Rain-shortened Phoenix Race Goes To Earnhardt

“You don’t know what’s going to happen, but you just hope there’s another shot”, Logano said.

They sure didn’t seem happy on social media after Talladega and Phoenix, where the finishes – if you can call them that – were completely unsatisfactory. When the red flag came out after the final downpour, Harvick found himself sitting second to Dale Earnhardt Jr. on pit road. & comeback kid Kyle Busch will join four-time champion Jeff Gordon – in his remaining profession Cup race – to determine the 2015 Sprint Cup Collection title next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Gordon had the only spot at Homestead locked up before the race, thanks to his win at Martinsville two weeks ago. Logano should have won that day to earn his spot in the finale. “What can I say about the whole team?” NASCAR ruled Harvick did not deliberately cause the melee, but the possibility that a purposeful crash robbed Earnhardt Jr. left a bitter taste in the mouths of his fans.

The season finale at Homestead may not have the Penske team, but will have the sport’s other three strongest teams represented.

Look for a non-championship contender to win this race – someone like Joey Logano, Brad Kesleowski or Jimmie Johnson.

The race was scheduled for early Sunday afternoon, but a rain shower shortly before the start spoiled the day. It’s no one’s fault. “What are they supposed to do when it’s pouring out?”

Harvick ended up with the most points in the round, 22 points ahead of fifth-place Carl Edwards; Busch was 20 points ahead and Truex had the closest cushion at only five points ahead.

“I don’t even think it was a penalty”, Kurt Busch said after the race ended.

Meanwhile, Earnhardt had no guilt in celebrating the win.

“We made great adjustments overnight and got that little bit of balance that we were looking for from practice, and just the way that the caution fell, I didn’t get all my distance back on the race track under green and Dale was able to beat us out”, Harvick said. “The auto just really performed well today and we were able to lead a lot of laps. It works out for a few and some it doesn’t”.

“(Gordon’s) got four championships, so I think he’s got the advantage”, countered Harvick. Since the leaders were slowing on the back straight for the yellow caution lights, the fortuitous pit stop by Earnhardt Jr.’s Hendrick Motorsports team meant he could take on fresh tires and still get to the start-finish first while on the pit road.

“It’s kind of bittersweet”, Harvick said. “I feel like this team is as tight as ever, as fast as ever and we’ve still got one more race to go out and win, and I’m confident this team will keep doing that”.

Not to mention Earnhardt Jr. was in a must-win situation at Talladega in the first place because he slid through oil and hit the wall at Charlotte Motor Speedway – fluid NASCAR insisted was not there when it cleaned the track. He’s quietly contended his way to Homestead, much like Ryan Newman did in the inaugural year of this championship format, and now he has the one-in-four chance at a championship he would have only dreamed of in last year’s disastrous debut season at Richard Childress Racing affiliate Furniture Row Racing in which he finished 24th.

Kurt Busch will also miss the Chase finale.

He returned with a vengeance, and, after being granted a waiver by NASCAR that allowed him to be eligible despite not competing in every race, won four of five races during one stretch.