It’s Kyle Busch’s world, and we’re all just living in it. The championship weekend began on Friday with Kyle Busch Motorsports claiming their first drivers’ championship with Erik Jones in the Camping World Truck Series. Today, Kyle Busch was able to hoist a championship of his own. Kyle Busch is now the 2015 Sprint Cup Series champion.
The race began with four drivers entering with a chance at the title. Jeff Gordon (#24 Axalta Chevy) carried the most momentum into the race from a win at Martinsville Speedway, and with knowing this would be his final race before retirement. Kevin Harvick (#4 Budweiser Chevy) joined the fight, as the 2014 champ clinched his spot at Phoenix the previous week. And the dark horse among them all was Martin Truex Jr. (#78 Furniture Row Chevy), running for a single-car team who has never been this close to a title. But it would be Busch’s day to shine.
While the race to decide it all at Homestead-Miami Speedway was delayed due to rain, it would get underway and would immediately become a two-way battle for the title between Kyle Busch (#18 M&M’s Toyota) and Kevin Harvick. While others would work to the front to lead the race, that was insignificant on the day, with all the focus on the championship four.
Harvick and Busch would battle back and forth, but it would all be decided on a final restart with just seven laps to go. Kyle Busch would pull away from Harvick quickly and easily. Coming to the checkered flag, Kyle Busch would win the Ford EcoBoost 400, and win the Sprint Cup Series title. It would be Kyle’s first Cup title, the first title for Toyota, and the first for sponsor M&M’s.
Kyle Busch rallied back all season long to win the Sprint Cup title. After breaking his leg and foot in the Xfinity Series race at Daytona, the opening race of the season, forcing him to miss eleven Cup races. Coming back to racing, he would need to win and get into the Top 30 in points to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He would do that and more, by winning four races before the Chase. He was the true comeback kid all season long, and would end it with a big title clinch.
A full range of emotions was on display on Sunday in Miami. And at the conclusion of the race, that range continued. There was excitement for Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing on winning a championship, dejection from Harvick and Truex on coming up short in hunting down the title, and an even bigger mix as Jeff Gordon hung up his helmet for the final time.
With all that raw emotion and excitement, so concludes the 2015 NASCAR season. Thanks for the memories 2015, we’re looking forward to 2016.
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