HOMESTEAD, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2013) – Though Kurt Busch finished a disappointing 21st Sunday in the Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he and the Furniture Row Racing organization will rightfully reflect on a successful campaign that was highlighted as being the first single-car team to qualify for NASCAR’s Chase playoffs.
Busch ended the season 10th in driver points and claimed a team season high of 11 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes along with nine front row qualifying positions and 448 laps led.
“This was not the way we wanted to end the season,” said Busch. “We gave it our best effort but we just didn’t have the handling to run up front. I really wanted to give these Furniture Row guys a strong finish. I am disappointed right now, but tomorrow I am going to look back at this season and be very proud of what we were able to accomplish.”
Busch added, “For this little single-car team out of Denver to finish 10th in points is quite an achievement and the credit goes to Barney Visser (team owner), Joe Garone (general manager), Todd Berrier (crew chief) along with our entire road crew and all the guys back at the shop. They gave everything they had to give and you can’t ask for anything more. I made a lot of friends with this Furniture Row team and will always look back at this season with a special fondness.”
Busch, who started the 267-lap race from the outside pole, led four laps early but couldn’t maintain running up front due to a combination of handling issues with his No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet.
When the final caution came out on Lap 231 Busch was running in 23rd place. The team gambled with a two-tire stop that put Busch in third place for the restart, but the handling issues persisted as he fell back in the running order.
“We made a lot of major adjustments today and nothing would work,” said Busch. “We were off on the car setup and paid the price. But in the big picture, it’s been a great season. A lot of good things have happened. A lot of things have been learned internally with the team, as well as with myself.”
The Sprint Cup Series championship went to Jimmie Johnson, his sixth title in eight years. The race winner of the Ford EcoBoost 400 was Denny Hamlin. Rounding out the top-10 were: Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick.The race had 22 lead changes among eight drivers and eight cautions for 37 laps.
The 2014 season kicks off with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 23.
Final Chase Point Standings
1. Jimmie Johnson, 2419
2. Matt Kenseth, 2400
3. Kevin Harvick, 2385
4. Kyle Busch, 2364
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 2363
6. Jeff Gordon, 2337
7. Clint Bowyer, 2336
8. Joey Logano, 2323
9. Greg Biffle, 2321
10. Kurt Busch, 2309
11. Ryan Newman, 2286
12. Carl Edwards, 2283
13. Kasey Kahne, 2282
