ADVANTAGE BUSCH
Kyle takes top pit stall from Hamlin on day before championship race
Joe Gibbs issued a team order on the eve of NASCAR’s championship that gave Kyle Busch an edge over the other three title contenders.
Busch was gifted the coveted No. 1 pit stall Saturday when Joe Gibbs Racing made the dubious decision to force teammate and pole winner
Denny Hamlin to pass on the top spot. Busch qualified second and grabbed the favourable pit stall after Hamlin’s team yielded to Gibbs’ demand.
“It’s an advantage for them, which stinks for us,” reigning series champion Martin
Truex Jr. said.
Busch will take any perk he can when he races Truex,
Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick for the title today at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
“Ultimately, it’s an upper-management decision, and that’s part of it. I understand,” Hamlin said.
“Sat down with Joe quite a bit. He came over pretty fast to talk to me. I could see the other side of it. If the roles were reversed, I think we would hope for the same thing.”
Busch should have an advantage because the stall in question is located at the end of pit road and gives drivers a clear exit path and cleaner shot back onto the track. The short exit distance also lessens the concern of a speeding penalty.
“It’s great to have the No. 1 pit stall for the race and I appreciate the teamwork by the guys on the 11,” Busch said. “Coach and everyone at JGR are focused on doing what they can to bring a championship for the company.”
Team owner Tony Stewart, who fields Harvick’s No. 4
Ford, lauded JGR’s call.
“Smart decision,” he said. “If we were in the same position, I would hope we’d be smart enough to do the same thing. I’ve already seen all the drama and people complaining. These four teams are here to win a championship. If your organization can help you do that and give you every tool available to get that done, you’re stupid to not do it. I’m behind what JGR did 100 per cent.”
NASCAR XFINITY
Tyler Reddick opened Dale
Earnhardt Jr.’s first season in retirement with a victory and closed it with a championship.
Reddick won the Xfinity Series finale Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway to claim the title in NASCAR’s development series. Reddick was perhaps a long shot behind Christopher Bell and Cole Custer, but with team owner Earnhardt watching from his pit box, he drove away from the contenders and bookended his rookie season with two massive trips to victory lane.
“I just knew we had to execute. I thought we had a chance if we just made it to Homestead, it rewards my aggression,” Reddick said. “We hit the wall a lot but the car kept in one piece, enough for me to get to the end. It was an up and down year. We did everything we had to do in the playoffs and we wound up with the championship.”