Looking in the Rearview Mirror: Crowning Achievements

We’ve ended the 2012 season, only 97 days till the Daytona 500.

What a season it has been, but we approach the off season with driver changes and the Gen 6 (aka new car).

 

The weekend started off with the Camping World Truck series.

Kligerman was on the pole and took the lead on the green flag.

Lap 6 found Piquet Jr to the lead

Lap 14 the top five are Piquet Jr, Kyle Busch, Kligerman, Larson and Dillon

By lap 21 there are 27 trucks on the lead lap with Jones and Koch out

Lap 25 top five are Piquet Jr, Kyle Busch, Larson, Kligerman and Crafton

Lap 32 Running order Piquet Jr,Kyle Busch,Larson,Kligerman,Crafton,Gale,Dillon,Sauter,Blaney,Paludo,Buescher,Coulter,Peters and Bodine

Only 16 trucks on the lead lap.

Lap 36 caution is out for debris

Leaders pit with Kyle Busch off pit road first.

Restart lap 40 Kyle Busch to the lead followed by Piquet Jr, Larson, Kligerman, Dillon, Crafton, Blaney, Gale, Coulter and Buescher

Brian Silas cuts a right front tire and goes into the wall bringing out the caution on lap 44

There are 18 trucks on the lead lap at this point.

Restart lap 49 Kyle Busch to lead followed by Kligerman, Larson and Piquet Jr

Lap 58 Larson leads Piquet Jr, Kyle Busch, Kligerman and Crafton with 17 trucks on the lead lap

73 laps to go Larson lead Piquet Jr, Kyle Busch, Kligerman and Crafton

55 laps to go Larson lead Kyle Busch, Piquet Jr, Kligerman, Crafton, Dillon, Gale, Sauter, Buescher and Coulter

Lap 86 green flag stops start and Leffler gets busted for speeding

Larson cycles back to the lead followed by Kyle Busch, Piquet Jr, Kligerman, Crafton, Dillon, Gale, Sauter, Coulter, Blaney, Peters and Buescher

Lap 126 caution for Gresham in the wall

30 laps to go only 12 cars on the lead lap

Sauter takes 2 tires and is off pit road first

Restart with 26 to go and its 4 wide for 3rd position

Sauter and Kyle Busch battle for the lead with Busch getting the lead on lap 109

13 to go Sauter and Larson bounce off each other

10 to go Kyle Busch and Crafton battling for the lead, caution comes out for Gresham in the wall again

Restart Kyle Busch, Crafton, Larson, Sauter, Kligerman, Dillon, Piquet Jr, Coulter, Buescher and Gale

Kyle Busch gets the lead with 5 to go

Caution as Larson gets into Dillon and Blaney

Red flag to clean up the mess

Dillon penalized for passing the pace truck and will lose a lap

Green White Checkers with Kyle Busch to the lead

Busch and Gale battle on the final 2 laps

Gale wins followed by Kyle Busch, Coulter, Piquet Jr, Paludo and Sauter

Buescher wins the Championship.

There were 16 different winners in 22 races. The race at Homestead tied for 6th closest truck finish at .014.

Ty Dillon is the Rookie of the year. Turner Motorsports won the owners championship.

Kyle Busch on the pole for the Nationwide race, and takes the lead on the green

Lap 8 Sadler to the lead then Kyle Busch back to lead on the cross over.

Lap 11 top five are Kyle Busch, Sadler, Stenhouse Jr, Dillon and Allgaier

Lap 15 running order Kyle Busch, Sadler,Stenhouse Jr,Dillon,Allgaier,Scott, Smith,Hornish Jr,Whitt,Logano,Blaney,Patrick,Gaughan,Sweet,Coulter,Truex,Lagasse Jr,Koch,Bliss and Clements

Lap 32 Kyle Busch, Sadler, Stenhoues Jr, Smith and Dillon

Lap 40 Kyle Busch has a 7 second lead over Sadler, only 22 cars on the lead lap

Lap 48 Green flag stops start

Lap 51 Kyle Busch cycles back to the lead followed by Smith, Sadler, Stenhouse Jr, Hornish JR, Gaughan, Dillon, Allgaier and Logano

There are only 17 cars on the lead lap

Sadler is concerned he ran over debris

Lap 60 Kyle Busch, Smith, Sadler,Stenhouse Jr,Hornish Jr,Scott,Dillon,Gaughan,Allgaier,Logano,Blaney,Whitt,Lagasse Jr and Sweet. Kyle Busch has a 9 second lead

Lap 67 caution Lagasse Jr hit the wall in turn 4

Stenhouse Jr first off pit road with gas only but Sadler stayed out.

Lap 71 restart Kyle Busch makes it 3 wide for the lead

Lap 72 caution for Richardson Jr spin

Jet dryer blew a motor or something reason why extra-long yellow, there was a little bit of fire and oil on the track

Lap 82 restart Kyle Busch to the lead

Lap 85 Kyle Busch,Sadler,Smith,Stenhouse Jr,Allgaier,Gaughan,Hornish Jr,Sweet,Whitt,Scott,Blaney and Dillon

Lap 194 Caution for Richardson Jr spin again turn 4

Hornish Jr off pit road first, Sadler had to pit again for missing lugnut

Patrick did not pit

Lap 100 restart with Hornish Jr to the lead followed by Kyle Busch, Smith, Allgaier, Dillon, Scott, Gaughan and Whitt

95 to go Dillon goes to the lead

94 to go Dillon,Hornish Jr,Smith,Stenhouse Jr,Blaney,Kyle Busch,Gaughan,Allgaier,Sweet and Whitt

80 to go Dillon,stenhouse Jr, Smith,Gaughan,Sadler,Blaney, Hornish Jr,Sweet and Kyle Busch

69 to go Dillon has an 8 second lead over Stenhouse Jr, Smith, Sadler and Gaughan

54 to go green flag stops start and cycles back to Dillon with 47 laps to go

With 40 laps remaining Dillon has a 3.2 second lead

36 laps to go Dillon, Smith, Sadler, Gaughan, Stenhouse Jr, Hornish Jr, Sweet, Blaney and Kyle Busch

Lap 173 Caution in debris 1

Dillon first off pit road but Swindell stayed out

22 to go restart and 4 wide for the lead with Smith taking the lead

Lap 180 caution on the back stretch as Long crashed with help from Logano

Restart with 15 to go Smith, Dillon, Kyle Busch, Sadler, Stenhouse Jr, Gaughan, Blaney, Hornish Jr, Whitt and Scott

20 cars on the lead lap

Calinoff scolding Stenhouse Jr not to race.

Smith wins followed by Kyle Busch, Gaughan, Hornish Jr, Dillon, Stenhouse Jr and Scott

Stenhouse Jr wins his second championship

The 18 car winners Owners championship

Dillon wins Rookie of the year

In the Sprint Cup series, Logano wins the pole but started from the back after a practice wreck with Biffle and Hamlin, thus giving Keselowski the pole. Ambrose controls the start of the race

Lap 11 Ambrose, Edwards, Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Keselowski, Truex Jr, Kenseth, Martin, Almirola and Johnson

Lap 16 Kyle Busch the leader

Lap 20 Kyle Busch, Edwards, Ambrose, Bowyer, Keselowski, Kenseth, Truex Jr, Martin, Kahne and Johnson

Lap 35 there are 32 cars on the lead lap and 2 cars out

Lap 45 green flag pit stops start and cycle back through to Kyle Busch

Lap 52, Kyle busch,Edwards,Bowyer,Truex Jr,Kenseth,Ambrose,Johnson,Kahne, Keselowski,Gordon,Almirola and Menard only 26 cars on lead lap

Lap 57 finds Johnson and Keselowski side by side battling for 7th

Lap 65 finds Kyle Busch 3 seconds over Edwards, Bowyer, Kenseth, Truex Jr, Ambrose, Keselowski and Johnson

Lap 75 Kyle Busch, Edwards, Bowyer, Kenseth, Truex Jr, Johnson, Keselowski, Gordon and Kahne

Lap 78 caution for debris on the back stretch

Kyle Busch off pit road first, Keselowski had trouble on the right read

Lap 82 after stops Kyle Busch,Edwards,Truex Jr,Kenseth,Bowyer,Johnson,Gordon,Newman,Almirola,Ambrose,Martin,Kurt Busch and Keselowski

Restart lap 84 Kyle Busch to the lead

Lap 93 Kyle Busch, Truex Jr, Kenseth, Bowyer, Johnson, Gordon, Edwards, Almirola, Keselowski and Ambrose

Lap 116 Kyle Busch and Truex Jr battle for the lead

Lap 118 Truex Jr to the lead

Lap 120 Truex Jr, Kyle busch, Gordon, Johnson, Kenseth, Bowyer, Almirola, Newman, Kahne and Keselowski

Lap 128 green flag pit stops start

Lap 132 Kyle Busch cycles back to the lead after stops

Halfway and Kyle Busch leads

Lap 135 Kyle Busch,Truex Jr,Johnson,Gordon,Bowyer,Almirola,Kenseth,Newman,Kahne,Edwards,Kurt Busch,Keselowski,Hornish Jr,Logano and Menard

Lap 142 caution for debris

Johnson takes 2 tires and is off pit road first, Keselowski takes 4 tires

Lap 149 restart Johnson to the lead

Lap 150 Johnson,Kenseth,Kahne,Kyle Busch,Almirola,Truex Jr,Menard,Kurt Busch, Earnhardt Jr,Gordon,Logano,Edwards and Keselowski

Lap 153 caution turn 3 Stenhouse Jr

Johnson pitting 2 tires and fuel Keselowski stayed out

Lap 162 restart and Kahne to the lead

Lap 163 Kyle Busch to the lead over Kahne, Truex Jr, Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Hornish Jr, Johnson, Gordon, Bowyer and Newman

Lap 166 Kahne to the lead then Kyle Busch with slide job as they battle for the lead Kyle Busch keeps the lead

Lap 180 Kyle Busch, Kahne, Truex Jr, Johnson, Gordon, Bowyer, Kenseth, Almirola, Kurt Busch, Hornish Jr and Keselowski

70 to go Pit stops start with Edwards pitting

66 to go Kahne to the lead

65 to go Johnson to the lead

64 to go Johnson,Gordon,Bowyer,Almirola,Kurt Busch,Keselowski,Newman,Earnhardt Jr,Harvick,Biffle,Menard,Logano,Ambrose,Martin,McMurray

Kahne gets a pit road speeding penalty

58 to go Johnson, Gordon, Bowyer, Almirola, Kurt Busch, Newman, Harvick, Biffle Earnhardt Jr and Menard

Keselowski cannot make it to the end on gas

54 to go Johnson pits 4 tires fuel but missed a lug on the left rear

53 to go Kyle Busch to the lead

45 to go Kyle Busch,Truex Jr,Edwards,Kenseth,Almirola,Bowyer, Gordon,Keselowski,Hornish Jr, Kurt Busch and Newman Johnson is in 25th 1 lap down

Johnson has had something happen and gone to the garage

33 to go Kyle Busch leads Truex Jr, Gordon, Edwards, Bowyer, Kenseth, Almirola, Keselowski, Kurt Busch and Hornish Jr

19 to go Keselowski pits

13 to go Gordon to the lead

11 to go Gordon, Bowyer, Almirola, Kurt Busch, Newman, Biffle, Harvick, Logano, Earnhardt Jr and Ambrose

Gordon wins followed by Bowyer, Newman, Kyle Busch, Biffle, Truex Jr, Almirola, Harvick, Kurt Busch and Earnhardt Jr

Keselowski wins Championship

Gordon has won at all active tracks but Kentucky

Johnson had 6 DNF’s tied with Kurt Busch for the most among full time drivers this year.

Wolfe is the first crew Chief to win both sprint cup and Nationwide championships

Random stat Kurt and Kyle Busch each have 24 Sprint Cup wins in their respective careers now, tying them for 26th best.

Keselowski matched or bettered career Cup finish at 16 of the 23 tracks this year.

Keselowski won the title in 125th career start the fewest since Gordon in 1995.

So until Daytona bye for the season.