NASCAR Homestead Chase Race: Fun Facts, Stats And More About Tony Stewart’s Historic Victory

Wow. What a Chase, right? Here are some more stats and notes from one of the greatest championship races in NASCAR history:

• Carl Edwards finished the Chase with the best average finish in the history of the 10-race playoff. His 4.9 average was better than Jimmie Johnson achieved in any of his five titles. And despite that, he lost (Stewart’s average finish was 6.3, by the way).

• Though Tony Stewart entered the Chase with zero wins, his five victories ended up being a series-leading total for the entire season.

• Stewart put himself into an extremely exclusive club by winning his third NASCAR Cup title. Only nine drivers in NASCAR history have won three or more championships.

• This is the first time in NASCAR history the championship has been decided by a tiebreaker.

• Prior to last season, only two drivers in the modern era (1975) had overcome a points deficit heading into the last race to win the title. But in the last two years, it’s happened twice – Jimmie Johnson beat Denny Hamlin in 2010, and now Stewart has beaten Edwards.

• This season marks the first time a champion has come from behind to win the title by winning the final race of the season. And only seven times has the NASCAR champion won the season finale at all (tonight would be No. 7).

• Though they may have been in different situations, Stewart became the first driver/owner to win a NASCAR Cup title since the late Alan Kulwicki in 1992.

• Stewart passed 118 cars under the green flag during Sunday’s race.

• How good was this race? There were 26 lead changes and 15 different leaders. Both of those marks are Homestead-Miami Speedway track records.