'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The recently concluded NASCAR Xfinity Series season finale race at Phoenix Raceway turned out to be a disappointing outing for John Hunter Nemechek.
The #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota driver has dominated the 2023 Xfinity season with seven wins and was one of the best drivers to become the champion this season. Unfortunately, his hopes to win his first-ever Xfinity title disappeared as he came one lap short after a last-lap tire ruined his chances at a good finish. He eventually finished 28th.
Trending
“I just drove down in and it didn’t turn. I don’t know if we had a right-front (tire) start going down or what exactly it was. I just drove in, and it didn’t turn,” Nemechek, 26, said. “Man, I hate it for our guys. Our (car) was really, really fast. Just sucks to end our season this way, but overall, a really successful season for this No. 20 team and Joe Gibbs Racing. I was proud to be behind the wheel of this car all year,” Nemechek said as quoted by motorsports.com.
However, the JGR driver looked proud of his season overall as he feels that one race can’t define their remarkable season. Nemechek said:
“Seven wins is a lot to be proud of. One race doesn’t define us as a group. If you win, you come out as the champion. That’s what we told ourselves all week and it almost happened.”
“I’m still smiling” – John Hunter Nemechek after disappointing end to a seven-win season
Despite missing out on the title, the #20 JGR Toyota is smiling. However, he did admit that it’s frustrating to not end the season as a champion despite leading a lot of laps and winning a lot of races.
John Hunter Nemechek said:
“I’m still smiling. It’s frustrating to end the championship run that way to not come out the champion when we felt like we were the best car all year. Seven wins is nothing to hang your head over. We won a lot of races this year, we led a lot of laps and had a really good average finish. Overall, just a really solid year,”
John Hunter Nemechek had a successful season, registering seven wins (including a playoff win), and 17 top-finishes in 33 races. He finished fourth in the final championship standings with 4009 points.
