HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) – Chris Buescher won the Xfinity Series championship, helping offset the sting of an unsatisfying season in Sprint Cup for Roush Fenway Racing.
The 23-year-old Buescher won the title by finishing 11th Saturday in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, bringing home a fifth second-tier series crown for team owner Jack Roush.
Buescher was the last driver on the lead lap and finished 15.9 seconds behind race winner Kyle Larson.
Larson had led most of the race early and cleared Austin Dillon for good with four laps left for his third career Xfinity win.
Dillon, the 2013 series champion, was second, followed by Truck Series champ Erik Jones, Brian Scott and Ryan Blaney.
Buescher needed to finish 13th or better without leading a lap to win the championship in Homestead. He also held off defending series champion Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon and Regan Smith, all within striking distance of knocking off Buescher.
Dillon was seventh, Elliott was eighth and Smith ninth.
