Matt Kenseth wins at Phoenix; Keselowski earns championship berth

Matt Kenseth reacts after his winner's trophy broke as he picked it up in Victory Lane after a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix International Raceway Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin) Matt Kenseth reacts after his winner's trophy broke as he picked it up in Victory Lane after a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Phoenix International Raceway Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Associated Press November 12, 2017 5 min read

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Matt Kenseth may be going away, but he’s not going quietly.

Kenseth won for the first time this season in what might have been the second-to-last Cup race of his NASCAR career. Kenseth does not have a job lined up for next year and said he’ll take a break at the start of the season.

“Just got one race left and everybody dreams of going out a winner,” a tearful Kenseth said after climbing from his Toyota.

Kenseth passed Chase Elliott with 10 laps remaining to win Sunday at Phoenix Raceway and deny Elliott the final berth in next week’s championship race. Had Elliott hung on for the win, he would have qualified for the championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Elliott finished second for the seventh time this season.