Kevin Harvick wins NASCAR Sprint Cup title

Kevin Harvick won the final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. He also won the Sprint Cup Series championship.

Jeff Gordon, who was eliminated from the Chase after Phoenix, dominated the race leading a race-high 161 laps. A caution came out with 20 laps to go, and that set up the final pit stops of the race. Denny Hamlin stayed out during the caution, but championship contenders Ryan Newman and Harvick pitted. Newman took just two tires while Harvick took four. Joey Logano, the other title contender had trouble on his final pit stop and finished 16. Gordon pitted when Newman and Harvick did, restarted way back in the pack and finished 10. Harvick restarted the race in 12 spot and was sixth on a restart with nine laps left. Hamlin was leading and Newman was second on that restart and Harvick passed Hamlin for the lead with six laps to go, according to Sporting News. Harvick then held off Newman for the win, while Brad Keselowski finished third, and Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five.

"I'm just really excited," Harvick said. "It's really special for everybody. Just really happy. I've been trying for 13 years. If you want to win the championship, you're going to have to figure out how to win races.In the end, that's what it came down to, was winning the race to win the championship. It all worked out."

"Been trying for 13 years,” Harvick went on to add, according to ESPN.This week ate me up. If it wasn't for Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, I would have been in bad trouble this week. Those guys really helped me get through the week. After every practice, Jimmie was in there, and in our team debriefs Tony was constantly telling me just to go race and that it's just another race."

Harvick had driven for Richard Childress Racing for his entire 13 years career. This year he made the move to drive for Stewart-Hass Racing in hopes of winning a title. Harvick hadn’t been able to win a title while at RCR, his best points finish there was third three times. He became the second driver to win the title by winning the final race of the year, according to NASCAR.com. The other driver to do it was Harvick’s teammate and car owner Tony Stewart.

Harvick had five wins this year and led the more laps than any other driver. Newman finished second in points, his best finish, followed by Hamlin and Logano.

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