Posted on by Staff Report

Hendrick Motorsports title percentage the best in major American professional sports

1  Jimmie Johnson will be the first active athlete to have a vote in his sport’s Hall of Fame. Johnson will cast one ballot for the 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame class as part of a new rule that includes the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion in the process.

2  different times Hendrick Motorsports has won four consecutive Sprint Cup Series titles (1995-1998, 2005-2010). No other organization has won more than three Sprint Cup championships in consecutive seasons.

2.4  is the average finish for Johnson in the championship standings over the 12 years he has worked with crew chief Chad Knaus. Together, the duo has never finished lower the sixth in the final point standings.

3  Hendrick drivers have won Sprint Cup Series championships. Those drivers are Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte.

6  is the number of titles Johnson has won in the past eight years. How does that compare to other sports? According to Matt Willis at ESPN.com — the New York Yankees won six of eight World Series titles twice (1936-43, 1947-53); the Montreal Canadiens won six Stanley Cups in eight seasons (1953-60); the Boston Celtics won eight consecutive NBA titles (1959-66); UCLA men’s basketball team won seven consecutive championships (1967-73); and the Chicago Bulls won six of eight NBA titles (1991-98 ).

10.7 was the average finish for Johnson in 2013.

11 is the number of Sprint Cup Series championships won by Hendrick Motorsports and team owner Rick Hendrick, which is tied for the seventh-most all-time among major American professional sports leagues.

14 is the number of car owner championships for Hendrick Motorsports across NASCAR’s three national series. In addition to the 11 Cup championships in the car owner category, Hendrick also has three car owner championships in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

16 is the number of top-five finishes Johnson had in 2013.
24 is the number of top-10 finishes Johnson had in 2013.
28 is the number of consecutive seasons that Hendrick Motorsports has won a Sprint Cup Series race.

36.7 is Hendrick Motorsports all-time title-winning percentage, which makes it the most efficient team in major American professional sports. The National Basketball Association’s Boston Celtics rank second with 17 NBA titles in 67 seasons (25.4 percent).

38 years and 61 days was Johnson’s age when he won his sixth Sprint Cup championship, making him the youngest driver (by 83 days) to win six titles. Petty was 38 years and 144 days old when he won his sixth title in 1975 (which was also just over two months after Johnson was born). Earnhardt was 42 years old when he won his sixth title in 1993.

57.9 is Hendrick Motorsports title-winning percentage in the past 19 seasons. The team has won 11 of the 19 Sprint Cup championships contested since 1995.

66 is the number of career victories Johnson has in the Sprint Cup Series.

110.3 was Johnson’s Driver Rating for the season, which was second to Matt Kenseth.

125.8 was Johnson’s Driver Rating in the 10 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup races in 2013.

218 is the number of Cup victories for Hendrick Motorsports in 30 seasons, which ranks second all-time behind Petty Enterprises (268).

974 is the number fastest laps Johnson ran in 2013, which was the most among all drivers.

1,985 is the number laps Johnson led in 2013, which was the most among all drivers. Overall, he led 18.8 percent of the laps run this season.

2,419 is the final point total for Johnson this season.

MORE:

READ: Jimmie Johnson
wins 2013 Sprint Cup Series title

READ: HOF-worthy career
in the books, Martin bows out

READ: Finale represents
end of a chapter for some

READ: Kenseth won’t dwell
on coming up short
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Duo won two consecutive Nationwide Series championships

The driver and crew chief who won two championships together for Roush Fenway Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series are being reunited — at NASCAR’s premier level.

Roush Fenway Racing announced on Tuesday a personnel shuffle that includes Mike Kelley, the crew chief who won back-to-back titles with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on the Nationwide Series in 2011 and 2012, being reunited with his old driver in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2014.

"It’s really exciting to team back up with Mike," Stenhouse said in the team release. "Obviously we have a great chemistry and we have had a great deal of success in the past. Scott (Graves) did a great job of guiding us through our rookie season this year and we look forward to continuing that growth next season."

The changes also include Graves, Stenhouse’s crew chief on the No. 17 car in 2013, moving to the Nationwide Series. He’ll call the shots for the No. 60 car, which will be manned in 2014 by Chris Buescher. Travis Pastrana drove the No. 60 in 2013, but won’t return.

Trevor Bayne, who will return to the No. 6 Ford in the Nationwide Series, has a new crew chief in Chad Norris. Norris has worked with such drivers as Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, and also led Bayne to his first Nationwide Series win in 2011.

And Seth Barbour will sit atop the No. 16 NNS Ford full time with Ryan Reed in 2014.

Edwards will remain with crew chief Jimmy Fennig and Greg Biffle will remain with crew chief Matt Puccia on the Cup side. Both drivers made the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Stenhouse and Kelley worked together for the bulk of three seasons at the Nationwide level, joining forces in the spring of 2010 and going on to win eight races and a pair of championships until Stenhouse moved to the Sprint Cup Series in 2013. With Graves, he had a somewhat uneven rookie season that included one top-five finish — third at Talladega Superspeedway in the fall — and a 19th-place finish in the final points standings.

Likewise, Bayne never really emerged as a championship contender in his first full Nationwide season since 2010. He and Kelley won at Iowa Speedway in the spring. Following a 30th-place finish at Road America, Bayne fell to 10th in points, and the No. 6 team was never really a factor in the title race after that. The 2011 Daytona 500 champion, Bayne finished sixth in the Nationwide standings.

"As with any season we always sit down at the end of the year and evaluate where we are, what we have and what we think are the best options to put our teams in the best position to compete for wins and championships," team owner Jack Roush said. "In this case, a reorganization that realigns Ricky and Mike, allows Scott (Graves) to work with Chris (Buescher), and reunites Chad with Trevor, made the most sense.

"Scott will help provide Chris with the type of guidance that helped Ricky improve throughout this season and close out the rookie award. Chad will bring veteran leadership and a steady hand to the No. 6 team with Trevor that we feel will be beneficial."

Posted on by Nascar

Chad Johnston to lead Stewart’s No. 14 team; other SHR changes announced

Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart will have a new crew chief in 2014, one of several moves announced Tuesday by Stewart-Haas Racing officials.

Chad Johnston, previously the crew chief for Martin Truex Jr. at Michael Waltrip Racing, has been named crew chief for Stewart and the No. 14 SHR team. A race engineer when he joined MWR, Johnston was elevated to the crew chief role in June of 2011.

According to a statement from SHR, Johnston and Stewart worked together briefly in 2004-05 while Johnston was race engineer for the Morgan-Dollar Motorsports team competing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Stewart raced three times with the team, scoring two top-three finishes.

Johnston replaces Steve Addington, Stewart’s crew chief since 2012. According to the team, Addington has left to pursue other opportunities.

Stewart has been sidelined since early August when he suffered a broken right leg while competing in a sprint car race in Iowa. He is currently undergoing physical therapy and is expected to be back behind the wheel when the 2014 season gets underway in three months at Daytona International Speedway.

SHR, located in Kannapolis, N.C., will field four teams next season, with drivers Stewart, Danica Patrick, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch.

Harvick is making the move from Richard Childress Racing, where he will replace Ryan Newman. Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, exits Furniture Row Racing as driver for the fourth SHR Cup entry.

Rodney Childers, like Johnston a former MWR crew chief, will oversee the No. 4 Chevrolet of Harvick. He worked with the team’s No. 55 entry this past season, and drivers Mark Martin, Brian Vickers and Michael Waltrip.

Daniel Knost, who has served as a race engineer with the No. 39 of Newman, has been promoted to crew chief, and will work with Busch. The team’s car number has been changed to 41 with sponsorship provided by Haas Automation.

Veteran Tony Gibson will continue to serve in his current role as crew chief for Patrick and the No. 10 GoDaddy.com team.

On the management side, former competition director Greg Zipadelli has a new title, vice president of competition, and additional duties — he’s tasked with overseeing all four teams and working closely with each of the crew chiefs.

Zipadelli, a former crew chief, guided Stewart to two Cup titles while the two were at Joe Gibbs Racing.

Additionally, Matt Borland will move from his crew chief role (he worked with Newman and the No. 39 team) to serve as vice president of engineering.

He will run the four teams’ research and development program as well as technical initiatives. He will also work closely with Knost, who is making his crew chief debut.

"Our greatest asset at Stewart-Haas Racing is our people," said Stewart, co-owner of the organization since 2009. "Obviously there is a lot of change happening … as we grow to four teams and bring in Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch.

"But with our new management structure and the crew chiefs we have in place, we’re well positioned to handle whatever challenges come our way."

MORE:

READ: Jimmie Johnson
wins 2013 Sprint Cup Series title

READ: HOF-worthy career
in the books, Martin bows out

READ: Finale represents
end of a chapter for some

READ: Kenseth won’t dwell
on coming up short
Posted on by Nascar

Johnson will be first athlete to co-host ESPN program

RELATED: Champions’ blog: Follow Jimmie on his victory tour

What do Billy Crystal and Ken Jeong have in common with six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson?
 
After today, all three will have co-hosted ESPN’s "SportsCenter."
 
Johnson, fresh off wrapping up his sixth Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup title Sunday night, goes behind the desk for the first time this evening when he co-hosts the popular program alongside regular hosts John Anderson and Lindsay Czarniak at 6 p.m. ET.
 
Crystal, the actor/comedian who has hosted the Academy Awards nine times, appeared as a co-host on "SportsCenter" In December of 2012. Jeong, a member of the cast of the hit movie "The Hangover," was co-host earlier this month.
 
Johnson is the first athlete to co-host the program.

Tuesday was the second day of media appearances for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, and included an appearance on "LIVE with Kelly and Michael" as well as a national teleconference with members of the media before breaking for lunch.
 
The "SportsCenter" gig, he said, was one that had been "kicked around for a little bit."
 
"We had the date on the books in I guess late summer trying to make it happen," he said, but added that because of his wife’s pregnancy (the couple has two young daughters), the appearance had to be postponed.
 
Because he is on the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., today for post-championship coverage, "it was real easy to transition into it," he said.
 
"Honestly, I’ve been pretty intimidated by this opportunity, although it’s one I want to take advantage of. … Now I’m in that position and we’re making it happen.
 
"It’s one thing to be asked a question on camera and answering something I know about. … To actually host and carry on a show is something totally different. I’m nervous, but I know I’m going to have John and Lindsey with me on there helping me out."
 
While Johnson has been making the media rounds (he appeared on "The Dan Patrick Show" as well as the "Late Show with David Letterman" on Monday), it’s been business as usual for crew chief Chad Knaus and members of Johnson’s No. 48 team, who likely were back at work the day after Sunday’s title-clinching finish in Homestead, Fla.
 
"They were at the shop yesterday – Chad was as far as I know," Johnson said. "Those guys work so hard through the season. … Shoot, they’ve probably been in ’14 mode for a couple of months, focusing on … things that can be done in advance."
 
While the opportunities have been fun if taxing, Johnson said the highlight of the week remains getting to enjoy winning the championship with his team Sunday night.
 
"To finally have the weight of the championship off our shoulders, have the success that we did, it was good fun, to say the least," he said.

MORE:

READ: Jimmie Johnson
wins 2013 Sprint Cup Series title

READ: HOF-worthy career
in the books, Martin bows out

READ: Finale represents
end of a chapter for some

READ: Kenseth won’t dwell
on coming up short
Posted on by Nascar

Work ethic, attention to detail have helped crew chief form strong partnership with Johnson

Ask folks in the garage about crew chief Chad Knaus and the responses almost always include terms such as dedicated, intense and focused.
 
Without a doubt, he’s also one of the most talented crew chiefs in NASCAR today. As he and his driver, Jimmie Johnson, continue to pile up championships and victories, he’s also considered one of the best of all-time.
 
Knaus, 42, has been paired with Johnson ever since the Hendrick Motorsports driver began competing full-time in 2002. With the 2013 championship now in hand, the two have claimed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship on six occasions, including five in a row from 2006-10, and 64 of Johnson’s 66 career victories have come with Knaus calling the shots.
 
Only two drivers have won more titles than Johnson — Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt each won seven.
 
And only one crew chief has been more successful — Dale Inman, who crewed Petty to his seven crowns and won an eighth as crew chief for Terry Labonte.

"I hired him when he was 19 or 20 years old," former crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham, a three-time champion with driver Jeff Gordon, said of Knaus. "I remember kidding around with him. I said ‘Where do you want to be in five years?’
 
"He said, ‘I want your job.’
 
"Now he’s not only got my job, he’s broken all my records."
 
The tremendous drive and dedication, Evernham said, is part of what sets Knaus apart. To compete at a championship level isn’t easy. To be able to do it for such an extended period of time "is phenomenal."
 
"Chad is … I think certainly the best of his time, maybe the best ever," Evernham said.

Knaus and Johnson haven’t always seen eye to eye — at one point team owner Rick Hendrick sat the two down to determine if the combination could move forward or if it might be in everyone’s best interest to split the pair up. That gathering, often referred to as the "milk and cookies" meeting, took place in 2005. The following year, Johnson and Knaus began their five-year run of title domination.
 
"I give Chad a lot of credit," Hendrick said. "He was running hard against the chip in those days. He had to learn how to take defeat. … They have tremendous respect for each other. The chemistry is the best it’s ever been."
 
Knaus has also been called difficult, someone who is always striving to achieve perfection in every area and expects nothing less from those around him.
 
He once swapped pit crews in mid-race; even members of this year’s championship-winning group changed during the course of the season. Sometimes such moves occur in the heat of battle, and sometimes they’re done in a less hectic environment. But rarely are they made haphazardly.
 
"Chad’s a smart guy, but he’s not the only guy on that team," said Darian Grubb, who worked with Knaus at HMS for several years. "He’s one of the staples. He’s got a car chief in Ron Malec that is incredible and has been with Jimmie since the start, so he knows he can trust him and trust his opinion.
 
"Same thing with the engineering group … he’s had several engineers with the team — he’s always going to get the best from each one, push them to their limits, always thinking about what’s new, what’s better. He does the same thing with all the mechanics. They actually have quite a bit of turnover if you look at the mechanical group versus a lot of the other teams, but they’re always striving to be better and pushing each guy to their limit as to what they can accomplish.
 
"That’s probably the biggest thing — just how he uses his resources and makes sure everybody’s pulling their weight and working toward getting Jimmie wins."
 
Evernham said he believes Knaus is as hard on himself as he is on those around him, but that "he also expects the same level of commitment from them as he gives. And you’re not always going to find that."
 
"When I was a crew chief, people hated me," Evernham said. "I was a prick. … It was like ‘look, the bottom line is if you could not make that car go faster or help us win races, I don’t have time for you.’ And that’s just the way Chad has to be right now. He’s got his way, it works and that’s the way he leads."
 
Johnson, who has spent his entire career at HMS, said his crew chief’s commitment and focus have played a huge role in how he has developed as a driver.
 
"The good thing with Chad is his intensity is there — all that is an obvious, but he doesn’t have a filter," Johnson said. "He is not fearful of getting something off his chest. At times it can rub anyone … the wrong way, it can rub the competitors the wrong way and it can rub me the wrong way, but at least it’s out there. It’s nice working with a guy that isn’t afraid to get it off his chest. Because then you have a chance to work on it and you have a chance to address it.
 
"His intensity has shaped me into who I am today and I am very grateful to have that environment. I think I thrive in that environment. There are some drivers that want to crew chief from the seat. That is not our dynamic. He has created an environment for me to thrive in and to learn. So it’s worked out really well."
 
Andy Graves, vice president of chassis engineering and Toyota Sprint Cup Series program manager, also worked with Knaus at HMS, initially with Evernham and Gordon on the No. 24 team and then on the No. 5 entry when Graves became crew chief.
 
He remembers Knaus as being "very, very detail-oriented; one of the hardest working guys that I’ve ever been around and a guy that pays attention to detail like no other," he said. "He’s really meticulous and always makes sure he has all his bases covered and always has a game plan if something goes wrong.
 
"With Chad’s work ethic he was a hell of a student of Ray, and Ray was a great teacher for all of us. He paid attention and did all the right things and worked his ass off."
 
There’s little balance, Graves said, when achieving that level of success. "It just keeps snowballing.
 
"That’s his decision and obviously you have to admire what he’s done in the sport and what he’s been able to achieve with Jimmie.
 
"Those guys, to stay together for as long as they have and to have the success they’ve had, they deserve the respect of everybody in this garage."
 
As program manager for General Motors’ Sprint Cup effort, Alba Colon has worked closely with Knaus, as well as with most of the crew chiefs and engineers in the Chevrolet camp.
 
Manufacturer support today comes in a variety of ways — from working on the design of the body and various engine parts to helping develop and implement tools that will hopefully improve performance.
 
"He keeps me on my toes," Colon said of Knaus. "If you don’t hear from him, you start to worry. Are we doing a good job and that’s why we’re not hearing from him, or are we not doing something and he hasn’t told me," she said.
 
"He’s the one I use to measure whether we are doing a good job. I always check with him, ask him to give me his insights. … Maybe he sees something from the crew chief side that an engineer doesn’t. I look up to him as my ultimate crew chief to help me with everything.
 
"And to be honest with you, I give thanks to God every day that he is in my camp and not against us, because that would not be fun to have to compete against him."
 
He has tremendous focus, she said, and it is evident that it runs throughout the team.
 
"Maybe two years ago they had an accident at Texas I think," she said. "When that car went to the garage and the crew arrived to work on the car, there was complete silence. Every member of that team knew what to do. They didn’t get in the middle of each other; they worked, they did the deal, Chad observed, said ‘OK maybe tweak that one thing there’ and there went Jimmie to do his job.
 
"That synchronization is unbelievable. Every member of that team knows what they need to do. And they have a great leader in Chad."
 
Through the years, Knaus has had his share of run-ins with the sanctioning body in his search for any and every advantage. He’s been fined and he’s been suspended. Two of Johnson’s 66 wins came while Knaus was serving a suspension at the start of the 2006 season.
 
Such incidents have fueled the fire of those outside the sport who brand Knaus as a cheater. Oddly, there’s an equally large contingent that seem to believe NASCAR officials look the other way when it comes to Knaus and the No. 48 team.
 
Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR and a successful crew chief himself, said labeling Knaus as a cheater "is very unfair."
 
"And I take exception to that," he said. "Because I will say, yes he has been busted a few times, but who hasn’t?
 
"The difference is he is successful beyond anybody that’s in the garage area now. I know what we do to inspect race cars in here and I know what our officials go through and I know what all the other teams do in here.
 
"Sooner or later people are going to have to come to grips with the fact that Chad Knaus is the greatest modern-era crew chief and Jimmie Johnson is the greatest modern-era driver.
 
"Some day you’re going to have to accept that. And shame on the people who (don’t) — it will come and go before they realize what they missed."

MORE:

READ: Jimmie Johnson
wins 2013 Sprint Cup Series title

READ: HOF-worthy career
in the books, Martin bows out

READ: Finale represents
end of a chapter for some

READ: Kenseth won’t dwell
on coming up short
Posted on by Brad Norman

Earnhardt has momentum heading into 2014 after finishing fifth

1. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Johnson finished first in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 2,419 points.
Last week: Say hello to Six-Time. With seeming effortless grace and a dominant car, Jimmie Johnson won his first championship since 2010 and the sixth of his storied career. The driver, as he’s done all year, saved himself from trouble (see the video below) when Paul Menard bumped his No. 48 Chevrolet, sending Johnson plummeting down the running order. He avoided potential disasters on the restarts that fanned out to four-wide. And he finished in ninth place to beat Matt Kenseth by 19 points in the final standings, and get one step closer to the hallowed seventh title.
What he said: "When I look back on the year, I think about the Gen‑6 car, the race to figure out what the car wanted for speed, the hard work from everybody at Hendrick, the way we’ve been able to connect through the 48 team, find speed in the car, develop the car, innovate in the garage area with the setups that are in the car. Just a well‑executed year top to bottom, especially in these final 10 races. We didn’t leave many points on the table. Last year we had eight great weeks, didn’t come up with it. Matt (Kenseth) had nine. You have to have 10 great weeks to be the champion and we got it done this year."
Recap: In 2013, Johnson finished with six wins, 16 top-fives, 24 top-10s and three poles.

2. Matt Kenseth (No. 20)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Kenseth finished second in the standings with 2,400 points.
Last week: At the end of the day, Matt Kenseth wore a smile. In his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth finished 19 points behind Jimmie Johnson and was just short of winning his second career title. But he led the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a career-high seven victories and added a pair of runner-up finishes, including Sunday’s showing at Homestead. After winning the Coors Light Pole, Kenseth led a race-high 144 circuits and challenged teammate Denny Hamlin for the win. He trailed by 28 points entering the finale, and needed Johnson to wreck or have significant car trouble — neither of which came to pass.
What he said: "It was just an unbelievable year for us really. Obviously, we wanted to finish off and win the championship as good as we ran all year, but couldn’t be more proud of the team. They did a spectacular job all season and all day today again. Overall, I don’t think you could ask for much more."
Recap: In 2013, Kenseth finished with seven wins, 12 top-fives, 20 top-10s and three poles.

3. Kevin Harvick (No. 29)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Harvick finished third in the standings with 2,385 points.
Last week: Harvick could still mathematically win the 2013 championship as the green flag dropped on the Ford EcoBoost 400, but he would need a minor miracle. The Richard Childress Racing driver was 34 points behind Jimmie Johnson and six points behind second-place Matt Kenseth through 35 of 36 races. As Kenseth charged through the field and Johnson stayed out of trouble, it clearly wasn’t Harvick’s day. That much was certain when he pitted off-cycle midway through to correct his handling condition. That put the veteran down to 29th place and one lap down, but he rallied to finish 10th in his final race for RCR. Harvick will join Stewart-Haas Racing next year.
What he said: "Yeah, we just weren’t very good. We were able to salvage something out of the night. Obviously it’s not what we wanted, but came back and were way better at the end than what we were in the beginning. It’s what we’ve done all year and I’m just proud of everybody and thank them for everything that they have done."
Recap: In 2013, Harvick finished with four wins, nine top-fives, 21 top-10s and one pole.

4. Kyle Busch (No. 18)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Busch finished fourth in the standings with 2,364 points.
Last week: Busch capped the best season of his career Sunday with a seventh-place finish at Homestead. Sure, he’s won more races before — eight in 2008 — but finishing fourth place in the standings is the best start-to-finish effort in his nine-year tenure in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. In fact, it’s just the third time in nine years Busch has finished better than 10th.
What he said: "We were hoping our night was going to turn out a little bit better. We could never quite get the car to where I could drive it the way I wanted to. We were able to dig hard there on the last run of the race and pick up enough spots to hold onto fourth in the standings, which is a big deal. This is my best points finish ever … and we have something to build upon for next year."
Recap: In 2013, Busch finished with four wins, 16 top-fives, 22 top-10s and three poles.

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Earnhardt Jr. finished fifth in the standings with 2,363 points.
Last week: No one finished the season as strongly as Earnhardt Jr. — and that includes a certain six-time champion. Junior capped a strong Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup performance by steering his No. 88 Chevrolet to a third-place finish at Homestead. He led 28 laps in the Ford EcoBoost 400 and was in position to challenge for the win alongside Denny Hamlin (who won) and Matt Kenseth (who finished second). In the final five Chase races, Earnhardt’s average finish was a series-best 3.8. In the 10 postseason events, he had five top-fives and eight top-10s, with a blown motor at Chicago in the opener spoiling what could have been a special championship Chase.
What he said: "This has been one of the best years I’ve had, certainly the best year I’ve had working with Hendrick. Just want to give my team a lot of credit. (Crew chief) Steve Letarte, my engineers, did just an amazing job providing these good cars every week. (I’m) hoping next year we continue that trend and that trajectory and get a shot at winning a championship. I think we can do it."
Recap: In 2013, Earnhardt Jr. finished with 10 top-fives, 22 top-10s and two poles.

6. Jeff Gordon (No. 24)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Gordon finished sixth in the standings with 2,337 points.
Last week: A poor qualifying effort relegated Gordon to starting 26th in the Ford EcoBoost 400, a race he won last year. His No. 24 Chevrolet was among the fastest in the field, running second for a while, but the driver ultimately finished 11th to cap his 10-race stretch in the postseason. Gordon picked up his first win of the year at Martinsville to climb into championship contention, but finished outside the top 10 in the final three races of the season. It was nearly worse at Homestead as Gordon spun his tires on a restart to avoid smacking Denny Hamlin, which set off a chain reaction involving title hopefuls Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson.
What he said: "That (was) the second time this year I have done that right in front of Matt (Kenseth) and he has drove right into the back of me and about wrecked us both. The last thing I would want to do in front of Matt is that, but you can’t run into the guy you know. It was a bad, unfortunate situation and it just trickles on back from there. It could have been even worse."
Recap: In 2013, Gordon finished with one win, eight top-fives, 17 top-10s and two poles.

7. Clint Bowyer (No. 15)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota 

Where he stands: Bowyer finished seventh in the standings with 2,336 points.
Last week: The long runs proved beneficial to Bowyer, who started 25th at Homestead but churned his way through the field over long green-flag stretches. In fact, Bowyer ended 2013 by notching his 10th top-five of the season (he finished fifth in the race), matching last year’s career-best effort. Last year was a breakthrough for Michael Waltrip Racing, with Bowyer finishing second in the final standings. Following the events at Richmond, Bowyer struggled initially in the Chase before closing the postseason with four top-10s in the final five races.
What he said: "That was a good night for us and MWR. We had a pretty good season and kept our eye on the ball throughout a lot of stuff this season. They could have easily lost focus, but they never gave up and worked like heck. I’ll take some time off and we’ll be ready for testing and go get us a championship in 2014."
Recap: In 2013, Bowyer finished with 10 top-fives and 19 top-10s.

8. Joey Logano (No. 22)

Penske Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Logano finished eighth in the standings with 2,323 points.
Last week: Logano had another fast Ford and notched another top-10 finish. His eighth-place showing at Homestead capped the best year of his career and ensured he would finish eighth in the season standings, two points ahead of Greg Biffle. In Logano’s first year with Penske Racing, he finished with a career-high of top-fives and top-10s. | Click here to read a roundup on the six members of the Coca-Cola Racing Family
What he said: "We did a good job this year and learned a lot about each other, and learned a lot about where we could have done a better job in races and where we need to improve next year and where to work on our cars during the offseason. I had a lot of fun this year and this was my best season personally. I’d still call it a good season, not a great season. We were just talking about the opportunities we had to win and we feel like we had the chance to win five races and we capitalized on one of them, so that’s a good area we can learn from."
Recap: In 2013, Logano finished with one win, 11 top-fives, 19 top-10s and two poles.

9. Greg Biffle (No. 16)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Biffle finished ninth in the standings with 2,321 points.
Last week: Biffle entered Homestead with three wins at the South Florida track, but he finished 24th on Sunday, last among Chase drivers. Teammates Carl Edwards and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also struggled, as Roush Fenway Racing as a program simply missed its mark. Still, Biffle finished the season in ninth place. It’s the fifth time in the past six seasons he’s finished the year in the top 10. | Click here to read a roundup on the six members of the Coca-Cola Racing Family
What he said: Biffle was unavailable for comment.
Recap: In 2013, Biffle finished with one win, four top-fives and 13 top-10s.

10. Kurt Busch (No. 78)

Furniture Row Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Busch finished 10th in the standings with 2,309 points.
Last week: Capping a season in which he became the first driver of a single-car team to qualify for the Chase, Busch finished 21st at Homestead. It was a bittersweet showing for the veteran, who has said all year he wants to put the black No. 78 Chevrolet in Victory Lane. Homestead was his final chance. Busch will drive for Stewart-Haas Racing next year, while Martin Truex Jr. joins the FRR fold.
What he said: "For this little single-car team out of Denver, to finish 10th in points is quite an achievement and the credit goes to Barney Visser (team owner), Joe Garone (general manager), Todd Berrier (crew chief) along with our entire road crew and all the guys back at the shop. They gave everything they had to give and you can’t ask for anything more. I made a lot of friends with this Furniture Row team and will always look back at this season with a special fondness."
Recap: In 2013, Busch finished with 11 top-fives, 16 top-10s and one pole.

11. Ryan Newman (No. 39)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Where he stands: Newman finished 11th in the standings with 2,286 points.
Last week: Newman was among the many veterans taking the last ride for his current team at Homestead. After five years at Stewart-Haas Racing, Newman will drive the No. 31 car for Richard Childress Racing in 2014. His final race wasn’t the result he wanted — he finished 17th. | Click here to read a roundup on the six members of the Coca-Cola Racing Family
What he said: "I’ve got to thank Matt Borland (crew chief) and everyone on this No. 39 team for their hard work tonight and all season. We won the Brickyard 400, we made the Chase, I think we had top-10 finishes in half the races. We certainly can’t hang our heads about that. But as racers, you always want more. So I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish, but I certainly hoped we would be able to end the year on a higher note than we did."
Recap: In 2013, Newman finished with one win, six top-fives, 18 top-10s and two poles.

12. Kasey Kahne (No. 5)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Where he stands: Kahne finished 12th in the standings with 2,283 points.
Last week: Kahne’s topsy-turvy Chase ended with a 13th-place showing at Homestead. Kahne was running near the top 10 with 100 laps to go when he felt a vibration and had to pit for tires. He came out 26th after changing the left-side tires before rallying. In the 10-race postseason, Kahne finished as a runner-up twice, but also finished outside the top 10 seven times.
What he said: Kahne was unavailable for comment.
Recap: In 2013, Kahne finished with two wins, 11 top-fives and 14 top-10s.

13. Carl Edwards (No. 99)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Where he stands: Edwards finished 13th in the standings with 2,282 points.
Last week: One of the best drivers on the circuit at the wide, sweeping 1.5-mile Homestead oval, Edwards was strangely average on Sunday. He finished 12th, gaining ground late when he went up high and ran inches away from the wall, but was never in contention for the win. In fact, he didn’t run higher than ninth place. It was a disappointing end to the Chase for Edwards, who qualified for the postseason after a one-year absence but then finished last in the 13-driver field.
What he said: "It was a frustrating race because we never really had any speed. I had a blast there at the end racing right on the fence, but it wasn’t enough. This is the first time we’ve run that poorly in this race. This track is usually our bread and butter, so this style of track and this track particularly has been really good, so it’s tough."
Recap: In 2013, Edwards finished with two wins, nine top-fives, 16 top-10s and two poles.

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Team docked six championship driver points and six owner points

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The No. 32 team that competes in the NASCAR Nationwide Series has been penalized due to rule violations discovered during post-race inspection this past Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The No. 32 team was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (Actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (Any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to the NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20-A of the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book or has been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20A-12.8.1(B) (The car failed to meet the minimum front car heights).
 
As a result, crew chief Trent Owens has been fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until April 2, 2014. The team also has been docked with the loss of six championship driver (Kyle Larson) points and six championship car owner (Harry Scott) points.

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READ: Jimmie Johnson
wins 2013 Sprint Cup Series title

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on coming up short
Posted on by

Series champs, top rookies among those honored

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two champions, two organizations and two heralded rookies are sharing the South Beach spotlight tonight, at the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Awards, held at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel’s Americana Ballroom.
 
Austin Dillon and Matt Crafton headline the evening as both will be presented with championships rings and trophies for their respective NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships.
 
Dillon is only the third driver in NASCAR history to win the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck championships, joining Greg Biffle and Johnny Benson. Dillon’s championship campaign comes one year after winning the NNS’ Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, duplicating his success in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
 
In his 13th full time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Crafton was a model of consistency, posting 19 top-10 finishes in 22 races, including 16 consecutive to start the season. The veteran won the spring Kansas race and finished on the lead lap in every event.

Penske Racing’s No. 22 Ford Mustang narrowly edged out the No. 54 entry of Joe Gibbs Racing by one point in the NASCAR Nationwide Series owners’ championship battle. The No. 22 visited Victory Lane under the control of four different drivers: Brad Keselowski (six times), Joey Logano (three), AJ Allmendinger (two) and Ryan Blaney (one).
 
The owners’ championship race in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series came down to the last laps of the season with the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota claiming the title based on wins over the No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota. Both cars finished the season tied in points, but the Kyle Busch Motorsports entry had six wins to the No. 88’s one.
 
On Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kyle Larson, 21, became the first NASCAR Drive for Diversity graduate and Asian-American driver to capture Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in any of NASCAR’s three national series. The previous night, 19-year-old Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award on the strength of one win and 13 top 10s during the 2013 campaign.
 
Sam Hornish Jr., Regan Smith, Elliott Sadler and Justin Allgaier were second through fifth in the championship standings and will be honored along with Dillon in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
 
Ty Dillon, James Buescher, Johnny Sauter and Jeb Burton were second through fifth in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final points and joined Crafton on stage.
 
In addition to the aforementioned honors, each series’ Most Popular Driver was announced after a fan vote on NASCAR.com. Regan Smith and Ty Dillon received the distinction in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, respectively.
 
FOX Sports’ Rick Allen and Krista Voda will host the event, which will air at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2013, on FOX Sports 1. Rock band Parachute will provide entertainment during the show.

MORE:

READ: Jimmie Johnson
wins 2013 Sprint Cup Series title

READ: HOF-worthy career
in the books, Martin bows out

READ: Finale represents
end of a chapter for some

READ: Kenseth won’t dwell
on coming up short