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Sports

Nationwide Series owners' title to be decided at Homestead

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Homestead, FL (SportsNetwork.com) - While Chase Elliott has already clinched the 2014 Nationwide Series drivers' championship, the owners' title will be decided in Saturday's season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Elliott, at 18 years old, became the youngest champion in the history of NASCAR's second-tier series. He clinched the title with a fifth-place finish in last Saturday's race at Phoenix.

Heading into the last race of the season, Elliott holds a 52-point advantage over second-place and JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith. Elliott will officially be crowned as the series champion when the race at Homestead has concluded.

"It's really not official until Saturday night," Elliott said. "So we'll kind of let it sink in then, and certainly we'll enjoy it this offseason and just enjoy the weekend."

As for the owners' title, Team Penske's No. 22 team holds a 29-point lead over Joe Gibbs Racing's No. 54 team. At Phoenix, Brad Keselowski drove the No. 22 car to victory lane, while Busch placed second in the No. 54 car.

Joey Logano had originally been scheduled to drive the No. 22 at Homestead, but earlier this week, Penske replaced him with Keselowski, allowing Logano to focus on his Sprint Cup Series efforts. He is one of the four drivers battling for the Sprint Cup championship in Sunday's 400-mile race here.

Keselowski has scored five Nationwide wins in 2014, and he has finished no worse than fourth in his 10 starts in the series this season. Keselowski has also won the Nationwide race at Homestead in two of the previous three years. He did not compete in the 2012 event, as he focused on his Sprint Cup championship efforts at the time.

"This is one of those deals where the team knew going into the weekend that we would have to be flexible, and the way it worked out, I get a chance to win another race and, ideally, sew up Team Penske's second Nationwide Series Owners' title," Keselowski said. "We've been strong every time I've been in the car, and they have been solid all year long. I am looking forward to this race. I was fortunate enough to win the last two Nationwide Series races that I've run here, and making it a three in a row is a perfect way to cap off the year."

Busch has driven the No. 54 in 25 Nationwide races this season and leads the series with seven victories, including a win two weeks ago at Texas, a 1.5- mile track similar to Homestead.

"Unfortunately, the chips haven't fallen in our favor in a few cases this year, which makes it tough when you're battling for that Owners' Championship, but we hold our heads up high and keep digging for one more win on Saturday," Busch said.

Busch won back-to-back Nationwide races at Homestead from 2009-10.

Penske's No. 22 team will clinch the owners' title if Keselowski finishes 24th or better, or 25th with at least one lap led, or 26th and the most laps led.

It will be the second straight title for the No. 22 in the series. The team won it last year by only a one-point margin over the No. 54.

Forty-five teams are on the entry list for the Ford EcoBoost 300.

Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Saturday, Nov. 15. Race: Ford EcoBoost 300. Site: Homestead-Miami Speedway. Track: 1.5-mile oval. Start time: 4:30 p.m. ET. Laps: 200. Miles: 300. 2013 Winner: Brad Keselowski. Television: ESPN2. Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Radio.