HOMESTEAD, Fla., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. claimed the 2011 Nationwide Series championship Saturday with a second-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Stenhouse finished a comfortable 45 points ahead of Elliott Sadler, who came in sixth Saturday. All Stenhouse needed to take the title was a finish of at least 37th at the Ford 300.
The 24-year-old became the first Nationwide Series-only driver since 2005 to win the title after six "start and park" drivers were listed as out of the race by the 32nd lap.
Last year's series champ, Brad Keselowski, won Saturday's race at Homestead, passing Carl Edwards for the lead with seven laps to go and then holding off Stenhouse and Edwards down the stretch.
It was Keselowski's fifth win of the season and the 17th of his Nationwide career.
Edwards finished third and Clint Bowyer came in fourth.
