Month: November 2019

Event:               Ford EcoBoost 400 (Round 36 of 36)
Series:              Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:      2^nd/4^th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing:  3^rd with 5,033 points 

Race Winner:    Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

• Kevin Harvick started second and finished fourth, earning seven bonus points.
• The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang took the lead at the start and led the first 20 laps, but Harvick faded to fourth as he reported his car was “a little tight.”
• By lap 30 he said that his car was way too tight.
• Harvick pitted on lap 36 for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
• On lap 52, Harvick reported that his biggest problem was he could not turn well when entering turn one. 

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160): 

• Harvick started fifth and finished second to earn eight bonus points.
• The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang pitted on lap 83 for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
• While third, Harvick pitted on lap 119 for four tires and fuel.
• Harvick again pitted on lap 139 for four tires, fuel and tire pressure and chassis adjustments.
• The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang was in first place late in the second stage but was passed by Kyle Busch with two laps to go.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267): 

• Harvick started second and finished fourth.
• The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang was too loose up top and too tight on the bottom as Harvick ran 5.2 seconds behind leader Busch.
• Harvick took the lead on lap 216 when he stayed out as the leaders pitted. He led until lap 224, then pitted for four tires, fuel and a tire pressure adjustment.
• The No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang led 41 laps total but finished the race fourth.

Notes:

• Harvick earned his 15^th top-five and 26^th top-10 of the season, and his 11^th top-five and 17^th top-10 in 19 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead.
• Harvick’s 11 top-fives and 17 top-10s at Homestead are the most among all active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers. Jimmie Johnson is the next-best driver with five top-fives and 11 top-10s.
• Harvick led three times for 41 laps to increase his laps-led total at Homestead to 414, placing him at second-most among all active Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers behind Busch’s 463 laps led at Homestead.
• Since joining SHR in 2014, Harvick has never finished outside the top-five at Homestead. He scored his first win at the track in 2014 to earn his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship.
• This is Harvick’s sixth straight top-five and 12^th straight top-10 at Homestead. He finished third in last year’s season finale.
• Harvick has never finished outside the top-20 in his career at Homestead. He hasn’t finished outside the top-10 since the 2007 season finale, when he finished 19^th.
• This is Harvick’s fifth straight top-10 and his 15^th top-10 in the last 17 races.
• Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 to score his second career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship. It was the 56^th race win of his career, his fifth of the season and his second at Homestead. His margin of victory over second-place Martin Truex Jr. was 4.578 seconds.
• There were three caution periods for a total of 15 laps.
• Only 10 of the 40 drivers in the Ford EcoBoost 400 finished on the lead lap. 

Championship 4 Final Points:

1. Kyle Busch (5,040 points)
2. Martin Truex Jr. (5,035 points)
3. Kevin Harvick (5,033 points)
4. Denny Hamlin (5,027 points)

Note: Harvick competed in the Championship 4 for the fifth time in the last six years. He won the championship in 2014.                       

Kevin Harvick, Driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“Yeah, we just needed to do something different. They were so much better than us on the long run. That was our best chance, to have a caution there at the end, and we never got one. We did something different, hoping for a caution. We had to do the opposite, and it just didn’t work out. On the restarts I could do what I wanted to do and hold them off for 15 or 20 laps. This race has come down to that every year. You kind of play toward that, and they were quite a bit better than us on the long run. We had a really good car for those first 15-20 laps on the restarts and had a lot of speed, we just never got to try to race for it there with the caution.”

Next Up: 

The 2020 season kicks off with the traditional Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 62^nd Daytona 500, the first points-paying race of the year, will go green on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, with live coverage from Fox and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Event:               Ford EcoBoost 400 (Round 36 of 36)
Series:              Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:      10th/6th (Running, completed 267 of 267 laps)
Point Standing:  9th with 2,290 points 

Champion:        Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Race Winner:    Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Ended at Lap 80):

• Bowyer started 10th and finished seventh to earn four bonus points.
• The No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Haas Automation Ford driver reported his car was tight in the opening laps.
• As the race progressed the No. 14 came to life, and Bowyer began turning lap times as fast as anyone in the field.
• Bowyer made his first pit stop of the race on lap 36 for tires, fuel and very minor handling adjustments.
• Bowyer moved by Joey Logano for eighth on lap 60 and passed Jimmie Johnson for seventh on lap 70.
• The No. 14 finished the stage running seventh. Only 14 cars were on the lead lap.
• Bowyer pitted during the stage break for tires, fuel and minor changes to help the front end of the car turn better.

Stage 2 Recap (Ended at Lap 160):

• Bowyer started seventh and finished 10th to earn one bonus point.
• The No. 14 dropped a few spots racing in traffic on the restart.
• Bowyer said his car was tight again and wouldn’t turn.
• Bowyer moved to ninth by lap 109.
• He pitted on lap 119 as the crew continued to work on the handling.
• Bowyer returned to pit lane on lap 141 during the caution.
• As darkness set in and the track cooled, the No. 14’s handling problems worsened, and Bowyer reported his car wouldn’t turn.
• Bowyer held on to 10^th, and the crew made more-dramatic changes to aid the handling.

Stage 3 Recap (Ended at Lap 267):

• Bowyer started 12th and finished sixth.
• The No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Haas Automation driver reported his car was better and “we will be fine.”
• Bowyer drove to eighth by lap 180, and his crew told him that “this is the best you have been.”
• Bowyer raced in seventh by lap 191 and made a green-flag stop on lap 209.
• He had climbed as high as fourth before reporting late in the stage that the car wouldn’t turn.
• Bowyer hung on to finish sixth.

Notes:

• Bowyer finished in the top-10 in points for the sixth time in his career.
• Bowyer earned his 18^th top-10 of the season and his eighth top-10 in 14 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead.
• This is Bowyer’s second consecutive top-10 and third consecutive top-15 at Homestead. He finished eighth in the series’ previous visit to the track last November.
• This is Bowyer’s second straight top-10. He finished eighth in the series’ last race at ISM Raceway near Phoenix.
• Kyle Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 to score his 56^th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory, his fifth of the season and his third at Homestead. His margin of victory over second-place Martin Truex Jr. was 4.578 seconds.
• There were three caution periods for a total of 15 laps.
• Only 10 of the 40 drivers in the Ford EcoBoost 400 finished on the lead lap.

Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“I wish we could have hung on to fourth place there at the end, but we got tight and finished sixth. That was a good run for us. It put us ninth in the points at the end of the year, and that’s probably where we deserve to be. My guys have worked hard this year, and they’re ready to work hard in the offseason to get ready for Daytona in February. Everyone at Ford Performance, Stewart-Haas Racing, Rush Truck Centers, Mobil 1 and all our other partners were really supportive this year, and we had a lot of fun. I’m very appreciative of what Gene Haas and Tony Stewart have created here at SHR. We’ll enjoy the next few weeks, and pretty soon we’ll get that itch and be ready to start racing again.”

Next Up:

The 2020 season kicks off with the traditional Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 62^nd Daytona 500, the first points-paying race of the year, will go green on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, with live coverage from Fox and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Event:               Ford EcoBoost 400 (Round 36 of 36)
Series:              Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:      14^th/22^nd (Running, completed 264 of 267 laps)
Point Standing:  9th with 2,290 points 

Race Winner:    Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

• Aric Almirola started 14^th and finished 16^th.
• The No. 10 Smithfield Ford driver pitted on lap 37 for four tires, fuel and chassis adjustments to correct tight-handling conditions.
• He returned to the track in 17^th and raced his way to 14^th by lap 65.
• Almirola was passed by leader Martin Truex Jr. on lap 69, putting him a lap down.
• He battled the No. 8 car for the Lucky Dog position but just fell short.
• At the conclusion of the stage he pitted for four more fresh tires, fuel and adjustments.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

• Almirola started 15^th and finished 22^nd.
• In the opening laps of Stage 2, Almirola was caught behind the No. 6 car as it pitted unexpectedly.
• He fell outside the top-20 and radioed that his No. 10 Ford was a “9 out of 10 on the tight side.”
• The caution was called on lap 136 with Almirola scored in 21^st. He did not pit during the caution in the hope of being in the Lucky Dog position.
• At the end of the stage, Almirola said the No. 10 Smithfield Ford started the run with decent balance but would not turn as the run went on.
• He pitted at the conclusion of the stage for four tires, fuel and adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267): 

• Almirola started 22^nd and finished 22^nd.
• The No. 10 driver earned the free pass to rejoin the lead lap.
• He continued to note tight-handling conditions during the final stage.
• Almirola raced to 18th place before pitting on lap 215 for four fresh tires, fuel and chassis and air pressure adjustments.
• While on pit road, Almirola’s car slid past his marks and made contact with his tire carrier, sending the tire rolling across pit road. Due to this incident, the No. 10 team was handed an uncontrolled tire penalty, and Almirola was put another lap down.
• He finished the race three laps down after being passed by leader Kyle Busch in the closing laps.

Notes:

• Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 to secure his second career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, the 56^th race win of his career, his fifth of the season and his second at Homestead. His margin of victory over second-place Martin Truex Jr. was 4.578 seconds.
• There were three caution periods for a total of 15 laps.
• Only 10 of the 40 drivers in the Ford EcoBoost 400 finished on the lead lap.

Next Up:

The 2020 season kicks off with the traditional Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 62^nd Daytona 500, the first points-paying race of the year, will go green on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, with live coverage from Fox and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Event:               Ford EcoBoost 400 (Round 36 of 36)
Series:              Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
Location:          Homestead-Miami Speedway (1.5-mile oval)
Format:             267 laps, broken into three stages (80 laps/80 laps/107 laps)
Start/Finish:      17^th/14^th  (Running, completed 266 of 267 laps)
Points Standing: 17^th with 846 points

Race Winner:    Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 1 Winner: Martin Truex Jr. of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)
Stage 2 Winner: Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-80):

• Daniel Suárez started 17^th and finished 15^th.
• The Ford driver made his first scheduled green-flag pit stop from 20^th on lap 36 for fuel, four tires and fuel.
• He ended the stage in 15^th and pitted for fuel, four tires and adjustments to help with a loose condition during the Stage 1 break.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 81-160):

• Suárez started 22^nd and ended up 16^th.
• The 27-year-old worked his way forward and was up to the 14^th position when he pitted for fuel and four tires on lap 118.
• On lap 136, the caution was displayed while Suárez remained in the 14^th spot.
• He did not pit and took the wave-around to get back on the lead lap when the race went back to green on lap 141.
• The Ford driver completed the second stage 16^th and pitted during the break for fuel, four tires and adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 161-267):

• Suárez started 14^th and finished 14^th.
• After going three-wide just after the restart, Suárez was shuffled back to the 17^th spot.
• He remained in the top-20 and pitted from 16^th on lap 215 for fuel, four tires and adjustments.
• The Haas Automation driver was 14^th on lap 235.
• The remainder of the stage ran under green, and Suárez ultimately finished 14^th.

Notes:

• This is Suárez’s third straight top-15. He finished 15^th in the series’ last race at ISM Raceway near Phoenix and third three weeks ago at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.
• Kyle Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400 to clinch his second career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, the 56^th race win of his career, his fifth of the season and his second at Homestead. His margin of victory over second-place Martin Truex Jr. was 4.578 seconds.
• There were three caution periods for a total of 15 laps.
• Only 10 of the 40 drivers in the Ford EcoBoost 400 finished on the lead lap.

Daniel Suárez, Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

“The Haas Automation guys worked really hard today. The track conditions change so much from the day to the night, and making adjustments to keep up with the track was key. I was hoping we could get a few more positions there at the end, but my car just wasn’t handling well in the last 15 laps or so. Overall, we had a good season and I really enjoyed working with the crew guys and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing.” 

Next Up:

The 2020 season kicks off with the traditional Speedweeks at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. The 62^nd Daytona 500, the first points-paying race of the year, will go green on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, with live coverage from Fox and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Race Name: Ford Ecoboost 300 (Race 33 of 33)
Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Stages: 45 laps / 45 laps / 110 laps (200 Total Laps)
Race Winner:  Tyler Reddick of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Results: Cole Custer: 2nd | Chase Briscoe: 3rd
Final Point Standings:
– Cole Custer: 2nd
– Chase Briscoe: 5th

Cole Custer / Haas Automation Ford Mustang Recap:

– Custer started from the second position and would run there until a yellow on lap 32. He would pit for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. He would restart 18th and would finish the stage second.
– The No. 00 Haas Automation team would not pit at the conclusion of Stage 1. They would restart second.
– Custer pitted on lap 60 for a loose right rear wheel. He would lose one lap during that time, but was able to drive back up and get his lap back before a yellow flag on lap 90.
– The No. 00 Ford would pit for four tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment at the conclusion of the stage. He would restart 14th, the last car on the lead lap.
– Custer would gain 4 spots within 2 laps as a yellow would fly again on lap 96 as he was running 10th. The team would not pit during this caution.
– The No. 00 would gain seven spots throughout the 23 lap green-flag run before the last yellow would wave on lap 123 as he was running third.
– Custer would pit for four tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment. They would lose three spots on the stop and he would restart sixth.
– The No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang would power to the lead on lap 166 where he would run for around 20 laps before surrendering the lead to eventual race-winner Tyler Reddick.
– Custer would end up finishing second in the race and in the championship standings.

 Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang:                               

“The entire group gave me a great car to come out here and contend for the win. When I took the lead I was kind of being patient with it because I didn’t want to get in the wall and ruin our chances, but Tyler Reddick was able to jump up there like he did in 2018 and was just too good at ripping the fence. He was able to get around us and I just pushed a little too hard and got into the wall, which then dropped us back a little bit. After that I knew I had to go and I ended up finding some speed but it was just too late. It’s really frustrating to finish second again, but everyone at SHR had a great season that we can hang our hats on, I just wish it could have ended differently.”

Race Name: Ford Ecoboost 300 (Race 33 of 33)
Venue: Homestead-Miami Speedway
Series: NASCAR Xfinity Series
Stages: 45 laps / 45 laps / 110 laps (200 Total Laps)
Race Winner:  Tyler Reddick of Richard Childress Racing (Chevrolet)
Results: Cole Custer: 2nd | Chase Briscoe: 3rd
Final Point Standings:
– Cole Custer: 2nd
– Chase Briscoe: 5th

Chase Briscoe / Ford Performance Ford Mustang Recap:

– Briscoe started fifth and won Stage 1 to earn 10 stage points.
– The No. 98 Ford Performance Mustang stayed out at the conclusion of Stage 1 and started Stage 2 in the lead. He would finish fifth in the stage and earn six more stage points.
– The No. 98 Ford came to pit road for four tires and fuel at the end of Stage 2.
– Briscoe started the final stage in sixth and was running fourth when he got into the wall on lap 122 and cut a right-front tire. Yellow flag would wave and the team would pit.
– He restarted 21st and advanced up to third before pitting on lap 161 under green for his final pit stop of the race.
– The No. 98 rejoined the field in ninth and quickly moved up to the third position where Briscoe would ultimately finish.
– With his third place finish, Briscoe earned NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year honors.
– Briscoe ended the season with one win, 13 top-fives and 26 top-10s (tied for second-best all-time for a rookie). 

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 Ford Performance Ford Mustang:

“I wish I could have raced the 2. I thought I was really, really good on the fence. I was pushing really hard on the fence and I got by Cole and I finally had clean air and I tried just getting a little bit more and I was already on the limit, so that kind of put us behind the eight ball, but we were able to drive back up and, honestly, that green flag pit stop just didn’t go our way.  Me and the 7 and I can’t remember who else, but I lost so much time to the leaders that it made it almost impossible to catch them. Overall, I’m really thankful Ford Performance let me run this season. It was definitely a good year. I wish we would have had more wins, but we definitely had the speed to.”