Denny Hamlin Ends a Tumultuous Season With a Win While Jimmie Johnson Takes His Sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship

           After injuring his back at California and missing a few races, Denny Hamlin encountered a lot of bad luck during the season, but he changed his momentum with a win in the final race of the season. More importantly, Jimmie Johnson held off trouble late to take his sixth Sprint Cup Championship over Matt Kenseth. Hamlin had a great race car all night long, but he took the lead from Dale Earnhardt Jr. after the final restart to take the win. Jimmie Johnson coasted to the finish line ninth for his sixth title, but that does not tell the whole story of an accident that almost cost him the title. On the restart after the sixth caution, Jeff Gordon stacked up the field. Matt Kenseth slowed down behind him and Jimmie Johnson came rushing in. Johnson hit Kenseth in the back bumper and fell back. His left front began to smoke and it was feared that he would have to come down pit road. The smoke ceased and he stayed on the track. The damage was not enough to take the title away, but it sure scared everybody. Matt Kenseth did everything he could to win the title, but it was just wasn't enough. He led the most laps and finished second, but he still could not capitalize on Johnson to take the title. Kevin Harvick also missed out on his opportunity, but he tried hard to do it. Along with this championship battle, the race was amazing. There were spins, drivers hitting the wall, drivers running three and four wide, and a tire that exploded in the pits after it caught fire. Yes, a tire exploded in the pits. Luckily, nobody was hurt, but it was definitely really weird. All in all, the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season ended with an amazing fight for the win and the championship.

       Matt Kenseth started on the pole. The pole position definitely added some pressure to Jimmie Johnson's points lead since he was starting a little bit farther back. If Kenseth could lead the most laps and win, it would definitely add to his hopes of winning the title over Johnson. The race went green and Kenseth was able to lead the first lap. Kenseth drove away from the field as the first caution of the race waved on lap 11. Travis Kvapil hit the wall in turn 3. He rode the wall out of turn 3 and pulled off entering turn 4. He made it to pit road, but he had a good bit of damage. No drivers received the lucky dog. The race was filled with strategy calls and this caution was not different. Denny Hamlin stayed out while Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and others took two tires and the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. It would be interesting to see if Kenseth and Harvick could move up on Jimmie Johnson with this strategy. The race went back green and Kevin Harvick took the lead after a short battle with Matt Kenseth. Kenseth would not stay behind Harvick long as he took the lead on lap 16. Kenseth held the lead as the second caution waved on lap 23. Travis Kvapil broke loose and went for a spin down the track in turn 3. He kept the car off the wall and pulled into pit road, but he still had a lot of damage from his previous incident. No drivers received the lucky dog. A good bit of strategy occurred during the caution. Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, and others took two tires while Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. It would be interesting to see if Harvick could make a gain on Johnson with his strategy.

       The race went back green and Kurt Busch took the lead after only taking two tires. Busch would not hold the lead long as Matt Kenseth took the lead on lap 32. Kenseth ran away from the field as the drivers who took two tires started to fall deep in the pack. Kenseth held the lead with Jimmie Johnson behind him as the first round of green flag pit stops of the race began on lap 66. The stops would be cut short by the third caution of the race on lap 68. Debris was spotted in turn 4 on the track. Parker Kligerman received the lucky dog. Only a few drivers had pitted so the running order wasn't too shaken up by the caution. All the lead lap drivers came to pit road for four tires with Matt Kenseth coming out as the leader. The race went back green and Matt Kenseth held the lead. Kenseth began running away from the field once again as the fourth caution waved on lap 89. Dave Blaney got loose in turn 2. He spun down the track and towards the infield. He stopped the car on the apron of the track and made it to pit road without receiving damage. Danica Patrick received the lucky dog. All the lead lap drivers decided to come down pit road once again for four tires with Matt Kenseth coming out as the leader. Kenseth continued to dominate in the race and he was doing everything to win the title, but Jimmie Johnson was still right there.

        The race went back green and Kenseth held onto the lead after a short battle with teammate, Kyle Busch. Kenseth cruised away from the field after the battle with Busch and Johnson stayed close behind him in the top 5. Meanwhile, Kevin Harvick, the other contender for the title, began to fall rapidly. His car was extremely tight and he finally decided it was too much to handle and came to pit road on lap 118. His team replaced the tires and made an adjustment, but only time would tell if they had fixed it. Kenseth continued to blister the field on the track, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Denny Hamlin were coming. The two began to make a charge at Kenseth as the second round of green flag pit stops of the race began on lap 140. Denny Hamlin beat Kenseth out of the pits, but Earnhardt took the lead after he pitted a lap or two before the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. Junior would hold the lead until the fifth caution waved on lap 152. Debris was spotted on the backstretch of the track. Danica Patrick received the lucky dog. Another round of strategy occurred during the caution. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, and Kyle Busch took two tires while Jimmie Johnson and the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. Kenseth was looking for every way to get away from Johnson and this just might do it.

         The race went back green and Kenseth held the lead. Kenseth ran away for a few laps before his teammate, Denny Hamlin, chased him down and passed him for the lead on lap 167. Hamlin cruised away and held the lead until the sixth caution waved on lap 189. Debris was spotted on the track in turn 3. Kasey Kahne, who had just made an unscheduled pit stop under green, received the lucky dog. All the lead lap drivers came to pit road with Denny Hamlin coming out as the leader. Hamlin looked like he had finally righted the ship on a terrible season, but would he stay out front? We would have to wait and see, but the restart almost caused a terrible problem for Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth.

        The race went back green and Denny Hamlin held the lead, but chaos would erupt behind him. Jeff Gordon spun his tires next to Hamlin with Matt Kenseth right behind Gordon. Kenseth got on the brakes and avoided, but Jimmie Johnson was right behind him. Johnson barely hit Kenseth and went to the outside to avoid further contact. The field began to run three and four wide behind them as Kenseth got going, but Johnson was smoking a little bit. He rode out of turn 2 with a little smoke, but the smoke ceased into turn 3. He would be able to stay out for the moment, but he would need a break to avoid a possible championship loss with a flat tire sure to happen. Hamlin continued to lead the field until the seventh caution waved on lap 206. Paul Menard, who was also involved in the stack up on the restart, lost a tire entering turn 1. The tire caused a good bit of damage, but he made it to pit road without hitting the wall and returned to the race. Jeff Burton received the lucky dog. A little bit of strategy occurred during the caution. Kevin Harvick took two tires while the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. Harvick had practically been eliminated from the title battle, but he was still holding onto that one chance to make it back in the hunt.

         The race went back green and Harvick held onto the lead as the field fanned out behind him. He would only hold the lead for a few laps before Brad Keselowski took it away on lap 214. Keselowski tried to cruise away, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. chased him down and took the lead on lap 225. Earnhardt would hold the lead as the eighth and final caution waved on lap 230. Paul Menard's right rear tire began to burn down the backstretch. He made it around to pit road and reached a stop in his pit box. His team went to put the fire out with an extinguisher, but something crazy happened. The tire completely exploded next to Menard's team. His crew and the NASCAR officials cowered back as smoke and flames poured out of Menard's right rear. They got the flames put out and the wheel had been blown completely off. Everyone was okay, but it was a very scary sight for the whole team. Marcos Ambrose received the lucky dog. The final piece of strategy occurred during the caution. Kurt Busch took only two tires while the rest of the lead lap drivers took four tires. Matt Kenseth was ahead of Jimmie Johnson, but Kenseth was not far enough ahead to take the championship. It would be interesting to see if Johnson fell back and allowed Kenseth to take the title. 

         The race went back green and the field fanned out as Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead from Denny Hamlin. It looked like Earnhardt was in prime position to take his first win of the year, but Hamlin had other plans. He took the lead back from Earnhardt on lap 243 and pulled away, but Matt Kenseth was right there. He had moved away from Johnson, but he still wasn't in place for the title. Kenseth and Earnhardt ran behind Hamlin, but neither one could take the advantage. Eventually, only five laps remained and Hamlin had all ready taken the win unless a caution would wave. It didn't and he took the white flag. Hamlin cruised through the corners as Jimmie Johnson cruised in ninth around the track. He had locked up the title just as Hamlin crossed the line to take the win. Now, Hamlin had his win to end the season and Johnson had his sixth career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It was the end of the 2013 season and it had ended like five seasons had between 2006 and 2010 with Jimmie Johnson holding the title. 

         What a year it was for Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Johnson started the season with a Daytona 500 victory in February and he ended the season with six wins and his sixth title. Even though Matt Kenseth fell short of the title, it was still a great and record setting season for the veteran. He took seven wins and a chance at a title all the way to Homestead. It was even more impressive since it was his first season with Joe Gibbs Racing. With all the success they had in the opening campaign, it should be very interesting to watch them next year in 2014. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also took an award in the final race of the season: rookie of the year. Stenhouse was unable to find victory in his freshman year, but he did find the top 10 a couple of times late in the season. It should be very interesting to watch him grow and mature in the next few years in the highest level of NASCAR. What a 2013 season it was for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. There were crazy wrecks, close finishes, amazing fights, tough interviews after the race, and a lot of chaos in the Chase. This year will be remembered as the controversy at Richmond, but it was so much more than that. The Homestead race only ended two hours ago, but I am so ready for the 2014 Daytona 500. It is less than a hundred days away, but that is way too long. Nonetheless, this offseason will be a time to prepare and a time to look ahead. A lot of questions will also be created. Will Jimmie Johnson take his seventh championship next year, will Matt Kenseth win the title in his second year with Joe Gibbs Racing, or will another driver take hold on the series? We will have to wait until February to begin answering these questions.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap11- Travis Kvapil hit the wall in turn 3.

2nd Caution: Lap 23- Travis Kvapil broke loose in turn 3 and went for a spin down the track.

3rd Caution: Lap 68- Debris was spotted in turn 4 of the track.

4th Caution: Lap 89- Dave Blaney got loose in turn 2 and went for a spin down the track. 

5th Caution: Lap 152- Debris was spotted on the backstretch of the track.

6th Caution: Lap 189- Debris was spotted in turn 3 of the track.

7th Caution: Lap 206- Paul Menard lost a tire in turn 1 and had some damage. 

8th Caution: Lap 230- Paul Menard's right rear tire began to burn on the backstretch. The tire blew up when he made it to pit road, but everybody was okay.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: None
3rd Caution: Parker Kligerman
4th Caution: Danica Patrick
5th Caution: Danica Patrick
6th Caution: Kasey Kahne
7th Caution: Jeff Burton 
8th Caution: Marcos Ambrose

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Denny Hamlin
2nd: Matt Kenseth
3rd: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4th: Martin Truex Jr.
5th: Clint Bowyer

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Kyle Busch
8th: Joey Logano
9th: Jimmie Johnson
10th: Kevin Harvick
11th: Jeff Gordon
12th: Carl Edwards
13th: Kasey Kahne
17th: Ryan Newman
21st: Kurt Busch
24th: Greg Biffle





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/live-standings.html?intid=livestandings_livestandingsleaderboard_08292013
http://racing-reference.info/race/2013_Ford_EcoBoost_400/W
-Images:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/402252210194501632/photo/1
https://twitter.com/NASCAR/status/402230677749248000/photo/1