NASCAR Cup Series

The 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season concluded Sunday evening at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. For Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), it ends a season to remember.

In preparation for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and revised rules that affect race car development and on-track testing, Hendrick Motorsports has named Kenny Francis to the new position of vehicle technical director and Keith Rodden as crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet SS team of driver Kasey Kahne. The roles take effect immediately.

Kelly Johnson, a crew member in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning body’s Substance Abuse Policy.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick’s four-tire pit stop on a caution with 20 laps to go keyed his victory at Homestead, giving him the Sprint Cup championship. Harvick held off Ryan Newman to claim his first title.

Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (CGRFS) announced today that Matt McCall has been named crew chief for Jamie McMurray and the No. 1 team. McCall will assume the role effective immediately to prepare for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) season.

Team Penske announced today that it has reached a multi-year extension with Discount Tire, the world’s largest tire and wheel retailer, to continue as a key marketing partner with the team. Discount Tire will remain a primary sponsor of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang for at least 24 races in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and serve as an associate sponsor for both the No. 2 and No. 22 Ford Fusions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Cole Whitt led his BK Racing teammates to the checkered flag with a 26th-place finish in the No. 26 Speed Stick GEAR Toyota Camry at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Competing in the final race of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Whitt was followed by Alex Bowman in the No. 23 DipYourCar.com Toyota Camry who finished 33rd, and JJ Yeley who finished 37th in the DipYourCar.com Toyota Camry.

Watching the Cup finale was like watching most Nationwide races. Few of the participants actually matter. You have your winner, you have those who actually are competing for the prize, and then you have the odd spectacular, special moment. Sunday’s race marked the end of ESPN’s run, which meant no more Allen, no more Dale, no more Andy, no more Rusty, no more Brad, and no more Nicole. A special moment, indeed.

As the Florida sun faded to darkness at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a first-time champion was crowned, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the season’s final race, the Ford EcoBoost 400.

Trevor Bayne’s 57th and final ride in the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion ended prematurely when contact with another car just 60 laps shy of the finish of the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway damaged his car too much to continue on.