The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Kenseth's finest hour

Matt Kenseth celebrates after winning the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix, his first win since July 2016.

     If Matt Kenseth doesn't somehow return to NASCAR in 2018, he went out with a symbolic win in the desert Sunday. Kenseth led late in the Can-Am 500, and after losing the lead to Chase Elliott, took it back and cruised to his first win in 51 starts. It's a storybook way to end his season; Kenseth had gone all year searching for that victory. He got plenty of congratulations from his fellow drivers, including his longtime friend Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2nd was Chase Elliot, followed by Martin Truex Jr., Eric Jones, and Kevin Harvick.

     The even bigger news - on this blog at least - is that Martin Truex Jr. has clinched his first "classic" championship. Under the format I've used all season, Truex Jr. now leads by 76 points over Kyle Busch, and 88 over Kevin Harvick. It's over! Truex Jr. has had a terrific season, and deserves a celebration at Homestead. Whether or not that actually happens remains to be seen, but Truex certainly has the best results at 1.5 mile tracks this year.

     It was a rough day for several drivers in points. Denny Hamlin had a dust-up with Elliott, leading to a cut tire and finishing 35th. Jimmie Johnson dropped out early after a crash, finishing 39th, and Kyle Larson blew an engine, coming home 40th with a 4th straight DNF. It's a disastrous finish for Larson's otherwise-stellar season; where he at one point looked like a clear favorite to win the championship. Now he's back in 7th in classic points. Meanwhile, Kenseth jumped to 8th overall, and Chase Elliott closed in on Keselowski and Hamlin for a top-5 position. Rookie Daniel Suarez continues his consistent season, jumping up to 10th. And somehow, Jamie McMurray's mid-grade season with three top-5's still earns him a 9th place in the standings...

Kenseth burns it down, celebrating his 39th career win at Phoenix.

     The sun is about to set on the 2017 season. With one race to go, four drivers have a shot at Homestead to take the championship: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Brad Keselowski. But it's Truex Jr. that has proven all season long he deserves it. Anything less than a title for the 78 would be an utter disappointment.