Homestead Notebook
The 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season came to a close on Sunday afternoon with Jimmie Johnson doing what we all expected him to do, win his sixth championship. Denny Hamlin won the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway offering a bright spot for a dismal season at Joe Gibbs Racing.
While those were the two main focal points at the 1.5-mile oval on Sunday, there was plenty of other storylines to bookmark the end of the season.
Boyfriend Beats Girlfriend In Rookie Standings: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Earns Sunoco Rookie of the Year Title: Roush Fenway Racing rookie driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year title on Sunday afternoon at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway beating fellow competitor and girlfriend Danica Patrick for the honors. Stenhouse in the No. 17 Ford Fusion entered his rookie season as a two-time Nationwide Series champion won the title by 21 points with one pole, one top-five and three top-10 finishes.
Patrick, the 2013 Daytona 500 pole sitter was the rookie of the race on Sunday at HMS, finishing 20th in her No. 10 GoDaddy – It’s Go Time Chevrolet SS for Stewart Haas Racing. Her season best effort came in the opening race of the season at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, with an eighth place finish and eight laps led in the Daytona 500.
Surprise! Driver Rating Not The Best: Hard to imagine that Jimmie Johnson’s sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series title was captured with a driver’s rating of 5.1. Despite that mind-boggling number, Johnson averaged an even better rating of 5.0 rating, when he won the title in 2007. But, who has a better rating than the six-time champion? Carl Edwards. In 2011, Edwards hoisted a driver rating of 4.9, but lost the championship on a tie with awarded champion Tony Stewart. Stewart had five victories compared to Edward’s one.
#LastCall: Kevin Harvick competed in his final race for Richard Childress Racing on Sunday driving the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet SS finished 10th and ending a 13 year partnership for the man who was chosen to drive after Dale Earnhardt Sr. lost his life in the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. While there were bumps and bruises along the way, the partnership lasted and the duo won races including four this season. In all, Harvick made 466 starts with RCR, captured six poles, 23 wins, 100 top-fives and 209 top-10s and finishing third in the title fight three times (2010 / 2011 / 2013). Harvick will depart the organization and join Stewart Haas Racing replacing Ryan Newman. Harvick will pilot the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet SS with new crew chief Rodney Childers.
Musical Chairs (Seats) Begin: Several NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers made the final voyage with their respective teams on Sunday at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
Dave Blaney made his final start with Tommy Baldwin Racing finishing 38th Sunday. He’ll be replaced by Nationwide Series driver Michael Annett next season, whose bringing sponsorship from Pilot Travel Centers and a new alliance with Richard Childress Racing.
Jeff Burton who spent nine and a half (or so) season at Richard Childress Racing took the No. 31 CAT Chevrolet SS to its final checkered flag on Sunday with a 23rd place finish. Burton won four races in his stint at RCR including two in 2008, the last time he visited victory lane.
Ryan Newman closed out his 14th year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a 17th place finish for Stewart Haas Racing. Newman ended his final year at Stewart Haas with two poles, one win, six top-fives and 18 top 10s. He finished 11th in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. Newman will replace Burton at RCR in 2014.
Driving for the little team that could, Kurt Busch will move from Furniture Row Racing to Stewart Haas Racing’s fourth car (No. 39 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS) in 2014. Busch, otherwise known as “The Outlaw” put the Denver, Colorado-based team on the map in 2013 with one pole, eight second place starts, 11 top-fives and 16 top-10s and ultimately finished 10th in the final Chase standings. Furniture Row Racing also became the first single-car team to enter the Chase since it was formed in 2004.
And Martin Truex Jr. finished his career at Michael Waltrip Racing in style, with a fourth-place result. He’ll move on to Furniture Row next year, replacing Busch.
“I wish we could have got it figured out a little bit earlier,” said Truex, who was strongest at the end of the race. “I just can’t thank all these guys enough — Michael (Waltrip, team owner) and Rob (Kauffman, team owner) and NAPA and Toyota and everybody that has made it possible the last four years to have such a good time, make the Chase and the win at Sonoma this year.
“All the things we did together were special, and (I’m) going to miss these guys and hopefully see them around a lot next year.”
End Of The Road: Sunday’s race was the final expected race for Mark Martin and Ken Schrader. Martin subbed for Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet SS, while Schrader finished out the year in the No. 32 Federated Auto Parts Ford Fusion for FAS Lane Racing.
Martin competed in his 882nd NSCS race and finished 19th. Despite not winning a championship, but a bridesmaid five times, Martin has often been described as one of the true ambassadors of the sport with 56 poles, 44 wins, 271 top-fives and 453 top-10s runs. While Martin isn’t planning to race in 2014, he won’t be too far from the racetrack as he’ll stay in an active role at Stewart Haas Racing, especially as a coach to Danica Patrick.
Schrader, the Fenton, Missouri native finish 34th in his final start. Over the course of 29 years, Schrader has amassed 763 starts, 23 poles, four wins, 64 top-fives and 184 top-10s. His best finish in the championship standings was fourth in 1994 driving for Rick Hendrick in the No. 25 Kodiak Chevrolet.
Juan Pablo Montoya saw his full-time NASCAR career come to an end on Sunday. The Bogota, Colombia native finished 18th in his final NSCS tenure with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing. In his eight years at NASCAR’s highest level, Montoya, an open-wheel legend enjoyed some success with nine poles, two wins, 24 top-fives and 59 top-10s in 253 starts. He also made the Chase in 2009 and finished eighth in the overall point standings. Next year, he’ll join Ganassi rival Penske Racing on the IndyCar tour. Montoya and Penske have not ruled out a NASCAR return, but it will be sporadic races at best.
Right On Target: Finally, Kyle Larson earned a finish he could be happy with in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. After finishing second Saturday at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Larson finished a quiet, but solid 15th in the No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS under the Phoenix Racing banner in the Ford EcoBoost 400. The run eclipses the NASCAR drive for diversity graduate previous best Sprint Cup run of 23rd earlier this month at Texas Motor Speedway. Larson will drive the No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS full-time in 2014 for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing.
Another Champion Looking For New Start: Bobby Labonte didn’t compete in the season-finale at Homestead Sunday, but Labonte isn’t exactly putting a period to his racing career, yet. Labonte, a former Nationwide Series champion and 2000 Cup champion is rumored to be looking for a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series ride for 2014. Labonte is hoping to beat Austin Dillon to the punch in becoming the first driver to win a championship title in all three of NASCAR’s premier series. Dillon is expected to announce his NSCS program in the next two weeks.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
