By Michael Pedro
It’s been a wild ride, but NASCAR’s historic 75th season has reached its conclusion. The season had its surprises, like seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson making his grand return behind the wheel, veteran driver Kevin Harvick announcing his retirement after 22 years behind the wheel, and NASCAR hosting its first-ever street race, won by Supercars Championship veteran Shane Van Gisbergen, this season definitely had its sparks of brilliance. However, there were still champions to be crowned in Phoenix.
We’ll begin with the Truck Series, which had the most laughable championship race in a very long time, if not ever. By the final stage, trucks were ramming into each other like it was a demolition derby. Championship contenders Carson Hocevar and Corey Heim took each other out of contention, leaving Ben Rhodes and Grant Enfinger to battle for the championship. In the end, Rhodes would walk away with the victory, being the first champion of the week. However, the racing at the end was so terrible that NASCAR drivers and fans alike were slamming it on social media. In total, there were 26 extra laps tacked on due to the numerous crashes at the end. That didn’t stop Rhodes, as he’d clinch his second championship for ThorSport Racing.
The next day, the Xfinity Series ran their championship race. Compared to the anarchy that broke loose in the Truck Series race the night prior, this race was surprisingly tame. On a late-race restart, all of the championship contenders were coincidentally lined up at the front of the field, leading to a great battle for the win. Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing would take home the championship after the dust settled.
Finally, it was time for the third champion to be decided. The Cup Series took to the track to crown their champion. By Stage 2, one of the contenders had already been written out of contention. A poorly-timed brake issue would spell an early end to Christopher Bell’s race, as he would be the first and only championship contender not to finish the race. By Stage 3, the racing was heating up, as the remaining three contenders were duking it out as the laps wound down. As the checkered flag waved, it would be Ryan Blaney beating the Hendrick Motorsports duo of William Byron and Kyle Larson to the line, granting him his first NASCAR championship and the second in a row for Team Penske.
In conclusion, this was a solid season. Ford swept the weekend’s driver championships, marking the first time a manufacturer had swept all three series since the Playoffs format had been introduced. The manufacturer championships were all won by Chevrolet, as they had accumulated the most points in total in each series. NASCAR has big plans going into next season, and many fans are waiting to see what happens next. Here’s to the next 75 seasons!
