Kyle Busch claims second Monster Energy Series title

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (AP) — Kyle Busch casually collected the championship flag from his team and did a slow, subdued celebratory lap. The most polarizing driver in NASCAR had just won his second Cup title and wanted to soak in the moment with his true fans.

He didn’t do his customary bow to the crowd, asked NASCAR for permission to take his 4-year-old son along for the ride to victory lane, and when the duo finally got there it was then that Busch remembered he’d just won both Sunday’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and his second NASCAR title.

“I do remember taking the white flag and crossing underneath that — I had some tears rolling down my eyes for the last lap and I was just like, ‘Come on, man, we’ve still got to finish this damn thing. Don’t be such a siss,’” Busch said. “Emotions were starting to set in. I probably didn’t know where the hell my mind was at. I knew we had won and won big and were being a big more subdued about it.”