hill’s victory. Overall, Toyota ranks No. 1 with 860 points, followed by Chevrolet in the No. 2 spot with 844. Ford sits at No. 3 with 759 points on the season.

Race Center