NASCAR Nationwide Series 2014 at Phoenix International Raceway results: Chase Elliott takes championship; Brad Keselowski wins race

A last lap pass allowed Brad Keselowski to steal the win in Saturday’s Nationwide Series race at Phoenix International Raceway, but it was Chase Elliott who stole the headlines in securing the championship.

Finishing fifth, the 18-year-old Elliott became the youngest national touring division champion in NASCAR history in addition to becoming the first rookie to win a series championship. The teenager, who graduated high school in May, is 52 points clear of JR Motorsports teammate Regan Smith with one race remaining. (The most points a driver can score in a single race is 48.)

“I’ve never been a part of anything like this before,” Elliott said. “Just to have the opportunity to work with this group of guys like I have this year has been a blessing for me. Honestly, I don’t know what to think. I don’t even know how to feel right now.”

The championship is the first title for JRM, co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., sister Kelley, and Rick Hendrick, Earnhardt’s Sprint Cup car owner.

“He’s unbelievable,” Hendrick said. “What a young man. What a pleasure he is. It’s really neat to be a part of history.”

Elliott is the son of Hall of Famer and 1988 Cup champion Bill Elliott. They are the fifth father-son duo to win a NASCAR national championship, joining Lee and Richard Petty, David and Larry Pearson, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Earnhardt Jr., and Ned and Dale Jarrett.

Kyle Busch dominated the DAV 200, leading 187 of 206 laps. He was holding a comfortable advantage when a caution tightened the field with two laps remaining, setting up a green-white-checkered restart.

When the race restarted, Keselowski was able to keep pace with Busch and then pass him entering Turn 1 on the final lap. Busch couldn’t answer and finished runner-up. Elliott Sadler, Ty Dillon and Elliott completed the top five.

“We didn’t give up,” Keselowski said. “Kyle was really fast, probably a 10th (of a second) or two faster than everybody. Then, that yellow came out and I really don’t know what happened. I think we grabbed a gear and he slipped.”

The deciding caution waved for the slowing car of Alex Bowman. That was a decision Busch disagreed with, contending NASCAR deliberately sought a reason to display the yellow flag and take away an apparent victory.

“It’s pretty pathetic NASCAR throws these Kyle Busch cautions,” Busch said. “It’s really getting old and aggravating for us in this Nationwide Series. It’s their prerogative, it’s their series and they get to do what they want to and I just have to settle for second.”