Cup

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor HOMESTEAD, Fla. — “I’ve never seen anybody better, that’s for sure.” Those were the words of Jeff Gordon after a stirring finish in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Jimmie Johnson led only the final three laps to secure his seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship, which ties him in the record books with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. Gordon, who has competed with Johnson since the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet SS was a rookie in 2002, also went head-to-head with Earnhardt for years.Read More

By Brian Eberly, Contributing Writer Kyle Busch came up short in defending his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing sixth in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Busch finished third in the championship standings, five points behind race-winner and seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and two points behind second-place Joey Logano. “It’s very challenging,” Busch said of how tough it is to repeat as champion. “The biggest thing is you just don’t know where anybody is until the end. I mean, (Jimmie)Read More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Earlier this week, news came out that Circle Sport Leavine Family Racing had purchased a team charter from Tommy Baldwin Racing for the 2017 season and beyond. Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the good news just kept rolling in for the race team. For most of the Ford EcoBoost 400, the team had two drivers inside the top-20. Ty Dillon led the way with a car that was hanging inside the top-15, while Michael McDowell looked to have about an 18th-place car. TheRead More

By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer Four drivers entered Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a chance at the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. For Joey Logano, it was his second chance in three years to earn his first championship. Logano was riding a wave of momentum entering the Ford EcoBoost 400 after winning at Phoenix International Raceway a week earlier. Logano was fast immediately after his Team Penske team unloaded his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion off of the transporter. He was fourth fastest in the first practice,Read More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Brian Scott saved one of his best performances for last. The rookie that recently declared retirement once the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season ends, put in a 15th place finish in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday night. The 28-year-old Idaho native started 22nd and bounced in and out of the top 10, and even top 20, for much of the night. However, a series of late restarts affirmed the No. 44 Richard Petty Motorsports driver just his thirdRead More

By Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service Homestead, Fla. – Call him Seven-Time. Jimmie Johnson joined NASCAR’s most exclusive club on Sunday, winning the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim his seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship, putting the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet on par with icons Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. “You’re a good man, you’re a great champion, and now you’re a seven-time champion,” crew chief Chad Knaus radioed to Johnson, who grabbed the lead from Kyle Larson through Turns 1 and 2Read More

By David Morgan, NASCAR Contributor Showing speed throughout the day, Carl Edwards looked to be primed to capture his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship on Sunday, but it was not to be for Edwards and the No. 19 team after a crash on a restart with 10 laps to go brought their championship hopes to a screeching halt. Falling short of the championship in 2008 and 2011, Edwards was one of the fastest cars throughout the race weekend and had the confidence to try and redeem himself in theRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Roger Penske is on the cusp of history in the 50th anniversary of his organization and three-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves is ready to witness it firsthand. The longtime Verizon IndyCar Series veteran was part of a 1-2-3 Team Penske sweep this season, with Simon Pagenaud claiming the title. With a long offseason playing out during NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup, the 41-year-old Brazilian has been able to keep up with the progress of fellow Penske driver Joey Logano, who isRead More

By Toby Christie, NASCAR Editor HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Jimmie Johnson is looking to make history by capturing a seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. That championship bid took a hit just before the start of the Ford EcoBoost 400. Johnson’s car was sent back to the technical inspection area after NASCAR did not like something that they saw on the A-post of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS. After making changes to the car, NASCAR allowed the No. 48 team to take the car back toRead More