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Noah Gragson called Homestead-Miami Speedway one of his favorite tracks, “if not my favorite,” and said he wants to end his season there with a strong run when the Cup Series finishes on November 8.
Gragson, who drives the No. 4 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, talked about the finale with reporter Steven Taranto.
https://x.com/STaranto92/status/2114923485419958721
Gragson: ‘Excited to rip the fence’
“Homestead’s always been a great race track for myself,” Gragson said. “It’s been a place that I like to run up against the outside wall. And really, in the O’Reilly Series cars, I got pretty decent at it. We led a lot of laps there. I know we only have one win, but led a lot of laps and a lot of races there. Just mistakes on my part; getting caught in other people’s messes didn’t allow us to win more races there, but definitely looking forward to going back there.”
“We qualified third there last year. Would hope for a little bit better run, but I do think we can end the season strong,” he said. “So looking forward to Homestead coming up, one of my favorite race tracks if not my favorite race track, and excited to rip the fence.”
His Homestead history
Gragson’s one win at Homestead came in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, then called the Xfinity Series, with JR Motorsports in 2022. Homestead’s high line along the outside wall is where he said he is most comfortable.
He said ending a season on a good run matters. “It’s always good when you end the last race of the year with a positive note and a good run, and you go into that off-season excited, and you kinda ride that momentum into the new year.”
The title picture
Gragson is not in the Chase, but the finale could still be decided with him in the mix. Kyle Larson leads Denny Hamlin by 73 points with two races left and can clinch the title at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday if he leaves with a lead of at least 77 points.
Homestead has crowned a champion who did not win the race before. In 2012, Jeff Gordon won the finale there while Brad Keselowski finished 15th and clinched the title.
The Xfinity 500 at Martinsville is Sunday, November 1, at 2 p.m. ET on NBC. The season ends November 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.
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