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HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- The Latest on NASCARs season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday (all times local):7:03 p.m.Jimmie Johnson has won his seventh NASCAR championship.The win ties Johnson with Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty in the NASCAR record books. He did it by holding off defending champion Kyle Busch and Joey Logano on a late restart.The fourth contender in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship was Carl Edwards. His day ended with 10 laps to go after he was collected in a wreck after contact with Logano.It was also the final NASCAR race for three-time champion Tony Stewart, who is retiring.---6:25 p.m.Carl Edwards championship chances are over.Joey Logano tried to pass Edwards on a restart with 10 laps to go at the winner-take-all finale, but Edwards tried to fend off the move to maintain his position.Contact between the two sent Edwards hard into an interior wall, then all the way across the track for a second hit. He was the most dominant driver of the four Chase contenders, but was left with a wrecked race car.Jimmie Johnson benefited from the incident because he drove through the wreckage and wound up ahead of the remaining two title contenders -- Logano and Kyle Busch -- for the restart.---5:40 p.m.The championship contenders are back near the front of the field.Carl Edwards was running second with 60 laps to go at Homestead-Miami Speedway, just ahead of Joey Logano (third), Kyle Busch (fourth) and Jimmie Johnson (sixth). The four finalists were setting the NASCAR season finale up for a frantic finish.Edwards and Logano have been the best of the bunch. Busch battled back from a lap down -- he pitted out of sequence because he thought he had a flat tire -- and Johnson was penalized before the race and had to start at the back of the field. Busch and Johnson have been in the top 10, but have yet to lead a lap in the finale.Kyle Larson is leading the 400-mile race.- Mark Long.---4:55 p.m.Defending NASCAR champion Kyle Busch has dropped a lap down in the season finale, potentially damaging his title hopes.Busch felt a vibration, thought he had a flat tire and pulled down pit road on Lap 137, shortly after the halfway point in the 400-mile race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.The unscheduled pit stop left Busch a lap behind the leaders. He needs a caution to get back on the lead lap.- Mark Long---4:50 p.m.Carl Edwards is halfway to his first championship.Edwards was ahead of fellow title contenders Joey Logano, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson at the midway point of the 400-mile race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Whichever of the four drivers finishes highest will win the championship.Kyle Larson, using the high line to generate more speed around the 1 1/2-mile track, retook the lead from Edwards on Lap 126. Edwards was second, with Logano fourth, Busch fifth and Johnson ninth.- Mark Long---3:55 p.m.Jimmie Johnsons pre-race penalty proved to be a minor speed bump in the NASCAR finale.Johnson had to start at the back of the 40-car field after NASCAR pulled his No. 48 Chevrolet off pit road because of unapproved body modifications. Officials determined body panels had been tweaked after going through pre-race laser inspection. The car eventually made it through tech and was pushed back to the starting grid a few minutes before the green flag.Johnson needed just 47 laps to work his way into the top five. Kevin Harvick led most of the early laps, with Carl Edwards, Joey Logano and Kyle Busch right behind. Edwards, Logano, Busch and Johnson are the championship finalists, all vying to win it all in the finale.Johnson is attempting to match Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with a NASCAR-record seven championships.- Mark Long---3:25 p.m.NASCARs season finale is underway, with pole-sitter Kevin Harvick leading the 40-car field to the green flag.The race is scheduled for 400 miles, or 267 laps at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The event is filled with story lines, including Tony Stewarts final NASCAR race as well as the 2016 championship. Finalists Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano are vying for the title. Whichever of the foursome finishes highest wins it all.The 36 other drivers are expected to give them plenty of space around the track, not wanting to affect the outcome.- Mark Long---3:10 p.m.Jimmie Johnson will have to start a potential record-tying race at the back of the field.NASCAR pulled Johnsons No. 48 Chevrolet off pit road after officials decided body panels had been modified after going through pre-race laser inspection. The car eventually made it through tech and was pushed back to the starting grid a few minutes before the green flag.Johnson is attempting to match Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with a NASCAR-record seven championships.- Mark Long--3:00 p.m.Tony Stewart has few distractions around him before his final NASCAR race.Stewarts No. 14 Chevrolet was barricaded and protected by armed police officers before the season finale. His race car was essentially sitting in Turn 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, well away from the rest of the field. A banner flew nearby to tell fans where they could get a glimpse of the three-time Cup series champion.Its time. Lets go. Im ready, Stewart said.The driver nicknamed Smoke was surrounded by team members, colleagues and friends -- a stark contrast to Jeff Gordons send-off last season. Gordon was mobbed by so many fans that he struggled to get to his car before the finale.- Mark Long---1:15 p.m.Jimmie Johnson spent time answering questions from kids Sunday before NASCARs season finale, a race that could be a record run for the six-time champion.As expected, Johnson got some odd questions, like, Can you dab? and Do you have a big house?Johnson candidly and confidently answered them all, showing why he might just be the favorite to win a record-tying seventh championship Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Heres a look at the Q&A session:Q: Whats your best championship?A: The first one (in 2006). I had the least amount of fun because I was the most nervous, but it was the starting point. And then tying Cale (Yarborough) with three in a row was pretty awesome. But there was a lot of pressure to keep it going. And then 2013 is when I had the most fun.Q: Favorite track?A: Dover, Delaware (Johnson is a 10-time winner there).Q: How many trophies?A: Seventy-nine in the 48.Q: If you win, will you do a front flip?A: Off the car? Front flip into the pool maybe.Q: Can you dab?A: No, I cant. Ive got it all wrong (after doing Usain Bolts To The World pose).Q: How much horsepower do the cars have?A: About 900 horsepower. More than three times as much as the car you drive in.Q: Do you have a big house?A: Yes, way too big.Q: Have you ever won here?A: Not yet. Weve taken the big (championship) trophy home, but not the smaller one.Q: Favorite color?A: Blue. Its worked out well with my sponsor.Q: Do you think you can get No. 7 today?A: I feel really good about it. Id pick me.- Mark Long---1 p.m.The Tony Stewart tributes are underway at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the three-time Cup champion is preparing for his final NASCAR race.NASCARs vice chairman Mike Helton thanked Stewart for the character and passion you brought to NASCAR all throughout your career.Stewarts career was celebrated in the pre-race drivers meeting with a colorful highlight video of his biggest wins, playful banter and snippy one-liners. NASCAR drivers and crew members gave Stewart a rousing standing ovation.Stewart eventually stood and smiled, waiving in acknowledgment at the outpouring of affection.Stewart is just retiring from NASCAR driving. He has an ownership stake in Stewart-Haas Racing and will continue to race all over the country next year at the grassroots level.You understand, we still invite owners to the haulers sometimes, too, Helton quipped.The hood of Stewarts No. 14 Chevrolet is emblazoned with photos from his championship years and the slogan Always a Racer, Forever a Champion.NASCAR added a ceremonial pace lap with Stewart leading the field before the race.- Dan Gelston---12:15 p.m.Xfinity Series champion Daniel Suarez is getting a lot of attention at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto congratulated Suarez on Twitter after the 24-year-old Mexican became the first foreign champion in a NASCAR national series. Nieto tweeted in Spanish to Suarez, and called him a pride for Mexico and Latin America.The very first time that I was going to move to the States, a lot of people told me it was going to be difficult because I was a Mexican driver, and nobody else made it happen in the past, Suarez said. Right now, honestly, I can tell that to be a Mexican driver, Latin American driver, is something positive.Suarez thanked Nieto for the tweet. He also did interviews Sunday, met with fans and signed autographs before the Sprint Cup season finale.- Dan Gelston---11:20 a.m.NASCAR CEO Brian France says hes happy with the health of the sport. Sweating profusely while speaking at his state-of-NASCAR address, France defended sagging ratings and praised his Drive for Diversity program. Mexican driver Daniel Suarez won the Xfinity Series title Saturday night, becoming the first foreigner to win a NASCAR national series championship.France also refused to talk about President-elect Donald Trump. France endorsed Trump earlier this year and spoke at a rally for the Republican nominee.France says no one wants to hear my political views. I wont be talking about it.Speaking four hours before the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, France also wished Sprint well. The telecommunications giant is leaving NASCAR after a 13-year run as title sponsor of its top series. France acknowledged that the search for a new sponsor has taken longer than he expected, adding were in a good spot with that, I believe. Well have to see how it finally plays out.Monster Energy has most recently been mentioned as the top contender to replace Sprint.- Mark Long---11 a.m.Its NASCAR championship day!The Sprint Cup champion will be decided Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and Carl Edwards are the finalists racing for the title. The best finisher among the four drivers will be the 2016 champion.Johnson is trying to match Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty with a NASCAR-record seven championships. Busch is trying to repeat following his remarkable run to the 2015 title. Logano and Edwards are chasing their first championship.Its also the final NASCAR race for three-time champion Tony Stewart, who is retiring.NASCAR CEO Brian France is set to give a state-of-the-sport address before the race. NASCAR crowned its first foreign champion Saturday night, with 24-year-old Mexican Daniel Suarez winning the second-tier Xfinity Series title.Actors Wilmer Valderrama (honorary starter) and Justin Hartley (grand marshal) are among the celebrities on hand for the finale.- Dan Gelston---More AP auto racing: www.racing.ap.orgFake Vapormax Flyknit . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Cheap Vapormax . 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The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays took themselves out of playoff contention with a terrible summer stretch that saw them lose 24 of 27 games. Without much on the line, theyve gotten off the mat nicely, winning seven of 12 since, due largely in part to consistent starting pitching that was lacking.On Saturday, left-hander Drew Smyly won for the first time in 12 starts, holding the Yankees to two runs and four hits in six solid innings.Smyly got the lead in the first, lost it and got it back again in the third. He said the scoreboard helped him relax on the mound and pitch better as a result.When youre pitching with the lead, it makes it so much easier, Smyly said. You can attack guys. You can go right at them. Great defense tonight, and this is the way we need to play.It was the 10th straight quality start from Rays starting pitching, matching the second longest streak in franchise history. The challenge of continuing that -- and potentially closing out a three-game series sweep -- falls to rookie Blake Snell, who has a 3.05 ERA and made his major-league debut against New York in April, holding the Yankees to one run and two hits in five innings in what ended up a 3-2 loss for the Rays.The Yankees, who had won eight of 10 games just last week, have dropped three straight and scored just five runs in those games. Theyyll try to stop their struggles with RHP Michael Pineda (5-9, 5.dddddddddddd00 ERA) starting Sunday.New York hadnt lost three in a row for more than a month, and its streak of three straight series wins will end regardless of Sundays outcome. The pitching is a concern, giving up six home runs in the two losses to the Rays, and that could get worse if any deals are made before Mondays trade deadline.They have totaled 12 runs in their seven losses since the All-Star break, and manager Joe Girardi understands that the bats must come alive if the Yankees are to close the gap with first-place Baltimore, just six games entering the night.Even in Saturdays 6-3 loss, he pointed to the eighth inning, when the Yankees put two on and had the tying run at the plate in Carlos Beltran, who leads the team with 21 home runs and 62 RBI. But Beltran grounded into a double play, ending a potential rally.We had an opportunity and had the right guy up in the situation, Girardi said. Unfortunately, he hit it hard into the ground. ... Theyre frustrating losses. Weve gotten behind early in games and we havent been able to catch up. You have to go out and win tomorrow. Thats all you can do is find a way to win tomorrow. ' ' '