Restarts were everything in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
And it was the restarts later in the race, leading to hard charges from Brad Keselowski for the win and Austin Dillon‘s Nationwide Series championship. With just five laps left, Keselowski rocketed to the lead from tenth place by passing Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson for the top spot.
“That late-race restart was key,” said Keselowski from victory lane. “We came in and put tires on with 20 to go, and that yellow – for a four-car crash on lap 183 – was out for (12 laps), and I didn’t think we were going to have a shot at it.
“But we got the right restart and made our way through. I’m going to have to watch the in-car camera, because that was one hell of a ride. Be glad there wasn’t a passenger with me, because they would have been screaming the whole way. I know I was.”
Austin Dillon, driver of the #3 AdvoCare Chevrolet, after winning the series championship after the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2013
Photo – Getty Images
There was another driver screaming as Austin Dillon, expressed his excitement after holding off Sam Hornish Jr for the 2013 series’ championship. Despite Dillon’s No 3 car being sluggish for most of the race, he finished 12th, keeping his main competitor Sam Hornish Jr in his sights for the last two restarts of the night.
Hornish finished eighth, with 37 laps led and lost the title to Dillon by a mere three points. Dillon is the first driver to win the series championship without winning a race throughout the year. Season-long consistency paved the way to Dillon’s title.
“I was just glad to see the 12’s back bumper (after the final restart),” said Dillon. “I knew if I could see him and know where he was, that I wasn’t going to give up till the end. I had a great start and tried to get the jump on him. It worked out.
“That’s all I can say. He was a great competitor, and he brought his stuff tonight, and we were able to capitalize at the end. Man, it was a hell of a race.”
Keselowski’s Penske teammate, Joey Logano, gained six spots after the last restart to bring home the owner’s championship for the No. 22 Penske team. They edged out the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing team, driven by Kyle Busch by a single point.
2013 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson, driver of the #51 Target Chevrolet, walks in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 16, 2013
Photo – Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
With his fourth second-place finish of the season, Larson claims the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors. His No. 32 car, however, failed post-race inspection for being too low – the team’s second offense. Keselowski’s victory also brings Ford the Nationwide Series manufacturers’ championship.
“It means a lot to me to win rookie of the year in the Nationwide Series,” said Larson. “A lot of veterans in the past and in the current Sprint Cup Series have won the rookie of the year. To add my name to that list hopefully means I’m doing something good.”
Larson is moving to the Sprint Cup Series next season to race the No. 42 car for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
Keselowski caps a remarkable Nationwide Series campaign in 2013. The win was his seventh for the season, but his first in the No. 48. Keselowski won his first six races in the No. 22 Logano drove on Saturday. The 2010 Nationwide Series champion, Keselowski marked his 27th victory in the series.
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