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Jimmie Johnson Wins at Homestead to Claim Record-Tying Seventh Title

Call him Seven-Time.

Jimmie Johnson joined NASCAR’s most exclusive club on Sunday, winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim his seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, putting the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on par with icons Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

“You’re a good man, you’re a great champion, and now you’re a seven-time champion,” crew chief Chad Knaus radioed to Johnson, who grabbed the lead from Kyle Larson through turns one and two during the first and only attempt at a two-lap overtime.

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Edwards’ Championship Dreams End Following Restart Wreck

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 20:  Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20, 2016 in Homestead, Florida.  Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images
HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 20: Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images

In his rear-view mirror, Carl Edwards saw his shot at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship dissolving.

On a restart with ten laps to go in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with the title on the line, Joey Logano shot deep to the inside in an attempt to pass Edwards for the lead among the championship contenders. Edwards reacted quickly and decisively, turning his car to the left in an attempt to block Logano.

Logano didn’t lift, and chaos ensued. Continue reading

Daniel Suarez Leans on Life Lessons to Win NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship

Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, signs autographs for fans in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ford EcoBoost 300 and the NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo - Chris Trotman/Getty Images
Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, signs autographs for fans in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ford EcoBoost 300 and the NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19, 2016 in Homestead, Florida.
Photo – Chris Trotman/Getty Images

Daniel Suárez has always been a quick study—of necessity.

When the newest NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, and the first born outside the United States, moved from his native Mexico to become a driver in NASCAR’s national touring series, his command of the English language was rudimentary, to say the least.

But Suárez learned quickly, primarily from American television programming.

Similarly, Suárez has been a voracious consumer of racing knowledge, and he has had ample resources upon which to draw. As he has come to unfamiliar race tracks, Suárez has relied on extensive conversations with two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, Championship 4 contenders Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who work under the same roof with him at Joe Gibbs Racing. Continue reading

Mexico’s Daniel Suarez Wins NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship with Victory at Homestead

Daniel Suarez streaked away from Elliott Sadler after the final restart in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and three laps later, NASCAR had its first foreign-born national touring series champion.

Ultimately, the 24-year-old driver from Monterrey, Mexico beat Ty Dillon to the finish line by 0.968 seconds. Sadler, who had taken two tires and gained the second position on a lap 193 pit stop, came home third and finished second in the inaugural NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase. Continue reading