The 2019 season concluded with Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch winning his second NASCAR Cup Series championship in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Busch had already secured the regular-season championship in September giving him an edge heading into the final race with a points advantage. His competition included teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. along with Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick.
His season highlights include four regular-season wins, 17 top-fives and 27 top-10 finishes. He also had his ups and downs as he entered the finale winless since June. But with some clever pit strategy and a car that came to life toward the end of the race, Busch prevailed.
Truex had to settle for second in the year-end standings followed by Harvick in third as Hamlin ended the season ranked in fourth place.
Busch was elated and thanked his fans for believing in him.
“We have a great race team and a great owner. Everybody always says you never give up and we’re no different. Sometimes we may not be the best, sometimes we may not have the right track position. Today we had a really good car and I could race around and move around.
“There’s always your doubters, there’s always your haters,” Busch continued. “You know what? This one’s for the Rowdy Nation. You guys are the best. Thank you so much.”
Truex was disappointed in his runner-up finish caused in part by a mistake during a pit stop when his crew put wrong-side tires on the front of his car.
“One little mistake is hard to overcome with track position,” he said. “Just another one that got away. Felt like we had what it took to win, even more than last year. We had the whole package, just a little too tight at the end there.”
Joey Logano and Kyle Larson were fifth and sixth as Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Clint Bowyer and Chase Elliott rounded out the top 10 drivers of 2019.
Richard Childress Racing’s Daniel Hemric earned the honor of 2019 Sunoco Rookie of the Year with one top-five finish, two top-10s and one Busch Pole Award. Next year he moves to JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series where he is scheduled to make 21 starts in the No. 8.
To celebrate the 2019 season you can take advantage of these gift ideas suitable for any NASCAR fan.
The reusable Kool8 water bottle is a great way to stay hydrated. To pay tribute to Busch’s championship, you can head over to the NASCAR Shop for his gear including sweatshirts, hats, jackets, die-cast cars and more. There is something for everyone and every driver.
For a unique gift idea, check out Twinkle in Time, a custom star map that can help you celebrate a special race win or any unique occasion. You choose the date and they will create a poster that will show you how the stars looked on that specific night.
