1:17 PM ET As the checkered flag fell over Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday evening, NASCAR Cup series teams paused to for a moment, thought “what a year” … and then immediately started thinking about 2019. The same goes for us. Forget where the racers just finished. Where do we think they will stand when the

10:06 AM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports Tyler Reddick took a unique path off the track to the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship. Prior to the playoffs, he indicated he hoped he would sign a deal to stay at JR

10:12 AM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports Teams that struggle with funding tend to race inconsistently. They also tend to have some of their best races at the start of the season before those who have more resources improve on

11:15 AM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — History says that Joey Logano shouldn’t have won the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series title. He finished 17th in the series standings and missed the 16-driver playoffs in 2017. No driver

8:48 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Barney Visser smiled after his driver, Martin Truex Jr., finished one spot short of a second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series title. Visser said it was even easy to smile following

11:56 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Joey Logano replaced one of the most intimidating, ferocious drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series 10 years ago. The 18-year-old kid replacing Tony Stewart was no Tony Stewart. He owned

7:04 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Joey Logano proved that NASCAR’s playoff system is about performance late in the year, as he turned a one-win regular season into his first career NASCAR Cup Series title. Logano,

7:14 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Elliott Sadler planned to leave Homestead-Miami Speedway on Saturday night for what has become a typical Sunday morning activity — hunting with his kids at 5:30 in the morning. What

6:22 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Tyler Reddick, who opened his Xfinity Series rookie season with a win at Daytona, capped it off by winning the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway to capture the series title.

12:11 PM ET Bob PockrassNASCAR Close • NASCAR writer for ESPN.com• 2009, 2013 NMPA Writer of the Year• More than 25 years experience covering motorsports HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Denny Hamlin‘s crew chief put Joe Gibbs Racing ahead of his driver as he opted for the second-best pit stall for the NASCAR Cup Series season finale Sunday, allowing JGR