TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2014 SPORTS Harvick wins Homestead to claim 1st championship

HOMESTEAD: Kevin Harvick jostled his 2-year-old Harvick’s top move, though, was the one to unbelievable how much everything has to go right.” onship celebration on TV. He already had his eye on son on his lap, egging him on to speak into the micro- Stewart-Haas Racing after 13 seasons with Richard Just the way NASCAR liked it. Here are items of note the big prize for next season. Winning rookie of the phone and tell the world his daddy was the NASCAR Childress failed to produce a championship. Stewart in Sunday’s season finale: year is a pretty nice start for the 22-year-old driver, champion. promised Harvick he could have all the resources STEWART’S SAVING GRACE: Stewart’s 15-year who capped a special season by finishing 13th “Say, ‘We win,’” said Harvick, who beamed during needed at SHR to win a championship. All it took was winning streak came to an end with an issue with his Sunday. the celebration. Keelan Harvick clammed up in the 36 races to prove the paring was a perfect match. car and a last-place finish. But Stewart’s worst season “We will come back next season, peel the rookie moment and stayed quiet. That’s OK. Kevin Harvick “Tony was pretty adamant that we could race for - on and off the track - ended with a dose of triumph, stripes off and try and go out there and win a race made the only statements needed on the track, mak- wins and championships,” Harvick said. “That was hugs and tears as he celebrated Harvick’s champi- and get into the Chase and do what Kevin Harvick did ing it clear that winning mattered most under really what it was all about. I just wasn’t excited about onship for Stewart-Haas Racing. tonight,” Larson said. NASCAR’s new championship formula and his deci- going to work. This just gave me an opportunity to “I’m happy for this organization and happy for this Larson had a stout eight top-fives and 17 top-10s sion to bolt for buddy Tony Stewart’s race team was race with one of my good friends.” team,” he said. “It’s not about me right now, it’s about in his first season driving for team owner Chip indeed the right call. Newman, winless on the season, finished second. us as a group. You learn when you’re in these situa- Ganassi. Larson, whose mother is Japanese, also fin- Harvick staked his claim as the best in Sprint Cup, Hamlin faded to seventh and Logano was a distant tions that it’s about a larger group of people and a ished third in Saturday’s Nationwide Series race and using a relentless dash through the field in the clos- 16th. All four teams were forced to make tough strat- bigger picture that’s in play.” second in the Truck Series race on Friday. ing laps to win Sunday’s season finale at Homestead- egy decisions that ultimately decided their fate. Stewart’s run began with a victory as a rookie on Austin Dillon opened the season as the rookie to Miami Speedway. Joe Gibbs Racing decided not to pit Hamlin, which Sept. 11, 1999, at Richmond, and his streak is tied for watch when he won the pole for the Daytona 500. Harvick staved off championship challengers moved him to second on the restart. Richard fourth-best in NASCAR history. Richard Petty holds Larson carried the banner from there, posting two Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Joey Logano and Childress Racing gave Newman two tires, while the record with 18 straight years. runner-up finishes during the 10 Chase for the Sprint erased any concern that NASCAR would be stained Harvick crew chief Rodney Childers made the risky HIS AIRNESS: After falling short of winning his Cup championship races. He finished 17th in the final with a winless champ. call for four tires. Team Penske also had planned to first Sprint Cup title, Denny Hamlin was comforted by standings and Dillon was 20th. Did the new Chase - one where wins, not playing it give Logano four tires, but a problem with the jack Michael Jordan, who had come to the race to cheer JOHNSON’S ENDING: Six-time and defending safe, promised a better shot at a title - work? As destroyed Logano’s chances and he plummeted from on one of his Charlotte Hornets season-ticket holders. NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson won four races Harvick took one final spin with his fifth checkered sixth to 21st, ending his championship bid. Jordan watched the end of the race from behind this season, but ended the year a career-worst 11th in flag of the season, the answer was a resounding yes. Harvick restarted 12th with 15 laps to go and not Hamlin’s pit box, and gave the driver a pat on the the standings. Johnson was eliminated from the “If you want to win the championship, you’re going to much time to pick his way through traffic. As Hamlin head after Hamlin finished seventh to end his cham- Chase after the second round, but still picked up a have to figure out how to win races,” Harvick said. passed leader Jeff Gordon on the restart, Harvick shot pionship bid. “Wish I could have one ring to his six,” victory in the third round at Texas. He ended the year “That’s what it came down to, was winning the race.” past four cars to move to seventh. Hamlin said. “We’ll have to wait another year.” Hamlin with a ninth-place finish Sunday night. Harvick, who had to win last week at Phoenix just Harvick got by Hamlin, then Newman passed said Jordan spent time on his motorhome earlier in Chad Knaus, his crew chief, ended the race in to advance into Sunday’s final four, wrapped up his Hamlin for second and the championship became a the day and the two talked racing. ‘ NASCAR’s hauler after being summoned there for not third victory of this Chase and fifth of the season. He battle of drivers who had essentially swapped seats “He’s a huge race fan,” Hamlin said. “He talked obeying a directive from an official. NASCAR vice leaned this week on Stewart, a three-time champion, this year. There was one more caution, forcing Harvick about converting all these people to race fans. That’s president of competition and racing development and Jimmie Johnson, the six-time champion who to nail one final restart with three laps remaining, and awesome that he thinks so much to come down and Robin Pemberton said after the race it was a closed moved from California to North Carolina to chase a he eased his way ahead of Newman on his way to the support his friend.” issue. Knaus apparently tried to put a wheel spacer career in NASCAR about the same time as Harvick win. “It’s so hard to win a championship at this level, TOP ROOKIE: Kyle Larson sat in the media center on the No. 48 Chevrolet after a NASCAR official told made the move east. especially with this Chase format,” Stewart said. “Just and watched Kevin Harvick’s Sprint Cup champi- him not to do it. —AP Rams buck Broncos, Patriots down Colts

ST. LOUIS: Shaun Hill was effective in his first Watt was all over the field. Along with his start since regaining the quarterback job and TD, he recorded a strip sack, made five tackles the St. Louis Rams defense made life miserable - three for a loss - recovered a and hur- for Peyton Manning in a 22-7 victory over the ried Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer into sev- AFC West-leading Denver Broncos on Sunday. eral bad throws. Watt provided more proof Rookie Tre Mason had 29 carries for 113 he’s the NFL’s best defensive player. yards, the most allowed by the Broncos’ top- Mallett threw a pair of TD passes and fin- ranked run defense. Kenny Britt had four ished with 211 yards in his first career start. catches for 128 yards with a 63-yard score and The four-year veteran was promoted during Greg Zuerlein was a career-best 5 for 5 on field the bye week after the Texans (5-5) benched goals for the Rams (4-6). Ryan Fitzpatrick. Manning was 34 for 54 for 389 yards with The Texans played without star running two , but was held to a 42-yard back Arian Foster because of a groin injury, pass to Emmanuel Sanders, end- but rookie Alfred Blue stepped in and gained ing a streak of 15 consecutive games with at 156 yards on a franchise-record 36 carries. least two touchdown passes. The Broncos (7-3) The Browns (6-4) won’t spend a second were held to 28 yards rushing and failed twice straight week atop the AFC North. They lost for on fourth down deep in St. Louis territory. just the second time in seven games, and Watt Manning threw incomplete from the 37 in the is the main reason why. first quarter and rookie Aaron Donald’s sack helped end a drive in the fourth quarter on PACKERS 53, EAGLES 20 fourth-and-4 from the 28. Aaron Rodgers passed for 341 yards and three and Green Bay’s defense PATRIOTS 42, COLTS 20 stuffed high-octane Philadelphia for a rout. Jonas Gray rushed for 199 yards and a fran- The matchup of NFC contenders quickly chise-record four touchdowns in his fourth became a blowout with the Packers (7-3) rac- career game. Tom Brady threw two TD passes ing out to a 30-6 halftime lead. Rodgers threw as the AFC-best Patriots (8-2) earned their for two touchdowns in the first half, while sixth consecutive victory. New England also Micah Hyde scored on a 75-yard punt return. has won five in a row against Indianapolis (6- Philadelphia (7-3) was held to 11 points below 4). Brady finished 19 of 30 for 257 yards with its NFC-leading scoring average by a Packers two interceptions. Colts quarterback Andrew defense rejuvenated since Clay Matthews Luck was 23 of 39 for 303 yards with two moved to inside linebacker. scores. He extended his franchise record of Green Bay’s offense was in good hands consecutive 300-yard games to eight and again with Rodgers, who broke Tom Brady’s moved within one of Drew Brees’ NFL record. NFL record of 288 straight passes at home But the unheralded Gray was the surprise without an . star. His first two scoring runs gave New England a 14-10 halftime lead. His other two CARDINALS 14, LIONS 6 helped put the game away in the second half. Drew Stanton threw touchdown passes to Michael Floyd on Arizona’s first two posses- CHIEFS 24, SEAHAWKS 20 sions and the Cardinals held Detroit without a KANSAS CITY: Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) the ball for a turnover against Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) in Kansas City stopped Seattle on fourth touchdown, beating the Lions in a matchup of the first half of an NFL football game. — AP down three times late in the fourth quarter, teams with two of the best records in the NFC. holding on for a tense victory in a matchup of Stanton, starting after Carson Palmer was and takeaways did not translate into a Atlanta ahead for good, and the Falcons with- losing streak and welcomed back Ryan playoff contenders. lost for the season with a knee injury, threw TD blowout on the scoreboard. ºColin Kaepernick stood a late Carolina rally. Carolina’s Graham Mathews, Manti Te’o and Melvin Ingram, who Jamaal Charles ran for 159 yards and two passes of 42 and 12 yards. After that, Arizona’s threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Michael Gano missed a 46-yard field goal try with 1:27 had been out since September. touchdowns, and Knile Davis also ran for a offense stalled and Stanton threw two inter- Crabtree and Phil Dawson kicked three first- remaining and had a 63-yarder blocked as The skid by the Raiders (0-10) is the equiva- score, as the Chiefs (7-3) won their fifth ceptions. But the Lions couldn’t convert either half field goals as the 49ers won their second time expired. The Falcons (4-6) moved into a lent of a full season. Monday is the one-year straight game and moved into a share of top turnover into a touchdown. straight on the road. Manning threw a 19-yard tie with New Orleans for the division lead after anniversary of their last win, 28-23 at Houston. spot in the AFC West. Arizona won its sixth in a row to improve to touchdown pass to tight end Larry Donnell on the Saints lost at home to Cincinnati 27-10. Russell Wilson threw for 178 yards and two an NFL-best 9-1. The Cardinals, with their best New York’s opening possession, but the reel- Cam Newton overcame two early intercep- BUCCANEERS 27, WASHINGTON 7 ing Giants (3-7) only got a field goal from Josh tions to throw for 292 yards and two fourth- Mike Evans caught seven passes for 209 Brown the rest of the way. quarter touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough for yards and scored two touchdowns to help the Panthers (3-6-1), who have lost five Tampa Bay (2-8) end a five-game losing streak. NFL results/standings BENGALS 27, SAINTS 10 straight. Evans became the first rookie to post three Andy Dalton rebounded from one of the consecutive 100-yard games with at least one Atlanta 19, Carolina 17; Chicago 21, Minnesota 13; Houston 23, Cleveland 7; Cincinnati 27, worst outings of his career by passing for three CHARGERS 13, RAIDERS 6 touchdown in each since Randy Moss in 1998. New Orleans 10; Kansas City 24, Seattle 20; San Francisco 16, NY Giants 10; St. Louis 22, touchdowns as Cincinnati handed New Philip Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown According to STATS, he’s also the first rookie Denver 7; Tampa Bay 27, Washington 7; San Diego 13, Oakland 6; Arizona 14, Detroit 6; Orleans its second straight loss. pass to Malcom Floyd on the game’s third play with 200 yards receiving and two touchdowns Green Bay 53, Philadelphia 20; New England 42, Indianapolis 20. For Dalton, the game represented a dra- from scrimmage, and San Diego held on for a since Anquan Boldin in 2003. Evans finished 7 Conference National Football Conference matic reversal from a week ago, when he com- lackluster victory against winless Oakland, yards shy of Vincent Jackson’s franchise record AFC East NFC East pleted only 10 passes for 86 yards and had a extending the Raiders’ losing streak to 16. of 216. Evans is the youngest player in NFL his- W L T OTLPF PA PCT Philadelphia 7 3 0 0 299 251 .700 passer rating of 2.0 in a 24-3 loss to Cleveland. Rivers hurt his right leg midway through tory with a 200-yard receiving game. It was his New England 8 2 0 0 323 218 .800 Dallas 7 3 0 1 261 212 .700 Against New Orleans (4-6), Dalton gave the the third quarter but stayed in the game. The third consecutive game with at least seven Miami 6 4 0 0 249 180 .600 NY Giants 3 7 0 0 205 263 .300 Bengals (6-3-1) an early lead they never relin- injury appeared to get progressively worse, catches, 100 yards receiving and a touchdown quished. He was 16 of 22 for 220 yards, did not and Rivers was walking gingerly on the side- catch. He is the first rookie in NFL history to Buffalo 5 5 0 0 200 204 .500 Washington 3 7 0 0 204 256 .300 throw an interception and finished with a line in the fourth as backup Kellen Clemens accomplish the feat. NY Jets 2 8 0 0 174 265 .200 NFC North passer rating of 143.9. warmed up. But Rivers went back in after Tampa Bay’s defense also showed up, forc- AFC North Detroit 7 3 0 0 188 156 .700 Cincinnati 6 3 1 0 224 221 .650 Two of Dalton’s touchdown passes went to Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 25-yard field ing three turnovers and sacking Robert Griffin Green Bay 7 3 0 0 330 225 .700 tight end Jermaine Gresham and the other to goal to pull the Raiders within a touchdown III six times on the latest embarrassing day for Baltimore 6 4 0 0 261 181 .600 Chicago 4 6 0 1 215 290 .400 6 4 0 0 261 239 .600 A.J. Green on a pinpoint 24-yard pass along with four minutes to play. Washington (3-7), which was booed early and Minnesota 4 6 0 0 181 220 .400 Cleveland 6 4 0 0 216 195 .600 the sideline. Drew Brees passed for 255 yards The Chargers (6-4) snapped a three-game often. — AP NFC South AFC South and one TD to Kenny Stills. Indianapolis 6 4 0 0 310 253 .600 Atlanta 4 6 0 0 238 255 .400 Houston 5 5 0 1 229 204 .500 New Orleans 4 6 0 2 261 252 .400 BEARS 21, VIKINGS 13 Tennessee 2 7 0 0 144 223 .222 Carolina 3 7 1 0 215 300 .318 Jay Cutler threw for 330 yards and three Jacksonville 1 9 0 0 158 282 .100 Tampa Bay 2 8 0 2 194 279 .200 touchdowns, helping Chicago win for just the AFC West NFC West second time in seven games. Ryan Mundy Denver 7 3 0 1 293 224 .700 Arizona 9 1 0 0 237 176 .900 intercepted Teddy Bridgewater’s 29-yard pass Kansas City 7 3 0 0 241 171 .700 San Francisco 6 4 0 0 211 212 .600 in the end zone in the closing minute, and the San Diego 6 4 0 0 218 192 .600 Seattle 6 4 0 0 260 215 .600 Bears hung on for the win after suffering two Oakland 0 10 0 0 152 265 0 St. Louis 4 6 0 0 185 258 .400 of the worst blowout losses in franchise histo- ry. Alshon Jeffery had 135 yards receiving and a touchdown catch, Brandon Marshall added touchdowns, and Marshawn Lynch had 124 record through 10 games since 1948, have a 90 yards and two TD receptions, and Matt yards rushing for Seattle (6-4). But the three-game lead over Seattle and San Forte ran for 117 yards. Seahawks’ star running back, fresh off a four- Francisco in the NFC West. Detroit (7-3) was Jared Allen had a sack against his former touchdown game, was stuffed twice by the held without a touchdown for the first time team, and the Bears (4-6) prevailed after join- Kansas City defense with the outcome hang- this season. ing the 1923 Rochester Jeffersons as the only ing in the balance. The Seahawks’ last-chance teams to give up 50 or more points in consec- drive ended when Wilson threw incomplete 49ERS 16, GIANTS 10 utive games with blowouts at New England on fourth-and-18 at their 20-yard line with San Francisco rookie linebacker Chris and Green Bay. But it was a different story 1:13 left in the game. Borland intercepted a fourth-down pass by Eli against the Vikings (4-6). Manning at the 49ers 2 with 4:43 to play, cap- TEXANS 23, BROWNS 7 ping a goal-line stand in a victory that sent FALCONS 19, PANTHERS 17 JJ Watt caught a 2-yard touchdown pass error-plagued New York to its fifth straight Matt Ryan threw for 268 yards and a touch- from Ryan Mallett, dominated on defense and loss. Borland had two of the 49ers’ five inter- down, Matt Bryant added four field goals and Houston climbed back to .500 with a win over ceptions as the Niners (6-4) survived a game in Atlanta moved into a tie for first place in the Cleveland. which a big advantage in time of possession lowly NFC South with a win over Carolina. EAST RUTHERFORD: Odell Beckham (13) breaks a Bryant’s 44-yard field goal with 2:08 left put during the first half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers. — AP