While Kyle Busch took the track Saturday, winning the Nationwide championship as well as the season’s final race, Denny Hamlin made good on his promise to take out Brad Keselowski on a Lap 35 incident at Homestead.

Busch had only to take the green flag in the Ford 300 to win his first ever NASCAR Championship, capturing the Nationwide Series trophy.  Busch had a record-setting season, leading the most laps ever at 2,600 and scoring a record 19 finishes of first or second place.

“Well, it’s always fun to get your name in the record books.” Busch said.  “This year it all came together for us.  With all the records that we’ve set, it’s icing on the cake with the race win and the championship.”

Jason Ratcliff, crew chief for Busch, was pleased for his driver and his team.

“We’re just going to enjoy this one right now,” Ratcliff said of the Nationwide championship.  “We’ll enjoy this and next year, Kyle will be running a limited schedule but we’ll still be able to go out and compete for an owner’s championship, so right now that will be our next goal to accomplish hopefully.”

Busch’s team owner Joe Gibbs led the team in prayer after his driver took the checkered flag.

“The Lord blessed us with a great bunch of guys,” Gibbs said.   “This is hard to do and we appreciate it.”

The other major story of the race was that Hamlin, who made good on his promise to pay back Brad Keselowski for wrecking him in the previous Nationwide race at Phoenix International Raceway.

On lap 35, Hamlin found himself behind Keselowski and exacted his revenge, hooking Keselowski in the rear and spinning him out.  Hamlin said over his in car audio, "Look at this, all the guys down pit road are laughing at me.  Every guy from every crew that he’s taken out is laughing. This is hilarious!"

NASCAR did not think the interaction was quite so funny, penalizing Hamlin one lap for aggressive driving.  Although Hamlin went a lap down, he got the “lucky dog” on one of the cautions and was able to finish the race in the fifth position.

After regaining control of his car from the Hamlin hook, Keselowski said, “That was fun.  Give me four tires.” 

Keselowski had an eventful race even before tangling with Hamlin.  He spun on his own early in the race and thought he had blown an engine.  He was able to hit his back up ignition switch and, in spite of being hounded by Hamlin most of the day, finish 12^th in his final run in the no. 88 Go Daddy Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

Busch secured another record with his race win, scoring the most points ever in the Nationwide Series.  The race had a record number of lead changes, with 20 different drivers in clean air at the front of the field.

Carl Edwards battled valiantly to finish in the second position.  Edwards, who started from the pole, battled back from a valence problem, and took tires late in the race, was unable to capitalize, coming up just short behind Busch.

“I wouldn’t have changed it,” Edwards said of his decision to come to pit road for tires.  “That’s the best we’ve been at a mile and a half.  I’m ready for Daytona and we’ll do it again next year. “

Jeff Burton, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five, finishing in third, fourth and fifth respectively.

The final five in the Nationwide points standings were Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Jason Leffler and Mike Bliss.  Bliss was able to hang onto the final podium position in spite of going a lap down due to a penalty in the season finale.