Fast Facts: 2014 Nationwide Series Champion Chase Elliott

1988 Cup Series champ Bill Elliott and 2014 Nationwide
Series champ Chase Elliott
credit: NASCAR via Getty Images/Jared C. Tilton

At Phoenix International Raceway in November, Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series, wrapped up his championship quest one week ahead of schedule, and joined his Hall of Fame-bound father Bill as a NASCAR champion. Here are the updated Fast Facts, originally published in July 2013, on a young driver with a long NASCAR career ahead of him.

• William Clyde "Chase" Elliott II was born Nov. 28, 1995 in Dawsonville, Georgia, the son of “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville,” 1988 Cup Series champ Bill Elliott, and his wife Cindy. NASCAR fans watched Chase grow up, including a visit to victory lane and the famed “Yard of Bricks” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2002 at age 6.
• Elliott’s early years in racing included go-karts, from which he worked his way up to various late model series. In 2009, his first year in late models, he recorded four wins, 24 top 10 finishes and three poles in 31 starts. In 2010, his statistics improved, earning 13 wins, 39 top 10 finishes and six poles in 42 late model starts – those wins included the prestigious Winchester 400 and the first race at the re-opened North Wilkesboro Speedway.
• When NASCAR lowered the age requirement for its lower-tier series to 15 in 2011, Elliott was signed to a development contract by Hendrick Motorsports, resulting in a full-time schedule in the K&N Pro Series East in 2001 and 2012. In two seasons in the series, Elliott earned one win (Iowa, 2012), 15 top 10 finishes and a pole in 26 races, finishing in the top 10 in points both years. In April 2011, Elliott was named Sports Illustrated’s High School Athlete of the Week.
• Elliott also ran late models during this time, finishing third in the Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown in 2011 and winning the prestigious Snowball Derby later that year. In 2012, he ran six ARCA Racing Series races, finishing in the top 10 in each start.
• In 2013, Elliott competed in the ARCA Racing Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Elliott became the youngest superspeedway winner in ARCA history in June 2014 by winning at Pocono Raceway. In September of the same year, Elliott captured his first checkered flag in the Truck Series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Bowmanville, Ontario.
• In January 2014, Elliott was announced as the driver of the No. 9 NAPA Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, competing in the Nationwide Series full-time. Elliott won his first Nationwide Series race at Texas Motor Speedway in April in just his sixth start, following it up one week later with a win at Darlington. He would add a third win at Chicagoland Speedway on his way to becoming the first rookie and the youngest driver to win a NASCAR national series title. The Elliotts became just the fifth father-son duo to earn NASCAR titles.
• Learn more about Chase Elliott at his website, www.chaseelliott.com. 

Fast Facts: 2014 Sprint Cup Champion Kevin Harvick

Kevin, Keelan and DeLana Harvick celebrate a championship
credit: NASCAR via Getty Images/Jared C. Tilton

After an exciting finish to the new-format 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup, Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing, is a first-time Cup Series champ. Here are the updated “Fast Facts,” first published in Aug. 2011, on the driver they call “The Closer” – and now “The Champ.”

• Kevin Michael Harvick was born Dec. 8, 1975 in Bakersfield, California. His parents bought him a go-kart for his kindergarten graduation in 1980, and in the next 10 years, won seven national championships and two Grand National championships. He competed in the NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series while in North High School in Bakersfield, where he also competed as a wrestler, earning the section title in his weight class his senior year.
• Harvick made his Truck Series debut in 1995 at his hometown Mesa Marin Raceway, starting and finishing 27^th in a family-owned truck. He also competed in the NASCAR Auto Zone West Series, the Winston West Series, and the Winter Heat Series at Tucson Raceway Park.
• In 2000, Harvick signed with Richard Childress Racing to compete full-time in the Busch Series, winning the series’ Rookie of the Year title. Plans were to have Harvick race the series full-time again in 2001, moving to the Cup Series full-time in 2002, until the untimely death of Dale Earnhardt at Daytona. It took Harvick just three races to win his first emotional Cup Series race, edging out Jeff Gordon by 0.006-seconds at Atlanta. In 2001, Harvick captured both the Cup Series Rookie of the Year and the Nationwide Series championship; Harvick was also Nationwide champ in 2006.
• As a member of RCR in the Cup Series from 2001-2013, Harvick won 23 races and had 209 top 10 finishes; he finished third in points three times (2010, 2011 and 2013). Harvick joined Stewart-Haas Racing for 2014, ending the season with five wins, 20 top 10 finishes and the Sprint Cup Series championship.
• Harvick also has 44 career Nationwide Series wins and 14 career Camping World Truck Series wins.
• Harvick and his wife, the former DeLana Linville, owned Kevin Harvick Incorporated from 2001 to 2011 and competed in the Nationwide Series and Truck Series. The Harvicks are parents to Keelan, who has become a fixture in pre- and post-race features on his father. The Harvicks founded the Kevin Harvick Foundation in 2010 to support children’s programs throughout the US.
• Find out more about Kevin Harvick at www.kevinharvick.com. 

Redemption for Darrell Wallace Jr. with Victory at Homestead

Kyle Busch and Darrell Wallace Jr. celebrate race win, owner's championship
Credit:Chris Graythen/Getty Images  

Darrell Wallace Jr. told his team, "We want it more than anyone else. Let's show it."

And show it they did. The Camping World Truck Series season finale featured some of the best racing of the year with intense side-by-side action. The race ended with Wallace Jr. holding off Kyle Larson for the win in a rematch of their finish at Eldora earlier in the season.

"It was wild," said Wallace Jr. "Had to really work for it and it was back and forth, loose and tight, fighting aero tight and aero loose up there against the fence. Got into it once and learned from that. And then towards the end, battling two Kyles, the Cup stars, it was tough. But didn't get too excited, didn't get too down, kept a cool head, stayed patient, and was able to come out on top."

Larson stalked Wallace Jr. for the last half-dozen laps, going high, then low, then high again, trying to get around the No. 54 Kyle Busch Motorsports entry to no avail. Wallace Jr. scored his fourth checkered flag of the season, the 18th for Toyota, tying Chevrolet for the most victories for a manufacturer in a season.

"Once I got back in traffic after we had a bad pit stop there on the last stop, I struggled to find clean air and get back to the front, and me and Kyle Busch raced pretty hard there and I was able to clear him finally and chase down Bubba pretty quickly," Larson explained. "Then once I got to him, he was already running kind of where I wanted to run, and was trying to run a lane lower than him in 1 and 2 and I could almost get to his inside, and he could just get down in front of me enough to take my air away, and I'd get tight on exit and lose ground.

"There was a couple times where I got a good run off 4 and thought about doing a slide job and just thought better of it. And then I tried it one time there and wished the lap truck hadn't been there so I could run it even deeper. He was able to squeeze back around me, and that was about my last real shot. I tried something there the last lap, but I figured it wasn't going to work."

During those final laps Timothy Peters (third), Kyle Busch (fourth), and Ryan Blaney (fifth) battled for the lead and for position. Tyler Reddick was in the mix, too, until he got loose and slid sideways down the track, winding up sixth. Blaney's shifter broke early in the race.

In his Victory Lane interview, Wallace Jr. paid tribute to a team member's relative.

"Eddie, [Troconis] our engineer lost his mother this morning and I wanted to put her name, Alejandra, over the door and she was our guardian angel," Wallace said.

Ty Dillon filled in at the last minute for Brennan Newberry, who was ill, and came home seventh.

Behind him, Matt Crafton crossed the finish line eighth, making history as the first back-to-back driver's champion in the Camping World Truck Series. Ben Kennedy finished 17th and won Rookie of the Year.

Kyle Busch Motorsports handily took the owner's championship.

Unofficial Finishing Order:

Finish	Driver
1	Darrell Wallace, Jr.
2	Kyle Larson
3	Timothy Peters
4	Kyle Busch
5	Ryan Blaney
6	Tyler Reddick
7	Ty Dillon
8	Joe Nemechek
9	Matt Crafton
10	Johnny Sauter
11	Ross Chastain
12	Daniel Hemric
13	Jeb Burton
14	Spencer Gallagher
15	German Quiroga
16	Mason Mitchell
17	Ben Kennedy
18	Bryan Silas
19	Tayler Malsam
20	Austin Hill
21	Matt Tifft
22	Justin Jennings
23	Joey Coulter
24	Tyler Young
25	Kyle Martel
26	Todd Peck
27	Derek White
28	Ray Black, Jr.
29	Mason Mingus
30	Jordan Anderson
31	Wendell Chavous
32	Jennifer Jo Cobb
33	Scott Stenzel
34	Norm Benning
35	John Wes Townley
36	Caleb Roark

Gordon scores Hendrick Motorsports' 200th pole in Homestead

Credit: Robert Laberge/NASCAR via Getty Images

Jeff Gordon grabbed the Coors Light Pole Friday night for the Ford Ecoboost 400 with his lap of
29.876 seconds at 180.747 mph. The first-place start marks number 200 for Hendrick Motorsports and the 77th for Gordon in 761 career starts. If you do the math, that's a pole about ever 10 starts over his career.

This was Gordon's first pole in 16 starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It's small consolation for missing the finals on the last corner of the last lap of the last race of the Eliminator Round last week.

"I think even if we win this race on Sunday, that's only going to make it hurt a little bit more in some ways because we could have won the championship if we were here," said Gordon post-qualifying.

"I think it's not that I'm over it yet, but I've definitely ‑‑ getting to the racetrack, it allows all of us to focus on what we do best, which is go and compete, and when you're fine‑tuning the setup of the car and making laps, especially at this place, right up an inch off the wall every lap, that takes your mind off of it."

Apparently unfazed by the controversy surrounding him, Kurt Busch rattled off a lap of 180.632 mph, good enough for the outside of the front row. Matt Kenseth followed close behind for third, with Brad Keselowski starting fourth. As has been the pattern this season, the second round of qualifying saw the track record fall, this time to Keselowski with his run of 181.238 mph.

Kevin Harvick starts fifth, closest to the front of the final four Chase contenders. Between him and the next Chase contender are Clint Bowyer and Kyle Busch, then Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano roll off 8th and 9th respectively. Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the final round's top 12.

"Obviously, you want to try to qualify on the pole and do the best that you can," said Harvick, "But it's hard to complain about a top five and being in front of the other three is really the ultimate goal today and tomorrow and the next day. I think if we prepare, we should be competitive."

Starting back in 21st, Ryan Newman has some ground to make up if he's going to snatch the Sprint Cup from the clutches of Harvick, Hamlin and Logano.

Whichever of the four drivers finishes best, whether he wins the race or not, will win the Championship.

The final race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup starts at 3:00 pm Sunday, aired on ESPN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio. You can see the weekend's TV schedule here.

The full starting order:

Rank	Driver	Time	Speed
1	Jeff Gordon	29.876	180.747
2	Kurt Busch	29.895	180.632
3	Matt Kenseth	29.951	180.294
4	Brad Keselowski	30.001	179.994
5	Kevin Harvick	30.009	179.946
6	Clint Bowyer	30.068	179.593
7	Kyle Busch	30.087	179.480
8	Denny Hamlin	30.109	179.348
9	Joey Logano	30.124	179.259
10	Martin Truex, Jr.	30.156	179.069
11	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	30.280	178.336
12	Jimmie Johnson	30.563	176.684
13	Brian Vickers	30.167	179.004
14	Justin Allgaier	30.178	178.938
15	Carl Edwards	30.201	178.802
16	Paul Menard	30.202	178.796
17	Marcos Ambrose	30.205	178.778
18	Aric Almirola	30.235	178.601
19	Jamie McMurray	30.235	178.601
20	Greg Biffle	30.256	178.477
21	Ryan Newman	30.296	178.241
22	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	30.344	177.959
23	Kasey Kahne	30.375	177.778
24	Austin Dillon	30.392	177.678
25	A.J. Allmendinger	30.298	178.230
26	Trevor Bayne	30.314	178.136
27	Kyle Larson	30.315	178.130
28	Tony Stewart	30.333	178.024
29	Casey Mears	30.390	177.690
30	Brian Scott	30.476	177.189
31	David Ragan	30.489	177.113
32	Danica Patrick	30.496	177.072
33	Landon Cassill	30.622	176.344
34	J.J. Yeley	30.629	176.304
35	David Gilliland	30.672	176.056
36	Reed Sorenson	30.745	175.638
37	Josh Wise	30.760	175.553	OP
38	Michael McDowell	30.773	175.479	OP
39	Michael Annett	30.877	174.887	OP
40	Blake Koch	30.882	174.859	OP
41	Alex Bowman	30.934	174.565	OP
42	Cole Whitt	31.009	174.143	OP
43	Brett Moffitt	31.069	173.807	OP

* OP = Owner's Points

TV Schedule: Nov. 14-16

Chris Trotman / NASCAR via Getty Images

It all comes down to this.

It's the final race weekend of the NASCAR season. All three series take their bows at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The final four drivers have been set in the Chase, but only one will take home the championship. It's winner-take-all on the last lap.

With the champion decided in Nationwide, the Camping World Truck Series will crown its champion.

The following is a handy guide to track events and TV coverage at Homestead-Miami. All times are in Eastern Standard Time.

Thank you for visiting the Skirts and Scuffs weekly TV schedule throughout the season. Enjoy the final race weekend, and we'll see you in 2015!

Friday, Nov. 14:
11:30 a.m. NNS Practice, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m. NSCS Practice, FOX Sports 1
2 p.m. NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m. NCWTS Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
4 p.m. NNS Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m. NSCS Qualifying, ESPN2
7:30 p.m. NCWTS SetUp, FOX Sports 1
8 p.m. NCWTS: Ford EcoBoost 200, FOX Sports 1. Green flag: 8:18 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 15:
4 a.m. NCWTS Race at Homestead-Miami (re-air), FOX Sports 1
7 a.m. NCWTS Race at Homestead-Miami (re-air), FOX Sports 2
10:30 a.m. NSCS Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Noon NSCS Practice, FOX Sports 1
1 p.m. NNS Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m. NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
3 p.m. NSCS Final Practice, FOX Sports 2.
4 p.m. NNS Countdown, ESPN2
4:30 p.m. NNS: Ford EcoBoost 300, ESPN2. Green flag: 4:45 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 16:
10 a.m. NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Phoenix (tape), FOX Sports 1
Noon NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
1 p.m. NSCS Countdown, ESPN
3 p.m. NSCS: Ford EcoBoost 400, ESPN. Re-airs at 1 a.m. Monday on ESPN2.
7:30 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1

For the Final Time: Five Questions for Homestead

(Credit: Chris Trotman/NASCAR via Getty Images)

I could throw up at this very moment. My stomach is a contorted mess of nervousness and anticipation. I’m shocked I can actually breathe. The racing hasn’t started yet, and I’m already a mess.

This might be an issue.

The sport makes its way to Homestead-Miami Speedway every year, heading to sunny Florida to bid the season adieu. It all comes full-circle in the most mesmerizing and painful way. The greatest things in life have to end. NASCAR is no exception.

What we’ll see this weekend will be thrilling and awe-inducing, something I can’t wait to enjoy. For the final time in 2014, I’m asking five championship-oriented questions for Homestead.

Should we still watch the NASCAR Nationwide Series race? History was made last weekend at Phoenix International Raceway when Chase Elliott clinched the NNS championship via points. He is now the youngest driver to earn the honor, and that is just awesome. It also makes you wonder what you’re doing with your life. Anyway, he has that sewn up, so should we care about watching the actual race? Yes, we should. People are going to complain and justify skipping it by, “It’s going to be The Kyle Busch Show anyway.” I completely understand that Busch will most likely dominate this weekend. However, if you decide to turn it off, I don’t want to hear any complaining about missing racing during the off-season. YOU chose not to watch one of the final races of the year, so it’s YOUR fault. Spend your Saturday doing something else, fine. Just don’t come crying to me.

What about the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title fight? The NCWTS title is still up for grabs, and it hasn’t been talked of much. With everyone focusing on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series news, it’s understandable. It’s mostly between Matt Crafton and Ryan Blaney, who is 25 points behind the lead. The latter driver lost a bit of ground at Phoenix, but he has a secret weapon: his boss, former NSCS champion Brad Keselowski. Blaney mentioned that he’ll speak with BK prior to today’s race, and that could be dangerous. However, Crafton has the obvious advantage; he won the title last year. He’s more experienced and has a different set of ethics, one that may not allow him to take necessary risks. All of it will fall into place today, so tune in and see who comes out on top.

Who’s the champion if none of the Chase contenders win the race? I’ve seen this question asked about a million times already, and it’s getting on my nerves. That’s why I chose to discuss it. There are no “points as they run.” The highest finisher wins the title. That’s that. Because one race decides it all, bonus points are rather pointless (Ha, get it?) So, what if Newman finishes third, and Logano grabs fourth after leading 20 laps? Hello, Newman. It’s designed that way to prevent any sandbagging. It adds a lot of pressure, as it should. The games are over, boys. It’s go time.

Has the new Chase accomplished its goals? It’s time to review the past nine weeks and evaluate the differences between now and last year. The main thing I’m choosing to focus on: excitement. That was the main priority, right? To be perfectly honest, the new format has done an excellent job. It’s created a need to see each race; if you miss one, you’re behind on who’s fighting who. Sure, there are a few kinks, but it’s the first year. We need to be happy NASCAR even made changes. Let’s be appreciative of the attempt and that it’s doing moderately well.

And the champion is …? Homestead is the most important race of the season, and it’s the sole deciding factor in the championship. Newman, Hamlin, Logano and Harvick will battle it out and fight to finish better than their opponents. It’s going to be insane, but someone has to win. Who? Well, let’s look at each driver’s stats for the Florida track. Newman’s record is decent, with one top five and four top 10s. The driver of the No. 4, however, is better; Harvick has five top fives and 11 top 10s. Well, he does have the most starts. Logano seems to be the one with an issue, having one sole top five. Ouch. There is one driver who has a fantastic record and is the favorite: Hamlin. He has two wins, four top fives, and five top 10s at this venue. He’ll drive circles around these guys like they're standing still. I’m choosing him for the win and the title. This format was made for him, and he’ll reap the benefits.

NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: Final Four for the Championship at Homestead

Track Classification: Intermediate

Similar Tracks: Atlanta Motor Speedway • Charlotte Motor Speedway • Chicagoland Speedway  Darlington Raceway • Kansas Speedway • Kentucky Speedway • Las Vegas Motor Speedway

New Hampshire Motor Speedway • Texas Motor Speedway

Distance: 1.5 Miles

Drivers with Most Top 10s (Last 5 Years):

By Race

Kevin Harvick - 5

Martin Truex Jr. - 4  

All with 3 - Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin,  Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson 

By Track

Kevin Harvick - 4  

All with 3 - Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth

Recent Pole Winners:  

2013 Matt Kenseth

2012 Joey Logano

The Likely Suspects: This year the season-ending championship chatter will be minus some notable names, and we will be crowning a first-time champion. Interestingly enough one of our final-four -- Kevin Harvick -- happens to be pretty stellar here at Homestead. Who else shines at Homestead? Looks for these drivers to run well on Sunday: Martin Truex Jr., Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano.  

My 2 Cents: My no-brainer pick this week is a tie between Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth. Jeff Gordon is also a fine choice. This next group is tough for me because all the drivers I want to choose, with the exception of Martin Truex Jr., I can't pick - no starts left! If you got'em, use 'em: Joey Logano and Ryan Newman. In addition to Martin Truex Jr., I am going with Aric Almirola, Greg Biffle and A.J. Allmendinger. I will complete my team with Danica Patrick and Trevor Bayne. 

Enjoy the race. It will definitely be a memorable one, a fitting end to a history-making season. Post your comments here or email me at ssfantasyracing@skirtsandscuffs.com

Fast Facts: Homestead-Miami Speedway

The 2013 Nationwide Series Ford Ecoboost 300 at HMS
credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Four drivers – Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman – head to Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend with hopes of becomimg a first-time Sprint Cup Series champion. Learn more about the track that has hosted Ford Championship Weekend for NASCAR’s top three national series in this week’s Fast Facts.

• The idea for Homestead-Miami Speedway stems from the destruction caused by Hurricane Andrew in Aug. 1992. In an effort to revitalize the area after the storm, promoter Ralph Sanchez presented his idea for a motorsports facility in Sept. 1992; on Aug. 24, 1993 – exactly one year after the Hurricane – groundbreaking for the track took place. The facility currently has a 1.5-mile oval and a 2.1-mile road course.
• The first official NASCAR race at the track was a Busch Series race on Nov. 3, 1995, won by Dale Jarrett. The day before, Geoffrey Bodine won a Truck Series exhibition race at the track.
• The first Cup Series race at the track was on Nov. 14, 1999, won by Tony Stewart. To accommodate the event, the speedway doubled its seating capacity.
• After the Indy Racing League made its initial appearance in 2001, with Sam Hornish Jr. taking the checkered flag, the speedway is awarded NASCAR’s Ford Championship Weekend beginning in 2002: all three of NASCAR’s top series – Trucks, Busch and Cup – would end their seasons at HMS.
• In May 2003, a $12-million track reconfiguration transforms the nearly-flat track to one with 18- to 20-degree variable banking. In Nov. 2005, the first season finales took place under the lights.
• In 2009, HMS hosted season finales for six of North America’s major motorsports series: IndyCar, Firestone Indy Lights, GRAND-AM, Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Truck Series.
• Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart lead all drivers with three wins; Jeff Gordon has the most top fives (seven) and top 10s (11). Jamie McMurray set the track qualifying record in Nov. 2013 (181.111 mph/29.816 seconds).
• It’s in the numbers: in 2009, former IndyCar Series and NASCAR driver Dario Franchitti entered the season finale for the IndyCar Series on Oct. 10 (10/10) driving the No. 10 car for Target Chip Ganassi, looking for the team’s 10^th win of the season. He won the race as well as the championship – no, not by 10 – by 11 points over Scott Dixon.
• Find out more about Homestead-Miami Speedway at www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com. 

Travel Tips: Homestead-Miami Speedway – Nov. 13-16, 2014

The 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup will be decided this weekend during Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Florida, taking place Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 13-16. While the Nationwide Series title was decided at Phoenix, the Camping World Truck Series is still up for grabs going into the series’ final race.

The Championship Taste returns to the track this season on Thursday, Nov. 13 from 6 to 10 p.m. ET. The food tasting event takes place at the speedway’s Chalet Village and features more than two dozen of South Florida’s top restaurants. The event is open to the public and benefits the NASCAR Foundation – find out more here.

On Saturday, Nov. 15 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. ET, the Hot Rods and Reels Charity Fishing Tournament takes place on the infield lake at HMS. The event, which benefits the Darrell Gwynn Foundation and Speediatrics, allows fans to spend quality one-on-one time with top NASCAR personalities; past participants have included Tony Stewart, Kyle Petty, Ryan Newman and Ken Schrader. Find out more about the tournament and sign up here.

The interactive schedule for the weekend features driver appearances as well as live entertainment taking place at the track throughout the weekend – check it out here.

Key on-track times:

Thursday, Nov. 13 –

• Camping World Truck Series practice – 1 and 2:30 p.m. ET

Friday, Nov. 14 –

• Nationwide Series practice – 11:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET
• Sprint Cup Series practice – 12:30 p.m. ET
• Camping World Truck Series qualifying – 2:45 p.m. ET
• Sprint Cup Series qualifying – 6:15 p.m. ET
• Camping World Truck Series Ford EcoBoost 200 – 8 p.m. ET

Saturday, Nov. 15 –

• Sprint Cup Series practice – noon and 3 p.m. ET
• Nationwide Series qualifying – 1:15 p.m. ET
• Nationwide Series Ford EcoBoost 300 – 4:30 p.m. ET

Sunday, Nov. 16 –

• Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 – 3 p.m. ET

Find out more about the weekend and purchase tickets at www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com.

Chase Elliott Becomes Youngest NASCAR Nationwide Champion

Credit:Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images  

Even though it was Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Nationwide Series victory lane at Phoenix International Raceway, the siren still wailed at the Dawsonville Pool Room in Dawsonville, Georgia. Chase Elliott's fifth-place finish in Saturday's DAV 200 allowed him to clinch the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.

The iconic siren sounded whenever native son Bill Elliott won a race. It fell silent for over a decade after Awesome Bill's last win, but has seen action in the last year as the 1988 Winston Cup Champion's son Chase showed he's got the right stuff to win races.

In just his first full season in a top-tier series, Elliott already has a place in the record book as the youngest champion in NASCAR national series history, and he's the first rookie to win a national series championship.

The JR Motorsports No. 9 NAPA Chevy team has quite the pedigree.

First there's the driver, of course. He and his father are the fifth father/son combo to win NASCAR national series championships.

Then there's the owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of seven-time Winston Cup Champion Dale Earnhardt, himself a two-time Busch Series Champion. Crew chief Greg Ives earned five Sprint Cup Championships with the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team of Jimmie Johnson. Car chief Travis Mack worked on Frank Kimmel's ARCA team, which won three championships during Mack's tenure. Spotter Earl Barban's other driver is six-time Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson. Even sponsor NAPA has a pair of Craftsman Truck Series Championships.

With a confluence of skill and resources such as Chase Elliott had this season, he had a leg up on the competition from the start.

Hard to believe last year at this time, Elliott didn't have a deal for 2014.

"A a year ago at this time we had nothing, absolutely nothing," said Bill Elliott as Jerry Punch interviewed him on-camera after the race. "It wasn't until the end of December, first of January that we put this deal together with NAPA, with JRM and Rick and all the guys. For us, it was a miracle. It was a miracle to have anything, and then to come into this season and have the year this kid has had has been beyond belief."

When asked about his son, Bill said, "He's a very smart driver and individual. He knows what he wants in his race car, and I think that's 90% of the game. And if he can keep going in that direction, he'll be as good as they come."

Young Elliott accumulated three wins, 16 top fives, and 26 top tens during the season. With no DNFs to this point, he had an average finish of 7.8.

Beyond the pedigree and the numbers, Elliott showed a level of poise and composure remarkable in drivers twice his age. Polite, soft-spoken, almost monotone, the young champion doesn't seem to let anything shake him.

Despite Elliott's success this season, the owners involved are resisting any temptation to put him in a Cup ride next season. He'll be with the same team again in 2015, though with a new crew chief. Ernie Cope takes over atop the pit box as Ives moves to the No. 88 Sprint Cup team of Earnhardt Jr.

No doubt Elliott will take the change in stride. The residents of Dawsonville should expect to be serenaded by the siren for many years to come.

TV Schedule: Nov. 7-9

Phoenix International Raceway. Credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Images

NASCAR heads to the desert - Phoenix International Raceway - for the second-to-last race weekend of the season.

The Sprint Cup Chase field will be cut from 8 drivers to just 4 to battle for the title next week at Homestead. With the new Chase format creating drama, what kinds of emotions will we see from the drivers at Phoenix?

The following is a handy guide to track activity and television coverage at Phoenix. All times are in Eastern Standard Time.

Friday, Nov. 7: 
Noon NNS Practice, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m. NSCS Practice, FOX Sports 1
3 p.m. NNS Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m. NCWTS Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m. NSCS Qualifying, ESPN2
8 p.m. NCWTS SetUp, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m. NCWTS: Lucas Oil 150, FOX Sports 1. Green flag: 8:48 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 8:
4 a.m. NCWTS Race at Phoenix (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11:30 a.m. NSCS Practice, FOX Sports 2
12:30 p.m. NNS Qualifying, FOX Sports 2
2 p.m. NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 2
2:30 p.m. NSCS Final Practice, FOX Sports 2
3 p.m. NNS Countdown, ESPN
4 p.m. NNS: DAV 200 - Honoring America's Veterans, ESPN. Green flag: 4:15 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 9:
11 a.m. NSCS Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 2
Noon NSCS Final Practice (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1 p.m. NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 1
2 p.m. NSCS Countdown, ESPN
3 p.m. NSCS: Quicken Loands Race for Heroes 500, ESPN. Green flag: 3:15 p.m. Re-airs at 12:30 a.m. Monday on ESPN2.
7 p.m. NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1

The Hunted: Five Questions for Phoenix

Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Gosh, I love it when there’s a lot to talk about in racing.

Nothing is more angering than struggling to find a writing topic. You sit there for three hours, bash your head into a wall, and then finally scrounge something up. Is it your best work? HA, no. But at least the pain and suffering is over – for now.

Luckily, I didn’t have that issue this weekend. NASCAR is full of storylines, from fight night to eliminations to a possible baby-faced champion. Five Questions is back and in high gear as the sport heads to Phoenix International Raceway, the last stop before the championship event at Miami-Homestead. Things are going to get HOT in the desert, just wait.

Elliott’s success: impressive or concerning? Chase Elliott has a bit of a weight on his shoulders going into Phoenix; he has the (very realistic) possibility to clinch the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series title. The implications of this achievement would be huge. He would become the youngest NNS champion in series history. His successes leave many awestruck, yes, but should we be worried about him peaking too early? This was discussed earlier this year when he went on a hot streak. My stance on the matter is simple: we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. I jumped the gun last year after they announced Kyle Larson’s foray into NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, saying that it was too soon and risky. Can we all just bask in how wrong I was? Elliott has tons of support – from fans, peers, idols, and team owners alike. He’s just that good, and that should be the main focus.

Will this elimination be the most dramatic one yet? The Jaws theme song will reach its crescendo Sunday as four more drivers are let go. As the last race before the season finale, it’s bound to get intense. Heck, every race has been intense. Phoenix will be different in a special way; it’s the final final chance to go for the championship. Any ounce of pressure is magnified by a million at this point. Following the melee at Texas Motor Speedway adds even more. Not only are Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski on the outside looking in, but people are expecting the race to thrill and excite. Will it live up to standards?

Does the fighting help or hinder the sport as a whole? I previously mentioned “melee” from Texas. If you’ve been living under a rock, Keselowski and Jeff Gordon are mad at each other. Big time. They argued on pit road, Harvick shoved Keselowski, and that’s when Gordon grabbed the collar of his Miller Lite firesuit. Crew members joined in instantly, which is when fists began to fly. This is just weeks after the now-infamous Keselowski tackle carried out by Matt Kenseth. It’s insane, and it’s only going to continue. This is an organic byproduct of the new Chase format, and I absolutely love it. Hard racing? Good. Passionate arguing? Goooood. At this point in NASCAR’s existence, any publicity is good publicity. Besides, this gives them fuel for their marketing campaigns for the next three years or so.  

Who has the target on their back this weekend? Fighting often leads to apologizing, although that element has been lacking these past few weeks. Nobody is sorry for being competitive and angry. While many are agreeing to disagree, it seems like many drivers are together on one thing: they dislike Keselowski. Gordon, Harvick, Kenseth; you name a driver, and they have a bone to pick with the drive of the No. 2, no matter how small. I would say that he needs to watch his back, yet that’s not true; to be concerned would mean that he’s scared, and he isn’t. Keselowski is the complete opposite of scared at this point because he’s prepared to go all out. If Gordon wants to go out there and wreck him intentionally, he’s got another thing coming. What fans fail to acknowledge is that Keselowski is intelligent. He’s a very strategic person and race car driver. He knows people are out to get him, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s already thought of how to deal with it on-track. The hunters may soon be the hunted.

Is it a good thing that our new champion could be winless? Buckle up, because a rant is coming your way. The “elite eight” are being trimmed down to the “final four,” and the standings look very interesting heading in. Why? Because Ryan Newman is sitting third, and Kenseth is one point out of fourth. Many are thrilled about this shake-up; I am more reserved. NASCAR preached the idea of “win and you’re in” the ENTIRE regular season and the ENTIRE Chase thus far. Yet, it’s a walking contradiction. It’s not fair, no, but life isn’t fair. I’ve always said that, and I stand by it. I’m worried that – if Newman or Kenseth win it all — the sanctioning body will alter the entire format. That idea is worse than Bruce Jenner opting for plastic surgery. If one little thing is wrong, NASCAR wants to tear the entire machine apart. It doesn’t – and shouldn’t — have to work that way. Give it time. The long run will prove that it’s working perfectly fine.

NASCAR Fantasy Fusion: Phoenix Final Four Fireworks on Tap

Track Classification: Short Track

Similar Tracks: Bristol Motor Speedway • Dover International Speedway 

Martinsville Speedway • Richmond International Raceway

Distance: 1 Mile

Drivers with Most Top 10s (Last 5 Years):

By Race

Both with 4 - Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch  

All with 3 - Kevin Harvick, Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson 

By Track

Both with 7 - Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman

Both with 6 - Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch

All with 5 - Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon and Joey Logano

Recent Pole Winners:

2013 Jimmie Johnson
2012 Kyle Busch

The Likely Suspects: Hendrick Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing drivers are the traditional masters at Phoenix, however with so much on the line anything can and will happen! I recommend focusing on these drivers this week: Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.

My 2 Cents: To say this week's race will be drama-filled is quite the understatement. No matter who is on your fantasy team this week, it will be memorable. My no-brainer pick is last week's winner Johnson, followed closely by Newman. My next picks are Harvick, Greg Biffle, A.J. Allmendinger; and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. I will complete my team with Danica Patrick and Justin Allgaier. If you have Logano and Keselowski starts left (I don't), swap them out for Allmendinger and Stenhouse Jr.

Enjoy the race! Post your comments here or email me at ssfantasyracing@skirtsandscuffs.com

Is There Too Much Drama in NASCAR?

The famous Yarborough vs. Allison brothers fight after the Daytona 500, Feb. 18, 1979.
Credit: ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images     

My mother hated drama. She was an elementary school teacher, so she watched countless dramas unfold throughout her workday. There was the girl who pitched a fit because she didn't get invited to the slumber party of the year. There was the straight-A student who howled over the B he received on a pop quiz. There was the athlete who caused a scene in front of his friends when the coach refused to let him play because he’d missed practice. She saw it all. And she spent much of her time trying to curb the drama.

She would hate today's NASCAR. There’s too much drama.

Of course, that’s by design. Someone made the decision that the sport which rose to national acclaim because of an on-track fistfight in 1979 didn't have enough drama. So in recent years, it's been redesigned -- again and again.

A driver won the championship just by being consistent? Change the way the championship is decided.

A driver won the championship in consecutive years? Change the number of drivers gunning for the title.

Still not happy? Force drivers out of the title hunt after a few races and compete in a playoff-style format. Make them desperate for every spot on the track. And watch tempers flare when something doesn't go the way a driver thinks it should.

We've spent nearly a week talking about the post-race melee at the AAA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Anybody remember who won that race? In case you've forgotten, the current champion took home the six-shooters in Victory Lane. Though many are riled at the mere mention of his name, Jimmie Johnson is a champion who’s carried the banner well for this sport for six years. 


Jimmie Johnson after his win at TMS, Nov. 2, 2014.
Credit: Debbie Ross for Skirts and Scuffs

However, some fans have grown weary of him and the other professional, articulate champions who represent themselves, their sponsors and their sport with dignity and class. They’re the drivers who execute well on and off the track because they've earned the respect of their competitors. They’re skilled drivers who race one another with a cool head. If they have an on-track incident, they discuss it calmly and move on. And for their talents and their class, they’re ridiculed as boring and “vanilla.”

Just like in other sports, there’s room for everyone. If you have a difference of opinion, that’s OK. One of the great things about NASCAR is the community of its fans. Think about it. When a fan attends any other sporting event, he’s generally relegated to one side of the venue or another. At a NASCAR race, fans of all drivers sit together … and get along. Maybe, from time-to-time, some of the drivers could try to do that, too.

Hey, did I tell you that I went to a NASCAR race last week and a hockey match broke out?

One Fan's Opinion: NASCAR's New Chase Format Encourages Hard Racing

Brad Keselowski sports fat lip, bruised eye in post-race presser at Texas Motor Speedway

Credit: Debbie Ross, Skirts and Scuffs  

With the 2014 Chase format, we've seen the drivers fired up even more than they normally are at the end of the season. We've clearly seen their aggression and passion in each race. We've seen drivers taking risks and drivers not afraid to battle hard for wins.

This Chase format is all about winning and running well consistently to advance. If you don’t win or don’t finish consistently near the top, you’re simply out.

In Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski made a dicey move in the final laps of the race. Keselowski saw a hole and dive-bombed, taking the spot. However, while taking that opening, he made contact with the No. 24 of Jeff Gordon, resulting in a cut tire that sent Gordon’s car spinning to a 29th place finish. A huge brawl ensued on pit road between the No. 2 pit crew and the No. 24 crew.

Who was right? Who was wrong?

In my opinion, no one is wrong in this situation.

What we have is hard racing with drivers taking risks to ensure their spots in the final showdown in Homestead. What driver in his right mind wouldn’t make that last-second gutsy move to possibly win the race?

You also can’t fault Gordon for his anger. It shows just how much this new Chase format has all the drivers, even a four-time champion, feeling the pressure.

This type of hard-nosed racing is what the fans have wanted to see. Drivers are no longer saying the dreaded “good points day for us” anymore. Instead, fans are seeing their drivers battle hard to contend for wins.

Even drivers that won’t advance are still battling hard for wins. Look at Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Martinsville. He didn't have a Chase berth on the line, but he raced hard the whole day to get the win. Look at Jimmie Johnson who battled at Texas Sunday and won despite having already been eliminated.

There’s been a new feeling in the garage this season. The desire to win. Sure, drivers always want to win, but this Chase format has heightened that desire like never before. And I like it. 

Faith on the Frontstretch: Don’t Let Bad Advice Push You into a Pit Road Brawl

Kevin Harvick during driver introductions at Texas Motor Speedway, Nov. 2, 2014.  

“ ... and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” ~ Hebrews 12:1b

Threading the needle isn’t anything new in NASCAR. When a driver sees a line open up and forces his nose between competitors, sometimes the move takes him to Victory Lane. But it could also cause a wreck and earn him a fat lip. On Sunday in Texas, Brad Keselowski took the latter route, mostly as the result of a little unsolicited advice.

If you missed the post-race coverage, here’s a quick recap.

When contact from the No. 2 car cut his left rear tire sending him for a spin and a 29th-place finish, Jeff Gordon was understandably riled. Gordon parked alongside Keselowski on pit road and approached the Penske driver. Surrounded by a throng of racing personnel, the two engaged in a heated, but non-physical, verbal confrontation. For a second, the situation appeared to be winding down as Keselowski put on a ball cap and turned away. Enter Kevin Harvick, stage right.

Harvick pushed Keselowski back toward Gordon, igniting a knock-down, fists-a-flyin’ brawl amongst crew members and drivers that ended with bloody lips on both sides. Interestingly, Harvick didn’t think he was culpable in the incident.

“I didn't get in the middle of anything,” Harvick said. “I just turned him around and told him to go fight his own fight.”

Keselowski didn’t have a chance to accept or decline the meddling advice because the scrum escalated around him, like a spark on dryer lint.

That happens in our personal lives on occasion. Sometimes people offer unsolicited advice or intervene in your situation without invitation. But a little push doesn’t have to end in a brawl. You don’t have to listen to unwelcome counsel.

When you’re stumped, you can get superior advice from God -- without hostility or drama or a fat lip.

Why should you listen to God’s advice?

He’s sovereign. He knows all sides of your struggles. Even though you may be totally stumped and frustrated about something, He knows the best “next step” for you to take. But He won’t shove you in that direction. Nope, God is a gentleman. He’ll wait for you to ask for advice.

He’s wise. God is the valedictorian of the universe, but in a time-and-space-don’t-matter way. He understands every angle of a situation and knows what the outcome of various decisions will be.

Best of all, God loves you. He never bails on people who seek His help. In fact, the Bible contains stories about people who took God’s advice and received blessings, not blows.

If you’re feeling beat up by pushy advice, walk away. Walk toward God, and seek His perfect guidance.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!      ~ Romans 11:33 (NASB)
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“Faith on the Frontstretch” appears every 1st & 3rd Wednesday and explores the role of faith in motorsports. Follow on twitter at @bbreinke.

Want more racing devotions? When you donate $25 to Skirts and Scuffs, we’ll send you a complimentary copy of Beth’s book, Race Fans’ Devotions to Go, a month-long, pocket-sized devotional book for NASCAR fans. Or you can purchase the book in paperback & ebook here.

Fast Facts: Phoenix International Raceway

Credit: Getty Images/Chris Trotman

Phoenix International Raceway will set the stage for this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup championship battle, as the four top drivers from the Eliminator Round will advance to the Championship Round on November 16^th at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Learn more about PIR in this week’s Fast Facts.

• January 1964 was the completion date of Phoenix International Raceway. The track originally included a 2.5-mile road course, which became a 1.51-mile track in 1991, and a one-mile oval.  Sports car driver Davey MacDonald won the first event at PIR on the road course on February 16^th, 1964; five weeks later on March 22^nd, A.J. Foyt won the first oval-track race at PIR.
• The first “Copper World Classic” was contested in February 1977. The Classic was a special event for USAC Midget and Silver Crown cars, featuring two road course races and two oval-track races.
• In July 1987, NASCAR announces the first Cup Series race at the track, taking place November 1988. That race, the Checker 500, was won by Alan Kulwicki, his first career Cup Series win; he celebrated by making the first “Polish victory lap” around the oval.
• On February 5^th, 1995, the NASCAR SuperTruck Series – now the Camping World Truck Series – made its national debut at PIR – Mike Skinner won the Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic. The series’ final race of the regular season, the GM Goodwrench/Delco Battery 200 was also held at PIR, with Skinner visiting victory lane once again in October.
• The first NASCAR Busch Series – now Nationwide Series – race was held at PIR in November 1999, with former Copper World Classic winner Jeff Gordon going to victory lane.
•  In 2004, it was announced that the Cup Series would get a second weekend at PIR beginning in 2005. During the winter of 2004-05, lights were installed at PIR. The first night race was the first spring race in April 2005, won by Kurt Busch.
• Brad Keselowski holds the track qualifying record at PIR – 139.384 mph (25.828 seconds). Ryan Newman has the most poles at the track (four), while Kevin Harvick has the most wins (five).

Find out more about Phoenix International Raceway at www.phoenixraceway.com.

A look inside a NASCAR hot garage at Texas Motor Speedway

Sprint Cup garage, Texas Motor Speedway, Nov. 1, 2014
credit: Lisa Janine Cloud/Skirts and Scuffs  

There's really no feeling like being in a hot garage.

No, not your two-car-attached garage in August, but a NASCAR garage while engines are fired and
drivers guide the 3400 lb. missiles through throngs of people. The fans gather, hoping to get a glimpse of their heroes, or if they're bold and lucky enough, an autograph or photo.

Team owner  Richard Petty heading to the No. 43 garage
credit: Lisa Janine Cloud/Skirts and Scuffs  

The garage is "hot" when engines are fired and cars are moving under power, such as during practices, qualifying, and for a set amount of time before, during and after a race. A special credential, or "pass" is required to go into a hot garage or into hot pits. Cold passes are available to allow entrance into the garage during down times, but you have a better chance of seeing a driver when the garage is hot.

The first thing you notice is the sound.  The sweet, sweet sound of eight-cylinders firing in a 875-hp, gasoline-fed engine that growls and echos off the concrete walls, despite the sea of human bodies that should mute the roar, but instead causes them to vibrate in tune with their throaty song.

Steve Letarte follows Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the No. 88 stall.
credit: Lisa Janine Cloud/Skirts and Scuffs

Then there's the smell. With a base of exhaust fumes, a middle of raw fuel, and top notes of rubber and lubricants, with the occasional whiff of grilling meat from the team haulers, the scent of a hot garage is intoxicating. When you walk away, it lingers on your skin like a fine perfume.

Urgency radiates from crew members who either run or walk at a purposeful clip. With a limited window in which to tune their cars and their destiny, every moment is precious. They can only do so much in the pits once the green flag flies, so they must make the most of the time they have.

Danica Patrick's crew pushes the No. 10 car into its stall
credit: Lisa Janine Cloud/Skirts and Scuffs

From the brightly-painted haulers to the crew uniforms and driver firesuits to the spectators' attire that broadcasts - often loudly - their favorite drivers, a NASCAR garage always presents a visual feast of colors and textures.

And finally, there's the sound.

Yes, I know I listed that first, but really, the sound is the first and last thing you notice. At Texas
Motor Speedway, the garage is fairly deep into the infield, but you can still hear and feel the cars on the track. You may not be able to see them all the way around it without the help of Big Hoss TV, but you can hear them as they circle the mile-and-a-half track, engines screaming as they launch into the high-banked turns and wailing as they dive down the straightaways.

As the cars speed out of the garage and onto the track or as they re-enter from the track, the rumble bounces off of the walls and vibrates through your body.

Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin heading out to the track
credit: Lisa Janine Cloud/Skirts and Scuffs

When the engines shut off at the end of the session, the silence is almost as deafening as the din was. Crew members push cars back to their stalls. Everything and everyone slows down.

Until the next time the garage goes hot.

No. 4 crew pushing the car back to the stall
credit: Lisa Janine Cloud/Skirts and Scuffs