AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Matt Kenseth may be going away, but he’s not doing it quietly.
Kenseth won for the first time this season in what could have been the second-to-last Cup race of his NASCAR career. Kenseth does not have a job lined up for next year and said he’ll take a break at the start of the season.
He passed Chase Elliott with 10 laps remaining to win Sunday at Phoenix Raceway and deny Elliott the final berth in next week’s championship race. Had Elliott hung on for the win, he would have qualified for the championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Elliott finished second for the seventh time this season.
Brad Keselowski earned the final spot in the championship on points. Kenseth had already been eliminated from the playoffs.
