NASCAR Fast Facts: Bell, Byron, Truex champions

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

Ford EcoBoost 400 - Nov. 19, 2017 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race Winner: Martin Truex Jr. (P)
Age: 37
Team: No. 78 - Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Toyota
Owner: Furniture Row Racing
Crew Chief: Cole Pearn

Martin Truex Jr. (P) won the 19th Annual Ford EcoBoost 400, his 15th victory in 441 NASCAR Monster  Energy Cup Series races. This is his eighth victory and 26th top-10 finish in 2017. This is his first victory and eighth top-10 finish in 13 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kyle Busch (P) (second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 13 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.  It is  his 22nd top-10 finish in 2017.

Kyle Larson (third) posted his third top-10 finish in five races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Erik Jones (21st) was the highest finishing rookie. Erik Jones is the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

Martin Truex Jr. (P) is the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.

Toyota has won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer's championship.

Driver Champion: Martin Truex Jr.
Team: No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota
- Martin Truex Jr has won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, becoming the 32nd
different series champion.
- Truex wins in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim the 2017 title.
- Truex has become the fourth different driver to win a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship in the
elimination-style format of the Playoffs; joining Kevin Harvick (2014), Kyle Busch (2015) and Jimmie Johnson
(2016).
- Truex joins Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Bobby Labonte and Brad Keselowski as only the fifth driver all-time to
boast both Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series championships.
- In 2017, Truex has posted eight wins, 19 top fives, 26 top 10s and three poles.
- Truex (Mayetta) is the first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion from the state of New Jersey.
Owner Champion: Barney Visser, Furniture Row Racing
- This is Furniture Row Racing’s first series owner championship in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
- Furniture Row Racing’s previous best championship standings finish was fourth in 2015 with driver Martin Truex
Jr.
- Furniture Row Racing is the only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team based out of Denver, Colorado.
Crew Chief Champion: Cole Pearn
- Cole Pearn has won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship with driver Martin Truex Jr.
- Pearn is the 39th different Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series crew chief to win a championship.
- Pearn has posted 13 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories – all with driver Martin Truex Jr.

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NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

Ford EcoBoost 300 - Nov. 18, 2017 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race Winner: Cole Custer
Age: 19
Team: No. 00 - Haas Automation Ford
Owner: Gene Haas
Crew Chief: Jeff Meendering

Cole Custer  won the 23rd Annual Ford EcoBoost 300, his first victory in 38 NASCAR XFINITY Series races. This is his first victory and 19th top-10 finish in 2017. This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in two races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Sam Hornish Jr. (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in seven races at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It is his third top-10 finish in 2017.

William Byron (P (third) posted his first top-10 finish in his first start at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Cole Custer (first) was the highest finishing rookie.

William Byron # (P) is the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series champion.

William Byron # (P) is the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

Chevrolet is the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series manufacturer's champion.

The 2017 season has seen 18 different winners tying the series record set back in 1988.

Driver Champion: William Byron
Team: No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro
- William Byron won his first NASCAR XFINITY Series championship; becoming the 28th different driver to win the title
and the second in series history to win the championship in his Sunoco rookie season joining Chase Elliott (2014).
- Byron finished third in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim the title.
- At the age of 19 years, 11 months, 20 days, William Byron has become the second youngest champion in NASCAR
XFINITY Series history; behind record holder Chase Elliott, who won the series title at the age of 18 years, 11 months,
18 days.
- Byron made 33 starts this season posting four wins, 12 top fives, 22 top 10s and two Coors Light poles.
- Byron (Charlotte) has become the sixth NASCAR XFINITY Series champion from the state of North Carolina; joining
Austin Dillon (2013 champion, Welcome, N.C.), Brian Vickers (2003, Thomasville, N.C.), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1998,
1999, Kannapolis, N.C.), Jack Ingram (1985, 1982, Asheville, N.C.) and Sam Ard (1983, 1984, Asheboro, N.C.).
Owner Of Driver Champion: Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports
- This is JR Motorsport’s second NASCAR XFINITY Series driver championship (Chase Elliott, 2014).
- In addition to the No. 9 Chevrolet driven by William Byron, JR Motorsports had two other teams in the 2017 NASCAR
XFINITY Series Playoff Championship 4; the No. 1 Chevrolet driven by Elliott Sadler (finished eighth at Homestead)
and the No. 7 Chevrolet driven by Justin Allgaier (finished 12th at Homestead).
- Owner Dale Earnhardt Jr., a two-time (1998, ’99) NASCAR XFINITY Series driver champion, fielded his first car as an
owner in the series with driver Mark McFarland at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 19, 2005.
- JR Motorsports has led 12 different drivers to Victory Lane for a total of 37 wins in the NASCAR XFINITY Series.
Crew Chief Champion: David Elenz
- This is David Elenz’s first career NASCAR XFINITY Series championship.
- Elenz is the 25th different crew chief to win the NASCAR XFINITY Series title.
- Elenz has won eight NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races with four different drivers: William Byron (four),
Kevin Harvick (two), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (one) and Chase Elliott (one).
Owner Champion: Roger Penske, Team Penske No. 22 Ford
- This is Team Penske’s fourth NASCAR XFINITY Series owners championship (2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017).
- Five drivers made starts in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford this season: Ryan Blaney (11 starts), Brad Keselowski
(nine), Joey Logano (seven), Sam Hornish Jr. (five), Austin Cindric (one).
- The No. 22 team has posted four wins, 23 top fives and 28 top 10s this season.

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NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES

Ford EcoBoost 200 - Nov. 17, 2017 at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Race Winner: Chase Briscoe
Age: 22
Team: No. 29 - Cooper Standard Ford
Owner: Brad Keselowski
Crew Chief: Buddy Sisco

Chase Briscoe  won the 22nd Annual Ford EcoBoost 200, his first victory in 24 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races. This is his first victory and 14th top-10 finish in 2017. This is his first victory and first top-10 finish in two races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Christopher Bell (P) (second) posted his second top-10 finish in four races at Homestead-Miami  Speedway. It is his 21st top-10 finish in 2017. Johnny Sauter (P) (third) posted his eighth top-10 finish in 12 races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Chase Briscoe (first) was the highest finishing rookie. Briscoe wins the 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

Christopher Bell (P) wins the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.

Toyota wins the 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Manufacturer's championship.

Driver Champion: Christopher Bell
Team: No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota Tundra
- Christopher Bell won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship; his previous best finish in the
final driver standings was third last season.
- Bell is the 16th different driver to win the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.
- Bell finished second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck season finale to win the title.
- Bell finished the 2017 season with five wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s and five poles.
Owner Champion: Kyle Busch, Kyle Busch Motorsports
- This is Kyle Busch Motorsport’s record fifth-consecutive and sixth all-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
owner championship.
- Kyle Busch Motorsport’s previous owner championships were in 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 – In 2013,
KBM’s No. 51 tied ThorSport Racing’s No. 88 in owner points, but was awarded the championship due the
tiebreaker (wins).
- Kyle Busch Motorsports is the first team in NCWTS history to win five consecutive owner championships.
- Kyle Busch Motorsports now has the most owner titles in the NCWTS with six.
- Kyle Busch Motorsports has led 10 different drivers to Victory Lane for a total of 65 series wins.
- This is Kyle Busch Motorsport’s second driver championship in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (Erik
Jones, 2015).
- Kyle Busch Motorsports made its series debut back in 2010 with driver Johnny Benson Jr. at Texas.
Crew Chief Champion: Ryan Fugle
- This is Ryan Fugle’s second career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship; he won his first with
Erik Jones in 2015.
- Fugle has 21 career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories with four different drivers – Kyle Busch
(five), Erik Jones (four), William Byron (seven) and Christopher Bell (five).

Truex wins with heavy heart in Kansas elimination race

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) -- Martin Truex Jr. didn't feel a sense of urgency to win Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway because of its playoff implications, not with his spot in the next round safe following a victory at Charlotte.

No, the sense of urgency was much more personal.

Truex learned overnight that one of the Furniture Row Racing team's crew members, Jim Watson, died of a heart attack while in town for the race. So with a heavy heart, Truex climbed into his No. 78 Toyota and overcame two early mistakes to win a wild playoff elimination race.

"We were racing for Jim today," Truex said after emerging from his car. "He was a heck of a guy."

Kurt Busch finished second before a wave of playoff contenders headed by Ryan Blaney, whose car failed post-qualifying inspection and was sent to the back. He quickly worked his way through the field and finished third, easily making it within the cutoff line.

Chase Elliott was fourth and Denny Hamlin fifth to punch their tickets to the next round. Kevin Harvick finished eighth to stay alive heading to Martinsville, while Kyle Busch finished 10th and Jimmie Johnson 11th - both of them also making the cutoff line.

Brad Keselowski was 13th after his win last week at Talladega sent him to the next round.

Kyle Larson blew his engine to spoil his chances of advancing, while a penalty on Matt Kenseth for having too many crew members over the pit wall following a wreck ended his championship hopes.

Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also were eliminated from the playoffs.

"It's a disappointing way to finish our race and probably our season," said Larson, who had a 33-point buffer coming into the race. "I guess it's sinking in as the second pass."

Truex had dominated at Kansas for years before finally breaking through with a victory in the spring. And while he had nothing to lose Sunday, there was still a sense that Truex wanted to win his seventh race this season for his late crew member and the rest of their team.

"Still pretty surreal at this point," crew chief Cole Pearn said. "We were all focused on what we had to do today. That was the best we could do for Jim. He was a true racer in the purest form."

Truex is the first driver in series history with four straight wins on 1 1/2-mile tracks.

"I can't say enough about all these guys," he said. "Just really proud of them, and definitely we were racing with a heavy heart. Jim was a great worker and put a lot of speed in these Toyotas."

Larson was the first of the 12 remaining playoff contenders whose chances were scuttled when he dropped a cylinder early in the race. He tried to limp on, but his engine finally let go.

Still, Larson held a fleeting hope of advancing when Erik Jones triggered a multi-car wreck on a restart with 70 laps to go, collecting McMurray and causing damage to Kenseth. The former champion thought he would be able to continue when he reached pit road, but seven crew members hopped over the wall for repairs - one more than is allowed under NASCAR's damaged vehicle policy.

The penalty for the violation is an immediate parking.

Day done, playoffs over.

"I don't know what the rules are. It seems like we have a lot of stuff that is changed so often I can't keep up with it," Kenseth said. "You're not able to race anymore? I just don't get it."

Larson still had to hope Johnson, who began the day on the bubble, would falter down the stretch. But despite two early spins, the seven-time champion managed to come home 11th to ease into the round of eight by nine points over a driver many pegged as a favorite should he get to Homestead.

"Freak things happen in every sport," Larson said. "I'm not stunned, because it's a long 10-race playoff season. Anything can happen. But we've had a solid playoffs."

WIN OR ELSE
Stenhouse and McMurray, who both needed to win to advance, were involved in wrecks that ended their hopes. Stenhouse cut a tire and hit the wall with 93 laps left, while McMurray was near the front all afternoon before getting involved in the wreck that knocked Kenseth out.

"If we ever got to the lead," McMurray said, "we could have led the race for a while."

PLAYOFF OUTSIDERS

Chris Buescher finished sixth and Dale Earnhardt Jr., racing at the track for the final time, was seventh. Kansas native Clint Bowyer spent much of the day in the top 10 before he was involved in the crash with 70 laps to go.

UP NEXT

The three-race round of eight begins next Sunday at Martinsville. Johnson won last year's race to punch his ticket to the finale at Homestead, where he won his seventh championship.

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More AP Auto Racing: http://racing.ap.org

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Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race - Hollywood Casino 400

Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, Kansas

Sunday, October 22, 2017

               1. (1) Martin Truex Jr. (P), Toyota, 267.
               2. (15) Kurt Busch, Ford, 267.
               3. (40) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 267.
               4. (14) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 267.
               5. (4) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 267.
               6. (20) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 267.
               7. (19) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 267.
               8. (2) Kevin Harvick (P), Ford, 267.
               9. (25) Aric Almirola, Ford, 267.
               10. (7) Kyle Busch (P), Toyota, 267.
               11. (12) Jimmie Johnson (P), Chevrolet, 267.
               12. (23) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 267.
               13. (10) Brad Keselowski (P), Ford, 267.
               14. (11) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 267.
               15. (21) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 267.
               16. (29) Ty Dillon #, Chevrolet, 267.
               17. (27) David Ragan, Ford, 267.
               18. (16) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 267.
               19. (9) Clint Bowyer, Ford, 267.
               20. (28) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 267.
               21. (17) Joey Logano, Ford, 267.
               22. (30) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 267.
               23. (31) Landon Cassill, Ford, 265.
               24. (35) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 263.
               25. (37) Reed Sorenson, Chevrolet, 263.
               26. (38) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 261.
               27. (34) Corey LaJoie #, Toyota, 261.
               28. (33) * Gray Gaulding #, Toyota, 259.
               29. (24) Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (P), Ford, Accident, 256.
               30. (36) * BJ McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 254.
               31. (32) * Brett Moffitt(i), Toyota, 238.
               32. (26) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, Accident, 232.
               33. (18) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, Accident, 203.
               34. (8) Jamie McMurray (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 198.
               35. (6) Erik Jones #, Toyota, Accident, 197.
               36. (5) Daniel Suarez #, Toyota, Accident, 197.
               37. (3) Matt Kenseth (P), Toyota, Accident, 197.
               38. (22) Danica Patrick, Ford, Accident, 197.
               39. (13) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, Engine, 73.
               40. (39) * Derrike Cope, Chevrolet, Handling, 35.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  125.189 mph.
Time of Race:  03 Hrs, 11 Mins, 57 Secs. Margin of Victory:  2.284 Seconds.
Caution Flags:  10 for 49 laps.
Lead Changes:  14 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders:   M. Truex Jr. (P) 1-34; K. Busch (P) 35-47; B. Keselowski (P) 48-50; R. Blaney (P) 51-53; K. Busch (P) 54-81; K. Harvick (P) 82; K. Busch (P) 83-128; J. McMurray (P) 129; B. Keselowski (P) 130-144; K. Busch (P) 145-156; K. Harvick (P) 157; D. Hamlin (P) 158-162; K. Harvick (P) 163-197; K. Busch (P) 198-210; M. Truex Jr. (P) 211-267.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  K. Busch (P) 5 times for 112 laps; M. Truex Jr. (P) 2 times for 91 laps; K. Harvick (P) 3 times for 37 laps; B. Keselowski (P) 2 times for 18 laps; D. Hamlin (P) 1 time for 5 laps; R. Blaney (P) 1 time for 3 laps; J. McMurray (P) 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 18,4,11,21,1,48,24,78,20,77
Stage #2 Top Ten: 11,4,2,20,18,77,1,21,24,48

Drivers look for clarity after Truex's pit-road passing penalty

The Overtime with Owens staff found this article from Kenny Bruce of NASCAR.com on the Martin Truex Jr. pit road penalty at Kentucky that occurred this past weekend and found it to be very interesting. We figured we would share it for our fans and allow them to read it.

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SPEEDWAY, Ind. -- When Martin Truex Jr. was penalized for a pit-road infraction during Saturday night's Quaker State 400 Presented by Advance Auto Parts at Kentucky Speedway, the penalty cost him a shot at the lead and a possible victory.

The penalty, for passing a car or cars on the left when on pit road, is often referred to as "pulling up to pit" and is made by NASCAR officials in the control tower. According to the post-race infraction report, the infraction on Truex was called a "safety violation" for passing on entry to pit road.

It's not one of the more common infractions among NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers. According to pit road statistics, Truex was the third driver in the series flagged for the infraction this season. Records show it was called only three times in the series in 2015.

"I understand that it’s always been a rule, you can't pass to the left coming into the pits," 2003 series champion Matt Kenseth said Tuesday during a break in testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "You can (pass) leaving them … (that) has always been my understanding of it. I think it's always tough. Personally, I haven't seen it. … but it's just something that they haven't really called, either very much or not at all, in years and years and years.

"I think it's one of those things that, probably the letter of the law … again I haven't seen it, but if you pass to the left, it's technically against the rules; it's just one that they haven't called in a long time."

Truex was running second to race leader Harvick when the field pitted under the final caution flag of the race at Lap 195 of the 267-lap race. As the field made its way down pit road, Truex pulled to the inside of Harvick's Stewart-Haas Racing entry and shot forward into his pit box. After taking right-side tires and fuel, Truex was first off pit road in his No. 78 Toyota.

After returning to pit road to serve the penalty, Truex restarted 22nd and made it back to 10th by the end of the race.

"I think everyone knows, or think they know, the rules there," Kenseth said. "It's just that there's something not being called and you're trying to get every advantage you can and the cars are all so incredibly close to the same speed right now and the rules are so tight. Pit road is as competitive as the race track; you're always trying to get any advantage you can with speed lines or what have you."

Kenseth said the size of the track likely often plays a role in the maneuver as well, with shorter venues being where drivers are more likely to try and gain an advantage.

"There are some places where there have been some pretty questionable situations … like a Martinsville or somewhere like that," he said. "You've got a speed line, people pull left and pass five cars coming to their pit stall. Places like that, they probably need to get it calmed down.

"Now when you have places like Kentucky … typically when you're pulling into your pit stall you just gas it up, pull in there and stop. You really don't think much of it. I didn't really think that's a track where typically you see that."

Earlier this week, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that in addition to the rulebook stating it is illegal to pass to the left when pitting, the matter is "brought up in every drivers' meeting.

"Has there been some driver pulling off just as they pull into their pits that kind of pull up alongside a car? Sure that's happened," he said.

O’Donnell said officials saw a "trend that's getting bigger and bigger."

Richard Childress Racing driver Paul Menard said the location of the pit box allowed Truex to accelerate once he passed the first of two timing lines in his section.

"He had a really good pit box where he could really accelerate hard," Menard, who was also among the 12 drivers testing at Indy, said. "At some of these tracks you can't be as aggressive as that. I was surprised at the penalty for sure. I always thought you couldn't pull up … on the access road before you get to the commitment line, that's kind of what we're always told every week. But as far as on pit road, if you're within your timing lines and you're not speeding, I always thought that was fair game so I guess we need some clarification on that."

Hamlin Stuns Kenseth, Truex to Win Daytona 500

It was Denny Hamlin's day yesterday at the Daytona 500. In the sport's biggest race, Hamlin put on a big show en route to victory. But it wasn't a straight forward win for sure.

It was 20 year old Chase Elliott who led the field to green Sunday in the 58th Daytona 500. Elliott led laps early, but lost control of his NAPA Chevrolet on lap 20. Elliott spun coming off the fourth corner and as the front nose of his 24 car hit the grass, the front nose dug into the ground and destroyed the car. Elliott finished 37th. 

Elliott's teammate, and favorite to win the race, Dale Earnhardt Jr., led 15 laps early, but fell back after the first set of pit stops. This caused his Chevrolet to lose the handling it once had, and Earnhardt never made it back to the lead. But in the late laps, Earnhardt Jr. had a real shot at getting back to Daytona's victory lane before crashing with 31 laps to go and ultimately finishing 36th. 

After leading the most laps of the race, Hamlin found himself outside the top five for the majority of the race's final one hundred miles. With his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates controlling the pace of the race at the front, Hamlin knew he had to make a move if he wanted to win the race that had eluded him for ten years. Hamlin made a bold move to the outside on the final lap in front of Kevin Harvick who pushed him forward. Hamlin made his move to the inside of race leader Matt Kenseth in turn three making it three wide with Martin Truex Jr. As Kenseth's Dollar General Toyota slid high, Hamlin and Truex battled door to door to the checkered flag where Hamlin took home the victory by 0.011 seconds - the closest finish in Daytona 500 history. 

A truly historic finish to one of the greatest Daytona 500's I have been privileged to watch. The photo finish goes along with other close finishes in Daytona history, including the very first one in 1959 where Lee Petty topped Johnny Beauchamp by half a car length. Then, in 2007, Kevin Harvick raced Mark Martin to the checkered flag where it was Harvick winning by 0.020 seconds. 

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia next Sunday for the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500, which you can listen to live on Overtime With Owens on RabbleTV starting at 1:00pm Eastern Time.