{"id":41107,"date":"2022-11-06T22:01:10","date_gmt":"2022-11-07T04:01:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=41107"},"modified":"2022-11-06T22:01:10","modified_gmt":"2022-11-07T04:01:10","slug":"nascar-sunday-championship-notebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2022\/11\/06\/nascar-sunday-championship-notebook\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR: Sunday Championship Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express\/Advent Health Chevrolet, Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, Christopher Bell, driver of the #20 DeWalt Toyota, and Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, walk onstage during Championship 4 driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Holly Cain<\/em><\/p>\n

NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

Ross Chastain finishes runner-up in first Champ 4 appearance<\/b><\/p>\n

AVONDALE, Ariz. \u2013 After a season of career-firsts \u2013 a maiden victory and a dramatic lap to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race \u2013 Ross Chastain insisted he felt more hopeful than disappointed after coming up short of hoisting his first major racing trophy on Sunday.<\/p>\n

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Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express\/Advent Health Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Chastain\u2019s No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet finished third in the Phoenix Raceway season finale \u2013 1.2-seconds behind the winner, and newly-crowed 2022 series champion Joey Logano. After moving forward from a 25th-place starting spot on the grid and competing inside the top five for most of the final laps, Chastain felt confident that he and the two-year-old Trackhouse Racing team had done all it could. And, if nothing else, set the stage for future championship runs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe emotions are surprisingly good,” said Chastain, who earned his first two NASCAR Cup Series wins this season (at the Circuit of The Americas road course and at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sad, I\u2019m not upset. \u2026 I actually can\u2019t believe how good I feel. I\u2019m so proud and so happy to get this first shot in the championship,” he added.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express\/Advent Health Chevrolet, waves to fans onstage during Championship 4 driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

The other two championship-eligible drivers, Joe Gibbs Racing\u2019s Christopher Bell and Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 Chase Elliott finished 10th and 28th, respectively \u2013 both having to overcome different challenges on Sunday.<\/p>\n

Bell and the entire Joe Gibbs Racing organization received heart-breaking news in the hours immediately before the race that Coy Gibbs \u2013 the team\u2019s Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer \u2013 and son of team founder Joe Gibbs \u2013 had passed away the night before at the age of 49.<\/p>\n

Bell said the team met and decided it should still race on Sunday. And he ran among the top-10 for much of the day, despite the tough circumstances.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was an experience unlike I\u2019ve ever gone through in my entire life,” Bell said. \u2018In that moment, you don\u2019t know what\u2019s right and what\u2019s wrong. If you should get in the race car and race or you shouldn\u2019t race. Myself, Denny [Hamlin] and the other JGR drivers were all in the same boat, we didn\u2019t know what to do.<\/p>\n

\u201c[JGR President] Dave Alpern actually came back to the race track right before driver intros and told us, \u2018you need to go out there and race\u2019 and that\u2019s what we did.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely just an incredible twist of emotion and a perspective change for sure. You think that this is the big picture then you get news like this and realize it\u2019s the small picture in the grand scheme of things.”<\/p>\n

\"\"

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

Elliott, who won the Regular Season Championship, also spent time at the front of the field, but contact between his and Chastain\u2019s Chevrolets on a re-start with a little more than 100 laps remaining sent his Chevrolet spinning into the wall. The team worked on the car, but Elliot ultimately finished the race two laps down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure, I\u2019m not sure,” Elliott repeatedly answered when asked about the incident with him and Chastain. \u201cLooking forward to the offseason and really proud of our team for the fight we put in today. Like we just kind of peaked right before we crashed, got our car driving pretty good, just had our best pit stop of the day so that was all solid, and we were right there next to the 22 [Logano].<\/p>\n

\u201cThought we had a shot at it all the way up until we didn\u2019t.”<\/p>\n

\"\"

Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, makes his parade lap during pre-race ceremonies prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Graythen\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

For both Chastain and Bell, 2022 marked the best NASCAR Cup Series season of their careers statistically. It was the first Championship 4 appearance for both, as well.<\/p>\n

Chastain, 29, of Alva, Florida, spent 19 weeks ranked among the top three in the championship standings, earned his first two NASCAR Cup Series wins and more than doubled his previous single season marks for top-five (15) and top-10 (21) finishes.<\/p>\n

Bell, 27, of Norman, Oklahoma, scored three wins and career highs in top-five (12) and top-10 (20) finishes.<\/p>\n

Elliott, 26, of Dawsonville, Ga., tied his career best mark in wins (five) and earned 12 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes. His three pole positions were most in his seven fulltime seasons.<\/p>\n

Thoughts and prayers with JGR following Coy Gibbs passing<\/b><\/p>\n

Joe Gibbs Racing\u2019s Vice Chairman and Chief Operating Officer Coy Gibbs \u2013 son of NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Joe Gibbs \u2013 passed away Saturday night at his hotel in Phoenix.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is with great sorrow that Joe Gibbs Racing confirms that Coy Gibbs (co-owner) went to be with the Lord in his sleep last night. The family appreciates all the thoughts and prayers and asks for privacy at this time.\u201d – the team said in a statement released in the moments before Sunday\u2019s green flag.<\/p>\n

Word of the loss spread quickly throughout the Phoenix facility and a moment of silence was held in Gibbs honor just prior to the green flag. Gibbs was only 49 years old, the same age his older brother JD Gibbs was when he passed away in 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Coy Gibbs. On behalf of the France Family and all of NASCAR, I extend my deepest condolences to Joe, Pat, Heather, The Gibbs family and everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing on the loss of Coy, a true friend and racer,” NASCAR Chairman Jim France said.<\/p>\n

Kyle Busch, who drove 15 years for the Joe Gibbs Racing organization was visibly upset on the grid just before the race start.<\/p>\n

\u201cWords can\u2019t describe this day. Today was already going to be tough enough but it\u2019s even more gut wrenching now. Heartbroken.\u201d He posted on Twitter just before the race.<\/p>\n

Coy Gibbs is the father of four and had just watched his oldest child, 20-year-old Ty Gibbs win the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m definitely proud of him,” Coy Gibbs said of Ty, \u201cI\u2019ve always got his back as his father.”<\/p>\n

\u201cWatching it today, just to see his determination,” Coy continued. \u201cI think he\u2019s got skills and he\u2019s determined. It definitely made me proud. I think for my wife, we were both proud, just because he hammered down and did his job.”<\/p>\n

Austin Cindric takes home Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors<\/b><\/p>\n

Team Penske\u2019s Austin Cindric started the 2022 year with a victory in the season-opening Daytona 500 and he took the season\u2019s final checkered flag on Sunday having earned the Sunoco Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n

Cindric, 24, has the Daytona 500 victory, earned five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes this season and advanced to the second round of the Playoffs.<\/p>\n

He said securing that all-important early season victory allowed him to essentially learn the ropes of NASCAR\u2019s major league as a rookie with the security of knowing he\u2019d already earned a Playoff position.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt does change the regular season in the fact I\u2019m able to go through the regular season without the pressure of having to win a race as well as figure everything out,” Cindric said. \u201cAnd that was probably more of an advantage than I gave it credit for, not having to put pressure on yourself, your team or have to be desperate.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom that standpoint I think it was something made me be able to be patient or aggressive in areas I needed to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following Cindric in the rookie standings are fellow Ford drivers – Wood Brothers\u2019 Harrison Burton and Front Row Motorsports\u2019 Todd Gilliland. Burton\u2019s best finish was a third place at the Indianapolis road course this summer. Gilliland\u2019s top effort was a fourth place at the Indy road course.<\/p>\n

End of an era for Kyle Busch<\/b><\/p>\n

Kyle Busch\u2019s seventh-place finish in Sunday\u2019s championship finale marked his final race at Joe Gibbs Racing after a celebrated 15-year tenure that included two championships (2015 and 2019) and 56 of his career total 60 victories and finished in the top-10 in the championship 11 of his 15 seasons with the team.<\/p>\n

He finished seventh in his final outing with JGR on Sunday \u2013 driving a No. 18 Toyota whose paint job included images of his time celebrating all the success he shared with the team over the course of his tenure.<\/p>\n

Busch has signed to drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing beginning in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a long road and I owe a lot of my success to Toyota Racing. I wouldn\u2019t\u2019 be where I am today without your support through the years. You guys will always be family to me, but I look forward to seeing you in my rearview come Daytona next year.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  By Holly Cain NASCAR Wire Service Ross Chastain finishes runner-up in first Champ 4 appearance AVONDALE, Ariz. \u2013 After a season of career-firsts \u2013 a maiden victory and a dramatic lap to qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race \u2013 Ross Chastain insisted he felt more hopeful than disappointed after coming up short […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":41079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11],"tags":[16,395],"class_list":["post-41107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-nascar","tag-phoenix-raceway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/GettyImages-1439597184-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-aH1","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41107"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41108,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41107\/revisions\/41108"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}