William Byron wins Rookie of the Year, celebrates 21st birthday in Las Vegas

Posted on November 29, 2018November 29, 2018 by

LAS VEGAS — Fresh off his first year in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, William Byron has shed his rookie stripe. And when the clock struck midnight to Nov. 29, he removed a different label — the underage one.

That’s right, the 2018 Sunoco Rookie of the Year winner fittingly celebrated his 21st birthday in Las Vegas.

“It’s a trip,” Byron said Wednesday afternoon about his birthday timing. “It’s kind of symbolic of the fact that I’m kind of coming of age and kind of getting the rookie stripes off and everything. It makes sense that going into my second year, growing up a little bit. Started living out on my own and some of the things I’m doing there, so that stuff will help grow up a little bit.”

WATCH: Celebrating the 2018 Rookies of the Year

Indeed, the 2018 offseason is like a transition and growth period for the young driver. He moved into his own place three weeks before the end of the season — “I gotta do laundry and pay my own bills and there’s all these things. And the place doesn’t clean itself,” he said with a smile.

And on Wednesday afternoon, Byron accepted the 2018 Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award in front of his fellow series drivers at the Myers Brother Awards. He earned 10 top-15 finishes in 2018 and paced the field for 61 laps to claim the award.

“I love to race,” Byron said during his acceptance speech. “Six years ago, it would have been crazy to imagine that I would be racing side-by-side with idols of mine. The first race of the year, lining up against Jimmie Johnson in the Duel: the lights, the colors, it was a lot brighter than in an Xfinity car.”

The 2018 season brought plenty of “new” for Byron, who started with a new series, team, crew chief and car number, inheriting the No. 24 driven to fame by Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon.

RELATED: William Byron’s career stats

“It’s been a lot of growing up,” he told NASCAR.com. “I feel like I’ve learned a ton of things and it’s just been a learning process to understand the Cup Series and understand what makes me tick. So, I’ve enjoyed that part of it. I feel like going into next year, I don’t have to learn all that stuff again. …

“(I’ll be) definitely more aggressive, I would say, and confident and not feeling like I’m being judged as much,” he continued on his approach for 2019. “I feel like in my rookie year, there was a lot of judgement. I feel like I won’t have that as much. I feel like I’ll be able to get past that and not feel like I’m not part of the series.”

The rookie stripe now gone from his No. 24, Byron looks to his sophomore season that will begin in a few months. And maybe while in Las Vegas, he’ll toast (with an adult beverage) to his promising future — and a memorable first year in the Monster Energy Series.

“As I look towards next year, I’m excited and ready to get going,” he said. “No more rookie meetings, and that’s a freedom I haven’t had in my short NASCAR career thus far.

“With that being said, I’m ready to take those rookie stripes off.”

MORE: Best photos from Champion’s Week in Las Vegas

Posted on November 29, 2018December 8, 2018 by Sponsored Content

Sunoco has been the exclusive fuel provider for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for 15 years. That’s more than 15.5 million miles of racing and more than 1,300 victories, and we’re celebrating some of the most iconic moments in a series of videos.

The Sunoco fuel used by the NASCAR national series has changed twice since it became the official fuel of NASCAR in 2004, improving performance and environmental quality along the way. In 2004, NASCAR competition was fueled by Sunoco Supreme. From 2007-2010, NASCAR ran on Sunoco 260 GTX. Since 2011, Sunoco Green E15 has been on board for every green flag — and appropriately, it’s green in color. Sunoco Green E15 is 98 octane, unleaded fuel and contains 15 volume percent ethanol plus more oxygen than most fuels, as it’s built for racing.

For 15 years, Sunoco has been fueling the most memorable victories and greatest moments in NASCAR. Learn more about the highlights in this video series: Sunoco Fueled for 15: Celebrating 15 years of Fueling Victories.

Celebrating 2018 Sunoco Rookies of the Year: We salute the 2018 Sunoco Rookie of the Year in each of NASCAR’s national series. William Byron secured the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award on the strength of four top-10 finishes in the iconic No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Tyler Reddick rode his great season all the way to the series championship, taking the Sunoco checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Myatt Snider won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award driving for powerhouse ThorSport Racing, capturing four top-five finishes on the season and ranking ninth in the final standings. MORE: Watch the video
Dale Earnhardt Junior wins the 2004 Daytona 500: Sunoco has been fueling racing engines for more than 50 years, but their partnership with NASCAR started with a bang as Junior sealed his first Daytona 500 victory in their first Cup Series race as the Official Fuel. Earnhardt started on the pole and staged a fierce battle with Tony Stewart. Junior held on, taking the Sunoco checkered flag just .273 seconds ahead of Stewart and continuing the Earnhardt family’s superspeedway dominance. MORE: Watch the video
Kurt Busch’s 2004 championship: Kurt Busch’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career began with Roush Fenway Racing, with seven races in 2000 and a full-time ride in 2001. Busch brought Roush Fenway a premier series title three years later, in 2004 – a first for both Busch and Sunoco, as it was the first championship fueled by Sunoco. It was the second consecutive championship for Roush, with Matt Kenseth taking the crown in 2003. MORE: Watch the video
Carl Edwards’ 2005 victory at Atlanta: At 25 years old and in his first season driving for Jack Roush in the No. 99 Ford, Carl Edwards put on a show for fans at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Edwards clinched his first premier series victory by passing Jimmie Johnson on the final lap and streaking across the start-finish line just .028 seconds ahead of the No. 48 car. It was the first of 28 career Sunoco Checkered Flags for Edwards. MORE: Watch the video
Ryan Newman wins the 2008 Daytona 500: Ryan Newman brought iconic team owner Roger Penske his first Daytona 500 victory in 2008, the 50th running of the “Great American Race.” Kurt Busch, driving the No. 2 Penske Dodge, pushed his teammate’s No. 12 car across the start-finish line for the Sunoco Checkered Flag and a Team Penske 1-2- finish. MORE: Watch the video
Trevor Bayne wins the 2011 Daytona 500: In only his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start, Trevor Bayne won the 2011 Daytona 500 – the first win in 10 years for the Wood Brothers and the iconic No. 21 Ford. Bayne also was the youngest driver ever to win the race at 20 years and 1 day old. MORE: Watch the video
Jimmie Johnson’s 2011 win at Talladega: The 2011 Aaron’s 499 was one for the record books. Coming through the final corners, four pairs of cars pushed, drafted and timed slingshot moves against each other creating a four-wide finish at the line. When the Sunoco Checkered Flag flew, it was Johnson nosing out Clint Bowyer by just .002 seconds for the victory. It stands as the closest finish at Talladega Superspeedway. MORE: Watch the video
Tony Stewart’s 2011 championship: Tony Stewart earned his reputation as a closer in 2011 when the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title race came down to the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Stewart had a slow start to 2011, but four wins in the first nine Playoff races put him second in the standings behind Carl Edwards going into the season finale. At Homestead, Stewart took the Sunoco Checkered Flag again with Edwards coming in as the race’s runner-up, putting the two in a dead heat on points. Stewart’s five victories on the season won him the championship on a tiebreaker. MORE: Watch the video
Danica Patrick wins the pole for the 2013 Daytona 500: As a Sunoco Rookie in 2013, driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, Danica Patrick won the pole for her first start in the Daytona 500. She went on to become the first woman to lead laps in “The Great American Race” with a total of 5 laps led. Patrick also notched a top-10 finish. MORE: Watch the video
Jeff Gordon’s 2015 Martinsville victory: Jeff Gordon’s final full season included a thrilling trip to Victory Lane at Martinsville where he memorably shouted, “We’re going to Homestead!” It would be the last time Gordon drove the legendary No. 24 Chevrolet to victory and his ninth and final Sunoco Checkered Flag at Martinsville Speedway. MORE: Watch the video
Kyle Busch wins 2015 Championship: In arguably the best comeback story in NASCAR history, Kyle Busch rebounded from a hard crash, a broken leg and ankle suffered in the season-opening Xfinity race at Daytona. He missed the first 11 races of the season but took home an impressive five Sunoco Checkered Flags and the 2015 Championship. It was also Toyota’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title since joining the premier series in 2007. MORE: Watch the video
Daniel Suarez wins 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship: In just his second season as a full-time NASCAR driver in any national series, Daniel Suarez took the 2016 Xfinity Series championship. Hailing from Monterrey, Mexico, Suarez became the first driver born outside the United States to win a national series championship. The title came after an exceptional 2015 season in which Suarez was the Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year. MORE: Watch the video
Jimmie Johnson wins all 7 Championships on Sunoco Fuel: Jimmie Johnson earned all seven of his record-tying championships running on Sunoco Fuel. Sharing the record with legends Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty puts him in pretty impressive company. Johnson also earned 77 of his 83 race wins on Sunoco fuel. Though parting ways with long-time crew chief Chad Knaus for 2019, Johnson will chase more SunocoCheckered Flags in the No. 48 Chevrolet next season. MORE: Watch the video
Celebrating 2018 Sunoco Rookies of the Year: We salute the 2018 Sunoco Rookie of the year in each of NASCAR’s national series. William Byron secured the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award on the strength of four top-10 finishes in the iconic No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Xfinity Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Tyler Reddick rode his great season all the way to the series championship, taking the Sunoco Checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Myatt Snider won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year award driving for powerhouse ThorSport Racing, capturing four top-five finishes on the season and ranking ninth in the final standings. MORE: Watch the video
Joey Logano wins his first Monster Energy Series championship on Sunoco Fuel: Facing the ‘Big 3’ of Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. in the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Team Penske driver Joey Logano led 80 laps and captured the Sunoco Checkered Flag and the series championship for 2018. Logano was runnerup in 2016, and this was his first championship in his 10^th year racing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. MORE: Watch the video
2018 Champions Tyler Reddick and Brett Moffitt: Both Xfinity Series Champion Tyler Reddick and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Champion Brett Moffitt won their titles by winning the Sunoco Checkered Flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Reddick had two wins on the season in his Sunoco Rookie of the Year debut season with JR Motorsports. Moffitt racked up six Sunoco Checkered Flags in the 2018 Truck Series season on his way to the championship. MORE: Watch the video

Sunoco keeps fueling victories through the 2018 NASCAR Playoffs in all three series. We will highlight some of the best NASCAR triumphs fueled by Sunoco in videos. Watch here for more thrilling moments, from jaw-dropping Sunoco Rookie of the Year performances to record-setting and barrier-shattering moments in the sport.

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Zack Albert

LAS VEGAS — The spirit of collaboration that has been a recent trend within the NASCAR industry is growing tentacles into other forms of motorsports.

Back-to-back announcements this week have signaled that the NASCAR K&N Pro Series will become a companion event with both the World of Outlaws and IndyCar next season. That’s of particular interest to Kyle Larson, the 2012 K&N East champ and a sprint-car phenom with six Outlaws feature wins to his credit.

“If the sprint cars race on a track like that, I think there’s a lot of NASCAR fans that’ll go there and that may be their first-ever sprint car race that they’ve seen,” said Larson, on hand at the Wynn Las Vegas for NASCAR Champion’s Week.

The NASCAR K&N West Series will make its second appearance at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Dirt Track on Feb. 28, the lead-in to a NASCAR national series tripleheader at the 1.5-mile asphalt LVMS venue down the street. The K&N cars will share the bill with the World of Outlaws’ high-powered barnstorming speed show.

“I think it’s exciting that NASCAR and the World of Outlaws are working together for that event,” Larson said. “I think it’s definitely cool. I don’t think race fans really think, ‘Oh, cool. They’re putting NASCAR K&N with the Outlaws,’ well, I think for them to both be able to showcase how cool the event is, the track needs to be right, the way it’s prepped needs to be right.”

Larson alluded to issues with dust and visibility that hampered the first portion of the inaugural K&N West event on the Vegas dirt last September, requiring a mid-race re-watering of the surface. So might we expect to see Larson making the rounds on the track’s water truck next season?

“I’ve never driven one,” he said, “but I would gladly help in whatever way I could to make sure that the racing is going to be as good as it can be.”

The IndyCar partnership will take place next summer at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois. The 1.25-mile track will host a combination race for both the K&N East and West tours on Aug. 24, the same day as the IndyCar event.

“Motorsports enthusiasts hopefully can get excited about other forms of motorsports,” said Kyle Busch. “I look at the Kyle Larson aspect of it. He’s a huge dirt guy. He loves midgets, loves sprint cars and all that sort of stuff, then comes to NASCAR because he’s very good at what he does. He’s talented but it’s also a way of making a better living, right? But still, he gives back to his roots. I give back to my roots with Super Late Model racing, and other guys do Late Model Stock car racing, like Dale Jr. It’s those different enthusiasts you try to hit and try to showcase different racing authorities.”

Posted on November 28, 2018November 29, 2018 by Reid Spencer

LAS VEGAS — Martin Truex Jr. thought he had the Championship 4 race won — until a late caution intervened and gave Joey Logano the chance he needed to deny Truex a second straight title.

“No question,” Truex said. “If it wasn’t for a bad pit stop on the (earlier) green-flag stop… we had a straightaway lead at that point. We were running those guys down really fast.

“I had already passed the 22 (Logano) for second, and I was catching the 4 car (Harvick) three or four tenths (of a second) a lap. I mean, it wasn’t going to take long — but it doesn’t really matter now, does it?”

Truex didn’t have the fastest car last year, but he managed to hold off Kyle Busch in the championship race.

“It’s hard to get completely devastated about a race working out that way,’ said Truex, who will be driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2019. “We did all we could do. We put ourselves in position, made the right decisions.

“The year before, we were the second-best car. Kyle had it won, and the pit strategy — the way we played it out — we caught the caution at the right time and got the lead and were able to hold him off. So it’s like you win one you maybe shouldn’t have, and you lose one you maybe shouldn’t have. They kind of even out.”

Posted on November 28, 2018November 29, 2018 by Reid Spencer

LAS VEGAS — What was a dream to Joey Logano became an ambition, and on Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, ambition became reality.

The driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford won the season finale at the South Florida track to claim his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, and the reality of that first title sank in as soon as Logano crossed the finish line.

RELATED: Logano soaking in title

“This is what we’ve worked for our whole life,” Logano said on Wednesday at the Wynn Las Vegas after the NMPA Myers Brothers Awards. “Not 10 years that we’ve been trying at the Cup level, but it started in ’95 when I first got behind the wheel of a go-kart. That’s when this goal started.

PHOTOS: Sights from Logano’s Vegas tour

“There was never a second thing that I was going to try to do. This was it — NASCAR champion.”

Not that Logano considered a Cup championship a possibility when he was 5 years old — but he could dream.

“You’re a kid, and it’s a dream,” Logano said. “Maybe a goal is a little different. It’s a dream at that point. A lot of kids want to be NASCAR champion, and I’m here to say it can happen, as long as you keep working hard and taking advantage of the opportunities in front of you.

“When I went to elementary school, and they said, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’, it was always race car driver.”

MORE: Full Champion’s Week schedule

Posted on November 28, 2018November 29, 2018 by Reid Spencer

LAS VEGAS — During his recent car swap in Bahrain with former Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso, seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was impressive in his first stint in an F1 car, running only two tenths of a second slower that Alonso’s fastest lap.

But Alonso impressed Johnson in a stock car, too — and surprised the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

“One thing that really surprised me was how good he was at sliding the car around,” Johnson said. “In Formula 1, you don’t really slide those cars, but I rode with him in some type of McLaren sports car on some hot laps, and he was dead sideways the entire time.

“I said, ‘I thought you drive a Formula 1 car straight,’ and he said, ‘You do, but I like to slide.’ So, the entire time, he was boiling the tires in the sports car. And when he got in the Cup car, I don’t think he ever went straight. He was sliding and drifting through every turn, amazing car control …

“I don’t think he knows what his plans are for 2019, but I’d love to have him in NASCAR.”

Posted on November 28, 2018November 28, 2018 by Staff Report

The NMPA Myers Brothers Awards were held on Wednesday, November 28 at the Wynn Las Vegas. Here’s a rundown of who took home the awards.

Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award: William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Champion Buddy Shuman Award: Grant Lynch, Talladega Superspeedway Chairman
Busch Pole Award: Kurt Busch, No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: ExxonMobil’s Mobil 1 brand
Mechanix Wear Pit Crew of the Year: No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing pit crew
MOOG Go the Extra Mile Crew Chief of the Year Award: Adam Stevens, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award: Doug Yates, Roush Yates Engines for performance of No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Mobil 1 Performance Award: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford
American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Sunoco Diamond Performance Award: Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Goodyear NASCAR Series Champion Award: Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Sponsor Award: Shell-Pennzoil
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Crew Crew Award: Todd Gordon, No. 22 Team Penske Ford
NMPA Myers Brothers Award: NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France

Posted on November 28, 2018November 28, 2018 by Zack Albert

LAS VEGAS — NASCAR Chairman and CEO Jim France was presented Wednesday with the 2018 NMPA Myers Brothers Award for outstanding contributions to the sport of stock-car racing.

France, 74, has served on the board of the International Speedway Corporation for more than four decades, leading the transformation of a number of tracks, including the $400 million re-imagining of Daytona International Speedway as a motorsports showplace. He is the son of NASCAR founder William H.G. “Big Bill” France.

The announcement came Wednesday at the Encore Theater at the Wynn Las Vegas as part of Champion’s Week festivities. The events will be capped by Thursday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Awards, where Joey Logano and his team will be celebrated as the 2018 champs.

PHOTOS: Scenes from Champion’s Week

“Holy smokes,” France said after taking the stage. He then recounted his memories of spending the summers of his youth watching both Billy and Bobby Myers compete at historic Bowman Gray Stadium.

“To receive this honor in their name is very special,” France said. “I’ve had the opportunity the last part of this season to spend a lot of time again in the garage area and pits of our racing series, and I’d like to pass on one quick observation. From the 1950s in the pits at Bowman Gray Stadium to the 2018 pits in the NASCAR Monster Energy Series, that NASCAR spirit, a competitive spirit of the drivers and teams, is alive and well, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

France was presented with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Landmark Award in 2018. That honor was introduced in 2015 to recognize individuals who have made “significant contributions to the growth and esteem of NASCAR.”

France has been instrumental in leading two key motorsports mergers during his tenure. In 2012, he brought Grand-Am Road Racing together with the American Le Mans Series under the IMSA banner. In April, he helped to announce NASCAR’s acquisition of the ARCA stock-car circuit.

France assumed the role of NASCAR Chairman and CEO in August. He replaced Brian France, who has taken an indefinite leave of absence from the company.

NASCAR President Steve Phelps lauded France’s contributions and his involvement with the stock-car racing industry during a season-ending address Nov. 18 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“Jim is a man who has lived NASCAR his entire life,” Phelps said. “He is a racer through and through. He raced himself. He loves racing. He loves NASCAR. The top of that pyramid, the top of the structure is incredibly strong.”

The Myers Brothers Awards also recognized newly crowned Cup champion Joey Logano, who received the Sunoco Diamond Performance Award and the Goodyear gold car – a replica of his championship-winning No. 22 Ford – for his efforts in securing his first title.

Logano couldn’t take his eyes of the gold trophy, which gleamed from the stage in the theater.

“That is the coolest trophy in all of sports,” Logano said, who preceded his crew chief, Todd Gordon, to the dais.

“What a great year to be a part of Team Penske,” Gordon said. “(Team owner) Roger (Penske) was voted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Will Power won our 17th Indianapolis 500, Brad Keselowski won our first Brickyard 400, Ryan Blaney won the inaugural Charlotte Roval race, Scott McLaughlin won the Australia Supercars championship, and we checked off the last current Cup track that Penkse hadn’t won at with a win and championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway.”

Talladega Superspeedway president Grant Lynch was the recipient of the 2018 Buddy Shuman Award, which recognizes individuals who have played vital roles in ensuring the continued growth and popularity of NASCAR racing.

“Man, y’all can keep a secret,” said Lynch in an emotional speech. “I never thought I would get where I did, and you don’t get there without people who put their faith behind you.”

First-year Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron took Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, but he was eager to put his status as a neophyte behind him.

“No more rookie meetings, and that’s a freedom I haven’t had in my short NASCAR career so far,” Byron said. “With that being said, I’m ready to have a little fun tomorrow when I turn 21 and take those rookie stripes off.”

Contributing: Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service

Posted on November 28, 2018November 28, 2018 by Jonathan Merryman

LAS VEGAS — They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. For 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion Joey Logano, the grass is, indeed, greener as the NASCAR champion in Las Vegas.

“It’s been fun so far,” Logano said Wednesday during a tour of Las Vegas during NASCAR Champion’s Week. “We have stopped at a couple of (famous Vegas landmarks), the Las Vegas sign and now here at the Bellagio. It’s really neat being able to experience everything here at Champion’s Week.”

MORE: Full Champion’s Week schedule | Preview

Logano missed the playoffs last year after came up short in the Championship 4 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014 and 2016. The Team Penske driver made sure to make his third shot at the title count.

“I guess you really don’t enjoy (Champion’s Week) much if you don’t win,” he said. “I have been on that side more times than not so to be able to do all of the fun stuff and enjoy it, I have really been looking forward to it for the last week and a half or so.”

During the reigning champ’s two stops on his Las Vegas landmark tour, he made sure to stop and take photos with fans in front of the famous “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign and his No. 22 Team Penske Ford. The trip then took the 28-year-old to the Bellagio fountain for more photos with his crew chief Todd Gordon, who takes the experience as motivation to be back at the head table next season.

“I’m anxious to get on stage because I know we both talk about it every year and sit in the crowd,” said Gordon. “It’s motivation to want to get out of the crowd and up on stage. That will be a really cool moment.”

Posted on November 28, 2018November 28, 2018 by Alex Weaver

ORLANDO, Fla. — Adrenaline pumping, 90-degree angles, a drop of 25 stories and reaching 70 mph. No, we’re not talking about racing — at least not in a stock car.

Welcome to Universal Studios Florida, where 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick was living it up Tuesday on the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Roller Coaster. Reddick celebrated his championship with coasters, a taste of the Butterbeer at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a virtual Jimmy Fallon and the Roots on a race through New York.

PHOTOS: Behind the scenes of Reddick’s day

Reddick, who won the title driving the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, spent the day reminiscing on the special victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway that won him the trophy.

The backdrop of palm trees and sunny Universal Orlando resort put the champ in a much-deserved vacation mood. If his childhood dreams weren’t already fulfilled by winning a NASCAR championship, being the grand marshal in the Universal parade surely did the trick. So, too, did the long line of NASCAR enthusiasts who lined the streets of the park’s main plaza for an autograph session and photos with Reddick.

The day wouldn’t be complete without hitting all of the rides the park had to offer. Reddick, a thrill seeker, attacked the biggest coasters first and closed the day with characters from “The Grinch,” “Harry Potter” and “The Simpsons.”

So, how was his day? Reddick answered that with a bold prediction for 2019.

“Amazing — and I’ll see you guys again for the same Champ’s tour, this time, next year,” he said.