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SPORTS Tuesday 19 November 2019
Gibbs wins 5th NASCAR title in season Robert Hight

dedicated to late son wins 3rd NHRA

By MARK LONG ington Redskins, wished ished second for the sec- lin said. "We won 19 races Funny Car
AP Sports Writer Gibbs and his three drivers ond straight year. as an organization. That's season title
HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — luck with a message on the "To get here is so difficult," the most in this era. That's
Joe Gibbs won the first video boards before their Truex said. "To win seven a good thing. In the world POMONA, Calif. (AP) —
race, the last race and Robert Hight raced to
more than a dozen in be- his third Funny Car sea-
tween. His most dominat- son title and second
ing season in 28 years as a in three years Sunday
NASCAR team owner cul- by advancing to the
minated with his fifth Cup final round of the sea-
Series championship. son-ending Auto Club
This one had to be more NHRA Finals.
special than the others. Steve Torrence won
Gibbs dedicated the sea- his second straight Top
son to his late son, J.D., who Fuel title, Erica Enders
died in January after a long took her third Pro Stock
battle with a degenerative crown, and Andrew
neurological disease. Joe Hines raced to his sixth
Gibbs Racing responded Pro Stock Motorcycle
with 19 victories in 36 races championship.
— a record for NASCAR's Hight had a 3.977-sec-
modern era — and another ond run at 324.59 mph
title for the three-time Super in his Chevrolet Cama-
Bowl-winning champion ro to beat Matt Hagan
who still goes by Coach. in the semifinals to wrap
Kyle Busch put Coach atop up the title, then broke
the racing world Sunday in the final against Jeck
by winning the season fi- Beckman.
nale at Homestead-Miami “The most important
Speedway. It was the sec- run of my life was in the
ond Cup championship semifinals,” Hight said.
in five years for Busch and “When it comes down
Gibbs, who also won titles to one run to win a
in 2000 (Dale Jarrett), 2002 championship, how will
(Tony Stewart) and 2005 you perform? My heart
(Stewart). was beating out of my
Gibbs felt like J.D. had a chest, but we got it
hand in making the latest done. This has just been
one happen. the steadiest year I’ve
“I think he's definitely a part Team owner Joe Gibbs stands next to the championship trophy after his driver Kyle Busch won ever had and that’s a
of this," Gibbs said. “I miss a NASCAR Cup Series auto racing season championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway in real tribute to this team.
him so much. ... It’s kind of Homestead, Fla., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019. Associated Press It’s amazing and I’m
hard to put in words. But the luckiest guy in the
it’s been special and dif- game against the New races is so difficult. Success- where we just keep get- world to drive this Funny
ferent, and it was great to York Jets on Sunday. ful, but at the same time ting more common with Car.”
finish it up the way we did Hamlin and Truex were disappointing." everything — common pit Beckman earned his
tonight.” widely considered the most Hamlin's error came later in guns, common this, com- 30th Funny Car victory,
J.D. Gibbs was a part-time likely title contenders to win the race. He dropped from mon that — JGR continues winning in a Dodge SRT
driver and over-the-wall it all for Gibbs. Hamlin won third to 19th because of the to set itself apart, and that's Hellcat.
crew member when he last week at Phoenix and stop with 46 laps remaining. the people and the effort Doug Kalitta won the
first started working for his had all the momentum, He battled back, but didn't that they're putting in. I Top Fuel race, Jeg
famous father. He made and Truex had a series-high have enough time to make think that it really says a lot Coughlin Jr. topped the
13 NASCAR national series seven victories in 2019. up for the error and finished about the organization, no Pro Stock lineup, and Ji-
starts between 1998 and But both of them had pit- 10th. doubt." anna Salinas won in Pro
2002. He stepped away road issues that proved "Certainly we got a little JGR won the big one — the Stock Motorcycle.
from JGR in 2015 after he costly. aggressive there and it season-opening Daytona Kalitta raced to his 47th
was diagnosed with "con- Truex's crew mixed up the cost us," Hamlin said. "It just 500 with Hamlin — and the career victory, beating
ditions related to brain right- and left-side front didn't work out." more-important finale with Richie Crampton with a
function." tires on lap 120, causing It did for Gibbs, though. Busch. 3.716 at 332.67. Cough-
The final race he was able steering issues and forcing The organization broke the "It's a thrill for us," Gibbs lin topped Fernando
to travel to was Busch's first the 2017 series champion modern-era record (since said. "J.D. spent his entire Cuadra with a 6.558 at
Cup Series championship. back to pit road. Hamlin’s 1972) for wins by the same professional life building our 210.54 in a Chevrolet
Gibbs was 49 and co-chair- crew put too large a piece team in a single season. race team. This whole year Camaro for his 63rd vic-
man at JGR when he died. of tape on the air opening Hendrick Motorsports, with I think is just a tribute to him. tory.
Joe Gibbs had three to his engine, causing it to a lineup that featured Cup I think everybody saw the Salinas capped her
chances to win the title, overheat and forcing him champions Jimmy John- Daytona 500, everything rookie season with her
with Busch, Denny Hamlin to make an unscheduled son, Jeff Gordon, Casey that's happened this year. I first victory. She beat
and Martin Truex Jr. locking stop. Mears and Busch, won 18 know the Lord had his hand Jerry Savoie, with a
up three of the four spots in Both of them fell a lap races and the champion- in what has taken place. I 7.464 at 180.81 on a
the championship field. His back. ship (Johnson) in 2007. believe J.D. had a great Suzuki.q
former NFL team, the Wash- Truex recovered and fin- "It's just a great year," Ham- view of it."q