The final race of the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season arrives in south Florida at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. A race win would be on the line on Saturday afternoon, but more importantly four drivers would battle for a championship.
Entering the race at Homestead, Chris Buescher (#60 Fastenal Ford) led the standings by nineteen points over Chase Elliott (#9 NAPA Chevy). Regan Smith (#7 TaxSlayer Chevy) and Ty Dillon (#3 Yeungling Beer Chevy) remained in contention for the title as well. All four would qualify nearly nose to tail, while Kyle Busch (#54 Monster Energy Toyota) cruised to the pole in a rain-shortened qualifying session.
As the race got underway, Kyle Busch would control the field from the outset. However, a challenger was building momentum back in the field, and would charge to the front past Busch. That was Kyle Larson (#42 Crest Chevy), and he would set a blistering pace, leaving only five cars on the lead lap at one point.
As the race wore past halfway however, Busch began to chip back away at Larson’s lead. Cautions late in the race would set up some outstanding battles between Busch and Larson for the lead. In the end, though, Busch’s day would end on a sour note, with a penalty for an uncontrolled tire.
Meanwhile, the championship contenders entering the race found themselves racing each other for the lucky dog position, trying to get their lap back. Fortunes would turn for Chris Buescher, though, as a late race caution would put him back on the lead lap.
In the closing laps, Kyle Larson would have to pass a hard-charging Austin Dillon (#33 Rheem Chevy) to regain the lead, and win the Ford EcoBoost 300 at Miami. And with a finish of eleventh, Chris Buescher becomes the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.
Buescher would earn Roush-Fenway Racing’s first title since Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the title, holding off second place Chase Elliott by fifteen points. Consistency, and always focusing on the bigger picture, would help Buescher claim his first title since winning the ARCA Racing Series title in 2012.
The 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series will be remembered for a great championship battle, fun racing, and a great future for this developmental NASCAR series. Here’s looking forward to 2016 with the young guns and the seasoned veterans.
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