NASCAR Nationwide Series 2014 at Homestead-Miami Speedway results: Matt Kenseth takes late win; Chase Elliott celebrates championship

Matt Kenseth didn’t have the best car for much of the Ford EcoBoost 300 but he prevailed when it mattered, winning the Nationwide Series season finale Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kenseth enjoyed a comfortable lead with 11 laps remaining until three yellow flags slowed the action and tightened the field. But on the second-to-last restart, Kyle Larson got the jump and passed Kenseth and was pulling away when another caution occurred.

Given a second chance, Kenseth capitalized, powering by Larson on the outside to grab a lead he wouldn’t relinquish. Kyle Busch nipped Larson for second coming to the checkered flag, with Ryan Blaney fourth and Chris Buescher completing the top five.

“(Larson) got around me on that second-to-last restart, but when he chose the bottom (lane) and I had (Busch) behind me, I knew that we had a shot,” Kenseth said. “I just had to do a better job than I did the time before, so luckily we got that one last chance to redeem ourselves.”

Rookie Chase Elliott, who clinched the series drivers’ title last weekend, finished 17th, having scraped the wall in the closing laps. He won the championship by 42 points over JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith.

Elliott didn’t celebrate his accomplishment at Phoenix International Raceway, instead saving the festivities for Homestead. The 18-year-old became the first rookie to win a NASCAR national touring series championship as well as the youngest Nationwide champion.

Utilizing a combination of drivers, the No. 22 Team Penske entry secured the owners’ championship for a second consecutive year. Brad Keselowski drove the car to eighth Saturday.

“When you think about five different drivers it’s really a credit to Jeremy Bullins (crew chief) and the job he’s done in preparing the car for different drivers and with six wins,” Penske said.