HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Navigating through negative comments from detractors on social media is often a tough road. For Samantha Busch, criticism has been a much more personal topic of late, one that brings emotional timbres to her voice.
Her husband, Kyle Busch, hoisted the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship trophy for the first time Sunday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, capping a stirring comeback season that opened with multiple severe leg injuries in a harrowing crash during the NASCAR XFINITY Series opener at Daytona International Speedway. Busch missed the first 11 races of the year as he recovered, returning to competition in mid-May with an exemption from NASCAR officials that kept him eligible for the title.
When that eligibility eventually resulted in his first premier-series championship, online naysayers renewed their scrutiny of a decision and a playoff format that kept Busch’s dreams intact. For Samantha Busch, that criticism hit home.
“The waiver is very emotional,” she said Monday night, moments after accepting accolades for her husband’s championship-winning team in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ season-ending awards banquet. “First of all, it wasn’t just there for Kyle. It’s been used for other drivers. It’s been used for Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch and I believe Kyle Larson, so it’s not like something that was just invented for Kyle and this injury. So that’s the first thing that gets me a little emotional.
“But secondly, I think people just think, ‘Oh, he got to take 11 weeks off and so he’s more refreshed than other drivers.’ Absolutely wrong. He was sitting there trying to learn how to bend his toes, how to move his foot, how to stand up out of bed. It was not a walk in the park for him, it was not a vacation, and it was probably the hardest thing he’s ever done in his life, and not only did he do it with such determination and passion, but he came back so much earlier than anyone expected.”
Samantha Busch recounted the more difficult moments of her husband’s rehabilitation — the falls, the doubts, and the struggle of merely learning to walk again.
“People don’t see what we went through,” Busch said. “They don’t know every hour. They don’t understand how hard he works and I think that’s why I get a little bit more emotional about it.”
RELATED: Learn more about Champion’s Week
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 24, 2015) – The celebration will continue after the trophy is lifted at Homestead-Miami Speedway as NASCAR® presents the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards™ hosted by actor and comedian Drew Carey. Live from Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, Dec. 4, fans can tune-in to coverage of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards™ beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. NBCSN will also begin coverage at 8 p.m. ET from the red carpet, followed by the awards broadcast at 9 p.m. ET.
This year’s show will also feature a lineup of performances from award-winning musical artists Andy Grammer, Sam Hunt, Rachel Platten, and Sabrina Carpenter.
As the current host of The Price is Right and former host of Who’s Line is it Anyway?, Drew Carey will bring a seasoned air of entertainment and comedy to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards stage. Best known for his self-portrayal on The Drew Carey Show, which garnered seven Emmy nominations, Carey has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including three People’s Choice Awards, an Editor’s Choice TV Guide Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“This has been a tremendous year for NASCAR, and I’m honored to host this headlining event as fans all across the country tune-in to pay homage to the accomplishments of the 2015 champion,” said Carey. “I look forward to rounding out the 2015 NASCAR® racing season with a night of epic proportions alongside some of the greatest names in sports and entertainment.”
Triple-platinum selling recording artist Andy Grammer will perform at the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. The pop singer best known for hits such as “Keep Your Head Up” and “Back Home” took America by storm in 2015 with his smash single, “Honey, I’m Good” turning it into one of the year’s catchiest songs. A deluxe edition of his sophomore album, Magazines Or Novels was released on Nov. 20 featuring Andy’s brand new single, “Good To Be Alive (Hallelujah.)”
The evening’s musical lineup will also feature country star Sam Hunt, who took home the honor of New Artist of the Year at Sunday night’s American Music Awards. His critically-acclaimed debut album Montevallo has so far produced three consecutive No. 1 platinum-selling singles with “Leave the Night On,” “House Party” and the double-platinum “Take Your Time,” plus his current platinum-selling Top 15, “Break Up In A Small Town.”
Rachel Platten, one of this year’s breakout artists with her double platinum No. 1 hit single, “Fight Song”, will also grace the awards stage. Her current chart-climbing single, “Stand By You” will be released on her highly-anticipated forthcoming album, Wildfire.
Rounding out the night’s performances will be multi-talented singer / songwriter Sabrina Carpenter, who currently stars on the Disney Channel original series Girl Meets World. Carpenter released her debut album, Eyes Wide Open earlier this year, which features “We’ll be the Stars” and its namesake single, “Eyes Wide Open.”
“The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards marks the pinnacle of our season as we have the opportunity to commend the drivers and teams for all of their hard work and dedication throughout the year,” said Zane Stoddard, NASCAR vice president of entertainment marketing and content development. “With Drew Carey at the wheel and a lineup of performances from some of the most celebrated entertainers in the music industry, it will certainly be a finale to remember for everyone joining us in Las Vegas and the NASCAR fans watching at home.”
This year’s artists will join a star-studded group of actors and musicians who have previously performed at NASCAR’s championship celebration, including Lady Antebellum, Sara Bareilles, Dierks Bentley, and Kid Rock. Part of the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week™ in Las Vegas, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards is the headlining experience in a series of events that also includes the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fanfest, NASCAR After The Lap™ and NASCAR Victory Lap™, where fans get a front row seat as the 16 Challengers™ roar down Las Vegas Boulevard. Visit www.NASCAR.com/ChampionsWeek to view the full NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week schedule.
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Joe Gibbs Racing
Busch has always shown the promise and he finally delivered in 2015, amidst some seemingly insurmountable circumstances to start the season.
MORE: Busch wins first title
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Harvick nearly became the first back-to-back Cup champion since Jimmie Johnson, falling just short of the race win at Homestead. He’s a near lock to be in similar position next year.
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Despite not winning his fifth title, Gordon rides into the sunset with his head held high before handing the No. 24 reins to rookie Chase Elliott.
After missing out on a title opportunity at Homestead, expect one of 2015’s most consistently strong drivers to come out roaring in 2016 — and possibly defend his Daytona 500 win.
A season of highs for Truex should only improve over the offseason as his Furniture Row Racing team shifts to Toyota and a corresponding technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Kenseth certainly felt he should’ve been among the title contenders at Homestead, and don’t expect him to forget any time soon about not being behind the wheel for two of the Eliminator Round races. He’ll be motivated in ’16.
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Hendrick Motorsports
The speed Junior showed in his first year with crew chief Greg Ives is a springboard for the 88 team in 2016, which could wind up being Hendrick Motorsports’ strongest entry.
Team Penske
Keselowski is now three champions removed from his title season of 2012 and the desire to get back in title contention continues to grow. Do not be surprised if we see two Team Penske cars racing for a title a year from now.
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Hendrick Motorsports
Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus appeared to rekindle their mid-season performance as the season drew to a close, something that should carry over to 2016.
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Busch rebounded tremendously from a forgettable ’14 campaign, and now that he and crew chief Tony Gibson have more than a full year of working together under their belts, the 41 could be right there with the teammate Kevin Harvick’s 4 in 2016.
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Joe Gibbs Racing
Hamlin at times looked primed to be a lock for a second straight Championship 4 appearance. He also, at times, looked like he belonged in the lower half of the Chase field standings.
MORE: Hamlin tweaks Harvick
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Like Hamlin, Edwards flirted with both dominance and mediocrity, but 2016 should see the two of them lean more toward the former as they continue to get acquainted with their crew chiefs.
There certainly were positive gains for McMurray in 2015 — he made his first Chase, for example — but the progression overall has slowed. At age 39, what we see might be all we get from the veteran.
McMurray’s teammate, on the other hand, once again showed significant progress toward the end of the season, nearly winning the season finale at Miami. With a new crew chief in tow, look for Larson to make big leaps in 2016.
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Newman couldn’t quite back up his 2014 success in 2015, finishing nine spots lower in the standings with one less top-10 finish.
Looking for a bounce-back candidate for 2016? Here’s your guy. We’ve seen Kahne’s flashes of brilliance — six wins in 2006 — but it’s been a while. With so much talent waiting to find a seat in the series, next season is a pivotal one for the veteran.
A year removed from making the Chase, Almirola took a step back in 2015. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver failed to make the Chase or win a race and managed one less top-10 finish while leading just three laps all year.
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Menard had an interesting season, finishing with three less top 5s, eight less top 10s and 35 less laps led — just 10 overall — but made the Chase for the first time. So, call it a wash?
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Stewart-Haas Racing
Bowyer is a major wild card for next year. Shifting to HScott Motorsports for a season before he takes over Tony Stewart’s ride in 2017, it’s tough to tell if he’s in better equipment than his current Michael Waltrip Racing, which is closing its doors. He may be held without a victory again in 2016, which would be his fourth straight winless season.
Richard Childress Racing
Dillon managed to add one more top-10 finish in 2015 than last year, but many pegged him for a bigger leap. Next year could be big for his progression, but he has yet to show much ability to compete for race wins on top of finishing a spot lower in the standings.
Still a driver seen as a road course ace and nothing more, Allmendinger will look to improve his oval acumen as he settles into a long-term deal with JTG Daugherty Racing.
Roush Fenway Racing
Stenhouse appeared to start to figure things out toward the end of the season, which was more or less a lost campaign for Roush Fenway Racing as a whole on the Cup side.
Stewart-Haas Racing
With sponsor GoDaddy — and its accompanying neon green and orange color scheme — a thing of the past, Patrick will be harder to spot on the track, until she starts turning heads with her performance. It could be in 2016.
Biffle is another solid bounce-back candidate. He’s a much, much better driver than what we saw from him in 2015, and the across the board mediocrity shown by RFR suggests it’s more performance-based than driver-based.
In his final season on the circuit with a new (yet-to-be-announced) crew chief, there’s nowhere to go but up for Tony Stewart — right?
Lorene King, executive director of the NASCAR Foundation, has done a Q&A with each of the four finalists for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award. They will appear on NASCAR.com this week.
RELATED: Cast your vote today
As another year comes swiftly to a close, we should all take time for reflection. As a charitable organization, we are thankful for those of you whose volunteer service impacts the lives of others and our communities.
Volunteerism remains strong with one in four adults volunteering in our country. The NASCAR Foundation has established the encouragement and support of volunteerism as one of our major efforts. Through the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award that honors our founder, Betty Jane France, we annually receive and review hundreds of nominees from which four finalists are selected.
The stories of these four outstanding, everyday champions and the charities they serve are told through special appearances at NASCAR races, our marketing efforts and those of our supporters and sponsors. We are blessed this year that Nationwide has joined us as Presenting Sponsor of the Award and is helping us spread the word about each of our finalists and their work for children.
This week, we are giving you a more in-depth look at each of this year’s finalists. These outstanding volunteers will touch your heart, so please stay tuned as each of these champions for children share their passion. And you can help — vote for your favorite every day, share these stories through social media, and tune in to the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards at Wynn Las Vegas at 9 p.m. ET on Dec. 4 (NBCSN), to see the winner of this year’s award.
Q: What does it mean to you to be among the finalists for The NASCAR Foundation’s Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide this year?
A: It means the world. Not only is my whole family NASCAR fans, this award will truly help put us on the map and be a game changer for the Stephanie Decker Foundation. The cost of running a camp for amputee kids can be quite high, between scholarships, travel/food for kids, programming, supplies and staffing.
Q: How will being selected as a finalist further your cause?
A: This award provides a large platform to bring awareness to children with missing limbs to an audience that we wouldn’t have reached before. Not only is it an opportunity to obtain sponsorships and form partnerships with other like-minded foundations, but it truly helps to bring awareness to the parents of limb different children, letting them know our organization exists to help.
Q: Why did you choose to work with this organization and/or cause?
A: When I lost my legs and began to get media attention about my survival, I realized that I was given a true opportunity to help make a difference. After experiencing our first camp and seeing the impact on the children we were helping, I knew this was what my family and I were meant to do. We haven’t looked back since. Our foundation helps provide sport opportunities, and sports are huge in our family. Being able to provide kids with confidence, skill, and teach metaphors for life experiences is priceless.
Q: What inspires you and your personal commitment to your cause?
A: When the kids first come into camp they are shy, but then they just blossom and come out of their shell. The truth is, those kids personally give us so much more in return than we can give them. It’s about the kids. They are our “why.”
Q: What has been the most rewarding moment during your work with your charity so far?
A: There was an amazing girl named Ella who never played sports (didn’t think she could) and was so quiet. Through her experiences at camp, she has gained so much confidence. Now she does jujitsu and loves to talk — and her mother said our camp changed her life. Instead of being a victim in other people’s eyes, she is now an advocate for herself and is taking on the world. It is priceless.
Q: Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you, your charity and your work?
A: We are so honored to even be considered. It’s important that people know we are an organization that needs some awareness — by voting for our foundation, it’s a true opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives.
RELATED: Full race results | Final 2015 standings | Chase Grid
Below is a breakdown of how the full 43-car field fared at Homestead-Miami Speedway:
1. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch capped his comeback season in dramatic fashion, winning at Homestead and claiming his first NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. The title marks the first for manufacturer Toyota, as well.
2. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. The 2014 champion led 46 laps — the most of any championship contender.
3. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. Keselowski battled back after an early pit road penalty to lead a race-high 86 laps and match his best Homestead result.
4. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. The outside pole sitter led 72 laps, but was shuffled back after late-race pit stops. He picked up two spots after restarting sixth with seven laps to go.
5. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson won Saturday’s XFINITY race at Homestead and put in a strong showing in his third and best Homestead outing.
6. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. “It’s a happy good day,” Gordon said after exiting his No. 24 Chevrolet. He climbed from 10th to sixth with five laps to go in his Cup finale.
7. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kenseth quietly recorded his eighth top-10 at Homestead in his first race back after serving a two-race suspension.
8. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Kurt Busch fell back to 41st after making contact with the wall early, but resumed running inside the top 10 on Lap 55.
9. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson fought back after having to serve an early penalty when his jackman attempted to manipulate the body near the right-rear wheel.
10. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin rallied from being three laps down after a gear oil leak sent him to the garage early.
11. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Homestead is typically one of Edwards’ better tracks, and he spent most of the day running inside the top 10.
12. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. Truex’s best Cup season ended short of a championship as handling issues plagued him down the stretch.
13. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. McMurray capped a solid season with his seventh top-15 at Homestead.
14. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon and his team chased the handling of the No. 3 Chevy with minimal success. With 100 laps to go, Dillon reported the adjustments weren’t helping as his car was sliding through the corners.
15. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing. Biffle took the wave-around late in Sunday’s race to resume running on the lead lap in 17th.
16. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Newman sustained some right-side damage after getting caught up in the oil laid down by Denny Hamlin early in the race. The damage later triggered a tire rub.
17. Ryan Blaney, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing. Blaney was strong in his Homestead debut, qualifying sixth and running a decent amount of the race in the top 15.
18. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne cracked the top 10 on Lap 30, but started to fade thanks to a loose-handling condition.
19. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne saved his car from hitting the wall on Lap 40, but still sustained a blown right-rear tire and brought out the third caution flag.
20. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing. Allmendinger was running inside the top 15 early in the race when he had a challenging sequence on pit road — he was hit entering pit road and then blocked in his stall after a four-tire stop.
21. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard ran as high as ninth on Saturday, but ultimately couldn’t find the right balance.
22. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17, Roush Fenway Racing. Despite getting into the wall early, Stenhouse held on to match his best Homestead finish.
23. Ty Dillon, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. Dillon sustained significant damage after being involved in the multi-car incident on the backstretch on Lap 46.
24. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Crew chief Daniel Knost took a big swing at adjustments and called Patrick to pit road during green-flag stops on Lap 134.
25. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish sustained damage on Lap 11 after slipping on oil on-track and getting into the wall.
26. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Bowman spent his second Homestead appearance looking for forward bite on the take-off.
27. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. After pitting to repair damage received during the Lap 46 accident, Ragan later reported a vibration and found himself racing for the beneficiary pass on Lap 171.
28. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt, in his third Homestead appearance, reported early that he didn’t have any grip in his right-front tire.
29. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart put handling into perspective saying, “It feels like running Eldora Speedway (a dirt track he owns)” as he tried different lines around the 1.5-mile speedway.
30. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Early in his second Homestead appearance, Annett hit the wall, prompting a right-rear tire rub.
31. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Moffitt requested significant adjustments and had a long stop during the competition caution.
32. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Handling was an issue for Gilliland, who was running 29th on Lap 124 when he asked his team, “How many more until we pit? I feel like I’m going to wreck every lap.”
33. Michael McDowell, No. 95 Ford, Leavine Family Racing. An early pit road penalty stalled McDowell’s forward progress.
34. J.J. Yeley, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley stayed out during the first caution period to jump from 34th to fifth but couldn’t hold off the competition that stopped for fresh tires.
35. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Cassill avoided the multi-car incident on Lap 46, but reported that he thought he ran over debris during Lap 100 green-flag stops.
36. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. “Something broke,” Allgaier reported as smoke poured from the right-rear with around 100 laps to go.
37. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. DiBenedetto saved his car — and kept the field green — when he recovered after getting hit from behind by Trevor Bayne with 62 laps to go.
38. Ryan Preece, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Preece made an unscheduled pit stop for a flat right-rear tire on Lap 64.
39. Josh Wise, No. 32 Ford, Go FAS Racing. Wise scrubbed the wall and blew a tire to bring out the sixth caution flag.
40. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Earnhardt was caught up in the Lap 46 incident and needed significant repairs on pit road before returning to the track.
41. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola sustained significant front-end damage and reported to the garage for repairs after being collected in a multi-car incident on Lap 46.
42. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Early handling issues were compounded after Mears was collected in the Lap 46 accident.
43. Clint Bowyer, No. 15, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer’s final race with Michael Waltrip Racing came to a disappointing end after his car got loose and he triggered an accident on Lap 46.
RELATED: Full coverage of Gordon’s last ride
Jeff Gordon ‘s last ride resulted in a sixth-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway and he finished third in the final standings for 2015. Here is a look at where the legendary driver stacks up all time.
RELATED: Full race results | Final standings
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — To go fast, all Kyle Busch had to do was mash the gas pedal.
To go faster, all he had to do was slow down.
Had to slow down. No choice there. Busch “got in a fight” with an unprotected, concrete wall at Daytona before the season’s first Sprint Cup Series race. He lost.
Sunday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he won. The road to the Sprint Cup title is a curious one.
They say the 30-year-old Busch is a “changed” man — actually, the word often used is “matured” — and I hope that’s only partly true.
It’s the competitive fire in Busch that pushes him to dance with a race car on the very edge. Occasionally, the results are disastrous; often, though, they are a thing of beauty.
Busch didn’t compete in all 36 points races this season, but for reasons out of his control. A broken right leg and a left foot that gave new meaning to the word “fractured” took care of that.
For nearly 12 weeks, Busch idled. Idle is not a speed to which the Joe Gibbs Racing driver is accustomed. One doesn’t win 154 races across three series by idling.
A bed-ridden Busch had to sit and watch as three other drivers climbed into his No. 18 Toyota. It’s been said that nothing hurts a racer more than seeing someone else in his car. Rehab was painful; sitting on the sidelines was agonizing. Potential wins were slipping by him on the television screen.
When he finally did make it back to the track, no one knew what to expect, least of all Busch. Sure, he was confident. His crew chief, Adam Stevens, and car owner, Joe Gibbs, were confident.
But no one was certain. No one knew if a broken leg and fractured foot were the only real injuries Busch suffered in Daytona several months earlier. Maybe the “want to” was still there, but the question was, could he? Could he still feel every nuance of the car as it rocketed around a race track? Could he push it to the very edge, find the sliver of an opening that existed only briefly, and charge his way through the field?
Not only could Busch still do those things, but in some ways he did them better. Only six weeks after his return, Busch was back in the winner’s circle, victorious at, of all places, Sonoma Raceway. In little more than a month’s time, he won three consecutive races and four of five.
Nearly as telling was his performance in the 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. The format, tweaked from time to time, has always dealt hefty penalties for miscues with little or no time to recover, and Busch has had his share. This time, he navigated the minefield that stretched from Chicago to Homestead with minimal damage.
If Busch has changed, so has his approach, something he called a “just let everything be” tactic. It’s a short phrase that speaks volumes about his confidence in himself and his team.
Changed? Maybe. Maybe hitting a concrete wall and starting a family and sitting on the sidelines had an effect on him after all.
Slowing down wasn’t a part of the plan. But in the end, that’s what it took. And Busch, the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, is just fine with that.
Team owner Roger Penske’s NASCAR XFINITY Series operation last won the driver’s championship in 2010 with Brad Keselowski, but the organization’s No. 22 team has gone undefeated for three consecutive years when it comes to the owner’s title.
Ryan Blaney, Sprint Cup Series drivers Keselowski and Joey Logano and road racer Alex Tagliani each piloted the No. 22 Ford this season, collecting seven of the organization’s eight wins in the series.
“I think it’s an investment,” Penske said of the XFINITY Series program. “It’s an investment on pit road for building guys over the wall, point number one, and point number two, to take a young driver like Blaney and get him in a car.
“The top driver is just not available when you need him, so you’ve got to build him. You’ve seen what (Jeff) Gordon and (Jimmie) Johnson and all the great drivers (have done).”
The No. 22 team ended the season with 1,308 points, 117 ahead of Joe Gibbs Racing‘s No. 54 Toyota entry and 118 ahead of the No. 60 Ford of Roush Fenway Racing.
Roush Fenway Racing driver Chris Buescher clinched the 2015 driver’s title.
JGR finished second to Penske in ’13-14 in the battle for the owner’s title as well.
Blaney has split his time between the XFINITY Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this season, competing in Sprint Cup with Wood Brothers Racing. The No. 21 team will run the full 36-race schedule next season. Team Penske and the Wood Brothers outfit have a technical alliance.
“From the standpoint of sponsorship, Discount Tire has been with us almost from the beginning,” Penske said. “They like the XFINITY Series. They think it gives them exactly what they want. To me we’ve got a good sponsor.
“We only run one car, occasionally we run two maybe at Watkins Glen, but to me I think it’s an important part of our organization. Running two Cup cars and having the ability to work with the (Wood Brothers) I think helps us build that team, and we can move people back and forth, and then of course with the XFINITY, it’s really the early stages of young guys that are coming into the sport and people that can make a difference.
“You know, there’s just no question that the people have moved up (to Sprint Cup). Everybody that’s at the top level today in our Cup cars have won and worked in the XFINITY Series, so I think that that’s amazing when you think about it.”
The No. 18 Toyota of Kyle Busch had been good all day, but with 10 laps to go in Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway a caution came out and the hopes for a championship rested in the arms of the pit crew. It was written in our earlier assessment of the final four pit crews that the No. 18 team had been the best in the clutch in the last five years — and they proved it again.
The No. 18 came in the pits in third place and left in second. Why is that such a big deal? Because it put him on the front row racing Brad Keselowski for the lead and in clean air as opposed to being in the second row with fellow Championship 4 driver Kevin Harvick right behind him.
When you get in traffic, anything can happen and Harvick could have used that traffic to try and maneuver past Busch. But by gaining the one spot on the last stop it helped Busch get on the front row and win his first championship in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
For the record, we timed that stop at 11.21 seconds. Congrats to all the No. 18 car personnel and especially the pit crew:
Pit Coaches: Mike Lepp and Paul Alepa
Front Changer: Josh Lesley
Front Carrier: Brad Donaghy
Jack Man: Jeff Fender
Rear Changer: Jake Seminara
Rear Carrier: Kenny Barber
Gas Man: Tom Lampe
For more pit crew news, visit PitTalks.com.
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — The two Most Popular Drivers were absolutely suited for NASCAR’s big awards.
Second-generation NASCAR mega-talents, both Chase Elliott (XFINITY Series) and John Hunter Nemechek (Camping World Truck Series) absolutely earned the distinction and the nod in Monday awards presentation.
Elliott, who will drive the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevy next year in the Sprint Cup Series — replacing the retiring Jeff Gordon — was typically low-key and humble about the whole NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series awards evening.
But he was eager to get going in his Cup career after a championship and second place finish (2015) in the XFINITY Series. Earning the Most Popular Driver Award for the recent season must have felt very appropriate for the son of Bill Elliott, who took the Cup Series vote a record 16 times. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won it the past 12 years.
“I think we have definitely a lot of work to do to catch Dale in that sense,” a smiling Elliott said. “But I’m very appreciative of the support I’ve had, especially the past two years and I’ve noticed it. I don’t think people realize how much that means to a driver when they see you wearing their T-shirt. It goes a long way for me. Seeing them do that means a lot.”
Elliott conceded he and his father, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, haven’t discussed this honor’s impact even though he is touched to receive it.
“We really haven’t talked about that,” Elliott said. “Fortunately he (his dad) had a big following and some of those people are following me. Can’t look past that. Dale has an obviously great following and I’m a Dale fan too.”
Nemechek, 18, was equally as excited to be recognized on the Camping World Truck Series side. A second-generation racer who won his first major race this season, Nemechek was obviously moved by the honor.
“It definitely can’t hurt to win the Most Popular Driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, ” Nemechek said. “It’s definitely an honor for me and my family, but more importantly, hopefully it’ll help us gain some reputation on selling some sponsorship for the seasons tocome. Can’t thank all of the supporters enough that voted, and all the friends and family as well.”
Nemechek is the second family member to be honored with the award. His father, Joe Nemecheck — a former XFINITY Series champion and four-time Cup winner.
“Yeah, he won I think in 1992 and ’93, so it’s awesome to be able to win an award that he’s won,” Nemechek said. “I beat him to something.
“I wish he wouldn’t have won most popular so I could’ve beat him to that. We’re very competitive, but to get my first truck win when he didn’t was very special as well. He wants one bad.”
With Elliott moving into the Cup series and Nemechek hoping to continue his rise in the NASCAR ranks in 2016.
“It definitely is special to hear how good you’re doing with the equipment that you have,” Nemechek said. “We utilize our resources to the absolute max that we possibly can. We try and get our trucks as good as we can. There’s a lot of late nights and hard work put in with just a few people. Finding the funding to get a few more people and not have to work as late and getting some free time to work on some other projects could even make us better, but it was definitely a good year. Getting our first win and finishing in the top five so many times, all the hard work did pay off.
“We’re still working on trying to find funding. Nothing is set in stone yet. It’s all kind of up in the air right now, so still trying to find those possible partners to sit down, sign a deal with, hopefully for years to come.”