Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 is set following Sunday’s race at ISM Raceway, with Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick joining Joey Logano in next weekend’s title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Three spots were up for grabs in the Round of 8 finale, and fittingly it was this season’s “Big 3” that clinched them in the penultimate race of the season.

Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch, Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer were eliminated from the postseason.

RELATED: Unofficial results

Logano had advanced to Miami with his win in the opening race of the Round of 8 at Martinsville Speedway, when he moved Truex Jr. up the track in Turn 3 on the final lap to pull out the win. And it turns out, it was a move that saved his season considering Logano cut a tire on Lap 95 at ISM Raceway and exited the race thereafter.

Truex Jr. recovered from that disappointing Martinsville finish, though, to clinch his third Championship 4 appearance in the past four years. For “Rowdy,” he got there by virtue of winning Sunday at ISM for his eighth victory of 2018.

“Well, it’s exciting for us, I think, to be in this position again,” Truex Jr. said. “This is our third trip to Homestead in four years, which I think is something we’re all really proud of as a group, and obviously going to be our last race together as a complete group, it’s definitely going to be a special weekend.”

Harvick rallied for his fourth Championship 4 appearance in five years in the playoff elimination format. His run to Miami hit an unexpected speed bump this week due to an L1-level penalty following his win at Texas. The spoiler infraction on the No. 4 cost Harvick 40 points in the driver standings, the result of which sent him from “clinched” to just three points above the cutoff line entering Phoenix.

Harvick had to do it the hard way Sunday, even with starting from the Busch Pole. He had led every lap of Stage 1 before blowing a tire with two laps remaining. A fortuitous caution flag got him back in the lead lap in Stage 2, and a bit of pit strategy earned him the crucial points, and he survived the late-race mayhem that Denny Hamlin and Kurt Busch triggered with a Lap 268 (of 312) wreck that also caught Elliott.

“I think we have a chance every time we show up,” Harvick said. “Our guys are doing a great job obviously to accomplish everything we did this weekend was quite the feat without your crew chief and car chief, but (interim crew chief) Tony Gibson and (interim car chief) Nick (DeFazio) did a great job filling in and everybody kept their head about them and we were competitive all weekend.”

Harvick, Busch and Truex Jr. all have one Monster Energy Series championship to their name. Logano will be racing for his first career championship.

Posted on by Staff Report

The postseason hopes for Kurt Busch and Chase Elliott were dashed after late-race contact in an incident with Denny Hamlin triggered a multi-car crash at ISM Raceway at Phoenix.

RELATED: Phoenix leaderboard

Denny Hamlin challenged Busch for the lead but his No. 11 Toyota washed up into Busch’s No. 41 Ford at the exit of Turn 2. The contact between both cars forced Busch’s car into the outside wall and later snared Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet, causing major damage to all three cars and prompting a Lap 268 caution.

Busch rejoined the race after repairs, but retired to the garage after completing just 272 of the 312 laps in the Can-Am 500. The exit in 32nd place ended his chance for a title berth in next weekend’s finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“Terribly sorry, guys,” Busch told his crew over the radio. “I didn’t get the job done.”

Hamlin indicated that Busch was not to blame for the contact after their initial hit, which sent both cars out of control and clogged the backstretch, involving both Elliott and teammate Alex Bowman.

“I got loose and I chased it up the race track and he was right there,” Hamlin said. “Then it looked like he hit the wall and I was up there and kind of pinched him and then hit the wall again. It was not going to be good. He kind of turned us then, but I can’t blame him. Kurt’s been fair to me in so many years of racing. I’ve never had one incident with him, he’s been as fair to me as anyone out there and I hate it for him because trust me, I was rooting for him – all of today I was rooting for the 41 to be the guy that got in there.

“Ultimately we have to go out there to try to race to win and we were battling hard off the corner. Just ran out of real estate for sure.”

Elliott, who was also vying for a Championship 4 spot, continued after quick fixes to his Hendrick Motorsports entry, but he lamented being further back in the pack after absorbing a pit-road speeding penalty on Lap 231. He wound up 23rd, three laps down.

“Yeah, was speeding on pit road and ultimately that is what got us behind,” said Elliott, who led three times for 16 laps. “You can’t come down pit road leading the race and speed and expect to race for a championship the next week. Just unfortunate and especially that late in the race. So, that was just my fault and really no excuse for it. So, we will try again next year.”

Posted on by Staff Report

What channels are NASCAR races on this week? We answer that and give you the weekly NASCAR television listings here in the NASCAR TV schedule.

Note: All times are ET. 

MORE: Get the NBC Sports App | How to find FS1 | Get FOX Sports Go | How to find NBCSN

Monday, November 12
2 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 (re-air), FS2
2:30 p.m.: NASCAR 120, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
5 p.m..: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

On MRN
Noon: Motorsports Monday (with hosts Woody Cain and Joey Meier)

Tuesday, November 13
5 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m.: NASCAR Race Hub, FS1

On MRN
7 p.m.: NASCAR Live (with host Mike Bagley)

Wednesday, November 14
4:30 a.m.: NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR America: Wednesdays with Dale Jr., NBCSN/NBC Sports App

On MRN
Noon: Crew Call (with hosts Sammi Jo Francis and Rocko Williams)

Thursday, November 15
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FS1
7 p.m., Dale Jr. Download, NBCSN/NBC Sports App

On MRN
1 p.m.: Throwback Thursday: 2001 Pennzoil 400

Friday, November 16
12:30 p.m.: Dale Jr. Download (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1)
2:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1
5 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App)
6 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App)
7:30 p.m.: NASCAR Race Day: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, FS1
8 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200, FS1
10 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series post-race show, FS1

On MRN
Noon: The Inside Live (with host Tyler Burnett)

Saturday, November 17
6:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
6:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200 (re-air), FS1
8 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series practice (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
9 a.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
10 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying (re-air), NBCSN/NBC Sports App
11:30 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN4)
12:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App)
1:30 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1, 4)
3 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Countdown to Green, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1, 4)
6:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series post-race show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App

Sunday, November 18
9 a.m.: NASCAR Race Classic: 1994 Coke 600 (re-air), FS1
9:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200 (re-air), FS1
11:30 a.m.: NASCAR RaceDay, FS1
1 p.m.: NASCAR America, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
1:30 p.m.: NASCAR America Sunday, NBC/NBC Sports App
2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Countdown to Green, NBC/NBC Sports App
3 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400, NBC/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN3)
7 p.m., Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Post-Race Show, NBCSN/NBC Sports App
7:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200 (re-air), FS2

Posted on by Staff Report

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series will all be winding up at Homestead-Miami with the Championship 4 races in each series. Check out the full schedule for Ford Championship weekend below, which is subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

MORE: How to find NBCSN

FRIDAY, November 16
8:35-9:25 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice, No TV (Results)
10:05-10:55 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, No TV (Results)
1-2:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1) (Results)
2:35-3:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Results)
3:45 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1 (Results)
5:05-5:55 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Results)
6:10 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Results)
8 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200, FS1 (134 laps, 201 miles) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Championship 4 Team Owner Media Availability: Walt Czarnecki (Team Penske), Joe Garone (Furniture Row Racing), Joe Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing) and Tony Stewart (Stewart-Haas Racing)
3:45 p.m.: Elliott Sadler
7:15 p.m.: Championship 4 Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying
9:45 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

SATURDAY, November 17
11:35-12:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN4) (Results)
12:35 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN App) (Results)
2-2:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Canada: TSN1, 4) (Results)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Ford EcoBoost 300, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (200 laps, 300 miles) (Canada: TSN1, 4) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Manufacturers Media Availability: Jim Campbell (Chevrolet), Mark Rushbrook (Ford) and Ed Laukes (Toyota)
6 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race

SUNDAY, November 18
3:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 (267 laps, 400.5 miles), NBC/NBC Sports App (267 laps, 400.5 miles) (Canada: TSN3) (Results)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
11 a.m.: NASCAR President Steve Phelps
5:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

Posted on by Staff Report

Chase Elliott won Stage 1 Sunday at ISM Raceway in Phoenix in dramatic fashion as he took advantage of a flat tire for Kevin Harvick with two laps left to go to take the lead. Harvick, who led the first 72 laps and appeared to be cruising to yet another stage win, had to come to pit road after the right-front tire went down.

Because pit road was closed, Harvick would have to start from the tail of the field to begin Stage 2. Harvick also lost a lap by coming to pit road and at the time was four points below the playoff cutline. Harvick finished in 25th place in the opening stage.

RELATED: Stage 1 results

Harvick, who has nine career wins at ISM Raceway, entered Sunday’s race three points above the Championship 4 cutline after 40 points were deducted from his total earlier in the week for a penalty following his victory at Texas. Elliott, who entered 17 points below the cutline, likely needed a win to advance.

Finish Driver Team Race Points
1 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports 10
2 Ryan Blaney Team Penske 9
3 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing 8
4 Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Racing 7
5 Brad Keselowski Team Penske 6
6 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing 5
7 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 4
8 Erik Jones Joe Gibbs Racing 3
9 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports 2
10 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing 1

Stage 2 recap

Kyle Busch won Stage 2 as the dramatic twists and turns continued in the NASCAR Playoff elimination race at ISM Raceway in Phoenix. Playoff drivers Joey Logano and Clint Bowyer were involved in separate wrecks in Stage 2 that brought out cautions.

On the Bowyer caution, lead car Kurt Busch was penalized for passing the pace car before entering pit road. The No. 41 SHR Ford, who entered Sunday below the playoff cutline, was held on pit road for a lap, putting him one lap down at the end of the stage.

RELATED: Stage 2 results

For Logano and Bowyer, the wrecks both ended their days. Logano, who won at Martinsville, will move on to the Championship 4, but Bowyer, who entered the day 51 points below the playoff cutline, saw his dreams of advancing dashed.

Harvick, who had trouble in Stage 1, got back on the lead lap because he was the beneficiary on the Logano caution. He moved up to fourth by the end of Stage 2.

Finish Driver Team Race Points
1 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Racing 10
2 Brad Keselowski Team Penske 9
3 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Racing 8
4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing 7
5 Kyle Larson Chip Ganassi Racing 6
6 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing 5
7 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports 4
8 Ryan Blaney Team Penske 3
9 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports 2
10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing 1
Posted on by Staff Report

Ever wonder what goes on in a driver meeting? We’re here to help.

This year, we’ll publish the actual rules video your favorite Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers will watch before climbing into their stock cars. Above is the video for the Can-Am 500 (Sunday, 2:30 p.m. ET, NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at ISM Raceway.

Posted on by RJ Kraft

Desert dominator Kevin Harvick will lead the field to green for Sunday’s Can-Am 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on NBC/NBC Sports App, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), and the nine-time ISM Raceway winner is a must-start this weekend — more on that below. After three practice sessions and qualifying determining the starting order, we’ve dissected the numbers to offer a suggested lineup worthy of your Fantasy Live consideration as you make roster decisions.

PLAY NOW: Set your lineup | How the playoff game works

Remember that the garage locks at the end of Stage 2. Also, your garage play can only be swapped for a driver of similar classification. (A playoff garage driver can only be swapped for a playoff driver in your lineup; a non-playoff garage driver can only be swapped for a non-playoff driver in your lineup.)

RJ Kraft’s Fantasy Live lineup for race day at Phoenix:
Playoff driver 1: Kevin Harvick
Playoff driver 2: Chase Elliott
Non-playoff driver 1: Erik Jones
Non-playoff driver 2: Brad Keselowski
Garage: Kyle Larson

MORE: Fantasy analysis for Phoenix | Driver stats | 10-lap averages | Lineup

Analysis: Two weeks left in the Fantasy Live Playoff Game! I am taking a few calculated risks based on looking to make some gains with plays that others might not have. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver will take on the reconfigured 1-mile ISM Raceway where the restarts should be quite fun and see plenty of movement.

Harvick has been the talk of the weekend following his Texas penalty and he has dominated nearly everything — winning the pole and topping both Saturday practices. He has nine wins here — six in the past 10 races. He will be owned by a high amount of folks, but there is more harm in not having him. Elliott earns my other playoff starting spot as he will start second and was among the top eight in 10-lap averages in both of Saturday’s practices. He has two straight top-three finishes here as well and sitting outside of the cutline will make him extra aggressive in this elimination race.

For my non-playoff drivers, I am going with Erik Jones and Brad Keselowski. Jones has three straight top 10s at Phoenix and was third on the 10-lap board in final practice. Keselowski has shown some surprising speed this weekend — surprising in that Team Penske has not run well here in recent years. He posted top-three fastest lap times in Saturday’s two practices and was second on the 10-lap board in final practice.

The garage pick was tough for me. I weighed Kyle Busch, who is solid here and has been fast all weekend. However, I felt having both him and Harvick was playing it too similar to what most will do and I am looking to try and make gains. To do that, I need to try something a bit different. I did consider Busch in the lineup with Harvick for all bonus picks setup, but I felt Harvick HAD to be in there. I also weighed Denny Hamlin, who has been pretty solid here in recent years. Both Busch and Hamlin were in my initial lineup.

Ultimately, though, I am intrigued by the speed Kyle Larson has shown this weekend and I am going to roll the dice with him in the garage. Given his so-so Phoenix numbers, its a bit of a boom-or-bust play, but I believe its a calculated gamble that could pay off big. So that gives me three non-playoff drivers for the third straight weekend as my roster.

The bonus picks will be all Harvick, all the time. Once again, I will pick him to win both stages and the race on Sunday.

Posted on by Chase Wilhelm

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Aside from Tyler Reddick making the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship 4 on Saturday at ISM Raceway, it was a tough day to forget for JR Motorsports.

Regular-season champion Justin Allgaier appeared to be the driver to beat in the Round of 8 finale, winning the first two stages. But the No. 7 Chevrolet suffered right-front damage after contact with John Hunter Nemechek in the final stage, fading to a 24th-place finish with brake issues.

RELATED: Race results | Who’s in, who’s out

“You know, at the end of the day, we did everything right this year,” Allgaier said on pit road after the race. “We had a great season. Today, we did everything right at the beginning part of the race. That was probably the most frustrating part is we led a lot of laps and we won both stages. It was going to be a great day, but then ultimately there at the end getting ourselves in that bad position.”

Through the disappointment, Allgaier was able to find solace in his five victories this season, a total that he could potentially turn into six in the season finale next Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But admittedly, Allgaier felt they just didn’t do everything right when it mattered the most.

“I feel so bad for my guys, these guys on this 7 team especially, but everybody at JR Motorsports has done a fantastic job all year,” Allgaier said. “We were just in the right place at the wrong time today and didn’t execute like we needed to.”

Similar to Allgaier, Elliott Sadler was also plagued by right-front damage early in the race after contact with the lapped car of Chad Finchum.

“We fought way too many things today,” Sadler said. “We tried some new things and I led us in that direction, so I take full responsibility for that. My guys did so much for me this year and we were so fast at the right times.

“Look, I don’t point fingers,” he added. “I’m the driver. It’s my job to communicate. I just feel my guys are a really good race team and we’ve run up front all year.”

Sadler had to settle for an 11th-place result, missing a shot to make one more title run in Miami in his final race as a full-time driver.

“It’s going to be emotional,” Sadler said, looking ahead to next weekend. “I’ve been racing for 23 years. Been doing it since I was 7, putting a helmet on every weekend. … It’s going to be more relaxing not running for a championship, but it’s gonna suck, too.

“I really wish my guys were going down there (Homestead) to run for a championship. It’s more about them and my sponsors and my team than it is about me.”

Posted on by Staff Report

With the conclusion of Saturday’s Whelen Trusted to Perform 200 at ISM Raceway, the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs field has been trimmed to its Championship 4.

Christopher Bell punched his ticket to next week’s Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a victory on Saturday, leading 94 laps en route to Victory Lane after starting from the rear. Texas winner Cole Custer clinched his Championship 4 spot last weekend with a win in the Lone Star State. Daniel Hemric and Tyler Reddick advanced to the season finale on points.

Matt Tifft, Elliott Sadler, Justin Allgaier and Austin Cindric were eliminated in Saturday afternoon’s event at ISM Raceway.

MORE: Xfinity Series standings | Bell wins at Phoenix, advances to Miami

The standings and point totals — which reset for the finale — as we head to the Championship 4:

Rank Driver Points
1 Cole Custer 4000
2 Christopher Bell 4000
3 Daniel Hemric 4000
4 Tyler Reddick 4000

The 2018 Xfinity Series season will conclude on Nov. 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET with the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway (NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Reid Spencer

AVONDALE, Ariz. – In a playoff round that has been feast or famine for Christopher Bell, the driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry gorged to his heart’s content on Saturday at ISM Raceway.

Starting from 38th, Bell roared through the field to win the Whelen Trusted To Perform 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series race and advance to the Nov. 17 season championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

RELATED: Race results | Phoenix schedule

Faced with a must-win situation entering the Round of 8 elimination race, Bell did exactly that. By the end of Stage 1, he had cracked the top 10. At the end of Stage 2, he was fourth. And on Lap 108 of 200, he took the lead under green for the first time, forcing his way past pole winner John Hunter Nemechek for the top spot.

The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender never trailed after that, winning for the seventh time this season, the first time at Phoenix and the eighth time in his career. In a playoff format in which victory provides redemption for a multitude of ills, Bell rallied from first-lap crashes at both Kansas and Texas to earn his spot in the Championship 4.

“I’ll be honest, after Kansas and Texas, I just kind of accepted that we weren’t going to be able to get there,” Bell said. “I just came over here with a ‘Let’s have fun’ attitude. To start in the back, we didn’t really make our way up front that fast. I kind of got stalled out once I got into the top 15.

“I knew this thing was really fast, because (on Friday) in practice, it was really good… I’m just thankful for my team. They brought probably the best car we’ve had all year here this weekend. It’s a pleasure to drive ’em, and a race car driver is only as good as his race car. This thing was unbelievably fast.”

Bell joined Texas winner Cole Custer in the Championship 4 Round, along with Saturday’s runner-up Daniel Hemric and sixth-place finisher Tyler Reddick, both of whom advanced on points.

Matt Tifft ran third but fell short in the playoffs, as did regular-season champion Justin Allgaier, who won the first and second stages but sustained heavy damage to the right front of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet when Nemechek slid sideways across the track on Lap 145 and clobbered Allgaier’s car.

Allgaier later lost his brakes before finishing 24th.

“It’s extremely disappointing,” said Allgaier, who lost seven spots on pit road after sliding into his stall under caution on Lap 139. “But we did everything we could in the first two stages. We had a really fast Brandt Camaro. We had a lot of trouble today, seeing our pit stall. It was really difficult to see where we were at and navigate that. I lost us some spots on pit road.

“Ultimately, that put ourselves in a bad position. Got some damage, and we lost the brakes there at the end. At that point it was just about survival, finishing the race and getting as many points as we could gain.”

Likewise, veteran Elliott Sadler left Phoenix disappointed after early contact with the No. 40 Toyota of Chad Finchum cost him track position he could never regain. Sadler finished 11th and failed to advance to Homestead in his final year as a full-time NASCAR driver.

“I made too many mistakes today to give my guys an opportunity,” Sadler said. “It’s all on me. My guys work too hard and deserve to be a part of this Championship 4 at Homestead, but I just didn’t pull my part through.

“It’s going to be an emotional week. I have one race left, and my wife and kids are coming to Homestead, and we’ll make the most of it, but it’s definitely going to be hard to look my guys in the eye, knowing we’re not part of the championship.”

Austin Cindric, whose only path to the Championship 4 was to win at ISM Raceway, finished fourth. Ryan Preece and Brandon Jones were fifth and seventh, respectively, with Custer finishing eighth. Nemechek and Spencer Gallagher completed the top 10.

Pit notes: Chevrolet claimed its 19th manufacturer championship in the Xfinity Series after the drop of the green flag. The title is the fourth in the last five years for the automaker. … Akinori Ogata, a 45-year-old native of Japan, crashed in the first lap of his Xfinity Series debut. He spun again on Lap 100 and limped to an 33rd-place finish, 21 laps down.

Contributing: Staff reports