Kyle Busch Claims Second NASCAR Cup Series Championship
Photo: Peter Casey | USA TODAY Sports
By: Reno Del Toro | November 17, 2019
When the smoke cleared in Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kyle Busch collected the championship flag from his team and did his celebratory victory lap. The most polarizing driver in NASCAR had just won his second Cup title and wanted his fans and family to enjoy the moment with him.
Busch emerged from the Joe Gibbs Racing juggernaut as NASCAR's latest champion, winning his second title Sunday after teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. were slowed by pit-road gaffes and beat Kevin Harvick with a better car. Busch snapped a 21-race losing streak and joined seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson as the only active drivers with multiple titles.
Busch also becomes the 16th driver in NASCAR history to win multiple championships and one of only five to win titles in both the Cup Series and the second-tier Xfinity Series. Busch also gave Toyota its third drivers' championship in five seasons.
This year was full of domination by JGR. The finale pitted a trio of Toyota drivers from Hall of Fame owner Gibbs against Harvick. The win and championship on Sunday marked a fantastic season by the organization as Busch's win was the 19th in 36 races for the organization. This was also Gibbs' fifth title in history as he won two with Tony Stewart, two with Busch and one with Bobby Labonte.
Gibbs opened the year 1-2-3 at the Daytona 500 and finished strong with the title, but this season meant more for coach Gibbs. This entire year has been about mourning the death of his son, JGR co-chairman J.D. Gibbs, and the organization promoted a "Do it for J.D." theme the whole weekend.
Some other championship news throughout the weekend was of course the other two champions. Matt Crafton captured the 2019 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship and Tyler Reddick won the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
Chase Briscoe won the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year award and Daniel Hemric won the 2019 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Rookie of the Year award.
This race also marked the final races for Paul Menard and David Ragan, ending their full-time Cup careers.
So now what's next? The next race for the Cup series will be in February at Daytona; when the season kicks off with the biggest race of the season: The Daytona 500.
Follow Reno Del Toro on Twitter
When the smoke cleared in Homestead-Miami Speedway, Kyle Busch collected the championship flag from his team and did his celebratory victory lap. The most polarizing driver in NASCAR had just won his second Cup title and wanted his fans and family to enjoy the moment with him.
Busch emerged from the Joe Gibbs Racing juggernaut as NASCAR's latest champion, winning his second title Sunday after teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. were slowed by pit-road gaffes and beat Kevin Harvick with a better car. Busch snapped a 21-race losing streak and joined seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson as the only active drivers with multiple titles.
Busch also becomes the 16th driver in NASCAR history to win multiple championships and one of only five to win titles in both the Cup Series and the second-tier Xfinity Series. Busch also gave Toyota its third drivers' championship in five seasons.
This year was full of domination by JGR. The finale pitted a trio of Toyota drivers from Hall of Fame owner Gibbs against Harvick. The win and championship on Sunday marked a fantastic season by the organization as Busch's win was the 19th in 36 races for the organization. This was also Gibbs' fifth title in history as he won two with Tony Stewart, two with Busch and one with Bobby Labonte.
Gibbs opened the year 1-2-3 at the Daytona 500 and finished strong with the title, but this season meant more for coach Gibbs. This entire year has been about mourning the death of his son, JGR co-chairman J.D. Gibbs, and the organization promoted a "Do it for J.D." theme the whole weekend.
Some other championship news throughout the weekend was of course the other two champions. Matt Crafton captured the 2019 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship and Tyler Reddick won the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship.
Chase Briscoe won the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year award and Daniel Hemric won the 2019 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series Rookie of the Year award.
This race also marked the final races for Paul Menard and David Ragan, ending their full-time Cup careers.
So now what's next? The next race for the Cup series will be in February at Daytona; when the season kicks off with the biggest race of the season: The Daytona 500.
Follow Reno Del Toro on Twitter
ROWDY GETS IT DONE! @KyleBusch wins the second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship of his career! pic.twitter.com/p4uMcwS4p2
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 17, 2019