Stewart Finishes his Long Good-Bye to Sprint Cup Racing

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 20: A banner thanking Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Always a Racer/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, is displayed during pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 20: A banner thanking Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Always a Racer/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, is displayed during pre-race ceremonies for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 20, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Sunday started better for Tony Stewart than it ended.

Before the Ford EcoBoost 400, Stewart was greeted warmly by crew members from every Sprint Cup team as he drove down pit road. He was mobbed by well-wishers before he started his final laps on the track.

That Stewart finished 22nd, two laps down, may have been anti-climactic to the uninitiated, but it marked the end of an enormously successful career for the three-time series champion, who finished his Sprint Cup tenure with 49 victories at NASCAR’s highest level. Continue reading

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

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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.

Continue reading

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

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Closes Season by Crowning a Champion at Homestead

Aside

318886

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season comes to a close at Homestead Miami Speedway with the Ford EcoBoost 400 on Sunday, November 20th at 2:30 pm ET. When the checkered flag waves, the championship title will be known. Television coverage begins at 2 pm ET on NBC with radio coverage on MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90. 

 

Home Sweet Homestead

Homestead-Miami Speedway has become dear to the hearts of several champions who were crowned at the 1.5-mile track.  In fact, over the past half dozen years the championship has been decided under the South Florida sun. Here’s a look at some recent memorable title performances: Continue reading

The Games Team Owners Play

HOMESTEAD, FL - NOVEMBER 18: (L-R) Team owners Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske attend a press conference during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 18: (L-R) Team owners Rick Hendrick, Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske attend a press conference during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 18, 2016 in Homestead, Florida. Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Don’t be surprised if you see a Tony Stewart bobble head as a hood ornament on Jimmie Johnson’s car in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

OK, maybe that’s an exaggeration.

But Johnson’s team owner, Rick Hendrick, confessed on Friday that’s he’s been known to make subtle additions to his cars to confound other owners, all of whom are watching closely.

“In the garage area, you watch everybody,” Hendrick said. “It’s the damndest place I’ve ever seen about snooping.

“Sometimes you’ll put stuff on a car just to watch them take a picture of it, and it really doesn’t do anything. But it’s just fun to watch them run around and take a picture of it.”