Buescher can clinch 1st NASCAR championship at Homestead

Chris Buescher looks at his vehicle in the garage after the NASCAR Xfinity Series auto race final practice Friday, November 20, 2015, at the Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.

“After the end of a year ago, I knew we were capable of getting to this point”, he said. We’re coming here to run like we did a year ago and get a top-five out of this thing.

Kyle Larson passed Austin Dillon with four laps remaining to win the race.

“I am not a points racer”, Buescher said.

“I did a good job masking it, didn’t I?” “It feels good to finally get it done”. Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Alex Tagliani and Ryan Blaney-who finished fifth behind Erik Jones (Toyota) and Brian Scott (Chevrolet) in the Ford EcoBoost 300-all made starts in the No. 22 this season. Buescher came into the race needing to finish 13th or better to guarantee himself the championship.

Dillon was seventh, Elliott was eighth and Smith ninth.

In other words, Buescher played it safe. “I don’t like it. It’s not the most fun way to run the last 10 races of the season, but it is important”.

Buescher was never lower than third in the series standings and held the No. 1 spot for the final 24 weeks of the season.

Buescher denied Chase Elliott’s bid to go back-to-back in his final full Xfinity season. The team had to find a seat for him at NASCAR’s top level or risk losing the 19-year-old to another organization.

Elliott planned to keep a low profile on Sunday. “I did catch them and put a little pressure on Austin (Dillon) and he got into the wall”. “I think that’s what won him a championship”.

Buescher, 23, ended up with a 15-point margin over Elliott as he clinched Ford Racing’s only championship this weekend. Stenhouse, Biffle and 2011 Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne all struggled this season.

Daniel Suarez finished sixth and was named Rookie of the Year. He was assessed a pass-through penalty for an uncontrolled tire on pit road, then was bumped into the inside retaining wall on the front stretch by Aric Almirola a few laps later. Busch posted the third-fastest qualifying lap, best among the Chase finalists.

Chris Buescher: Consistency is rewarded. “He has put a lot into this and I’m just thrilled for him and his family, the team, and everyone that supports him, both here and back in Mexico”. It’s always kind of odd when I was sitting in the stands and there were two cars doing burnouts. “I wanted Chris to have to his moment there”.

Now Jeff Gordon has a chance to write the ultimate Hollywood ending to what’s already an illustrious career. Elliott said he didn’t win enough races to deserve to win the championship (just one this season).

At the time, Buescher needed to finish 14th to clinch the title. That was such an fantastic race, just being careful.

“Is that even a question?”

“I’m optimistic about it”, Buescher said. “You practice right against the wall, and it’s – I don’t know, I’m just really comfortable running against the wall”. We think it’s good for our sport.