Page 30 - MIN VOS NOV 23, 2015
P. 30
SPORTS A17
Monday 23 November 2015
Kyle Busch
completes comeback
to win 1st Cup title
JENNA FRYER There was a strong senti-
AP Auto Racing Writer mental push for Gordon
HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — to go out on top in his fi-
Kyle Busch opened the nal race. But he was only
season in a hospital bed average all season, and
and ended it in victory that didn’t change Sun-
lane with the champion- day night in front of a huge
ship trophy. contingent of friends and
Busch completed the ulti- family that included For-
mate comeback Sunday mula One champion Lewis
night by winning his first Hamilton and Mario An-
career Sprint Cup title just dretti, who both sat atop
nine months after a serious his pit box at the start of the
crash at Daytona near- race.
ly ended his season. He Gordon led nine laps early
crashed into a concrete in the race and was third
wall the day before the for an early restart but
Daytona 500 and broke his he bobbled it and plum-
right leg and left foot. meted to eighth. That was
Despite multiple surgeries about as good as he’d be
and grueling rehabilita- the rest of the race as he
tion, Busch missed only 11 struggled mightily with the
races and was back in his handling of his Hendrick
Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in Motorsports Chevrolet.
late May. NASCAR granted “Gosh, I’m a little disap-
him a waiver to race for the pointed, I’ll be honest,”
championship if he earned Gordon said. “I thought
a berth in the playoffs, and going into the race we
Busch was off and running. had something for them.”
“I don’t know if I quite Gordon eventually made
understand life yet, but his way to victory lane to
there’s something to be congratulate Busch, who
said about this year,” an began his career as Gor-
emotional Busch said on don’s teammate at Hen-
his team radio. drick Motorsports. Temper
He won the season finale tantrums and wrecked
Sunday night at Home- race cars led to his release
stead-Miami Speedway before the 2008 season,
to claim the title, and and Busch has been chas-
knocked Kevin Harvick ing a Cup championship
from his perch as reign- ever since.
ing champion. Busch also “All he’s been through this
denied Jeff Gordon a fifth year, nobody’s more de-
crown in his final race. Gor- serving than him,” Gordon
don said before the season said of the new champion.
started he’d retire after this Truex, the underdog driv-
race. ing for single-car team
Harvick finished a distant Furniture Row Racing, also
second, Gordon was a didn’t have enough in his
mediocre sixth and Martin Chevrolet to contend de-
Truex Jr., the fourth driver in spite a handful of gutsy pit
the championship field, fin- calls the team used out of
ished 12th. desperation.
“You always want to win, “We really felt like without
but I’ve learned not to be trying something really dif-
greedy,” Harvick said after ferent, we weren’t going
his 12th second-place fin- to get there,” Truex said.
ish of the year cost him the
championship. Continued on page 19
