Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series- Full Race -Ford EcoBoost 400

god bless america i love to be by her side and guide her through the night with the light from above from the mountains to the prairies across the oceans a legend with the passing of NASCAR Hall of Famer David Pearson known As one of the greatest drivers the sport has seen, Pearson was a three-time Premier Series champion and still ranks second on the all-time wins list with 105 victories. At this time we ask that you join us in a moment of silence to honor the memory of Silver Fox David. Pearson here to offer today's invocation is Pastor Sammy Flores of Christ Fellowships, let us pray, thank you Lord for this time allowing us to be here this afternoon, we pray Lord that you would be with the drivers, keep them safe, bless them and their families, Lord, We also pray for our military and we thank you for their service and for those who give the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom when we pray that you will bless them and carry them, we also ask that you bless this night and bless our great country in this name.

Pray, Lord Jesus, amen, presenting the colors of our nation today is Homestead Air Reserve Base, ladies and gentlemen, join us as CEO of Girl Scouts of America, Sylvia Acevedo and the Girl Scouts of Tropical Florida, we They guide in the oath to the flag, one indivisible with freedom and justice. To everyone here to perform our national anthem, please welcome Master Sergeant Ryan Carson of the United States Air Force. Oh, say, can you see with the first light of dawn what we so proudly greet at twilight's end, whose broad stripes and stars bright across the perilous struggle? sprinkled with stars Oh, release the nerves at their highest point, it's time to get in the cars and start the engine coming next, the sun hit our track and our singing, down, down, the dream, it's the racing the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series. on NBC the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead Miami Speedway and not everything goes as written when you arrive at a

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track that's a little windy and a few things happen, like skydivers who were supposed to land on the grass and maybe got stuck The fence is one of the many reasons I don't jump on planes, Rick, so they're cleaning that up while they're at it.

Let's check in on pit road with Parker Kligerman and Rick before Jocano takes a lap in NASCAR. 15 years. Member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Mark Martin made him one of the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time. Today, it's his chance to live up to those expectations. I just spoke to him and his confidence is radiating. Dave When Kyle Busch was a high school student, he dreamed. of winning

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s in NASCAR once he started winning races he dreamed of championships he achieved it in 2015 and today he told us that one is not enough maybe four maybe seven today he is going for number two Kelly well, Martin Truex junior is coming to Miami as defending champion, but also coming here for the last time with Furniture Row racing, this team will close its doors permanently at the end of the year.

Truex told me he would love nothing more than to fire team owner Barney Visser and all the employees. in Denver Colorado on top with back-to-back championships could certainly be a bittersweet day for the 78 team. Marty Kevin Harvick told me all about the weekend in Miami it's different, the people, the pressure, you can see all these people in the pit road and that's where our experience pays off, he said, what's so cool, it's an old school race, me against three other guys and that's all I have to be, you know, what makes me What I love is that Tony Stewart said on the pre-race show that there's no one in this field who wants the ball more with five seconds left in a game than Kevin Harvick, as Jeff Burton said he's built for this.

Tony Stewart's final words to Kevin Harvick right now as we prepare to fire up the championship engines for the day here in Miami, who will do it? the champion, it's time to discover the most famous words in motorsports, please welcome your grand marshal, the star of NBC's dramatic manifesto, Josh's drivers start their engines, turn right, They beat that guy tied to the cars and ready to go for a championship at stake. Kevin Harvick is taking it like a serious Kyle Busch, that antagonist rolls on his shoulders Joey Logano looking for a second chance and Martin Truex Jr wants the last starting home run field of the NASCAR race on NBC to be brought to you by Ford going further so you can Monster Energy unleash the beast credit in a bank the official credit card of NASCAR and in Subway restaurants it's hard to win a championship in our sport it's hard to put yourself in a position to win a championship in our sport everything you work for and everything you do all season and it comes down to this game, seven moments where you find yourself in these situations as a driver as a racing team, you can find another gear that you didn't know would have been the biggest moments.

You put maximum pressure on the line, you can put it on the edge and you can keep it there as long as you need to. You can do the job. The guys that can perform and the guys that are good in those situations are legends, that's all. Down the line, let's take a look at the starting grille Ford introduced to the front. Denny Hamlin on his 38th birthday is looking for his first win of 2018 to keep a streak alive. Kyle Busch will start on the front row and have the highest starting position. championship for Martin Truex Jr in row two back in row three Joey Logano Kurt Busch Kurt Busch 2019 unclear could be his last start for Stewart-Haas racing row for Erik Jones Ryan Newman we know Ryan Newman is making his last start for RCR he Next year we will drive with great enthusiasm, probably the winner of the year, Aric Almirola, will start on row 5 and then, behind him, Kyle Larson may be the race favorite on row 6, with Kevin Harvick the furthest back in the championship for Alex.

Bowman, due to the bad weather, was not sure if he would start this 88, he put in the effort and will try. Justin Allgaier will be on standby, boy wait, we'll see how he does throughout the day if he can keep those fluids in readiness. it's all the way back on route nine Matt Kenseth making what could be his last start in the Cup Series alongside Daniel Suarez, who is also unsure of his plans for 2019 Rick, it's the last start for Jimmie Johnson and Chad Canals together as a team AJ Allmendinger also makes his final start. Jamie McMurray isn't sure what the 2019 plans might be for his latest outing, yes, Darrell Wallace Jr. and Michael McDowell again in row 12.

There is a lot of hope for the year the 43 had that great race at Daytona. Rick and he just did it as well as a man. I hope you end the year on a good note and that's what everyone wants. this grid on this track or thinking about how they want to end this season on a high note, this 2018 season comes down to this race, these last 400 miles ahead of them and everyone wants to come out of this race with good momentum, yes, it means that There are four drivers who undoubtedly have the championship in mind, but there are so many stories up and down, pit road drivers, crew chiefs, team members who are moving on next year or perhaps don't know what the year has in store for them. next year and the year with the right stirrup made the teams close, obviously the biggest one we've talked about all season, the 78 team, Furniture Row, racing, this is for Barney Visser and that team, this will be their last race as a racing team and Martin Truex Jr. tries to give it his second championship and if you're wondering where these cool shots come from, it's from Ford and the camera car search systems company, they have used the new 2019 Ford Edge ST to create a camera car that actually films at high speed. chase scenes and other action footage that's really hard to capture, so we've been lucky to have access to that Ford Edge and the great vantage point of the chase car.

Remember that you are traveling alone right now at over 50 miles per hour around this track and it seems almost lethargic when you are going to be going almost 200 miles per hour here in no time. I want to take a close look at our championship because we'll start with Kevin Harvick back in 2001, where he was pushed. the Cup

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when Dale Earnhardt died, that was 17 years ago, now Kevin Harvick has gotten used to must-win situations, but those must-win situations usually have Rodney Childers in the box where he could get the victory, but today because Rodney Childers is The suspended Tony Gibson will have to make the decisions and Joey Logano.

Joey Gallo, in my opinion, has had the best playoffs of everyone in this championship. In fact, I think he feels the same way, which is why he just cleared himself as a favorite a few years ago. Weeks ago he said that he is the guy who is going to win this championship. I also think Joey Logano, the big advantage he has today, his pit crew has been the best image of the last five or six weeks, that pit crew and his speed to win it. a championship today Martin Truex Jr has an incredible story back-to-back Xfinity Series champion in OH four to five begins his Cup career in D I went on to compete in MWR part of the 2013 playoff scandal almost ended his career with Furniture Row in 2014 24th in points his first season in the playoffs since he was champion last year, what do you say about Coppola?

He joined the Copa ranks when he was 19 years old. His never-questioned talent has become a polarizing figure on the NASCAR scene, and neither have fans. Love 'em or hate 'em, but a turning point in his career 2015 broke his leg at Daytona recovered with a new crew chief Adam Stevens had a son that year also won his first championship that year Ricky has never missed the championship since 2015 and he himself -It is true that he said that a second championship would help define his legacy. He has that opportunity today. Most championship wins. Four at the Cup level.

This highest level of NASCAR racing. challenging track in a long race will start in the day and finish under the light a mile and a half oval 267 laps just over 400 miles will still be stages 80 laps for Stage One 80 laps for - and that leaves 107 laps for that stage final fuel windows 62 to 64 laps the platform everything is at stake very simple for the drivers for a championship which of these drivers reaches the finish line first, that will be the champion that we have seen every year getting a victory Will it be needed a win again this year?

And on Friday and Saturday a story developed about pit selection for more information. Come on: Marty, yes, Rick Denny Hamlin won the pole on Friday, but his teammate Kyle Busch is competing for a championship and when he wins the pole, you have first pick of pit spots, well, Denny Hamlin, an Essene, decided not to take the number one spot, they took Sol number four and gave that pick to teammate Kyle Busch, who qualified second, so he has the advantage of the number one pit spot. Sawa-chan gained new time on pit road and yesterday he talked to coach Joe Gibbs about it and said, listen, we came together as a team, we made this decision as a team.

I asked him if you're worried about the optics of this and it might look like team orders, he said, listen, the responsibility is mine, if anyone is angry, they could come talk to me about it, but we know we want Denny Hamlin to win this race, but as a company, when they called Bush to win this championship, it was unfortunate not only that a paratrooper went into the fence, but the 95 car put some oil on the track, so not only are they working on the 95, but They are also trying to make sure that the oil or fluid that was put on the track. clears before we see the green flag, she is the fact that the 48 driven by Jimmie Johnson and the crew chief by chat can accommodate all the time that has been part of the cup

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with Lowe's as a sponsor, this will be the final race for that.

The pairing of Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson really has very few teammates who have been able to do what they have done 17 seasons together and 81 Cup Series victories, 16 consecutive winning seasons now that are on the line today, they still haven't won in 2018, but 11 crowns. gem wins Steve, yeah, I mean, that's how you measure people, that's how you become a Hall of Famer, winning the biggest races and winning championships, that's what we're here for today, well, what? how about this? This duo has won seven championships together. I have been lucky enough to be a teammate of Jimmie Johnson for my entire career and now, as they set the bar not only for the entire sport, but certainly sharing an office next to the chat channels made me a better team leader, I'm not sure.

If we will ever see a couple as dominant as these two, yes, I couldn't wait to get the chance to work alongside these guys and learnwhat made them champions, how they had their own culture that was so successful over the years. and here you see the team spending time together this morning to celebrate this last race together. Congratulations Tony Stewart, you know all too well what these guys have been through over the years. A lot of respect for what these guys have really done the way they've done it. If they have worked hard, Jimmie Johnson has been a clean racing driver, there is a lot of respect from the people who are in the garage now, but also from people like Richard Petty, you don't hear him talk about Jimmie Johnson, what a great driver he is. es and They have left a mark and it will be difficult to match them again.

Remember to check the house and neither of you will leave. Both will return in 2019. Chad Knaus will be William Byron's crew chief and Kevin Meandering will be Jimmie Johnson's crew chief for 2019, let's get a few more updates as they clean up the track and before the green flag waves, we start with the killer Well Rick, NASCAR really is a team sport in the pits, the pit crews play a vital role for the 78 team, that group is led by a veteran. Gasoline man Brian Deal, who will make his last start in what has been a 12-year career, now crew chief Cole Pearn told me this group has been stronger than ever during these playoffs.

He said that they have really recovered and he will count on them to perform again today. Parker Kelly for Joey Logano's Team 22. He is the consistency for this team. They've all been together since. He came to Team Penske, most have been there in Blast, two chip, four appearances and one I want to point out in particular is Greg Allen and since his team members call him goose, this will be his last appearance there on the street of boxes. used to be Jackman now he's the gas guy will become Team Penske pit crew coach in the future David Kyle Busch's front tire changer camera was a fixture on pit road until he left midway through the 2016 season to return home.

Affairs called me and he told me this morning that he spent all of 2017 working in the Colorado oil fields. Family issues resolved. He said that I didn't know at 32 years old if he could come back or not, but he came back this year and tried out for the 18 team, he made it and now he has a chance to win the championship. Marty, well, Dave talked about the pressure on this team of four. Tony Gibson obviously replaced Rodney Childers, who is suspended for two races, but is focusing on the pit crew. Chris McMullen is here changing tires. 14 for the first time all season he spent the entire year with aric almirola and his team this is a third different rear tire changer for the four teams his original rear tire changer Daniel Smith is an absolute inspiration for this team he was diagnosed with cancer In August, he's doing chemo right now, in fact, he just finished his final chemo treatment on Friday, he left the hospital yesterday and Rick, he's here today, he talks about the motivation for this 14th, they have it in abundance, it's pretty surprising and obviously everyone is thinking about that team. member of the for team who wants to go out and do the best he can for it, today we will ride with some different drivers, let's take a look here with ally camera, jimmie johnson, let's see what he will do all day. long Jimmie Johnson kam Jimmy John kam sorry kevin harvick from our champion kit for aric almirola's

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performance camera watch what he's going to do all day from the roof of his car Joey Logano coca-cola camera right from the top brand 2x jr.

The BassPro Cabela camera, another roof camera and Kyle Busch will have the Goodyear camera and we will not only be traveling right at track level but also high above our aerial coverage presented by Coca-Cola on this partly cloudy day at Homestead Miami while the cars are now two by two and the lights are out on the pace car, which means we're getting ready for the green flag, so Rick, so many circumstances lead up to these 35 races a week of practice qualifying with means, all you want to do is get in your race car or get in your box and start the race.

I know we have joked and delayed because of this oil delay. I don't like all of them, that gets on my nerves. These four pilots. I know they're ready to get to work Pole sitter Denny Hamlin up front has chosen the outside line and Kyle Busch will be on the inside line so with 239 cars the safety car leaves the racetrack now in the hands of Denny Hamlin. We get to the exits, it's the EcoBoost 400 port for much of this race, we're going to talk about the lines around the track, the lines that these cars will take, we're seeing them at the bottom of the track now as the race move on, they'll also move up the wall around this track, see the dust from the fast driving, leave a Regan Smith car, nothing to worry about, these guys got clean grip on this abrasive track, Martin Truex junior, but at the bottom it's just really good starts, but you saw joy, the gonadal passes now Kyle Kurt Busch driving, look, he's probably taking it a little easy right now, I want to lose a lot of track position, it hurts a lot without accelerating, there I have. in the corner I can't tell that at the bottom he will run from behind, he will see car 20, Erik Jones, he will press him towards an Eric Jones to the top to the third lane, there is a car 31, Newman under him, but gentle . probably regain that spot down the stretch with all that momentum from the high side John has been fast all weekend in practice, we think if a playoff Don or nob championship contender can win today, we think the guide from Joel with one of those opportunities to destroy the interior of Kurt Busch, he moves away to stay away from that lateral draft.

Kurt will allow him to have the position championship by running second fourth fifth and Harvick returns to eleventh right now Kyle Busch runs second behind Denny Hamlin now kisses the Laos key and his teammate Joey Logano, side by side for the position , this reminds me a little of a heavyweight fight like the one we had training yesterday and a guy read practically the same speed, but nobody knew who would have takeoff speed, who would have a long run. speed, they are working out where their strengths are and where their weaknesses are, just laughing because this race normally has a lot of green flag laps, people need to understand how they take off but also how they are in the middle of the race. and then at the end of the race a little bit to the side of Brad Keselowski in car 2, they can catch him, talk about Dale, you just mentioned Eric Jones and the drivers that are not in the playoffs and if who would have a chance to earn well.

There is a lot of talk about 20, there is a lot of talk about Kyle Larson's 42 and we know where he is going to run, he is already there. You mentioned lines on the race track. Rick from top to bottom. Well, Kyle Larson is 42 years old. He loves the top. He loves it. the aggressiveness of the top look how high he enters the curve he runs right along the wall a little in the middle of the track there but already making passes moving through the field here comes a 78 Martin Truex Jr inside Brad Keselowski trying to take that fourth place away from Brad, look down, he entered turn three, but to check just a little bit the center of the turn, he won't be able to fake this position, well, Brad Brad will find some speed on that high high side.

The sides came in quickly for these guys, we watched them practice, moving there about eight or ten laps like a brad coming in high. You liked what he felt in three or four. He will try here once and twice. Remember last year's race that Martin Truex Jr. won. He won that race, but he never made it to the top until the end when he actually had to run to the top, other than he ran down the middle of the track or down the background. It must be good to have to move forward now as he sees. he's losing time with both of them Kurt Busch is running away trying to pass him he has to be careful although it's not the same situation these guys are around him he doesn't have a championship to win today he can't go hit the Wall early in this race and take that away chance.

Morning says this is a very good start for Kevin Harvick's four cars. They weren't very good early and ran today. They had the best car at the end of yesterday's races in practice and it's already a position plus four, starting 12th and running eighth right now for Kevin Harvick. You know when you're competing in the championship because you bring all the inspiration you can to the top of the race and Kevin has talked a lot about his wrestling days in Bakersfield, California. Wrestling coach Rick McKinney is here today in the back of the box cheering on Kevin and he has the old school Kevin Harvick number 29 lanyard on like he was racing for Richard Childress Racing back in the day, but Rick told me it's a good luck charm. for him, Kevin has his good luck charm here.

His former wrestling coach sees Kevin Harvick running on the bottom with Erik Jones' 20 on top across the field. We have it about half the field running down, half the field running up with the colder temperatures. This weekend, the last draw was more competitive. Really interesting conversation with Kevin this morning about his race car. He said: Hey, look, if you look at the lap times, they're good, we're great, we're good, but I don't like the shape. It looks like we're going to make some changes to make it more comfortable so it drives better, just give me a better feel.

You look at Kevin Harvick, he's committed to the bottom of the track, see if he can stay there and how long you can stay there. The pace will probably increase as this rock progresses Kelly, what's going on with Martin Truex Jr? Well, Rick, I can tell you that Martin still hasn't said a word on the radio in these first few laps here today, it was 78 laps that he led. last year's race to go on and win the championship with a toxic carbon burn on his car this year he told me he feels even better with the cars they brought here today he said I think we're even more competitive than a year ago and then He made an interesting point, he said he feels better about the balance of the car and how it will handle once the sun starts to set, he said he would be a little unsure in these early stages in the heat of the day, but he feels confident about it. that they'll have like Sun Goes Away, yeah, Kelly, well, Denny Hamlin, you're thinking about Denny Hamlin right now on the 11 team, they're on a 12-game winning streak and it's in play today, he's yet to get a win. he is running up front NASCAR drive is your live race day companion that you can watch during broadcasts and select alternate camera angles never miss a lap with NASCAR drive as

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.com/DRI only three drivers in the 70s of NASCAR history has one on his birthday and that's what Denny Hamlin needs to do today if he wants to continue his winning streak when it comes to winning a race every season he's been a part of the Cup Series, right now he's trying to continue, since there are 12 seasons looking for it to be 13 Jimmie Johnson is also the other driver who has not won this season with a streak at stake, he has 16 victories or 16 seasons with victories and is looking for that 17th place, also but very impressive.

Denny Hamlin after winning the pole continued running at the front. He currently has a 2.7 second lead over Kyle Busch and has a great track record at this track, but what's impressive to me is that he is doing this against the four championship contenders that you would think would be the most aggressive with their cars. race, so Denny is out. There, driving a big race, just think about this for me, what is it going to be like later in the race? Let's go in at night. This track is going to change a lot. Speaking of one of his foreign contenders for the championship, Martin Truex is stepping up.

Keselowski is not finished, although he has the end of them, he got to the top of the track recovering that place and I think that is an advantage, you just talked about Denny Hamlin and how aggressive you know the four in the championship are with their cars. race, but they don't. I don't think he can be that aggressive and drive at this point in the race. Kyle Jack did the Keselowski and the two slide down the track and he hits Kyle. The meteorologists in '99, let's see what it costs the car a lot of momentum, I don't know. the damage on the right side of that car if it's damaged the aerodynamics in the two most junior tricks trying to make the pass Brad Keselowski keeping the gas pedal against the wall look what would happen if Brad just went in there a little bit too hot he really ran into the side of car 99 look here the brats go to the bottom and he didn't get there and then he goes up to the race track he just missed the bottom of the race track took him to the race track Marty well, thought Kyle The weather forecasters were going to go up a little more.

He said what the hell was that after it happened. He said I definitely brushed against him. I don't think he did that badly. Definitely check it outright side. That was practical. Ask your crews. Something that's going to be a problem all day for these guys is lap traffic. Their lap traffic really has nowhere to go to get out of the way because we've run all over this track from the apron to the fence. and well, he stuck to his line, he didn't do anything wrong in that situation. I just think he miscalculated this a little when closing the ramp.

Brad just misjudges how these drivers compete against the championship because of his nerves with these drivers trying to make sure they don't affect the championship because it's horrible not being in the championship and it's worse having to compete with them because you want to win this race, you're here for you and your team, but you don't want to be a story. I don't want to be the guy that takes out Kevin Harvick in a good race early in the race. You know, ever be the guy who stops, but at the same time the track belongs to everyone you have the right to go on, he's trying to win this race. no Kevin Harvick at 4 before we left Phoenix I thought he was going to be one of the favorites.

I just expected him to come out of Phoenix with his shoulders back and a lot of confidence, but he hasn't seemed like himself to me all weekend. They were a little quiet in the press sessions. They got out of the truck not very well. I spoke to Tony Gibson. He said they just went in the wrong direction. They missed it. The grading was plain and simple. Too tight with the front tires. That's different before I talked to Rodney. Childers texted me a bit over the weekend, he said we were making big fixes this morning. Marty felt that he and Tony Gibson and Kevin Harvick met over the weekend and that they would have a better direction and up seven positions so far. top five, I like what I'm seeing in four cars.

I think those morning shifts worked out pretty well for Tony Gibson on the left side with Kevin Harvick this weekend and Kevin described the car as driving strangely this weekend, they said. They had a very similar feeling in Chicago in July, this left side tire is the same tire they had in Chicago, so they made changes like they did in Chicago this morning here in Miami. Kevin has an interesting theory. Jeff, he likes to run. The bottom of this track they practiced the bottom of this track all weekend he said: I'm not going to the wall until it gets dark.

A very solid theory that Kevin Harvick respects is working for him so far from 12th place and about to get pork well, he does that a lot, you know, Kevin Harvick is a race director, he's a very smart race driver and he doesn't want to be there by that wall anyway, right now he does, Is Darlington a racetrack where everyone races against him? wall Kevin Harvick hits a car off the wall he doesn't want to make a mistake and suffer damage that's Kevin's time Harvick's strategy has worked well for him, he'll stick to that today well, Kyle Petty told Dale Jarrett in the pre -race shows his focus none of these cars will drive well on this track you have to adapt that's what Kevin Harvick is doing you're watching the Monster Energy Cup Series racing the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway well today's grand marshal in this championship race Josh Dallas is a member of manifesto number one of the new TV show tomorrow you have to see what happens with the mystery of flight eight to eight manifests that will air tomorrow on NBC Denny Hamlin still in front has a three second lead on Kyle Busch, let's get an update on that team and let's go with Parker and Rick.

It's been an emotional weekend for Denny Hammond. Remember when he won the pole on Friday? He saw the applause in his eyes knowing that the surprise of him in the last race with Mike Wheeler and I talked to his crew chief. Mike later this morning and asked him about it, he said, you know, when we started on this team, we were both similar ages, we got along well, we were friends, I've been a part of Denny's my entire Cup career, I ever left from FedEx, my whole country goes with you. I know I've built this team to be better in five years, not now, so it's been really nice to end on this note, okay, Parker, right now, Kyle Busch was in the championship-winning position even though he only It's lap thirty, remember you just have to do it. being ahead of the other championship contenders right now about a second and a half ahead of Logano even though he is three seconds behind leader Denny Hamlin, it's a little loose right now also Parker and Dave for Joey Logano, I said he was going For this race he expected the bottom to be dominant from the start, he said because he had noticed something over the weekend, the rubber wasn't resting on the track, he wasn't greasing it, he felt like the bottom was going to be the place and he's been there most of this race, he's climbed Ryan's wall, but he's been struggling because the car is so tight, he's been up on the track bar, he's dialed in the rear brake bias, he hasn't been able to make That turn 22 may be abusing. that right front is too much right now Marty Kevin Harvick has been lapping the Parker field from 12th to 4th for Harvick and has been in the top 5 in lap times for almost his entire career, you know, Rodney Childress suspended his head of main team for these last two races, so Tony Gibson stepped in and Rodney Childers was in a war room at Stewart-Haas Racing headquarters last week and all communications were set up so he could talk to the team, that communication was cut right at the green flag, so Tony Gibson had to make all those calls on his own last week Rodney Childers was on site this week Kelley was the last race for Furniture Row.

Some employees who don't normally travel to races are on site, including a shop engineer named Matt Faulkner. In the last four races he's been in, including Homestead a year ago, this team said they wanted to make sure he was here as a good luck charm. Well, many employees are looking for a new job. Matt Faulkner and 11 other employees go to stay working for Barnabas or the machine shop they miss our precision and although they know nothing about the industry, he considers them championship personalities, he is willing to train him in a new professional field, they see Kevin Harvick working at the end of the track right after God's joy over third place Kevin Harvick, he and Kyle Larson, two fastest cars on the track.

Just look at Kevin Harvick painting the white line on the left side tires. We saw this last night in the Xfinity race with Henry. Daniel Henrik ran last. first stage and was the fastest car as the race progressed, although that background disappeared for a lot of guys. It will be interesting to see if that happens for Harvick, so let's look at a different way to do it. Here's Kevin Harvick at the back of the track. The next fastest car is Kyle Larson. They've been trading speeds back and forth. One of them is the fastest. One round.

The other. Kyle Larson. A completely different idea. I'm working on that thing lurking in traffic right now, but watching when it gets clean air. Look what he does. Are you going to put your right side tires right up against that wall and race around the corner? Both are the fastest cars on the track. Now it goes to the end because we are talking about that, but they are both the fastest on the track. run up run one down Dave and Jeff when I talked to his crew chief Chad Johnson this morning he's coming to pit road that's why he came here so Larson on pit road had to come to that low line to maintain.

So now the driver who is expected to be one of the contenders to win the race here today makes the first move towards the pits. Remember that yesterday we saw how valuable new tires are, so Kyle is going to jump in here to try to get an advantage over the others. Going to the pits after him was a lot better than the laps and he was running there, it feels like he got a little raised in the top slot and that's when they started talking about coming to the pits to get new Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel for Larson.

Well now the pressure of the race within the race for Kyle Larson came into the pits early and he got these new tires as a big bonus. He's here to win the championship race because they really have to call the race between themselves. Remember Rick, they don't need him. to win the race, whoever finishes the best will be the champion, but I would expect Kyle Larson's aggressiveness to track everyone to the pits to buy new tires with 44 laps to go at this stage, that's it, it's done, only The cars are coming down to the pits fast and furious, none of our four championships made it to pit road, but this time along comes Kyle Busch.

I think he just went to the back of the track. Yes, Kyle's arrival will make it more difficult. There are only 278. Not him, he will stay on the track and this. it makes sense for this championship four and all these leaders to come Kevin Harvick comes to the pits because they have 11 sets of tires to play with sitting here in the pits Soneji you can run 27 laps a set and with such valuable tires here in Miami, you and all the tires New Goodyears you can get from Kevin Harvick. The very small air pressure adjustments in the car were too much for three Parker and Marty, the 22 team reacting to their Jim, four competitors here, let's tighten that car 22 that is still in at the end of this race I can use four Goodyear tires, you won't feel the air pressure, not eight when entering corners.

Kyle Busch's car is a little loose, so there was a wrench on the left rear window to make an adjustment to the chassis to keep it cool. tires and fuel, so strategy came into play last night for the championship. We are now seeing that the 78 is left out for another round. Is this a bug? Yeah, well, I don't think it's a mistake so early in the race. I mean, it still has 229 laps left. wave and it will come this time yes, I think it's just a congestion. I don't think it's a mistake. I think he's being cautious the last two times at this end of the track, they were two and three wide.

Daniel Suárez missed entering the pits. He spun in '78. I think he's looking for a little cleaner race track to pit alone. Give it a little time. It's still early, let's not damage the racing car. We already see a somewhat conservative strategy on Cole's part. / - Martin Truex Jr, understand that it wasn't like that: the last 10 laps of last year, Kelly before they got really aggressive with their pit calls and when that 42 of Kyle Larson was on pit road, Martin asked him what was his last lap time and at that time The time he was fastest on the track, staying in the 78 car is not terrible, but it lacks a little bit of grip.

You see the key go in. They will do it. Tapia's trial says that Martín has said that he is a little weak. and tight in the center and the 78 cars will also have four new Goodyear tires and the Sunoco fuel target. Ian, there will now be a penalty for this conservative strategy. I like to call guys, like drivers, who like to come to the pits with a little bit. less congestion and have a little better idea, you're not going to hit anyone, but you're definitely going to lose time with those guys with new tires. I want to tell you that I think the winner was in that selection in that pit stop in the second round. stops four-car Kevin Harvick I think it's fair to say that we've been very critical of the four-car pit crew, whose biggest concern is their lack of speed.

Old pit road Kevin Harvick, that pit stop beat Kyle Busch. On pit road he came onto pit road and was three and a half seconds behind Denny Hamlin. Look at how he has closed the gap to Denny Hamlin, so the advantage for the four-car team was to step up the first pit stop of the day. Yes, in the last two laps he has been faster than anyone else. Hamlin so is Kyle Busch and these guys are closing that gap and what is Michael McDowell in the pits? Hamlin will be the leader if Harvick hasn't caught him at the end and taking the lead, he's one second behind that sequence of pit stops cut to two seconds off Denny Hamlin's lead if Harvick was closing fast there you see Hamlin right on the bottom of the screen to pass the lead here with Denny Hamlin Michael McDowell had not yet arrived at the pits so now Denny Hamlin returns to the front but the championship for all those who have arrived at the pits, the advantage goes to Kevin Harvick, already that everyone is working hard cutting the steering wheel 267 laps of racing directed by Amy how did you cut it bank credit the perfect credit card for everyday purchases and to buy Coca-Cola the official soft drink of NASCAR championship fans for and where they run Kevin Harvick up front Kyle Busch has third Logano fourth and Martin Trucks Junior is ninth right now and that's how Kevin Harvick got the lead, he stole it from Denny Hamlin with this move I just made "NoI see all four cars being that good today, didn't have the speed in Friday practice, really didn't have that good of a practice on Saturday, those guys went to work last night.

I tell you, I'm impressed with what they did." I've been able to make the changes they made to this car. He's by far the fastest of the four. Obviously, the leader pulls away a lot faster than these guys. He doesn't even it's a convention to me. You know what they made. Those changes weren't based on how fast the car was, but on Kevin Harvick's camp. You know, I just need to feel something different. I need a better feeling car. You know, we talk a lot. Steve says it's all about speed, like sometimes the drivers had. Just deal with it, but Kevin Harvick said, "Hey, I need something different and make those changes based on your field." Marty and Jeff, good. point.

Rodney Childers texted me this morning saying he felt very confident about the changes. You also made a great point about the The pit crew is Chris McMullen, the new rear tire changer. These four teams have great part of the year about his performance on pit road. Well, they would have loved to have made changes during the playoffs, but they had all four Stewart-Haas teams in the playoffs and they couldn't. Not taking a player from another team and moving him to Kevin Harvick early, they couldn't do that until this sucks Kristen Mullen, who had been working with Eric on We're All on Team Tim all year, her first day.

Day one, day 14 is championship day, imagine that pressure guys, yeah, that's taking a big step forward in a big game here towards a championship on the line, but we talked about the feeling of Kevin Harvick and what He knows what he needs, he leads everything. drivers here and in the top ten, I mean, he has the feeling that he understands what he needs here. Rodney is smart enough to know, hey, we've got to give it to him, we're going to make some changes because our driver wants to feel something different, well, Jeff. On the opposite side, Martin Truex's 78, we saw them stay out two extra laps before pitting.

Being a bit conservative, Rick just makes sure they won't have any problems all week. We have talked about the best statistical championship of all time. Well, I think that's what we're starting to see, Martin Truex junior's 78 because he sat out, lost four positions and about five seconds on the track, now he's back in eighth place, I just don't know if you're going to be . capable of withstanding a couple of hundred turns. I think you have to do it in the last few laps. The field is too strong. Kelly. I think you'll have to attack from the start of the race right now.

Martin Jr. They've been running some of the fastest laps on the track, they haven't won in the regular season playoffs yet, but they haven't won in the night races we've had in this playoff system yet. When I spoke to the team, they felt like they should have won. at least three of them, but maybe as many as five, but they have been mistakes and penalties on pit road, he has been on the track, isn't that an attempt to get to Victory Lane to not win? quite a while from now and they know they're going to have to put together the whole package here today to get that back-to-back championship and a lot of people have pointed the finger at the fact that this team is closing down, maybe the team will lose. their focus because they are worried about where they are going to go, where their next job opportunity is going to be and from the entire time that announcement came out they have said that we are not losing focus, we are focused on winning a championship defending our title for Barney Visser, We want to let it out. well guys I got mine right now in the game no I'm a championship contender now Kyle Larson we talked about this he's hot he likes it he's in fifth place right now I'm running the fence where he loves it run well He's going to go to the back here because he has car number 15.

He's trying to pass for a lap car. He didn't want to get stuck in that bubble of dirty air in the top slot, but he's been running up that wall where he wants to run slowly. On his way into this battle, he told us that when he gets to the front, he won't compete with these championship guys like he did last year. I'm going to take it easy with them, move on, so try to win this race and be interesting to see if he. put in that position, he goes back, you see a driver in front of him in orange, a white car, Daniel Suárez's 19th having a bad day so far, in 25th place, one lap behind and we don't know what he will do next year. a former says in a In a few weeks what his future is, Dave, so drivers Kyle Larson was told a couple of laps ago while his team was watching the stop that he was getting his rhythm back and the times were looking good, so I'll ask Dale Jr.

Do you know this High Line? I think he had to fight his way there. Did you feel that way because you loved paddling up there, but it would take you a couple of laps after a pit stop to get back up there every time you got on? You get better and better with each lap. You know where to push it. He'll try to dip below this 19. Maybe he'll even do a slide job, but he's climbing to the top. He had to get around that 19. That 19 hurt him. aerodynamically to be able to run on that high side you have to do those kind of moves and he does it but yeah once you get to the top it doesn't happen right away you got hurt you have to work to get there really Push the car without hitting the fence, well right away it's the weakness of the 42 last year, they just weren't good enough on new tires.

When I spoke to Kyle Larson, he admitted that we had waited until practice started and then "We went out and ran hard on new tires to make sure we were better. They think they have a game that is still not as good as others, but it is better than last year. Yeah, I was going to say I don't know if." You're good enough at the front, the front of a race obviously has the late race speed, but to be able to beat Harvick today, Harvick has that front speed, yes, but the sun is still high, it's race, his race gets one when the sun sets.

You're right, this is something impressive about Lawrence and he remembers that he pitted two laps before everyone else, so he has two laps. Older tires still run lap times as fast as any. Most laps, many laps, as fast as you know how. The first is fast, the second. The fastest, so a little bit older tire and still capable of doing that very impressive, still about an hour and a half until sunset. Word is it's 5:30 here in the Homestead area as the 11th will pass Kyle Busch's 18th. now Denny Hamlin has taken second place from Kyle Busch.

Kevin Harvick is still out there with a lead of two point nine seconds. I was almost right next to him right there, he's got to work on it, you see, he didn't make that pass, look how much space there is between him, now he's got to work, work, work, work to get back to it, look at him, dive here, he's going to try to get to the end make that pass and he will have the momentum, although on the exit of the corner, what will these cars do on the way back? Who is going to bother?

Denny might let this 18 have it, he's going to compete with him for this back right away. pretty interesting teammates working together there or maybe not working together it seems like they aren't working together as Denny Hamlin is still looking for that win this season again. So big that it will be big all night long. Return traffic will play a role, I said in driving. He'll be at the top of the track, these cars in front of him, his aero team, the 18 went to the back, he kind of got blocked at this point, this is a sure lead for Kyle Busch, you better turn left and passes to these guys.

Harvick Kyle Busch. 1 and 2 4 seconds separate the first two in the championship for the battle. It's the Monster Energy Cup Series race from the offensive at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Don't miss your last chance to win a custom truck built by NASCAR fans. Enter for your chance to win today. Just use the promo code at the finish lines to unlock 10 bonus entries, so don't wait, go to Nascar.com. Reduce the playoff promotion now to enter and use the promo code at the finish line. See that 42 men with whom you are on a mission have just now reached the term they have earned and to which they have committed themselves.

That work of sliding to the fence managed to pass through the 11 while the position of the 22, let's see what it does up here. I think he's going to break that top or you know he's going to break the top, that's what he does. Spin the god or ran higher on that lap he's been running, he's been running from the bottom trying to pass, these guys finally made it at 11:40 because the healthy 42 Valley 42 will be able to make it to the top, it's going to be hard to believe that Kyle Larson has won. He doesn't have a great run at the start right here here he comes there he is now Logano has to be listening to his spotters the spotters have to be telling him if he's cleaner or not he's coming on the outside he's not trying to take that and Jeff DJ Majors has been told talked about this whole battle about where the 42 really is on the 11 if you told me before the race that one cool thing about Jocano is that he can tell you where those drivers are running in the middle of the turns and Joey can adjust his line, but what I don't think I want to add is that I don't sleep with this 22 car right now.

They started a little patch at the end of this race and told me no, the day is not really right. time for them and they know that the fuel they want for the night times was during the night falls. I hope the 22 car becomes much stronger. That's a cool thing Parker said about how this track changes from day to night with who's fast now. You might not have that control late when the sun goes down and this gets cold with this multi-groove race track there, so Kyle Larson jumps to the back of the track, you call it a slide job, he just overshoots. , the curve takes too much. speed and clear the 22 clear the 11 now he's on the racetrack now he's going to get slow otherwise he's going to hit the wall that's why Joey Logano was able to pass the 42 on Hamlin's 11 leaving some slack well I want to tell you that I will tell you Jr.

That's how I feel if I'm driving the 11 a 42 does that to me I won't know I'm going to hit it I'll run it out of the way because I'm just blocking I'm not going to endure such a slippery ride, although I don't think anyone could have done it . I think the dirty air actually held Danny back, stopped Danny's car, there are footprints, so he would have hit the fence trying to do it. to get some good gas and hit that 42 man we had hit a sore spot just like the new wave of racing Dave oh man oh man sorry Burton so for the 42 crew chief Justin talk, I talked to him this morning about that High Line and I told them, when do you guys plan on me migrating there, he said, migrate, he said, we're going to live on the High Line, so guys, I bought you some real estate in South Florida, up high.

The problem is that only one car went out of control and Larson. Currently running in third place, he is 5.3 seconds behind Harvick, who is being chased by Kyle Busch's 18th, but at this time Kyle Busch is going to drop back to third place as Larson made the pass and moves ahead of 18. half a second faster than the leader, with Kevin Harvick in front, we see this, this is what Powell Larson does, okay, Holmes, what he does, but Jeff, he led the most laps, but he still has than winning the race. Do you know how you can be so fast and not? win the race I have to be better at the front and everyone there with new tires everyone keeps talking about the night make sure you are ready for the night and the change of track is going to improve the other problem that hurts us 242 and I think that his respect for the game is because he didn't want to get in the middle of the battle for the championship.

He has been vocal this year. They said, "You know what I have to get into this year. I'm pretty hurt." nice last year and this is what it looked like last year winning stages, this was the dominant car, just like today, it was against the wall in a stage one, a stage two, but here at the end, look, it has a streak of 18. he doesn't take a line to give him a chance and the bumper lets the 18 of the 78, the 2 in front of him run for the championship. I think he questioned the guys because you see him congratulate him, he was very vocal. guys it wasn't going to happen to Rutledge this year this year he said he was going to compete to win that's for sure Stephen at the media day for the champions on Thursday one of the media members asked these guys, Do you think they would win the championship?

You're going to be the winner of the race and everyone looked at each other, laughed and said, well, thatIt depends on whether Kyle Larson got hurt going up the wall in the last stage, so these guys know the biggest threat and someone like Kyle Larson. that lives and is so comfortable up there on the high side all the time Kyle Larson just passing by Jamie McMurray, who was at the end of the track and again mentioned during the starting grid that Jamie McMurray has been very quiet. Regarding his 2019 plans, it was announced at Chip Ganassi Racing that he would not be returning

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-time in 2019 and Jamie McMurray responded: "I didn't want any awkward goodbyes.

I haven't said what's going to happen in 2019." I don't want people to make special plans at the slopes we went to if they think I'm going to retire, so I haven't said anything. I still have a chance to run the Daytona 500 for Chip Ganassi Racing next year and potentially work for Chip Ganassi Racing, which just won. He will not be in the role of driver, as we mentioned, the 78 was the last car to enter the pit row with the advantage of having a couple of laps with fresher tires, he lost a lot of time and slowly fell back little by little in the positions he lost.

You can see his work. 11th in any recovery for fifth position working from the bottom, staying committed all the way down, his lap times in this race since he got to the pits, he got those tires, he's been great even though he's fourth on the line. championship because he still has great speed. on the track, once we have them at this stage, things happen, he has to work on that position on the track, sitting in sixth place at the moment, even if you have that speed that is too far back, you can't witness the race since six o'clock, so in the last restarts he entered the pits. from fifth place, so he pitted from fifth place.

He's now taken all this time racing Hamlin to get back to that same position because he bit him a little later. I think they're going to have to rethink that strategy moving forward, Steve, well, one thing. throughout the year we would be talking about six points in four laps awarded, not today, these championships are quarters, there are no points, they just have to outdo each other and that's how they are competing, if you see that in the top left of four is leading. with 78 passing 11, the championship four running inside the top five, the last five laps of stage one for these drivers and teams to perhaps take a little breather.

There are 192 laps left in the race, but again divided into stages. 80 laps for Stage One 80 laps for Stage Two the drivers could take a breather, but those teams we talked about at the beginning, the pressure just isn't on Martin Truex Jr. The pit crews that train all year long and they think about this. They've already made one stop, they might have somewhere at six, seven, eight more stops for the rest of the day, that's about two minutes of work, Rick, two minutes of work, you'll make a mistake, you'll be impeccable and you'll you'll give your driver a chance to win a championship I know Kyle Larson is racing 35 teams at the top here the fastest car on the track our leader in a junior Trix 35 50 in the lap before he ran 35 30 in the part bottom still engaged with the bottom of the track which tells me that there is a little more speed in that car which is showing the other thing that is extremely important right now Steve is that communication, the driver has to be talking to his boss team right now giving you information so you have time for even the engineers to meet. and talk about the changes they want to make this track is going to keep changing I'm going to have to change their settings Gucci doesn't know if the drivers don't tell them hey Jeff, don't put me on the spot, don't give me that information and maybe for Tony Gibson in the car, wants a briefing a little early because I'm guessing Rodney Childers is somewhere listening to the four car radio, probably communicating a bit with Tony Gibson via direct message or email.

So if anyone needs to have the information ahead of time, it's these four cars. When you start leading the team by committee, you need a little more time. Rick, we expected this, but once again, the championship is in the top five. It's Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson. ruined the championship because of his plans, but Harvick is ahead by two seconds over Larson, so it's Kyle.Busch Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. What did Joey Logano say? The big three and I, well, now it's championship four and Larson, we have five competitors here. I think anyone in the top five is a good enough car with the right tuning to win. race, you can't count out Denny Hamlin right now running in sixth, he's been strong too.

Marty, good point about Steve's information flow, so what they've been doing Tony Gibson has been asking Kevin Harvick every 15 laps as we get to one. To go at this stage, how does the chassis feel at the moment? Every 15 laps you will receive that update. Steve, nice catch, that's what you have to do. Jeff mentioned it. It's the last lap here. Rick, but we talked about new tires. Drivers use old tires. We are focused if you ask Kevin Harvick how he drove on the first lap of this race, he doesn't remember, he knows how he drives now, it's your responsibility as a crew chief to get that information and the championship to continue competing against each other. and as Kevin Harvick comes out of turn four, he will be the first to take a victory, he will win the first stage and that sets the tone for the rest of the race Kevin Harvick, winner of the first stage, Larson Kyle Busch Joey Logano Marc tricks jr. all the top five and now Steve mentioned that the teams are going to work, the pit stops are approaching for the Monster Energy Cup Series races from Miami, stage one of the Ford EcoBoost 400 is complete and let's take a look at the results of the stages presented by Coca-Cola while we mention the championship.

Four points don't matter, but everyone else does, because they're still fighting for positions in the top ten and top 15 as far as end-of-season points go, so Kyle Larson wins points there with that second place finish in the first stage now. the teams Steve, as you mentioned, at the wall they prepare and it all comes down to a perfect 13 seconds, the driver has to be perfect coming to pit road, he has two perfect parking spaces in the stall, then the team has to do their I work perfectly and then I have to get back in shape. I'm coasting fine and I'm giving my team a pep talk right now.

Not like perfect, just solid, solid, we're not trying to hit home runs here, just base hits don't cut it for us. The drivers have done a great job, Marty, everyone is up front, just keep them there and Kevin Harvick's team delivered on that first stop which was under green flag conditions. Here is the second stop of the day. One question, how do we compare to? the other three in the championship Tony Gibson said very well, he said he's losing rear grip the further he goes, they'll put a piece of tape on the front grill, they'll do that there and an air pressure adjustment on both rear tires, Kelley.

For Martin Truex Jr on that 78 team, he said he's not that bad, but he lacks some lateral grip. He said he was a little loose coming in, so he has to be careful coming into those corners and adjusting the chassis, four tires and fuel. Parker Kelly by Joey Logano every time he comes to turn center with the track bar up he loses grip on the exits and adjusting air pressure four tires Dave Bush lost a little time on pit road the first time he came back to have problems this time he will lose places instead of being able to take advantage of that first pit stop, we will see the race outside the pits offered by coca-cola and many positions lost by Kyle Busch, six places on pit road as we head to rest , let's take a look at our final edition of Coca-Cola Race Day Fuel with Bubba Wallace and Daniel Suarez.

NASCAR fans celebrate championship weekend with all the gear of your favorite drivers, all you have to do is visit

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.com and purchase Eminem gear for your Kyle Busch fan. it's there and if you're a Kyle Busch fan, you're probably a little disappointed by what just happened on pit road third, ninth, six spots down, Rick, we talked about it, we weren't perfect, we need to get it installed. Everything but looks great so far, but when the right front is turned on, Doc has a loose nut that he has to reach to correct the lug coming towards the left front and makes the mistake of trying to compensate for the timing issue with the coming tire. the next tire goes out, I didn't have the gun switch to remove the nut, I started, you see, good news, if there is any good news, 182 to go get rid of my nerves, we talked about the stage, it's the biggest stage, the biggest hole. stops, they will get that one behind you and there will be more pit stops to come so they can redeem themselves or at least try to redeem themselves.

Denny Hamlin's 11 also had a problem on pit road. He missed his position and had to do it. drop back to your spot so there's a bit of a problem for Denny Hamlin and after being in the top ten the entire race Denny Hamlin drops back down to 17th place the field is approaching the Geico restart zone . Harvick and Larson make up for Harvick. He picked the top, I think because he wants Larson at the bottom. We know we make a big cut in the top of the race track to see how it works. Let's find out if Larson has takeoff speed.

Well, all four cars lose the front just a little. there look at Kurt Busch's 41 moving up the middle just like Logano's 22 here comes Logano trying to take second place from Harvick, yeah that Harvick 1 and 2 period wasn't very good, strong, Logano to get in yet the four cars fighting here in the middle of the track car 41 attacks him Kurt Busch is his teammate, he's going to drive it back to the bottom now he tried the middle the track doesn't work for the car Kevin Harvick, he's going to drive it right to the target line if you had Hendrie ordained again, he would do something different, he learned something.

I imagine most of the field was paying attention today, they still lose a bit of time and now look good in these first few corners. Marty mentioned an air pressure adjustment. on the rear tires of all four and it's a situation where it has to come now that you have a different air pressure back there, well possibly, the cars generally drive very differently to a green flag pit stop compared with the yellow only because of the pace laps while we see Joey Logano's 22 slowly approaching that 42 Jeff even with clean air Kyle Larson can't drive with new tires Harper has told us not to sleep on that 22 was right, look at this Lincoln Really, but you have some dirty air right there while you're on the bottom, but on this track I said it's very old, so when you lose the bottom you can commit to the throttle and you'll see that it doesn't waste as much time on the bottom. back straight. what he's doing now he's trying to guess what Larson is going to do everyone in the field knows at some point Larson is going to go to the top Joey Logano is trying to guess he doesn't want to be right behind he wants some clean air Parker exactly Jeff and it's really struggling with the dirty air, you mentioned it a lot in that first race, they're just struggling to get especially tight in the dirt to find some nose clearance on the 22, yeah, so look what the 22 looks like while drives into turn three from the back. immediately now it's going to turn a little bit before the 42 goes up to a 42 or 42 to the top that's when Logano got the award Logano wanted to look on top now he has clean air at the bottom just hopes the 42 doesn't start sailing running down them immediately moving away from him he'll have some left to see if it works it's early to get to the top although I think that might be the only hope look look look right there Larson goes back to the bottom but not everyone at the bottom still gives Logano a little bit of clean air, yeah, and he missed the bottom, just a little bit of guy that's closing in on him, here comes Logano trying to go for the lead of the race, a little lateral draft that's trying to get the panel of the fourth cannot.

Getting there you dive into turn three here and right now you have to trust the spot or Kevin Harvick comes in to play with you all some of this action right now the spotters should be telling you it's clear, clear, we don't want to. He got to the lead, this car runs a little better for him thanks to these bursts of 10 or 15 laps and now that Harvick in the middle of the track is not down, now he's going down, I'll try to get to the right side, door to door . with Larson, those two fighting for the second Joey Logano, the only one in the championship war who has never won here in Miami, as Harvick is now closing the gap betweenhim at 22 the motto knowing Harvick is a bottom feeder he knows and Harvick will be on that bottom so where will the gone one go he go to the bottom take your way barson pass by Harmon Larson backed for second and big partnership against the wall again, lap 7, Rick, it takes about seven laps to get to the top, by lap 42 as he tries to enter that last set of corners, it looked like he started attacking again, which will get her out of the front of the 4, she may not be better than the 4th, but I don't think she'll be wasting time on him anymore and jr.

That's very frustrating for Harvick because he thought he had cleared it, he thought the fight was over as if Larson made everything work on the outside, he took that spot when Steve again saw a similar pit strategy at this stage, where they ran around 25 to 30 laps. You see guys, maybe 35 laps come to pit road, yeah, probably around 35 had some pace laps or caution laps coming, so you don't have a

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80 under green. I'll be around 3035 at the last minute first on the tire. come to the pits Marty, hey, look, if we wanted that air pressure adjustment, both rear tires dropping air for Kevin Harvick on the team he would change the handling, he said, really plowing now.

Memoria said he was losing too much rear grip late and ran, but how? Can a small air pressure adjustment like that seat change the handling that much? And when Marty says little quarters and a half pound, we're not talking about a full pound of air, half a pound, but you have to remember that these cars are so engineered that we talk. about aerodynamics horsepower suspension all those things basically the tire is a big part of the suspension remember it's the only thing that actually touches the ground air pressure can be a big adjustment let's take a look at some laps from the top of the rock for you by coke, the different lines these drivers are taking on this track, yes the 42 is committed to the top, he's trying to get his car in right now, Logano's 22 is even faster by about a tenth and a half than the last time. because he's not committed to fifth yet and it's one of those four championships that he might not run or want to take that risk and run right into the wall, you see he drives to the back of the track, that time, God knows, Larson almost equal.

In lap time, Harvick is a little slower. Truex enters the scene here in fourth place, just behind him, Aric Almirola in 10. You see Logano running a little further down, as if he were straddling that union between risk and reward, although jr. that 42 car has nothing to lose, he hits the wall and damages his car, you know what I see from the year, but these guys, everyone else in the championship races, I just don't think Joey Logano can give himself the luxury of going there right now. Logano is out front leading the championship in Miami, you're watching the Monster Energy Cup Series competing in the final race of the Ford EcoBoost 400 season.

Well, the day after Thanksgiving, there's still a lot to be thankful for: Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers visit division rival Claude. Giroux and the Flyers will find out the NHL's Thanksgiving showdown which will be Friday at 1:00 p.m. This one on NBC Joey Logano has the lead, it's a 4/10th of a second lead over Kyle Larson, but Larson continues to be the one moving as he runs into the wall you see there in the lap traffic and starts to catch him . on the field this is going to play to someone's strengths, whoever can beat this lap traffic best at this time, it's Costin to Logano Larson closing that gap quickly on the frontstretch, the weatherman is going to stop Larson here in the groove high and slow. down just a little bit, you see the four cars close to the four cars that moved up on the race track, it's 3/4 of the way down the race track, which found him some speed, it was actually a little faster than Moore in the last three or four laps once I got to Larson Larson is running right on that wall 22 you see a straddle that's supposed to seam stealing he stays there here he comes he has a great run He doesn't want 22 to stand in front of him take that again you know, do the air 30 hit the nose of that 42 and take them away if I'm Logano, although I'm going to use 42.

I know you guys don't want him to stand against the wall, he is afraid to hit. the wall that 42 was running towards, although he doesn't, yeah, but if you let that 42 go five in second, he's behind him in the dirty air and then the four will be the guy that catches him, that's what What you will see through the windshield. At the top of the box, I'm saying you're not racing the 42 we saw this in the race yesterday, don't let it make you wrong with one hundred and sixty-four ahead, marker and look, that's a great point .

Wow, Kyle Larson is going. Inside Logano, that's exactly it, he said he felt like the top wasn't worth it until 20 laps ago. Lee Ching came in, Kyle Larson up front. Joey Logano ran second, but again Logano in front of his other three competitors who are fighting for the championship. Kyle Larson, the four championship competitors thought it would be Larson who they would have to fight if they wanted to win this race. See, that's my fear of him losing the lead. It's dirty air because he's running on the high side behind the 42. just straddling that scene, he'll lose the petition to Heat, listen, I hear you, I want to go, but Larson faster, Larson, plain and simple, faster than Joey Logano, everyone knows that right now, why fight that guy and look at me? laugh a lotstill left to go man its a long way to go Joey Logano has to run this like a 267 lat race Harvick is faster Larson is faster he has to understand that and race accordingly make changes to his car continue to do it better Marty, I was going to say this.

It's a good time to remind you guys, with 162 laps left, as Kevin Harvick shoots into second place here on the low line around Joey Logano and it's funny how quickly through the changes of driving the race car, he said he was plowing at the beginning of this race, then he said ten laps later starting to show up and then five laps ago he said sliding the tires on the entry and letting go and this is the second place car Steve, for That's what the crew chief made so much money Kevin Harvick moved up to second place, that's what it's all about Adjustments, this track will continue to change.

For some updates, the four non-championship competitors will start with Kelly just a couple of spots behind that battle. There you can see Aric Almirola's 10 on his first year with Stewart-Haas Racing. He made it to the championship eight. He was eliminated from the playoffs last week and team manager Donna Clausberger told me they continue to exceed their own expectations. They had to constantly adjust their goals throughout the season. They said the best part is that their performance improved. and they reach the class, so even in that current high situation they seem to do even better, there are still many to fight for.

They came into this race just four points out of fifth place. There's Johnny Hood in the best groove they have. eyes on fifth place in this championship Kelly, if there is a driver who seemed to be in this championship form last week in Phoenix, here it is Kurt Busch, he had an exceptional car and looked like he could come to Miami with a chance to win the The title is the big question mark: where will it go in 2019? I spoke to him just before the race and he told me that I don't think our deals will be finalized in a few weeks, but I hope to have some news at least before December 1st about where we will race next year the checkered flag season will end with a checkered flag day but the NASCAR Series season still went wrong Parker and Marty we know where Clint Bowyer joined he keeps going he's up 18 position from the start of this race to eighth place, you know, he mentioned all this year how proud he has been of Stewart-Haas and this racing team.

He broke a 190-race winless streak here at the end in Martin Jol earlier this year and it's been a rise for there to be a part. of the playoffs to also win in Michigan, we will return after this Monster Energy Cup Series race from the Homestead-Miami Speedway from Lighting, the creators of Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets, comes the unique reinvention of the beloved Dr. Tail . Seuss's the Grinch is now playing in a theater near you Kyle Larson has the lead of 1.8 seconds now that he has put between him and Kevin Harvick who is second Martin Truex Jr has now moved up to third place Joey Logano is fourth Almirola has moved up to the top five and Kyle Busch is now running in sixth place we're still talking about running into the wall a few laps to go William Barn trying it right against the wall you see a little bit of contact came loose it's not easy Kyle Larson makes it look easy but It's anything but special skill and art, you were good at it, you were very good at running to the top, how you do it well, you have to commit early, you have to commit to running high to the corner, like look, Larson, he's going to get in. corner on the fence he didn't enter the corner his own entrance and drove into the wall in the middle of the corner he's on the fence when he enters the corner that's the trick you do about an hour ago Kyle Busch was at the show pre-race and this is what he said about running against the wall and everyone is looking right, you know the tops are going to be the place to be, that's where you're going to win the race, well you have to have It's a circumstance special to be able to run there like that and set up your position to be able to run there like that, so I don't think any of the four guys in the championship have done it, you know, I feel like there's only one guy. in the field that focused on that and it's a 42, so the opportunity that presents itself now is for us to just fight and run and run hard and run all over this Homestead-Miami Speedway, up and down, wherever you can imagine.

Find the spot that works best for you in your car in that situation and make the most of that opportunity. Well, Kyle met different setups, you need a different setup to run into the wall, but you also need a driver who is willing to do it. Going for a run there in practice, Dale, that's something you'd always be willing to do. You would go racing long enough on tires to be able to run against the fence and I think it's not just a setup, but it's a confidence that you knew specifically what that car needed. I feel like I can run there all day, well, when you go to the turn on the high side, these cars sit on you, they're sideways on the turn, there's a couple degrees of you and as they go up towards the fence, well , we have a pit road or a literal pit road here Kyle Larson the pit road Dave first again guys here comes Kyle and the driver said it's fines for taking about 20 laps until yeah, you see that damage right there, just a couple of marks on the wall about twice.

It's been against the wall so far this afternoon, so again it took 20 laps to get going, but wow, once it's gone, it's gone, so no real adjustments to the car. Racing right now, four Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel once again, first to the pits. Kyle Larson and just under 14 seconds, but what that does is it brings the field to pit road, he started it and everyone else follows and a close call for Clint Boyer's 14th, yes, Clint Bowyer was wearing a lot of speed on pit road on the 21st. Bernard look at this right now Logano on pit road Parker on the right and he's the first of the four championship contenders to be on pit road.

He's been complaining about that car turning on the center of the track bar but then letting go too much. Coming out, Lee was able to find the right combination inside that race car. They're going to use four Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel and an air pressure adjustment tape. One team said it was slowing down when it got tighter and then realized it needed to. work a little outside, no rear grip coming in was their biggest problem for tires and fuel. Kevin Harvick's pit crew has been impeccable today, let's see if they can deliver once again under a green flag condition.

Harvick said the car was too loose in At the end of the race, the air pressure Justin another good clean stop put poor Bunch Kelly, so Martin Truex Jr's 78 was well followed. Martin says he's been shooting a little tight, the team feels like he's wasting most of their time. three, it'll be four Goodyear tires and Sunoco fuel for the '78, well, you know, it's this time Rick, Martin Truex Jr's '78, chased those championships, four in the pits, waited a couple of laps the first time. I think they saw how much time they wasted. Cole Pearn, who is a little more aggressive here in the second stage, joined his other championship four on pit road going through the green flag pit stops and Denny Hamlin is out, he hasn't been on pit road. boxesin this most recent cycle of pit stops, so it's showing up as the race leader Jenny Hams remembers she had that bad pit stop, she hit it, you know she got out, she even hit it, she got out to 17th place after that pit stop, he had driven up to 10th before this whole sequence happened, so Denny Hamlin has a fast race car, Hamlin out front, Larson running second, then the championship to Harvick Truex Jr and Logano.

Today's air coverage presented by coca-cola. Denny Hamlin came to the pits under brank and Kyle Larson again in front, everyone has passed the green flag for him. pit stops here is where the championship for a second place for Kevin Harvick third for Mart Rex jr. fourth Joey Logano and Kyle Busch back in seven, but the pit stop was much better that time. Steve like Kyle Busch could perhaps recover or rectify what they had done the first time, now it's time for today's new subway takeover, let's focus on the most recent. Pit stop, you can't wall off the knights in the green and yellow fire suit.

The front tire changer had a little problem. For one. We talked about how many stops he will have today. We will see this. Soft on the right front. Bounce back. Gentle. on the left front, Grain Exchange, five lug nuts, that's the way you recover here, like put that bad guy behind you, 140 laps to go, you'll have a lot of pit stops, your drivers will come back in seventh place, but we know that there are only 33 laps left in this stage, he says there are chances that he can get the driver track position by bouncing on a difficult track, you see Kyle Busch's head bouncing, especially when you run into the wall on the backstretch, mentions Kyle Larson at the front and at 42 years old and the story of Jimmie Johnson at 48 currently running in the 12th position he did it and this is the last day of work as crew chief for Chad Knaus with the seven-time champion the championships they won together Chad will have a new driver next year and William Byron of course Jimmie Johnson will have Kevin as an Xfinity Series mentor but they have had 602 starts together and Chad was asked about it this morning if you've been thinking At that, he said, well, not really and part of the reason is because even though there is a celebration and what we've done together this year it hasn't been a big celebration, they haven't had the speed that they wanted, but Chad and Jimmie described it more as a brotherhood than a working relationship they are friends, yes they get a little testy with each other from time to time but they get over it and move on and by the way did I mention seven championships including five in a row ?

It's been quite a team, there's a bottle there's a bottle in the garage area, that's what every other organization is looking to do is try to find that match and today we have some of those couples. I mean, look at Adam Stevens and Kyle Busch's numbers Cole Pearn Martin Truex Jr Todd Gordon Joey Logano, you know these pairings we have competing for a championship today could be the makings of a Jimmie Johnson in Jack. When I sat down with Jimmie earlier this year, he said you know one of my flaws and he couldn't have done it. many of them, but one of their flaws is loyalty and he said that could be one of my weaknesses, I may have been too loyal throughout my career, maybe this change should have come a little earlier, but now itself looks pretty good as up to seven championships and 81 wins together for Jimmie Johnson and Chad Canales 42 cars that have a little problem right here with a little lap of 34, look at these middle three and 434 slides in front of it and a Incredible checkup, he got fit. wait, March is going to pass the crossover right in front of his nose so close it's this Larson frustration said hey man you see me running to the high side, have your spotter tell you I'm coming and running here for 150 laps, Hey, remember last week.

At Phoenix, this car and its driver finished third that day and talking to crew chief Chad Johnson beforehand, he said you've been mentioned a lot as a possible winner here in Phoenix, that was that day and he said, well, that's flattering, but you already know Kevin Harvick. He's in a class of one at that race track, here have been the classes we already talked about earlier this week, two championships, four, they knew they were going to have to compete with this guy for the checkered flag, Kelly, we saved a couple of laps after his last pit stop Martin Truex Jr came on the radio to say he had a small vibration, the pit crew immediately went into action, although things have calmed down here in pit box 78, they are back and we've been checking his last pit stop and Seat Martin has been silent on the radio, so I guess he disappeared.

Can you explain why you might get a vibe starting there? It rectifies itself on the track, sure if it goes away, but I would accept the silence as it is Not getting worse, that would really be the question Mart tricks Jr. I would let him know that if it is a vibration that continues to get worse, I would wait It may have been a loose wheel, but these drivers understand that some sets vibrate just like the tires on their car. These tires balance, but at 100 60 70 80 miles per hour. you only know a quarter ounce or half an ounce how to balance well, they can make the tires shake if it doesn't get worse, you assume all the wheels are tight and right now Martin Truex Jr chasing Kevin Harvick, us Heinrich jr. .

Logano and then Almirola in fifth position, mission and role, you have to go back and think about last week sitting there in the front row at the end of the race, needing to win that race, we had to move here with the possibility of winning the championship. I can't find a way to make it happen, but our camera records the team of him recovering doing a very good job placing fifth at the moment. You know this team. If you give them a chance at the end of the race, be careful because Eric is hungry and excited about this. team, he's so excited that next year he feels like they're just going to get that, what if they come out here and win the whole championship?

I'll always wonder what if, man, we could have made it to this race to compete for the championship if they could have been in the championship, but it would have taken a win at Phoenix, he couldn't do it as we go, the first yellow flag of the end of NASCAR week without stopping for more than a stage finish and it's for debris. on the racetrack there is a piece of metal that looks like a crushed panel maybe it came off the 20 look at the damage on the right side he definitely found the wall you don't want to cut a tire Timmy Hill hit it good with a 66 21 laps paravan to the stage 21 laps on their tires, I have no doubt that everyone on the lead lap will come to pit road.

You know, we talked about green flag pit stops and the opportunity for these pit crew guys to try to help the driver with this. It's kind of a misconception for a slow stop under green, why do you think it would cost you more? Because everyone is running 100 or 80 miles per hour. It may cost you more time, but generally fewer positions because the field is well spread now under the yellow guys. You had the same mistake, if that stop is a second or a second and a half slower, it will cost you a lot of places. That's what happened to Kyle Busch at the end of the first stage.

A small mistake with six places on pit road. Which of these? The four teams in the championship will be impeccable. I think right now the guy who's happy to see this yellow flag come out is Joe Igano because they were losing a little bit of pace in the car. Did you see how fast he was at the front of this race on the track? In the first few laps he was able to drive, he took the lead. I'm glad there are only 20 laps to go at this stage. It is a great opportunity for him to try to return to the front.

NASCAR on NBC gives it to you by staying progressively. track with great rates from progressive.com, KFC's new 10-piece chicken feast and by Ford going further so you can make pit stops, race leader Kyle Larson is coming again, but now the field is all bunched up and that means a very hectic pit road, guys, yes I had an idea: If I were Kyle Larson's crew chief, I had an idea of ​​something I wanted to try in the short term, this would be my experiment, only 20 laps left, even if You are wrong, it won't hurt you, but you have to understand this.

The car to shoot a little better look at that gap between the four cars, the 78 is going to be tough to beat those guys on pit road that make Marty Kevin Harvick hit pit road jr. He said good changes at that last stop, it is still a little free at the start, plus the temperatures have ended a little, they are not worried that they are not going to make changes to the chassis or the air pressure here either Kelly Martin Treach jr. He said it's shooting a little tight and could use a little more side entering corners but overall not too bad, don't expect any changes here on the 78, just four tires and fuel, it's the same for the 22, just air pressure all the way around you can put some tape on the grill as the temps drop here the night comes and that's what's waiting for the 22 at night Dave Kyle Busch wants it to be free in the middle but it's very sensitive in the entrance there's a pit race Rick, yes, a pit race presented by Kroger, click on the lists and look at positions one through four, all the spaces they occupy, you're looking at the Monster Energy Cup Series racing the Ford EcoBoost 400 Rob Homestead Miami Speedway and there are some great places around this track to watch races and routines I think you found one.

I sure found it Rick. These pit road cabins are amazing, especially if you find Joey Logano and his family and friends. It's been such an important week that his sister Danielle is here. ready to go on a big ice skating trip, his friend Gavin Grubb is here from Arkansas, there's Danielle, our favorite ice skater, but gosh, what a great weekend this week, the Joey Logano Foundation, that community service award from Comcast, which is a great It's all about giving back in seconds. The changes can be seen on stage, but they also had a great fundraiser last night.

They raised over one hundred and seventy thousand dollars this week for charity. His parents are here, obviously, there are family from all over. The country is on pins and needles down here guys, if you want to talk about a hot spot to see this, is that right? Well, they mentioned second chance racing and that's what the Joey Logano Foundation is all about to give children and young adults a second chance. and that's really if you look at Joey Logano in his career right now, it's another second chance last year, he was one that you would consider a favorite during this season, you would think he was going to be a favorite for the championship, he didn't even make it to the championship this year, he's recovered, he's probably improved the most if you can say from a year ago to this year and now there's almost a second chance for Joey Logano to run for that championship.

You know Rick every moment. sequence of pit stops there's always a winner there's always a loser sometimes it's not because he got the lead in this case Kyle Busch had bad moments on his pit stop before languishing back there he couldn't really go anywhere he came down to the pits The trail bunched him up and the spit team got him a spot. He now he's restarting at the bottom of the track in fifth place. A good yellow flag for him and a good pit stop. This could be important for this team. The track position issues we've seen.

If they could have picked up anything right there once again, it's Harvick and Larson Larson has chosen that inside line for the restart. It is a controlled car. He won the race from pit road and the field is once again approaching the Geico restart zone. Larson Harvick. one and two trucks, junior Logano and Kyle Busch, all top five, strange restart, everyone checking each other because what is called came in the back in one and Clint Boyer in 14 opened on the track, lost many positions there as they advanced. through one and two and you see Kyle Busch's 18 darting out trying to get past that 78, all for my championship contenders, all together right now, Kyle Busch with a great run on top here around the 78 car , Truex takes control for Steve.

You said it right now, we know these guys have set these cars up with wrong air pressure or 15 laps, let's see, let's take speed off right now. Kyle Busch seems to be the guy and you see the lights came on and that's when Kevin Harvick talked about the track change and that's going to be the most important moment for this race with only one hundred 22 laps left in the race 15 By the end of the stage things are getting very hot for these drivers, well, 122 laps to go. In the season, 13,000 miles, these guys have a race to get here with a chance to win the championship.

They have 15 left before they know they will get another yellow to work on theircars and will be in the final stage of the final race. to win a championship Steve, how's that for the car right now? It took off quickly. He seems to have improved his car in a short race. I agree that these reboots were much better for him. He had trouble in the first three laps in the first three stars. of stage two, but it looks like his car is handling much better on this restart here with this set of tires closing in on Larson, he's actually closed the gap on Larson Larson is still right at the end, a good run from the fourth car of the exit. up for the lead here comes Harvick to the back of the racetrack now Larson darts down about two lanes next to Harvick trying to take the lead from Larson the quarterbacks are going to fight on the outside those little side drafts in the fourth panel on the four cars down here it's hard to charge into turn three, clear it.

I think he will have this position coming out of the turn for now. Larson right against that familiar place for him, the wall, but now he is behind the four of Harvick, watching carefully too. He looks at his eyes checking Larson seeing where he's going, do I need to block that? Don't I need to block it right now? his observers talk to him he just looks at his line as he comes out of the corner look at his eyes now he is I will move towards the wall immediately I will approach the mirror looking for Larson to understand if he has to cover one eye, that has been the problem for Larson.

No, it's not the same speed as the four cars with sticky tires. This is just a few turns after this. The gap with 12 laps to go went a little better, but now I still need to work on those first five laps so I can keep these four cars at bay in the investigation, but look at the gap the four cars have left the two Loganos Steve. He's said it several times that's who you have to beat you have to beat Logano you have to be Bush it has to be Truex he gets kicked out of these guys in this reboot Kevin Harvick you know Steve you mentioned before you thought it was a little different from an aura about him or maybe just the way he looked at me, it was more of a professional attitude for this championship, almost Tom Brady, like he'd been there before doing it, I don't need to badmouth this.

Next year I'm going to go out and show them that I'm the champion for what I do on the track. Well, he doesn't have his head coach. Rodney Childers is suspended. He doesn't have his head coach for the final race in Phoenix. This race with this race and Miami, so you have to wonder, you know, what we're seeing from Kevin Harvick is he's taking on a bigger leadership role within the team, trying to keep the team focused by keeping himself focused without changing the subject. . I didn't really even say much Marty on each question it seemed like the answers were getting shorter and there was a battle ring yeah I was going to say before I go to Marty let's take a look at what's going on here it looks like on the 18th Kyle Busch is going to lose a place to Martin Truex Jr.'s 78, a little weak at the back of the track, but Junior takes the place, but what a race Kyle Busch has, he reaches the rear bumper, but that's as far as Martin will go Truex.

Jr is now fourth. I think the Complutense team to improve the handling of this car definitely cannot be happy with their shameless things at this time. This is a snapshot of what we could see at the end of the race, guys, a short 20-30. lap running to the end home tires this is what God directed us to the end of this race and these guys you can see who needs to work a little on their car, but understand it in that initial race speed Larson and Almirola have been two cars who have been mixed with this championship when it comes to competing for a race victory.

Larson is still in second place and Almirola in sixth place marked Rex junior, we just saw him surpass Kyle Busch's 18th, remember he is the defending champion, he won this race a year ago and mentioned where he wanted to position himself after the second stage of the Last year, we came second, we were in a position to try something different and that was really a change for us, you know, we didn't have the best car. but we played a different strategy to try to change the track position and we were able to do it and you know, once we can get the leader, we can hold, so you have to be close, you know, when, when. in that last third final stage, you have to be close to the front and you have to be, you have to be in the mix.

I like what Martin thinks there and the four of them are close. Kevin Harvick has the best car, that's what everyone wants, but with Kevin. Harvick has to be careful with Joey Logano. Martin Truex Jr. made it into the top five, so like Martin said last year, they tried something different with seven laps left. The second stage will be in the books, Rick, when we get to the final stage. Expect 78 or 18 or even 22 to bet on Jeff, they're just not going to toe the line and not put up a fight for this championship. Steve remembers that earlier this year he was the crew chief for Martin Truex junior's '78 at Sonoma.

They fooled Rodney Childers and those guys, he's got a pit lane in front of him. God, what we came up with in his head, it got in front of him, that was a difference that would make it, that's what made the difference in that race, that's the opening that these teams are looking for. this race too Marty, hey Rick, we talked a lot about the Kevin Harvick 40 minute approach this weekend. I would describe it as experience and perspective on things, so to speak, and a good example of that is this morning, you know if your championship driver, anything, good morning, buried with your head and notice that you are watching a movie, this is what Kevin Harvick did this morning, there's a lake in the country here at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he had a cup of coffee and went fishing with a son keelboat. and that's what they did the six year old caught nine fish in that perspective, Jeff, I think you would agree, it has really changed Kevin Harvick as a race car driver, it's not just about the race car, but once he Get in the car, it's all business.

That's what Kevin Harvick is and really that's what racing drivers have to do. You really need a split personality. You can be a good guy, a good guy on the street on a Tuesday, but on a Sunday, you have to be ugly, nasty and selfish. that's how you're going to win these races so we've seen Kyle Larson running right into the wall well that running speed cuts and shortening it so Kyle Larson changed his line and three and four still up top right off the wall, but one and two, he lowered his line in the middle of the track, look, that's where he is, he's starting to gain ground, he's been the fastest car to last two or three laps, he's gained ground on Harvick, but a little different approach into the first turn.

Rick said the lights are on starting to cool down this temperature a little bit, so these days the lines definitely drive at low speed and then let the car wash at the race track. I've never seen that done here alone before. I've seen people try to get through. well, he's using a great lap time, why everyone loves to race on this track because you can move, you can race everywhere, it's not a single track, Jeff Kyle Larson ran the fastest lap last time, so which may be unique. The line will put him back in front and in contention to win this race again, he is willing to try.

I think it's fair to say that of all the drivers on his track, this guy is going to go places other people aren't trying. To find the speed of the first five cars well, he has less to lose. The other four are trying to win a championship. Kyle Larson trying to win a race. Pepa Steve, tell me for a minute when you have a driver who moves. So, doesn't it make you feel good as a team leader? Because you know that in the car, if it doesn't work at the bottom, you realize it's just a matter of time before your guys come looking.

Yeah, help me right when we see Kevin Harvick. getting stuck in lap traffic at the bottom if Kyle Larson makes it clean to the top he will have a great race on the frontstretch Rick and could be fighting for maybe the win on stage 2 Harvick until the end of the track , here comes Larson on the high side again with no water still fighting for the points Larson wants to finish in the top five in the points standings and now he is going to fight how hard Kevin Harvick will fight against him for this Harvick until the end of the track again Larson with the momentum here he comes on the high side Kyle Larson slingshots into turn four and Larson is going to win stage two Larson Harvick Logano Truex Jr Almirola Kyle Busch those are the top six on stage two Kevin Harvick winner of the stage one and now Kyle Larson wins stage two is that High Line arrives well Kyle Larson definitely wants it to be that way because that is where he has felt most comfortable and that is where he was able to make up ground and win stage two, a final stage for the championship and it's coming up for all kinds of great day make McDonald's your morning stop with the new triple breakfast tax they are packed with two sausage patties two slices of cheese bacon an egg on your choice of McMuffin mccredle's or biscuit only one stage left let's go a look at the stage results presented by coca-cola Larson took a second stage win and Harvick once again outperformed the other contenders for the championship four let's listen to the radio 18 great comments from Kyle Busch saying listen I need more safety at the back, I need to be able to shift the steering wheel to the left one hundred and five laps to go these adjustments will be important Marty for Kevin Harvick and his team the concern at the moment the temperature in the car is plus 15 in the temperatures Tony Gibson said it should be fine, but Harvick said I'm going to have a hard time handling that under the green, they're going to remove a little piece of tape right here, four tires for Kevin Harvick, no chassis changes, Kelly, well, Martin Truex junior in that 78 He said he just can.

Don't pressure him because he's too loose coming in, but then he's tight in the middle and he's not shooting very well at that 70 80. he There will be four Goodyear tires and Sunoco Berger fuel for Joey Logano. The concern is that it shot well, but then it lacks Ross's speeds before Goodyear Tire Sunoco fuel Dave Kyle Busch relies on the engineering of a crew chief to make some changes to the wind key in the window for tires and fuel , we'll see how he does in the next race and we'll see this in the race Pit road was brought by Coca-Cola Joey Logano and that pit crew got him out of the fraud by gaining two spots.

It's the NASCAR championship on Sunday and we're not done yet in many ways. We are just beginning the final stage about to begin our publication. Race coverage continues well into the night on both NBC and NBCSN if you join us for the pre-race show. Kyle and Dale said every driver in the championship competes for or with something special. Speed ​​for Harvick. Boost for Joey Logano for Martin Truex. Motivational history for Kyle Busch. Right before I came to the box, I asked Kyle Petty. I told him which one is going to make the difference. He said none of them will be the night Sun Goes Down Jr.

Jeff Burton, that's the case. about to see possibly a completely different race 100 laps to go this is the final stage I think we are going to have a late yellow I have been paying attention who has short race speed so lord knows he showed some short race speed in Harvick has had it all day, so I think Harvick is in the best position right now. What kind of career do we have? We will have great determination. If it's a long race, you know it'll be one guy, but in a short race, it'll be another. Another thing is the pit road, we have seen changes in positions in the pit row, we just saw it there.

Joey Logano with a big win. We've been waiting to see you all day. The pit crew finally stepped up and gained their lead for the driver's final 101. laps of the race season there will be a different race winner than the champion it took a win to win the championship Logano Harvick side by side final stage underway interesting for Logano to choose the high side there he hooked to keep the sports car at bay that runs down that bottom and he's on that field panel just for car clarity, yeah he lost his little boat momentum right there, the bottom has been the way to go on these restarts, that's what I thought .

He surprised me just like you. 22 picking that outside line 2:22 still using the middle of the track everyone else at the bottom Kyle Busch sit behind this you saw he knocked everyone out of fifth place there's a dogfight behind him look at that mess Kyle had Busch in front of you look who in front of that dogfight, Jimmie Johnson's 48 is still looking for his first victory of 2018, Harvick took to the track surprised to see him there to give up the side shot of the four cars, the two fighting for the lead, Logano to the inside, Harvick stayed.

Up high, herecome the 78 things that are warming up Logano up front, Harvick running second now in the side drafting and Martin Truex Jr will complete the pass as they go to 1 Harvick fighting with these sticky tires for this race, buy the seam at the race track at the one that's been a bottle there all day and now she's in the middle of the track, she's got some balance issues, mate, I don't think it took her much time all day at this point, San Carlo has done this before in cycle two, the good. I got some speed back and you look easy, it's going down Obama's track, here it comes, look, that's a great point.

Steve talked about it before the last race, it was a short race so maybe they made a small change in the air pressure to reduce the fire. Now they are back to their normal configurations because I think they are going to have a long race. We've seen this before with Joey Logano, short race speed 27 laps in stage 2 and then started having problems. Will that happen again? Look who runs 1 and 2 now Joey Logano in front Martin Truex Jr was second and not long ago when the tables were turned with these two drivers Martin Truex Jr was in front Joey Logano was second the question was if Joey Logano would put the shock absorber on the 78 which he definitely made, they raced to the start/finish line and Logano got the lead.

Well, Martin Truex Jr said that when he races Joey Logano, he races him differently. I won't recognize him, you know, unless it's 22, can he catch him, yeah, what will he do? he does it when he gets there, the 22 shot up at the start of the second stage, about 27 laps later, the fight started in a big way, returning to third fourth position, if that happens again, Trix will have the opportunity to close well, We listen to that audio of Martín Trix jr. Before the end of the second stage he said that he was in second position last year because of that, they were able to do something different.

Cole Pearn and he worked a little different strategy and that gave him an advantage, that's the other question with 96 laps to go. I can do it in one stop, guys, but will a crew chief really bet that the tires are worth that much? Beat the front, the three in front of you, head to head, you can bet Callie comes to the pits at a strange time and really makes the other crew chiefs scratch their heads and now think about it, only 95 to go to this team of races as a complete organization. It had certainly been an emotional week for furniture racing, especially when they loaded the truck for the last time in Denver, Colorado crew chief Colburn said he didn't think they were prepared for how emotional it was when they told me there was a many grown men crying that night said that when the liftgate opened they realized it was the last time they were going to do this together as a group, you know there will be a celebration at the end of this race, no matter how it turns out they want to celebrate the success they have had together over the years, but if they can achieve back-to-back championships it will be a great party and it has been announced that Martin Truex Jr and Colburn, driver and crew chief, will compete for Jill Gibbs Racing in 2019, that already has been decided, but no one is left from the rest of the team, everyone is still part of Furniture Row racing, everyone is still looking for work, with the exception of about 15 drivers or 15 team members and Barney Visser has said that I want that they are part of my organization here my job that I have here the last lap Martin Truex Jr finally ran faster than Joe Tigana in a 41 to a 42 before Logano had been faster by about 2/10, then he sits and a half and a 10 starting to even out now it may seem like the context is closed on everything while Harvick is here fighting, let's take a look, yeah, well, since he was starting the last race, nine, this race, look at his free hands back there on the car, not on the race track, Barney Jeff, you can see it free in the driveway for Kevin Harvick, he hasn't said a word on the radio about it, although it comes from Tim Fedewa, the spotter, they've clearly been very good and his Strong point in this main car all day has been the longer runs, that's what they're banking on here. 92 to go, only 87 laps left for the Ford EcoBoost 400, the Monster Energy Cup Series in Miami, well, NASCAR in the dry, that's your live race day. companion that you can view throughout the broadcast and select alternate camera angles, meaning you'll never miss a lap with NASCAR Drive.

Is NASCAR calm drive on a drive 42? It looks like it's coming in right now. He is running third. He just passed Kevin Harvick. third place is starting to get a little bit closer in tricks, tricks, he's moving, he was as fast as our leader Logano's 22nd, but now leader Logano has found some speed. Martin is moving around 42, he is on the fence and he comes and they told him. He, now they're coming back to you, buddy Ted Johnson, the crew chief, told me that in practice we've never had many other short races before, once they're done and done 15 or 20 laps at 42, it looks like it's I'll try.

Taking second place from Truex Jr here shortly, the problem will be the lap traffic at the moment, there are 19 cars on the lead lap, there is some urgency. I think with the 78 cars, the stretch for the last five races here has been 34 laps or less, but you can't guarantee you'll get that late yellow. You can't let 22 get too big of an advantage. You have to keep that gap closed. If you can't catch it in passing, you want to keep it. by the looks of it well long stroke speeds are no better than 22 strength today they are good short stroke speeds long stroke speed they will start to run over you if this is different I don't know why it will be different the only difference is now you can see how dark it is all the lights are on the track the temperatures are getting colder that's the only reason anything should change see Kevin Harvick running backwards oh Larson Marty HF all four teams have been outstanding on pit road today but they just got a little boost here on pit road Daniel Smith, a long time rear tire changer, we've talked about him, he's a tire of a lifetime.

Juden stops all four cars. He there he is. He was diagnosed with cancer in August. Today he is back on the track for the first time. A little high five for Tony Stewart. There he finishes the last round of chemotherapy on Friday, yesterday at the hospital at 6:00 a.m. m. and he hopes to return to practice in two weeks, provided doctors give him a clean bill of health. Watch this excellent stage here for all four teams and it will certainly give them an emotional boost. I'm really rooting for the guys and you could see the way Kevin Harvick is driving.

He wants to do everything he can for everyone on this team again. Harvick. running fourth trying to chase down Kyle Larson once again Logano out front, junior running second, we mentioned Kyle Larson and the boys, he was coming through all the weekend lap traffic, but look at the 42 here, the 97 won't budge the wall move 99, so 42 yes. to go to the bottom and when he gets to the bottom he is beyond normal he is average or below average look how much time he loses to 78 Kevin Harvick gets to 42 in a second due to traffic keep that in mind that with 82 laps remaining that time it was Kyle Larson, but next time it could be Joey Logano could it be Kevin Harvick could it be something that helps decide the championship if you go all the way to lap the car and he doesn't? clear it off the exit of the corner if it's still outside, your art, you can't accelerate again, so you're basically going down the hole right away if the speed is medium.

I mean, it really kills your speed not being able to clear those guys on the turn. Go out like this with 80 laps to go. We don't see any rear grabs from Kevin Harvick's 4? Do we see an advantage from any of the 4 at this point? So the wall turns with no rear grip no changes so what's happening now is the track changes just because you didn't make a change now you know it's a track so now you have to adapt to that next time you pit you asked a question Rick I think Logano and Trix are tied it's who has the longest sprint speed if this goes further we don't get a warning it's who has that long sprint speed they seem to be trading laps Logano will be faster than Truex the Trucks will become faster than Logano well and Adam Stevens has the guts Do you think he has to do it?

Really the question is: will he throw a Hail Mary in about 10 laps? If you came in nine or ten laps you would be saying I'm going to stop twice. Rick, the map says it may not work, but sometimes you have to do what your only option is to get within five and a half seconds of Joey Logano. He knows he has to take a yellow card in this situation instead of assuming it. If you go completely off strategy, it would be the bet of your life with a run based on a lie or getting a chip on a line, but Dave, Sometimes that's what Steve is going to need, they haven't said yet if that will be their goal.

The plan certainly doesn't want to reveal what they're going to do, but Kyle has been radio silent since that reboot talk from the lookout. He seems a little relaxed, but right now Kyle is trying to find some way to get back. up for the front 42, you said it, Jeff about 15, 20 laps to run his flat 23 in this race, taking second place from Martin tricks jr. These guys are a second behind your leader, but the most important thing is that Martin Truex Jr has been closing in on Logano, so now he is faster than the god or not by much, but constantly gaining ground, it is a little more quickly and will they start?

Changing lines now that the sun has set and the track starts to cool down, we will see the drivers struggle and try to find that grip trying to find speed on the track. Right now it's Logano out front as we go through NASCAR non-stop, you won. Don't miss a thing, you watched it all non-stop, the yellow flag came out, what could have been a race for the lead now has Kyle Larson on the apron and heading to pit road. Kyle Larson has a problem with his right side. of that car, guys, we just saw it live, he touched the fence a little bit and came down the frontstretch in front of us, Dale jr. he moved off the wall to show his spotter how much damage he had and then on the next set of turns the right rear deflates here he is you know he hits the wall he goes off the front stretch that's the only way that the observer can see it.

Notice that the right rear tire no longer has yellow letters Dale Jr. then finally the tire falls off, it's a tough break, we saw it last night with Xfinity cars with composite bodies, these guys, those guys can clean those bodies a lot, not with these bodies, you can't damage these bodies, you get in the nearby, she hit, he knocked down the aerodynamics of the car or crushed the tire like he did here and that's the danger, there's a big advantage of racing there, it's very, very fast, but the danger is right here, that's why we haven't seen the championship contenders go there.

I just can't af

ford

to have this kind of problem, this can take away your championship if you're one of those four guys and since he's had this problem, guess what he did that put our championship contenders first, second, third, fourth? , it will be an epic battle path. Right here, who said it, Jeff, we left Phoenix, we said this is the greatest for drivers, we've had the best, the best statistics, the big three and me, Joey Logano said, well, now I'm Logano, the leader, the big three aligned. Behind them they have dominated the regular season with 73 laps remaining for a championship from one to four.

The pressure goes from the cabin to the pit road. Who is going to be impeccable? Did you mention before? Perfect. I said you just need solid or getting closer to needing it. perfect ring, but championships are at stake, well how about 18th place? They can jump? Maybe get that 18 in track position. He's the fourth-place guy right now. The last time they came to the pits, it was Joey Logano who did a masterful job and Joey Logano came out first off pit road, the boss of all the other contenders for him for the championship four. I was going to say right now with this extra crew chief back.

I'm out of the box. I'll go around and hit every one of my guys trying to knock the nerves down a little bit hey, you're the guy that got us here, we can do just one more foot stop, just a little bit, this is the time when the one you have to be a leader, I know you've practiced, I know the gym is better, but Junior's nerves, that's what makes sports great, can you do it? This is another opportunity for Harvick principal Tina Kurt Busch's four cars to pit and work on their race cars, as they don't have enough speed right now to be able to compete. a Truex glove and they know it and it is a great opportunity for them to improve listen to Harvick's radio there you have it TonyGibson are going to put some tape back on the nose, I think they had it on before and they took it off, but when you need to know how to listen, it's a couple of adjustments, so even if I put some tape on it adhesive, it will add downforce, it will be grip that will make the front turn want a little bit of wedge, maybe put a little bit of grip on the back of the car as well and you know, I heard right, it's not going to hurt, yeah, my fit favorite on the race car was the duct tape on the grill, I was always faster, it was the best, it's this extra downforce, oh yeah, it's like a dessert, everyone loves it and remember, Tony.

Gibson asking that question those two haven't worked together all season like Rodney Childers and Kevin Harvick did now it's Tony Gibson trying to make these decisions, that's what 400+ runs at the top of the game give you. pit box, those experiences sometimes it's not about the numbers it's not about mathematics, it's about understanding the situation Tony Gibson understands that he is a veteran this could be the time to win the championship right here, let's go to whoever joins the team Harvick's has been impeccable on pit road Rick Mike Morneau will not only take the The front tires will also change and tape the grill for Kevin Harvick.

That request he made a moment ago. They will also do their first wedge adjustment of the day. The worst thing handled all day was that race. Kevin Harvick to free Kelly, pit row 78 has gained spots the last two times on pit road. Martin Truex Jr said it worked better, but he still had to use the track bar inside the cab, so they will do a chassis four adjustment. Parker tires and fuel, that team 22 got Joe Gatto to lead the last stop, they're going to put down duct tape and four Goodyear tires, can you keep them? Dave hung in the front was the front tire changer, the air gun hose got caught and that's It's going to cost Kyle Busch a lot of lost positions for the 18th team in Kyle Busch because of the lost spots.

Denny Hamlin wins three, but Logano and Truex remain in first and second place, but there are 69 laps left in Miami to have the Rick chip. We talked about pit road and It's been a tough road for Kyle Busch's 18th. It happened early at the end of stage one. Look at the front tire changer. A bit of a struggle coming back with the right front pass to fix a nut that took some time. be recoverable, then it comes to the left side it has problems again, you see the pressure and here it is time to make money, you have to be perfect, the tire chain goes, look at the air hose when it leaves blockages on the fender, that's its job. the responsibility has to put that under the front of the car, better rough, go for 18 to lose an opportunity for the four cars on the right front, just a little slow, nothing like what we saw in 18, but You can see that it is behind the rear tire changer.

Right there, that little thing kept all four cars from being clear, the 78th and 11th off the championship pit road because it's Logano Truex Jr Harvick one, two and three, Kyle Busch up to eight, even with 69 to go for this one restart support, but we still have one more pit stop ahead of us. Rick can't make it to the end with fuel. I'm sure they'll want tires again, side by side. Logano outside. Martin Truex Jr. In the remaining 68 laps, let's see if that works. All the stars were actually distributed among the front 54 rows. You think the restarts get more aggressive in these finals, in their final stages, not so much, but Logano had a good run into turn one. but here's 78 again, looks accomplished back there Kyle Busch making up ground on the outside moving towards the top five now Logano trying to fight on the outside trying to pass junior trucks 22:78 fighting for the lead only 67 laps left until this could be the move to the lead, they know that, they have a race like that, look at the handling, coming into the picture, a little bubble there next to Martin Truex Jr's 78, does Hamlin, as you mentioned, come into play?

He's running third, now Kevin Harvick. trying to take away that spot in front Kevin has been happy all day at the bottom of the track he sealed the 11 of the Hamlin boy who is not entirely clear, the exit that is going to be cleared by Harvick Parker and Jeff make sure that everything is okay. You can let him know that he looks good here on camera. I don't see any smoke. The side panel appears open. Look at it right there. Go to the door board. It's important though Steve, what does the right front of the 78 car look like?

Yes, because where is that? The damage is at 22, there is no damage that will not harm it in terms of performance, what about 278? That's cool, you can watch it 22 times, but a little slippery, not very shiny, it's not Erin, it's a very light rub, don't smoke in the city, but it's definitely taking the letters off the tire, that little contact when these two were fighting for the lead now has a question mark for the 22nd team and here comes Kevin Harvick's 4 definitely getting bigger in Martin Truex Jr's mirror so changed in the four cars clearly better clearly taking off better than it did before by Tony Gibson better I'm going to put some tape on the nose do you want a little wedge yeah I want some wedge do you see the tape that bright orange square that is tape on the nose of the four, take a look and see if we see two doors that hug each other, so there is definitely some damage on the right side of the 78.

Wow, that was a tough contact, that was a tough contact. You have to wonder if exhaust came into play there. and maybe scratch a tire or maybe cut a tire and run the 78, they're just lucky that didn't happen and I think they're both safe at this point, but one has to wonder if that hurt the right front of Since From an aerodynamic point of view, the 78 car has been made a little tighter by Marty Jr. You can feel the intensity building on pit road, winning the championship, four cars, you know, Kevin Harvick talked about that wedge adjustment you mentioned, but the only thing he harped on was that piece of orange tape, see how it is? than a 2 inch piece? of tape can mean a lot to a driver trying to win a championship we hear complaints all the time about aerodynamics people don't love aerodynamics and racing we'll listen to you guys it's not going away these cars are finely tuned machines on every count one downforce makes a car faster that little piece of tape counting five or ten.

I can take 1/10 of a second off the lap time. I know the driver can feel so much downforce and they have to balance the temperature because if they are going to cover that hole it means less air coming into the engine, fresh, clean, well yes, and at this point although it would be closer to too hot to cool down, this is the right time. There are 62 laps left, you have to push everything to the limit, including the temperature Jake is listing Harvick who is third Logano and Truex running one and two and look where they run look where the first three cars go nobody at the bottom of the track races they all went to the middle Truex from the bottom on that lap he's been in the middle yeah they definitely seem to prefer running lower in one and two they do it in turns three and four most of them have been running in the middle of turns three and four, the tricks are going to be committed all the way down this turn, this for passing between teammates this puts the 18 Kyle Busch car in fourth place great recovery great recovery by this car of 18 bad pit stop now he recovered in position to win this championship there is still a lot of work to do, but you know that if you achieve it the correct caution now that you recovered you can still achieve it better driver on the restarts Kyle Busch restarted eighth came out of turn two in fifth that restart overcame Pitt's mistakes let's go NASCAR non-stop tonight's aerial coverage presented by coca-cola look down on this beautiful 1.5 mile facility here in Homestead Miami and take a look at what the championship to run once again one two three four, they have managed to return to the fronts and now let's review the field that KFC Parker brought them during the night.

The right time for the 22 I told everyone for the first of the race, they are waiting for the night to come, they just made air pressure adjustments on that car and sure enough, the cars turn much better for Joey Logano, you know ? We saw those aggressive races with a 78. I asked Todd Gourd about his perception between the Senate races and he said, "You know, he reminds me a lot of a runner who had a very aggressive style that he fell in love with this sport and we supported him That's why Kelly. Things have been quiet at Radio 78, but when I asked Loren about her team closing earlier this week, she told me that the last five years have been the times in my life when I've been more successful than I thought. had never reached. dreams and goals that I have had since I was a child with this group there were times when I thought my career was over no one believed me but the people that matter were my fans my family and when I came to this team they resurrected my career and made me champion now there are only fifty-three laps left until he becomes back-to-back champion Kelly just one lap ago Kevin Harvick said the balance as quote is still not right in the four cars that I just don't have the rear grip that I need and I go back to 2004, The year they won the championship, Dave, that night, they went on the offensive, they beat him before everyone else.

I wonder if they'll do it here tonight, first-in-the-pit party. Kyle Busch didn't say anything on the radio, but this last one was so important that we'll die with you, but look what Pyle did on that restart for the standings, he took Parker Denny Hamlin behind him and led 41 laps at the beginning of this race and then he had a mistake he had to fight his way back onto the field and he just came on the radio and said we have a car we can win, which is music to the ears of his crew chief, Mike Wheeler, it's his last race.

Kelly, a simple fact that they would return to the track together for the second time, that exception is here in Miami, the series only comes here once a year for this championship race and had to return to rely on teammates' notes team of Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick. I say those grades are paying off as aric almirola 26 Marty Elliott is eighth right now actually seventh when he passes putt boy a much better car with no changes in the last two stops the guys are fighting for the lead Joey Logano now has hands full here Come the 71 more junior trucks trying to make that bottom line work March Rex jr.

He had been a little faster than Joey, closing in, but on that last lap the 47 car played a huge role in that pass right there, although the 22 went to the bottom of the track, the 78 to the high side and got a great run. . on the 22nd, remember those two touched right at the restart and are still fighting side by side. Marc's tricks closed from one second back in six laps. He has a great race car for the short speeds there, but maybe not. While it wasn't as good as it was at the beginning of the race, if there was one car that Martin Truex Jr said he would move, it was the 22 and now it's within striking distance, here it goes, man, there, I can't believe I can get it. close to him, Jeff, that's us, there's such a disturbed air behind those guys, take a good look at him from below, if you're going to go straight to bother the side of the track, take him, turn left, put your left sides on his white line, don't overdo it, he goes. he is ahead of 22 now, will 22 fight to regain grip right now to counterattack?

No? He's been having a little trouble after 20 laps of these races with his car, 48 to go and knowing there's a pit stop. she went clean, clean as a whistle, never touched 22, we'll see if she had to do it again in 40 laps, how clean she passes right there, bar tricks, she just shows she could pass it clean on the track, but Joy Logano will get it. Aggressive has shown that he will do it on a short track, he will do it here for the championship and his first championship Logano does not have a title, it is not enough to fill Joey Logano right now the question who will be aggressive, his pig Gordon in the 22 pit box, you just saw guys, your driver was hit and you overtook him, you have 22 laps of your tires, we see that Erik Jones' 20 has another punctured right rear if he returns to the pits and we are green.

I really think The Big Decision would be four or five. In six more laps, you might see someone come to the pits. I wonder if this is the time the 22nd could put that car against the wall, try to find a little more speed to stay close to the 78th. keep this race tight Parker and Steve, you mentioned how aggressive they get with strategy pit stop that's their mode I was talking about I talked to Todd Gordon about that today and he said you know in 2016 we made a short stop on one because we didn't. I want them to have the opportunity toeven react to put their photos on yours and now Falls' crime on yours, because if they start losing that 78, how early do you get there?

How early do you cut the pin to try to get that lead on new ones? tires is not everything Matt Rick Matt would say there you are going to try it bathroom I would say 13 14 laughs more like they divide it in half but this is just man this is not science this is emotion this is sport for a championship yes I'm talking about order. I would arrive very early in four or five laps knowing that Rick is going to be backwards with the tires. If you want to beat me for a championship, you're going to have to pass me in the last ten laps warming up. again as we go non-stop NASCAR on Sunday Night Football Kirk Cousins ​​and the Vikings visit Mitchell True Biscay and the division-leading Bears on Football Night at Soldier Field in the United States at 7:00 p.m.

Eastern and kickoff at 8:20 p.m. tonight only on NBC Rick we saw this last night a long green flag race to the end Cole Custer's double zero probably had the best car stayed out the longest Tyler Etic's 9 beat him on pit road got some track position eventually winning the race here we are Martin Truex Jr leading the race by 1.7 seconds over Logano three and a half over Harvick 7.2 back to Kyle Busch in fifth I don't think the 78 can get there first, but I think another car could get there in pit lane and if they do, it will force the issue.

We see that the 37, which is a flat right rear tire, seems easy to remove some debris from pit road, so it remains green. When will someone be behind the 78th hole? Will it be Joey Logano? be Kyle Busch Truex is too uptight much quicker than Logano and Harvick, so they will have to think of something different, they won't be able to just sit here and run and be chased away by 2/10. of second with 39 laps left the pit stops are starting the chase Elliott comes to pit row from 7th place 12th car Ryan Blaney - you know, they're all short on pit road and they say here's the - leaving with Hamlet right in the drive coming to pit road but fourth place those aren't playoff cars there are two races here I'm with you but that would call them one race these could be race winning drives for these guys absolutely guys Denny Hamlin picks from fifth place Angie said he won the The first cars on pit road.

She has been early all day compared to the championship because the race car is very tight. She said before that she has a racing car that can win this race. This could be the move that gets it done, before junior tires and Sunoco. fuel for Denny Hamlin and a big championship move here Kevin Harvick's arrival at the pit road party Rick, we talked about it in 2014, they went on the offensive thinking they didn't have a car to win, it was worth it with a win for Kevin Harvick and a championship Tony Gibson making the call to come to the pits Harvick placed the ballast just not correctly a shim adjustment and an air pressure adjustment are the first to the pits and intend to pit until after the 78 has passed the opening to pit road mu counterattack Kevin Harvick's 4 comes to pit row Cole Pearn says I know you're going to beat me on a lap you can't beat - - outside behind him Joey Logano know they have to stay close for now.

No penalties, no speed issues on pit road. Callie and smooth pit stops Steve, you are absolutely right, as soon as Cole Pearn saw the 4 hit pit road he called Martin Truex Jr on that 78 to come down. Truex has been radio silent. has simply been doing his job quietly while taking the lead, which will be four tires for the Parker 78, the point between them should simply follow this path of eight in the pits, once a single said he was bidding, he was right behind he. been too loose in the top lane to run next to the wall hit the air pressure adjustment four tires to see who wins this race Wow, car 22 beat 78 out of the pits by 8 to 22 B by 2 to 70 a K with a big lead slow stop on 78 well, the whole book Harvick the race track yes, that's the race right there the race for the championship who will come out of pit road first Kevin Harvick gets to pit road first new tires the championship lead now you can hold on to 22, well, the only situation we have left ourselves in does not allow me to advance: Kyle Busch is still in the pits, so yellow would change everything completely, but we know he has to make a green flag pit stop, he is still on the track because he was so far behind. but unless a yellow saves it, this will be the championship race coming together on our knees, take the time to take advantage of these tires right now.

One lap doesn't sound like a lot, but it's a ton of speed that Joey Logano needs to get the four car right now Tony Stewart knows it Tony knows he needs his driver to maintain this track position and here comes the 22nd, the 4 and 22, both have been on pit road, they no longer have to come to pit road, team eight still on the track has the lead of the race, but the race for the championship is being built here between the four of the 22, so the 18th needs a yellow card, that's their strategy guys, Adam Stephen says and they beat me on pit lane.

I had to stay on the track. Dave Steve as the leader is an honor up to this point, now they are going to try to harvest side by side to get him out of the corner, although they talked about it, he even asked his driver what he needs even if he came to the pits, but then he said no or too far back, we have to stretch it here and wait for a warning, this is a team waiting for a yellow, so barring a yellow, Rick, this is battle 33 ahead, here comes Logano again on the high side, doing that.

I work on the high line, he's got some great runs on that top side, but it's not enough for all four cars to make that bottom work equally well now, is he going to go up the track a little bit? They're fighting some traffic in the kitchen on turn 22 trying to get there. I'm not going to be able to do that panel in the room to take the wind out of the 22 climbing their lines, be careful, Joey, I'm missing something from Martinsville, what he's willing to do just to get to the final race, this is for a Dale Jr.

Championship See Kevin Harvick in that painting below, left side tires on that line, he'll be here from his spot as long as the spotter says it's clear, he'll run that line. Logano will try to run up the middle, he will try to find some speed. The four-car spotter will tell you how to get that information to Logano to the bottom. Now it's a game of cat and mouse because everything you're trying to do if you're Kevin Harvick you just have to maintain this position on the court. Take that air out of Natori as best you can listening to the observer on the floor, friend, see if he gives you information about 22 on what line how about how calm is that think about that I thought you would listen a little a little The nerves on the radio maybe a little more information on Joey Logano, but it was as quiet as possible, just let him know it was clear of traffic on the return.

Jeff, to your point, didn't really give you any information about what line the 22 is running behind them, basically the 22. he just wants to go where the 4 is, he wants to go where the lap track is, it's not where he can find clean air, this 34 car will give you some problems in a corner, that will cost you a little speed and look at Truex, he came in with the lead look how far back he is now he has lost a lot of track position his car is not as good as it was before with 30 laps to go I don't know if it'll be good enough even If it's faster than these guys, I don't know if it's enough to hit these four cars pulling away from 22 and I remember Kyle Busch at the front, but Steve, fuel-wise, he can't make it unless you slow down.

It's so ridiculous that these guys could catch him, yeah, listen, Kyle Busch's 18, he's brought three or four, maybe five laps less fuel. I understand, but even if he doesn't try to save gas, only new tires will do. 18 down, but I love this decision by Adam Stevens, he was behind, he had no option to run while you can't, you never know what warning will save your chances and he is him, it was the only shot they had left. They tried to work on this race car, they tried to improve it. Kyle gave him his opinion. They worked on things, but then they would lose on Shinzon pit road, so with that Delta back to where they were, there was no way they were going to jump them. and coming to the pits this is our only chance other two teams with the same game strategy Matt Kenseth Jimmie Johnson why does that matter how it turned out now that you enter the pits from fourth if you are Kevin Harvick you don't fit from second?

So the two-car strategy could come into play here. I love when team leaders know everything that awaits them. Does not like. Adam Stevens wishes he had a car fast enough to pit, but you have to continue as crew chief. You can't just. hangs his head he's racing for a championship fighting for another title they fought adversity in Kyle Busch's first championship when he broke his leg and foot in a crash at Daytona now the adversity seems to be that the car isn't as fast as the other three competitors who are fighting for this title, so now they try a strategy with Martin Truex Jr.

It's not over, we talked about him a moment ago. He doesn't have the speed in the final laps. He has been faster than Harvick Logano. He's been reaching the end of the track. gaining ground on all those two he hid in front of him, that's a championship sitting there, you know last time he's going hard for Harvick a little faster than Logano and Truex, they're both running 33, seven laps right on top of each other , your leaders in 35, Senator Kelly, remember that slope for 78, turns out there was a problem with the cat, here's the team communication and you mentioned those fast lap times that your exes recorded long before Martin appeared on the radio.

He's dead, here we go, 25 laps to go and that's 25 laps to go for this team, they'll be non-existent after he waves the checkered flag. The front row finished in 2018 after winning the championship a year ago. comment that they made the announcement that they were not going to continue competing Barney Visser was going to close the doors after this season seeing him return Jimmie Johnson that position moves Harvick in the third Logano to the fourth trick to the fifth Jeff arrives and passes him in a story a little different, especially two of the best Logano and Harvick that you will really miss, you know they will get aggressive, they will be aggressive, they will be tough to beat and they all have been. all day I don't think it's going to take much time with that 22, I thought he'd get to the bumper of it.

I think you could get it out of the way, well the advantage right now is that it's running down and the 22 is running in the middle so aerodynamically it doesn't hurt the 78 78 where it wants to be wants to be down Logano wants to be in the middle that's it an advantage for Truex with a faster car but look at him coming right here he's a lot faster than the one that left oh wow yeah I can't believe he ran these guys over so fast Steve well you see that last lap in the pits , just shows what Kyle Busch is out there trying to stretch this fuel track, trying to stretch this. set of tires waiting for a yellow one right now you have more tricks jr.

Catching Joey Logano, these two tried to catch Kevin Harvick running third on the track, but when the pit stop cycle should be to win the race and the championship, Logano left at the end, there he was looking at his mirror and he knew the 78 by Truex. He's been at the bottom, that's where he went to take that breath away. The trucks went a line up and then he had some momentum. He now he dives inward and tries to get inside the 22 Stevens that you mentioned. He won't have any problems. impatient to get around 22 because of the history they've had, they've got a side draft right here, stay a little to the side of that 22, you dive into turn one and clear 22, you want to savor this quarter panel here at the exit from the corner, although Allen 22 enters.

That corner is really tough, very neat, you know, he's a big fan of the 22 right now. Kevin, oh poor Kevin Harvick, he needs joy, the eater, wait, this will happen right here, check out the tricks. He drives that car around the corner he's going to come to. 20 to take his line, remove the arrow, take the position and now there are 21 left, it continues to reduce in the 2018 season, the 78 tries to locate Kevin Harvick's 4 again, Kyle Busch in front, but the gap between Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick now only has 5.6 seconds, so unless the caution comes out in the next three laps, Kevin Harvick will catch Kyle Busch and that strategy is lost.

The Cowboys run 35 7, 19 by Daniel Suárez, you can see smoke coming out and the right. The team has crashed into the wall.Merry Christmas until the 18th. There is no greater rest for Kyle Busch. Talk about Gamble's Adam Stevens. He may have made a strategy call to win the championship. You see the top of the box that they know they didn't have. a chance, they gave their driver a chance, now it's time to communicate a short 20 lap run for a big pit stop, they need a big pit stop Steve, and we've already seen two bad ones from them, like Jeff pointed out, although they still have a shock absorber right there, so the first car they will compete with will be Kevin Harvick, he will come in third, what a break for Kyle Busch, we see Daniel Suarez's 19 here or a wide situation there, yeah , and it was a domino effect.

The 38 got into both of them, both in Suárez's 19, so they saved the car but they did it under the right front tire, sliding and getting a puncture, seeing that the tire threw debris all over the track on the back straight, they crashed. see the reaction. ATT, when they get the caution they need, they come to me. I would have been fist bumping, jumping, dancing. Parker and Joey Lagano wanted to see this too. Speaking to news team boss Todd Gordon this week he selfishly said: I want a 20 lap shootout because I put my driver against anyone on a late race restart and guess what his wish is here.

I agree with him, he has speed for 20 laps, that's it, it's fruit, this is where it will happen, Jeff, you talked about this pit. team all weekend they're going to have to do some magic right here, win some spots for him, they can't break even, they balance to come out fifth, that's not going to work, you can't come for fifth and maybe 15 laps to get the win, I don't think so, they will have to make a big stop, well Jeff, we are talking about the 18, they have had an up and down day, everything will be forgotten with a big stop here, no one will. remember those slow stops if Kyle Busch can come in as the leader and come out as the leader with less than 20 to go you give Kyle Busch the number one starting spot for a championship.

I like his odds. I like his odds, but now it's up to Pickering's. one of the best at restarts, you put him in a favorable position and he will be able to hold on to the front here they come to the pits Marty and the other factor here Rick, we could be looking at a very short 15 lap race for a championship Kevin Harvick said that's why we need take off a better car, too tight on takeoff and air pressure, guess what the four crew members have delivered all day, we'll see, you think about delivering again. Kelly Martin Truex junior has been very quiet. on the radio, but Cole Pearn has now said that now we know what we need for a short race, we'll see what they do with four new Goodyear tyres.

The Parker 22 team has been incredible, looking a little slow at the back right now. pump up those tires for this late race restart Dave slight air pressure adjustment great stop for the UT team he was first in first out and the crowd roared, they heard him, they saw him Kyle Busch stays in front Martin Truex Jr gaining a couple of spots Logano like Well, look at the four that will come off pit road and you should understand. I know he was first in, first out, but he thinks about what Coach Gibbs did. Denny Ham said. I know you, the one who was on the pole, but let's give Kyle Busch every pit stop.

He has functioned most of the day, but did it really matter? The biggest job in the pits. I think it would work from any pit stall. That fixed all this cool stuff. Hello NASCAR fans, eight laps left and your championship. four or one two three four look at this poetry in motion when it works right right side left side tires out tires out one two three five done see you later Kyle Busch is going for a second championship that's what they're thinking, they're done Put it in the driver's hands , they've done everything they can to recover, yeah, what an incredible recovery for that team and you're like, well, Kyle Busch, come on the radio and let them know.

Hey guys, you guys stepped up when it mattered, look how Busch needs to focus on this restart right now, he had all day, he won't let restart all day, he hasn't been in a position to pick the bottom, pick a top , you don't know all these other guys. known that weren't lined up where they want to be, you're going to have to take all the information from seeing other restarts and apply that first time leading the race right now today on a restart Jeff, since we're running around here under yellow, I don't know. I think we can stop and say enough about what Adam Stevens did.

They definitely made the young guys look lucky with the yellow flag, but it was a complete look, it was a strategy, it was the only strategy. Adam Stevens had the veteran on top of the pit box the combination What Adam Stevens has achieved has been magical since 2015 Kyle Busch breaks his leg in Daytona when these two pair up he gets healthy they come back together they come here they win a championship and they have been in the summit since then they have never failed The championship for Kyle Busch himself said: I want a second championship. He believes that he will define his legacy well if this works in his favor.

When he's done, he better thank that man at the top of the pit box. Our great call from the team leader fulfilled his objective. The team needs to be praised, but we have to praise these four teams Martin Truex Jr Joey Logano Kevin Harvick are all four sitting here in the top four 17 laps ago, who would have thought who would have thought that this seat these teams would? work together as best you can tonight no one slips, makes a mistake, eats me, crashes, gets into trouble guys over the last few years the late race restarts have been amazing here in Miami thousands of people on their feet restart of the title for number 40, Jimmie Johnson in front, we are reaching the final. 15 laps the fans are on their feet waiting for a shootout that's exactly what the top four will get all season now they line up in the top four positions you're one of these race drivers you live a life trying to win championships Joey Logano doesn't have it each other trying to get their second good shot is right in front of you 15 to go everyone runs into position who's going to take the big risk who's going to push this to try to make something happen like this will be someone Kyle Busch tries to add to his legacy, he wants to be considered with the Johnsons and Earnhardts and the pennies, it's like winning titles to do that and he knows he's in position with this reboot starting from the outside, he's picked tricks in the band. jr.

His team is closing, he's moving on to great things next year, but you'd love to send this team off with another back-to-back championship, champs, that's a tough choice, that '78 car has been bad, fast at the bottom, you gave it the lane. The best thing is to see how it works, we have seen how hungry Joey Logano is for a championship. He will move someone out of the way to have a chance to move forward. Well now I'm going to get someone out of the way to have a chance at a championship and for Matt Kenseth to go back there in this final race sitting in fifth place, what is he going to do?

You can see the machine's most progressive reset throughout the day here, two by two, on the outside of the Kyle Busch Jr. trucks. inside the green flag - thanks for the great start - thanks, well, they've done better. They're trying to wrap up that quarter panel massage a little bit. They will keep him on the side, but he won't be able to do it. 78 - the leader. and clears Morton tricks junior advancing through 4 car lengths reaching 14 to go Martin tries to break the draft down the backstretch they take over in the corner on the outside they can't turn down the power here comes Joey Logano inside now Logano, next to the 18 per second side, picks it out as they enter turn one, buries it to determine one trying to take over Truex up there 22 sliding down the track taking the lanes to take 18, putting that 18 in dirty.

The air still has that momentum, although let's see what Joey Logano can show now that he has the Championship right in front of him. It's 14 years away and we know what Joey Logano will do. He's going to hate it, you know, oh, he didn't go to the bottom and Truex in the. top Why did the drips rise to the top? That was weird. He didn't read there all night. If you see what he is allowed to do. 22 cars were dramatically shut down. It was crazy. I don't know why he did that to do it again. Just a big bow.

That time two car lengths are the difference between 78 and 22, he won't make it to the top again. I'd be surprised if he came out on top again in 3 and 4. These guys should have pretty clean races. The end on that will do it. catch a lot of lagging cars with only 13 with two laps to go get to 12 to do tricks go back to the end 20 Logano knew it Logano said Truex they are going to do that again he saw a meet me I'm going to go to the middle of the race he is had arrived to the rear bumper of the 78 now outward here comes Logano trying to take the lead past the 78 he'll take the lead as they go down the backstretch he buried that car in turn one you idiot that's amazing.

I thought he had just overshot the corner just in a desperate move, we made it work. He could be getting closer to his first title. We guys have seen this 78 improve as the tires have aged. I know you lost that permit, but can you? back off little by little on 22 and if he does, how patient will he be 11 laps, he'll start doing it right now 78 was surprised 8 10 11 12 laps to shoot 22 is four tens faster than Lamport finishes the tricks, it's better to find some speed Right at this moment 422 will be gone Joey Logano trying to check it out but here comes a 78 again Logano running on the top line tracks doing everything he can to get everything out of this car 10 laps to go Logano three dozen faster he passed by Joey Logano was a power move up I don't think he's going to take the corner I didn't either I thought he just you know, he passed it intentionally just trying to make something happen I couldn't believe he didn't hit the wall as the crazy grip on the wall of that 22 approached and Logano's realization that it had so much grip is crazy, how do you know how to drive the car that hard?

The commitment was incredible, the commitment there was incredible and it was a fight, a fight, to win this championship that he is leading. Struggling, Truex said the rear of the car moved twice in the middle of the corner. Parker and the boys. I asked Todd what impresses him about Joy Logano and he said that in every sport there are a couple of athletes who can make it to a moment. He says how. Michael Jordan or Tom Brady and he said that Joey Logano is one of those athletes that can come to a moment and achieve it and that's what he's done here tonight.

What an impressive career for Joey Logano. You mentioned one of those athletes will be joining the guy, you listen to the training, but Mark Martin saw a 15 year old athlete and said this kid is the best thing I've seen since sliced ​​bread, well that nickname sucks, they called him bread sliced, but they may push it. In the spotlight too early in his career he replaced Tony Stewart when he left Joe Gibbs Racing and many question marks thought Joey Logano was too young, perhaps too inexperienced for the pressure that comes from the Cup Series, but the second chance has arrived. we're going seven laps to his first championship Logano is still a little faster close tricks in a second six laps earlier tonight I think he's running out of time, though Jeff I thought he was going to leave this morning he said I said Your car, I said, man, for 20 laps, we covered it, I don't know if that will work or not, you convinced me, you do it.

Adam covered the yellow flag for 20 laps when leaving the pits and then what Joey Logano was able to do. we did it after we started at the front and now we pulled away from Martin Truex Jr for a second lead with six laps left in his championship and a lot of people were wondering at Martinsville why only God will do that. Here's why that movement in Martinsville moved Martin Truex. Jr moved it down to hear a beep, this shot and execute it and Jeff remembers that if he hadn't done it in Phoenix, it destroys him. He wouldn't have been able to advance without that guaranteed spot, but because he got Martin Truex Jr out of the way, He said that's the type of runner I am.

I'm an old school runner. It's been happening since the beginning of NASCAR, now five laps. far from a championship, oh, I know that if you imagine how nervous he is, waiting for there to be no caution, hoping that nothing happens, he has been in very high-pressure situations before losing this championship, before last year he didn't even were in the playoffs, what a big change for this team that is driving away from Martin Truex Jr in all the other two and a half tends faster in the last lap second and a half of lead reaching four to go Rick said last week in Phoenix who felt he was the favorite the first car to transfer the championship for proving it right here with a pass on the BART tracks with tutoring to lead and his competitors almost laughed andThey said, what do you mean why do you think you know they make fun of him for saying it was a big favor?

Well now who's laughing with four laps left and Joey Logano weaving through traffic in the laps easily with a second and a half lead over Martin Truex Jr. The laps continue to drop now, just three laps to go, the last Joey Logano want to see now. yellow, just three more laps with a green flag, now what a joy, the father of the Cats traveled through northeastern Connecticut with his son when he was young racing quarter midgets, can you imagine seeing the minister of the quarter race six-seventy eight years? his son would be in position to win a championship and with this level of racing they moved to Georgia, then he became one of the best outlaws, he won 14 races in a row when he was young and people realized that they saw this talent, the raw talent, Joey Logano had and now there were two laps left for Joey Logano Truex Jr Harvick Kyle Busch, all distant in his mirror before continuing to run on the upper deck, but they are only chasing Joey Logano's 22, this time bomb It's a trap to go to. presented by credit to a bank one lap away from his first Cup championship Joey Logano at 28 years old fulfilling a dream TJ Majors giving him the information without any pressure well, he has risen well above the pressure when he exits turn number 4 to claim his first Cup Series championship, it's Joey, look out of the way, tears already flowing for Joey Logano, great job, great job, you heard the voice, then captain Roger Penske came on the radio, great job, Joey Logano gave Roger Penske another championship.

In elite status, you see Dewayne Felkel's name on the side of the car. It was just a couple of weeks of Joy Dollars drumming richer, but you're the champ. His series director, Richard Buck, let him know that you're the champion. Dewayne Felkel, just a few weeks. passed away unexpectedly one of the Penske manufacturers was traveling in memory on the passenger side of the 22 this moment presented by Sunoco driving victories throughout the season puts the nose of the car right against the interior wall right where its crew is burns it In the season 70, Joey Logano is only the 33rd driver to win a Cup championship.

What an incredible moment for Joey Logano, the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and Rick, you said his nickname was sliced ​​bread, left go for Joe Gibbs Racing. at one point Roger Penske said, "I'll take my chances on you, that's why your foundation is called second chances" by Todd Gordon, some tears too, there you go Joey, that hat says 22nd Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and He's certainly crying right now. Brad on Brad Keselowski Joey we talk about second chances all the time how much of tonight was about second chances for you and proving that you could do it, we did it, we won the championship, I can't believe it, I don't even know. what to say about this team, the Roger Penske label or the pit crew, oh my goodness these guys are amazing, they came in a car that I needed at the end to do my job, they put me in position to do my job, I couldn't be more proud of them. win the championship Mario, I know you did, I know, he came into the week saying the big three and I, did you really feel like you weren't the favorite in this, Joey, no, I told you tits are white, we don't , this is the favorite and I told everyone before the race started, very proud of everyone, everyone rose to the occasion, executed under pressure like it was nobody's business, I mean, I can't thank all those who support us.

Charlotte Pennzoil is moving s km forward, we have a Ford, not just the drivers championship with the manufacturers championship, so I can't wait to get that Mustang out soon, but man, oh I don't even know, I just don't know when you get to the checkered flag, one of the emotions that's going through your Keep in mind it's just a lot of yelling, yeah, I pulled a muscle, but man, he just, I've worked my whole life to get here so I can hunt a championship. We have been very close and it has been approximately ten seasons. I fought for this and it was I'm not sure we got it, but Todd made a good adjustment there.

DN, there is a never give up attitude and I was going to pass that car no matter what I want to ask you about that move in one, how did you do it? Number one, we thought maybe you went over the corner, no no, it's just that my car was pretty good with an injury all day, that's a big choke right there and your pit crew gave it to Joey today. . I mean, you've talked for weeks about how. they are the best on pit road right now they are, they proved it again today Hey guys, every single one of them, each and every individual on that team is the best at their position and we proved it today, we were in the points, we're really good in points we were down in the score I knew we had a short race car.

I said it before the race started. The car was a short race car. If it's anything more than 25 laps, you're going to be in trouble and that really showed throughout the day, but I know I went down in a short race and we're NASCAR champions, and guess what you'll always be in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup champion Series, Joey Logano, there are a lot more people to find for high fives here and there is a stage with his name on it too Rick, yes, he mentioned it's been 10 years, think back to 2009 and the Monster Energy Cup Series, it was the Rookie of the Year, well, in those 10 years he has impressed, he is someone with whom he has fought, he has fought, he has made friends and he has made enemies, but what he did tonight is now history.

He is the 2018 Nascar Monster Energy Cup Series champion. He will be on stage when we return. Joey can't get on stage because of the crowd that has surrounded the car. It'll be a while before the team gets the hardware, but I want to take a look at today's Coca-Cola winning moment for Joey Logano. He mentioned the pit crew and ultimately it was the driver who was able to do it. the pass took the lead away from Martin Truex Jr and he advanced and got his first Cup Series championship and a big shot of coke right there won a battle, what a race, late yellow Rick set up a shootout with the four of them. championship four, you said the selector did his job and then half of that Joey Logano move and finishing second was Martin Truex Jr and Kelly caught up with him.

Martin Truex Jr in the 78 team was just one place away from a fairy tale ending. Martin, what is it? It's like leaving '78 for the last time, I'm still not sure, be honest with you. I'm sorry, I do not know. I'm going to miss these guys. I wish we could have won it. We had it, but you know we couldn't go. For 15 laps and I knew the last restart was going to be difficult, we were able to take the lead. I just couldn't do anything. I was slow for 15 laps. You know, it didn't spin. I try to go as fast as possible.

Those guys and I would be dead sided and I just couldn't, I couldn't do it and I don't know what else I could have done. You know, he passed me so fast I didn't even have a chance to do it. do anything we needed, we needed more laps, we just needed more time, but proud of my boys and proud of everyone, thanks to Johnny and Bass Pro, to the car owners and the TRD 5 hour swim, to everyone who helped us They helped here in recent seasons, not the way we wanted to go, but it was a great effort five years with this team.

What did this moment mean to you? The best moment of my life. I do not know what else to say. I mean, these guys were amazing. They made Mejia a NASCAR superstar and I'm so grateful for everything he said - they made him a superstar when after the MWR scandal not many people wanted to hire Martin Trix jr. at ro furniture he was actually looking for a driver he went there and in his first year he finished 24th and there were problems with points this team didn't catch on right away as Colburn joined and they have been in the playoffs ever since .

I know your heart is broken, but they have to keep their heads up after the season they've had to finish second teams, shut down all the distractions, what it comes down to sometimes, those late warnings, things like that will affect the end of these racing and Joe was at sprint speed and he got to work with that emotion, with that emotion you could see the love he has for that racing team and the people and well, it's not too big a word because we spent so much time, so much effort and

energy

and come to that kind of success, you saw that from Martin to them, well the car is still surrounded, they finally got to Joey, they got Joey out, hey man, the trophy is here and I know he wants to get to that trophy as quickly as possible.

You won't believe it when you see it, I think it's huge and heavy, look where the car is, where the stage is, look at the trucks down here, Joey, the trophy has all the tracks, which are the Monster Energy Cup Series races throughout. of the whole season intertwined, there is a great atmosphere down there, all the fans gathered to celebrate with you, all your friends, your family, everyone who is here, you know, championship four brought everyone they know to this race, no see if you know, in case they win, Joey Logano has to storm the stage, since it almost looked like he was going through traffic today at the track, he walked past him, he's in the wrong state, he'll jump down, come up to this one, the smallest one. scenario right here his wife they set up a real app with you they are there with you man they deal with the bad the good families the mother's father bothers him they have been on this journey together yes, for a long time Brittany is why such a big part of his foundation that we talked about before, that's when the emotions run high, you walk up to your family and look at their faces.

That's what happens with something like this, seeing how many people it touches, how many people have traveled with you in all those turns around Hudson's new parents hugging the Big Boss Man if he was born just ten months ago Roger Penske Roger Penske the camp melts his Ford's Edsel Ford also on stage congratulating Joey Logano I put a little microphone on Joey right here so they can capture all the audio from tonight he will want that audio, all the images and there is his son Hudson, if his legs are They go crazy, Joey's father there in the background and the sacrifice of the family, we mentioned so much the move to Georgia in Joey Logano who continues his racing career and now everyone can to celebrate the highest honor you can win in racing stock cars, Joey Logano won the championship, the trophy presentation is approaching and for that let's go to the stage and Krista voda, it's absolute chaos down here, Rick, but after all it should be because we have a first-time Monster winner Energy NASCAR Cup Series, let's go ahead and begin the championship presentation starting with Monster Energy Vice President of Sports Marketing, Mitch Covington Mitch.

I'm going to give you the microphone that I'm going to try to get. a driver up here okay, great, thanks Krista, on behalf of Monster Energy and all of our employees around the world, we would like to congratulate our Monster Energy Cup Series champion, mr. Joey Logano, the champion, congratulations Joey, it was amazing, here we go, we're going to give you the hard way right now, for the moment you've been waiting for, this is a great trophy, but I think you're ready for it, let's go ahead and bring it. NASCAR President Steve Phelps for the trophy presentation.

Thank you Kristen Joey, what an amazing run. You four were in the top five all day and were the class of the field that ran at the end. The last twenty laps were incredible. On behalf of NASCAR, our millions of fans around the world, I would like to congratulate you on being our 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, thank you, thank you, okay, try it, Joey, I'm going to split your birthday. your family on stage I know you even go ahead and turn this way coming into this race there were 32 NASCAR Cup Series champions now there are 33 you are exactly what you have always dreamed of and hope to be a Monster Energy champion just a dream come true To Even hearing those words along with my name is crazy, but I'm not a champion, these guys are champions with me, we're not doing it alone, here comes the best race car ever driven here, Miss Brit, who brings it for us , damn.

Lynch that's my inner guy who does a great job and my whole crew does an amazing job our pit crew was amazing oh man I don't even know how to put this into words I have it so good it's crazy what life can offer. You sometimes and you get cautious at the right time, you let the steam do its job and you let me do my job and they say, you know we're NASCAR champions here, you've been in this position before and we talked about this and I know you. . I've answered this question many times, but you're a different driver, a different person in 2018 than you were in 2014, 2016, part of the reason why your wife Brittany and this little guy who's not even a year old.Hudson came on stage and We said dad, dad is a champion, what does this mean to know it and look him in the eyes?

That's yourtime to sleep right now. Is incredible. You change a lot as you grow and you happen to grow in front. from a lot of people and I witnessed a lot of the mistakes that I made in the past, but every one of those mistakes is the foreign leader that I am today and led me to the people that you see on stage, so it's crazy. I feel crazy right now and yes, everyone who supported me along the way, everyone from Connecticut from the beginning when I was driving go-karts for my father's garbage company and hitting dumpsters to where we are today and with all of our partners on Team Penske and so many. people here today it's just it's an amazing night I know, for a second I felt like I don't know how many things and I didn't know what when he feels and feels really, really, really good, let's get you, go on, I know you.

I want to talk to your family there. I'm going to bring your crew chief, Todd Gordon, come here, congratulations, 49 years old, you're a Cup champion and talk about the fact, the confidence, everything that you and Joey have. We've been through this together to get to this, yeah it's phenomenal and surreal, we've been through this twice and we thought we had chances both times and we just didn't make it and we used that to come up with a game plan. what we needed to do to be successful today and it played out perfectly. I don't look at how our Ps move away from me, forward and what kind of I don't know if he will run away from me, we will try to catch him. him later, but they made a comment.

I know you carry two Waynes. The name of one of your team members on the car passed away unexpectedly not long ago. A manufacturer of your equipment. You started as a manufacturer. I know his name. The fact that he. he's in this car and every member of his team thinks about him and his family yeah we definitely lost Duane three four weeks ago and the accidental way of working hated it for him and his family and thoughts and prayers there I can't imagine the situation, but he's been with us since three, he built all the greenhouses on these cars, so it's fitting that they carry him on top of the greenhouse door and, you know, the team got together in the workshop and everything to do this. a perfect weekend, we're here, congratulations, let's bring Edsel too, let's talk to Sir Roger Penske.

RP escaped us but it's Ford championship weekend, Edsel, what does it mean to have a Ford driver back not just in Victory? Lane, but with this championship you know we haven't had an Anna Cannon car or a manufacturers championship since Dale Jarrett in 1999 so we've had a dry season so frankly my heart is still in my throat and I couldn't be happier. with Roger and Joey and Todd and everyone, the entire Penske organization just did an absolutely sensational job. Congratulations to you too, Ford, to everyone behind it. I know they want this celebration to continue and really get started, so Rick flew up and he. he joined us on the pre-race show he said I want the ball that's what Joey Logano said he said it's our time tonight it was he's the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion we'll continue to talk to him in our post-race coverage the race thanks Krista and Edsel Ford simply referenced the manufacturers' championship and said it hadn't happened since Dale Jarrett, when they had the drivers' and manufacturers' championships in the same season.

The last time they won the manufacturers' title was in 2002, so it's been a while for Ford to be able to capture that title and a few moments ago Parker Kligerman caught up with Kevin Harvick Kevin Harvick finished third, led 58 laps, you were so fast at the beginning of the race that just the handle came off a little bit at the end, well, obviously, and you know, we just got loose as the night went on, we really made a great pit call there, in position to win the race if no yellow flag comes out and then it came down to a pit stop and, you know, a restart there and we did it.

I'm up to no good, so I hate it for all our forward Jimmy John's guys and I just have to thank Busch and congratulate Ford for winning the manufacturers' championship and a championship. I know they put a lot of effort into that Mobil 1 Outback Hunt. Morton brothers texture buildings in lick master everyone who helps us at stewart-haas running eight wins in the season hit the champion chip is this the kind of season that got away a little in that sense I don't think eight wins is good enough, free, yeah, don't you think, I think it's good, definitely, take that, no doubt, actually, you know, it's been a great year and we got beat tonight because Kevin Harvick just didn't have the speed at the end, well, Kyle.

Busch is not the first of the four tonight Kyle, how will you judge tonight's race? I don't know, it's just not at all what we wanted, obviously it's not what we expected either, we knew the 22 is fast, but man I thought we were a lot closer than that. and we held serve in the first round of the race, but after that we were never close, I don't know what happened, I just didn't have the feeling in the race car that I needed tonight, all night. As soon as you come off the board and into the corners you just go sideways to the right trying to save it and you do it for 50 or 60 laps, whatever it is with the tires and you just can't hold on.

I couldn't hold on after eight laps let alone 250 but now we got past all of our guys Adam Stevens and my guys did a phenomenal job all year this M&MS team was really really good and not good enough and the night they mattered more, but but I finished the report from the last of the chase guys that's just not what it takes these days regarding those handling problems when you finally got the strategy boost when Adam played so much time in the pits, yeah, I want I mean, that was just the fact that it's not a matter of anyone giving up, you know, I know, get behind the wheel, keep driving and keep trying while you sing a Hail Mary and see what we can get and the strategy fell right into our lap, the pit stall fell right into our lap, but None of that meant anything if you don't have a fast enough race car and I knew I was sitting on that restart.

I thought I could hold them off for about four laps, five laps, baby, but damn, not even one straight and they're done. It's gone so that's all there is to it, you didn't get the most of it, you didn't get the big prize today, but how are you going to remember most of the season? A big one for the team of eighteen, lots of wins, forget it now, move on. in Kyle Busch fourth tonight and fourth in the playoff chase cars and post-race coverage will continue until 8 o'clock ET on NBCSN, so be sure to join us there and Steve as we reflect on this weekend .

I think the right car won the right one. The number one driver all weekend was Joey Logano, who looked very, very strong. It has been an exceptional season. We had four outstanding competitors competing for a championship and in the end they all made it to the first two rows for the correct final restart with less. 20 laps to go, I think that's what we all wanted to see, it was a shootout and you mentioned it, the right car, the fastest car, Joey Logano absolutely proved he was the best, he passed 78 to move on to a championship, they were definitely the top four and we bring our drivers Dale junior and mayor Jeff Burton guys what an incredible race we just saw.

Yes, Joey Logano was pushed a lot when he came into this series, but he decided to be the most aggressive driver in recent years and it paid off for him and put him in position to compete for this championship tonight. The team gave him the great car to do it. Middletown CT. We better celebrate Joey Logano. He is our new champion at 28 years old. Ten times. This is the tenth year they took him away. ten years to do it, you mentioned it, he had to learn how to win these races, he had to learn how to defend himself, he did it recently, Joey Logano got what we all dream of tonight, give me the ball at the end of the game, man, let it go.

I make something happen Joey Logano did it amazing handling Joey remember it was the big three and I for Joey Logano to be the best you have to beat the best and that's exactly what Joey Logano did tonight he called himself the favorite a week ago. He showed it tonight on the track and you saw the excitement that this championship means for Joey Logano, the celebration will continue and remember on NBCSN that it will remain until 8 o'clock Joey Logano, the 28-year-old from Connecticut, nicknamed sliced ​​bread by hall- The famous Mark Martin had to fight for this championship, he had to fight just to get into the championship because he was aggressive and during all the playoff races and when it came time to decide a champion, he was aggressively the best in the sport and now he is you can call him champion along with the Greats and NASCAR and you see Joey Logano, this copyrighted broadcast may not be reproduced, retransmitted, used in any way without the authorized written consent of the NASCAR broadcast.

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